Transmission 2016-2023- 6 SPEED AUTOMATICS COULD BE LOW ON FLUID DIRECTLY FROM FACTORY

This is a stupid question I will start with that, so go easy on me... How do you know if you have a cooler? I have an OR but doesn't have trailer package. I have the button in front of the transmission does that mean you have the cooler? Wondering if it is hidden or very visible next to the radiator.

 

It's black tubing with fins on it in front of the radiator.

 

Took my dcsb4x4 3.5 auto in Thursday. Had to insist they check transmission fluid,even though it is a"sealed unit". 1.5 quarts low. Then the service guy said it was a "little low." Got the impression he was pissed at me for insisting. 3950 miles.

 

Just did mine. Tranny: 20 oz low, Rear Diff: 20 oz low, Front Diff: 8 oz low, xfer case: good

 

At the time , we were trying to determine if the low fluid levels were coming from one of the two plants in the hopes we could bite the low fluid issue in the @ss or at least let members know that the Mexico plant was responsible or perhaps San Antonio was responsible for all these low transmission fluid problems

I think we can pretty much tell from the poll that both plants are responsible for low fluid now .
We didnt have this information when the poll use to say low or not low .
With this said , the poll has answered that both plants are sending Tacomas to dealerships with low fluid and were still sending trucks to dealerships with low fluid as of FEB 2016
From what I can gather , I will bet we will see well over 100 trucks low by April 15th .

 

gonna be stupid again... I followed the hoses that come out of the gizmo with the button on it that you pin and they go up to the front, but I don't see where. It almost looks like the radiator is two pieces one in front of the other with like a black rubber gasket under it but is that the transmission cooler? Or is it smaller? I thought I saw a picture of it and it was small on once side but now I am not sure.

 

I'm taking the truck in again. This time coporate Toyota is showing. I don't know why corporate is showing but the symptoms of the delayed shifting are less now. Maybe because of the 20 plus degree increase in the weather this week. But today, I was talking to the sales rep who sold me the truck and driving down about 7 percent grade then the truck down shifts into 3rd gear on its own. I watch the rpm's stick around 2500. I wait till I'm at the bottom of the hill and level to see if it shifts but it stays in 3rd and won't shift. I had to shift to sport mode to get it into 4th. I hope they can confirm the symptoms the transmission has been having. And I also hope corporate has a positive influence on how the maintenance is going. I'll post later with the good or bad news later.

 

I took mine in this morning (vin starts with 5) and I have 597 miles on it (TRD Off Road 4x4 tow package). I had them check the ATF, front and rear diff, u joints and u bolts. Dealer just called said everything was normal except u bolts needed torqued a bit.

Won't be able to pick it up until after work, I did mark the drain plug on transmission with a paint pen to make sure they did it.

When you buy a vehicle from my dealer you receive a lifetime warranty on the engine and transmission for free (as long as you keep service records) so it would be in their best interest to check it correctly.

UPDATE:
Picked the truck up, all the checks were done free of charge. The drain plug on the transmission had fluid on it, so it was checked correctly. I'm good!

 

Well, here's my horror story...

I hadn't really noticed any shifting issues, except in the morning switching from reverse to drive. Just had some lag and I let it go, no big deal. It might "hunt" on the highway, but I pushed in the handy ECT button whenever it really annoyed me.

On the north perimeter of Atlanta, it started hunting, and slipping, and I had no idea what was going on. Hit the gas and it sounds and feels like the transmission is trying and failing to get into any gear. The engine then cut off and I had to manhandle it to the shoulder. The little error console had "High Transmission Fluid Temp" and "Check Oil Pressure". Just had it towed to a dealer and they say they cannot reproduce the problem and that the computer didn't record any error codes.

I didn't know about this fluid thing so I guess I'll have them check. But what really burns is I was just in there for the 5,000 mile service and they did not indicate any issues or having to add any fluid.

Armed with more info, I guess I'll see what I can see. My biggest fear is that they'll say the fluid was low, top it off, and hand it back to me. Is the tranny damaged? Will I be driving on borrowed time? I got the brand new truck because my 99 Tacoma started to break down and I needed something dependable (irony there).

 

Right. That's what I would think they would do too.
But why and the heck are people running into these issues where these dealers who are not topping off the atf fluid and getting the run around from corporate. I've got one of those tacos that have been showing the syptoms of delayed and hard shifting and it actually stuck into gear at one point where I had to shift it myself. The tech confirmed the delayed shifting but did not specify that on the invoice?! "Transmission fluid level normal." "No signs of contaniments." "Transmission operates as it should in comparison to like model." Yet, they had the same delayed shifting issue which they confirmed verbally but in writing.
A simple fluid check and possible fill would be in the better interest of all parties included if the trucks tranny was showing these symptoms.

 

Updated first post to include PDF file for 2016 pre-delivery inspection . The file is at the bottom of the first post beside the fill procedures
You guys are welcome to print the document off and take it to the dealer with you to prove that the transmission fluid " SHOULD HAVE " been checked when your dealerships sold you the truck .
Enjoy

 

scheduled my appointment for next week. Judging how the dealership reacted this is not the first 16 they have had bad back to check low AT fluid.

 

If my truck did that I would make them keep it and give me something else to drive until they figure out what's wrong. I would demand it!

 

Indeed, that's what I have done. Right now they are saying they can't duplicate the issue, so I told them to drive it for more than 5 minutes.

We'll see.

 

I have all the shifting issues as well. Took it in Feb. 16 for my 5k check. Told them the tranny was slipping and to check it out. Dealership told me -this is the note from me invoice -"trans fluid is full, transmission is electronically controled and response is based on driving condition inputs". I never really trusted the answer and none of the symptoms went away. The final straw was I just took it on a trip to California from AZ a couple of weekends ago and I couldn't get the thing to get out of 4th. Doing 75 on a flat road and it's pinned in 4th at 3700 rpms. So I figured I'd finally do my own check and not a drop came out of the overflow plug.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to call the dealership and make them check it again and fill it so I can have it on record or just fill it myself and be done with it.

 

I have a feeling a TSB should be coming out real soon!

 

Dropped mine off at the dealer last night for 5k service and requested the check ATF fluid. They brought over the head service guys who took down the symptoms and chatted with the mechanic. Surprisingly they didn't put up a fight. They called me this afternoon and told me that Corporate instructed them to keep it for another night. My guess is they tried to weasel out of actually doing it, called Toyota and got some indication this might be a real problem. I'll update tomorrow when I got pick it up.

 

THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM .
Not screaming at you Destructo , just venting at Toyota for making such a massive mistake .
In the end , this low on fluid issue is going to cost them millions and a serious loss of die hard customers

 

Bring back the dipstick!!!!!!!

 

Update: the truck is now at my hometown dealer - I had previous work in Houston where they found the tranny to be low 1 QT of tranny fluid.


Symptoms are back- when I dropped the truck off, I was told that I needed to let the truck warm up before driving, that is the new world standard from Toyota.

Anyone been told about this nonsense ?

Finally opened a case with corporate, will see how that goes. The truck has now 5K on it.


Very disappointed to say the least.