60k trans service opinions requested!

Looking for advice/opinions on what to do on my 2015 Tacoma SR5 4.0L V6. I am at the 60,000 mile mark and curious what every is doing for their transmission service.

1. Dealer complete trans fluid change
2. Perform a complete trans fluid at home
3. Perform a pan fluid change (4qt) at home

FYI, I did a pan change at the 30k service.

 

if you have done a pan drain and fill yourself, you can do the full proper 12ish qt fluid change with not much more effort. There is a great DIY on here for it.

Dont let the dealer touch your truck with a 10ft pole.

 

Do you do a lot of towing/offroading, or are you pretty easy on your Taco? If the latter, I'd think the pan drain/refill option should be just fine. Based upon reports I've read from owners here on TW, that would put you into the "relatively frequent" trans fluid change category.

 

If you feel confident enough, You could do a full flush at home by following the link below.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-full-flush-for-automatic-transmission.68462/

Why a full flush?
Because of this - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-get-it-out-of-your-transmission-now.331521/

Other wise, just do another D&R at home.

 

Do it yourself. Do NOT let the dealer touch your truck unless it’s under recall, they will not take as much time or care as much as you will. With the DIY videos and tutorials m here if you take your time and do your homework ahead of time, and have a reasonably mechanical sense about you, it can be done without too much work. You will not only learn something new and useful, but know more about your own truck and get the added satisfaction of accomplishment and saving a boatload in the meantime.

 

I did a full drain and flush 3x on my taco at 55k miles. I put valvoline max atf in there and im happy now at 70k. From now on I will just do a pan drain and fill every 30k. It’s cheap and simple.

 

Nothing. Wait until 100k to do it

 

I just do a pan drain every other yr. and replace 3 qts. My method is your constantly refreshing the fluid. Its fast and easy.

 

"Truer words have never been spoken."

In 1972 (17 at the time) while working on our farm truck, my dad told me pretty much the same thing when I asked "why don't we just take it to the dealer?

@jpowell1161 - take into consideration on how you use your truck. City driving, highway driving, towing, flat land or hilly/mountainous region? If you think it needs it, then it does. Thumbs up for keeping up on your vehicle.

 

I tow an 18' ski boat that fully loaded probably weighs 3,000lbs. Well under the 6,500lb towing capacity for my truck, but I've probably gone around 10 times this year (1.5 hr trips). Using my OBD Fusion app, my pan temp usually stays right around 185-190 degrees, the torque converter temp I've never seen higher than 215 degrees. Whenever I approach a hill I shift the trans out of overdrive.

 

Yeah you are good on keeping temps down. FYI there are two temp sensors, one right out of the torque converter, and one in the pan, the pan temp is the one to keep an eye on. If i were you, for peace of mind do the full 12qt swap then go 80k miles till the next change.

So im at 125k miles on my 2013. I didnt touch the trans (other than to check n top off the fluid when new with about half a quart) till 60k miles. I did the full 12qt swap at 60k miles and the fluid looked decent but it was getting time to replace. I hit 120k miles recently (another 60k) and did the same 12qt swap (and in the last 60k miles i have definitely done much more loaded towing and hauling, but have always been mindful of keeping the torque converter locked at speed to keep temps down). This second go around the fluid came out almost new looking, plenty of life left in it likely due to the fact everything is broken in now and isnt getting flushed out like it did at the 60k mark. I will be going 80k miles till my next full swap (at 200k total miles) at which point i will drop the pan, clean the magnets and replace the filter.

 

I would just do a drain and fill (about 2.5 quarts) and a fluid check. If you’re changing 4 quarts I assume that means dropping the pan.

 

I seem to recall one of the many transmission flush threads I read mentioned doing the drain and fill with the truck on an uphill incline to get another quart or so out.

But even getting 4 quarts out of a 10-quart system feels like not quite enough, ya know? Easy enough to do it two or three times to increase the percentage of old fluid that gets removed from the system. Or do the return line flush which doesn't sound like it's much harder (likely easier, come to think of it).

Add some LubeGard Platinum too, if you're so inclined.

 

I took mine to a local tranny shop that I trust. Tranny fluid change + front & rear end fluids was about $ 250. Yes I COULD do it myself, but just too messy in my driveway & I'm lazy

 

If you did a pan fluid change at 30K, stick with that schedule - drain/refill every 30K with OEM WS through the warranty period. After the warranty period expires, I would do a flush to replace the OEM WS with Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Then continue with 30K drain/refills with MaxLife or flush every 60-90K thereafter.

 

Thanks everyone for your responses! I’m going to do the full transmission flush.

 

If you pull the return line and dump that into a graduated pitcher and run a hose/funnel setup from the engine bay to the fill hole it’s literally a 20 minute exercise to swap all the fluid.

 

Just make sure you torque the drain plug bolt to 15 lb/ft and NOT 21. Replacing a pan is not a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

 

It takes me 20 min. To get my stuff together.LOL

 

Well yeah, plus I need to drink at least 1 beer before hand. I meant more once you have everything together and set up.