Dealer transmission service possibly not performed ?

To clarify I mean hoses, instead of hardlines. Newer 4Runners use hardlines that you can't attach the fluid flush machines to. At least where I work. So we do standard drain and fills. We don't sell many 2WD taco's so I don't know how they are serviced.

 

In regards to a taco, how do you check the level this way?

 

It's pretty hard for me to believe a dealer would say they've performed a service when they haven't.

 

Shady, that’s theft man. Took your hard earned money and did nothing

 

Better tip --------------- Keep the dealer out of it. Find a good independent and go from there. Easier said than done, I know.

 

In the service manual and my experience says all the Tacoma's have hoses.

 

OP,

I would have a friend call the dealer service dept to ficticiously schedule the same transmission service on a truck like yours. Then have the person ask questions regarding how the service is performed, thru the lines or whatever your concerns are, just to see what they say.

 

I’m going to take a closer look at the truck this morning and look for tool marks on the transmission cooler lines. Both off the transmission and the cooler in the front.

If all else fails I’ll crack the overflow. For the paper towel test.

 

Stop taking your truck to the dealer. Take to a reputable transmission shop
Demand a refund of the service they didnt do.

 

In order to set the ATF level, they would have pulled the overfill plug. The bottom of your pan is WAY too dry.

 

A lot of people don’t understand how the tech that is working on your truck gets paid. They hire the cheapest work money can buy and run off the high paid experienced guys. Out of that 120 bucks or however much you paid for the transmission flush, 6 bucks probably went into the techs pocket. Stop expecting the best work possible out of a guy that has a flag rate of 11 bucks a flag hour. Stop taking shit to the dealer you don’t trust. There are maybe 15 Toyota dealers in the greater Houston area and I trust 1 of them barely. The way our flush machine at my shop works is it will put in as much as it takes out of the vehicle. It hooks up through the cooler lines and there are attachments for about every single cooler line out there including hard fitted banjo style lines. Now being a tech, I don’t trust machinery, I always double check the level after the work is completed via a fill plug or a dipstick or whatever. That part is a little iffy to me personally. If you are that concerned go talk to the dealer calmly and explain that you believe the check plug wasn’t removed to verify fluid level and you are worried the service was performed improperly if not at all. A shop can get chaotic and a tech may have simply overlooked the service on the ticket if you had multiple things being serviced on the truck. Be calm and cool. If they start jerking you off then start all out war.

 

when they use the flush machine isn't there a cleaning additive that is used in the process before re topping the off the fluid with the amount taken out.

 

At my dealership this tech would get fired for not performing a service he had claimed to do. They keep a log of machine use, security footage, etc. to look into these claims. (I once called BS on a brake fluid flush after my fluid still appeared dirty after the service. Long story short- the adviser was very nice about it, but made me look like an asshole.)

In this case, the service would have been done through the cooler lines. Depending on their machine it could either cycle new fluid in at the same rate as it comes out (most likely), or it could pump out the old stuff into a measuring device and then they can pump in the same amount.

Let us know if they ACTUALLY didn't do it. Considering how the task is mostly automated, that would be a silly reason to lose your job.

 

Some shops have this additive, some shops don’t use it.

 

first I thought those transfer systems are bad for the tranny. are new trannys made to do this? Also is there a dip stick? If its new ATF you should be able to smell it and see/feel it. I do it on my work trucks.

Just saw this on the 3rd gen. Fluid exchange service. Probably explains why bolt is untouched. Might be different on 2nd.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/30k-service-quote.523937/

 

there are only 10 dip sticks

Oil level and the driver

http://www.binarytranslator.com/

 

OP, did they do a flush or drain and fill?

Look at how many quarts they charged you for.

Pretty sure you only flush the tranny with the cooler lines up front.

Having done a drain and fill on my taco six times or so, and how dry your pan is I would say they definitely did not touch the pan for a drain and fill. Area around drain plug is way too clean.

For future reference, the drain and fill on these trucks is super easy to do. Quality torque wrench is required for the drain bolt. Every time I do it, 3.2qrts comes out and that’s what I put back in. Personally, I don’t even bother with the temp check overflow plug, shift sequence, and OBD jump like I used to, cause it’s always 3.2 qrts.

Not advocating that method, it’s just worked for me for over 100k

 

The other day I was doing an oil change on my truck and my neighbor asked why I dont just bring it to the dealer... reason #14 is because of shit like this. Either it isn't done, or it's done half ass, or a combination of the both. Finding a good tech or independent mechanic seems like hitting powerball now a days.

 

You should’ve asked your neighbor if he hires somebody to do his wife. I’m not going to pay somebody for something I can do myself. And I can make sure it’s done right.

 

lol!