Just hit 37k, flush or drain/fill auto transmission

Been reading up on the service interval for the transmission fluid in the 2nd gens, it appears Toyota recommends 60k and the transmission manufacturer recommends 35k. I'm just about at 37k and my shifting doesn't seem just right. That being said if I chose to replace the fluid now should I drain and replace or flush? Would flushing at 37k be complete overkill?

 

Flushing won't hurt, but way over kill. I would just check the fluid level and top off it need be. Or drain and fill. Some times these trucks come under filled from the factory.

 

I’m banking on mine going 200k+ with no change. I’ll replace the transmission at that point if necessary. The way I understand it is, with the sealed unit, you might get a little more life with regular changes, but not enough to justify the time/cost of doing it.

Now..

 

Seems awfully early for a change but just do a pan drop if you like. Btw a complete flush and replacement of my a/t filter at 130k miles was one of the easiest maintenance items I've ever done on my tacoma.

 

Do a drain and fill

 

If you honestly feel there is a problem with the transmission why screw with it when it's still covered under powertrain warranty?

 

You are just going to change the transmission instead of the fluid?

 

Yes

 

How have you been using the truck? Do you pull a heavy trailer? Climb mountain passes using overdrive?

I’d say it depends on what the history of the truck is.

 

I would do a full flush at 100K and repeat every 100K. The reason I'm a fan of flushes is because you don't want to mix crappy fluid with new fluid, it turns into a milkshake if you don't get enough old fluid out. So just easier to flush and not worry about it.

Unless you do a lot of towing I see no reason why you need to change your transmission fluid at 37K miles.

Plus Toyota never recommends changing the fluid, they only recommend CHECKING the fluid every 30K.

 

Show me your math on that.

Flush every 100K at private shop for around $100-150 at the most. Four changes in 400K = $600 at the most.

Transmission rebuild at 250K from lack of care = $3,000.

Not getting your logic. Plus you need to count in the absolute pain in the ass it is to have a truck in the shop with someone rebuilding the trans... because it's big enough where it does carry monetary value LOL.

It's fine if you don't want to touch your fluid, just don't make up BS reasons. Just be honest you are too lazy to do it.

 

My logic is that even if you do those changes, you aren’t going to get too much more life out of it than you would with no changes. At least not enough to justify the time/money. Not lazy, I like working on my truck. And I flushed my last vehicle’s transmission.

 

Yes if it needs it. It may not though. Even with all of those flushes there’s a good chance it’ll need replacing eventually too.

 

How many people keep vehicles long enough to put 250 k on them... not many. I have 270k on mine and have not touched the trans fluid. I also have not had any shifting issues as the OP stated. I had my mechanic tell me not to have it flushed at 150k when I took the truck in for inspection, he said at that point just leave it be, if I drained it that may create issues...his words.

 

Drain-fill. I started doing that at 50K miles. I do it every 10K miles so that equates to every 1.5 years or so. Not a bad waste of $35. Peace of mind, and I like to work on the truck so win win.

 

flush at 60k, pan drains at 30k

 

The dealer looked at me like i was crazy when i asked for a transmission fluid change at 70,000 said it dont need it.

 

Drain and fill every 40-50k, flush will never been needed.

How so? Isn't that 3/36? He has a '15 @37k.

 

And you trust everything the dealership says?

 

I bought the truck as CPO with about 32k on it, I'm pretty sure some older lady owned it before I did and I've been pretty easy on it, no towing, a few trail rides. I don't know if it is me being particular but sometimes I don't think it shifts "just right" and usually the dealer just passes over this kind of stuff. I've read about the levels coming low from the factory and figured why not just change the fluid while I'm at it and make sure it actually gets properly filled (read stories about the dealer not even doing that right). If it is still giving me problems I can bring it in. I'll stick with pan drain/fills for now and look to flushing once I put some miles on it