Yet ANOTHER low transmission fluid story

Correct, among other issues.

 

Exactly. Pretty sure there isn't a low level sensor but I'll check today while I'm at work. Your right about the quantity added. If we ask for a quart only use a touch the whole quart is charged to the customer. I've had many older vehicles come in that have had low transmission fluid level and not a problem. Only complain when there really low is that the customer goes around a corner and the transmission goes into neutral. On the other had when we check the fluid level on a non sticK Toyota vehicle there is a very detail procedure which involves the use of the Techstream. Most actually use a special service tool starting in 2016 to measure the level. Not sure how the back yard guys are doing this.

 

Can you state the dates?

 

We really don't need a Toyota certified transmission tech, or a Toyota transmission engineer to get to the bottom of these allegations.
We just need common sense and 1+1 reasoning.
The low transmission allegations started way back with the 2nd Gen, or so I've heard. Additionally, I've heard these same allegations with other make/models with sealed transmission in other forums.
But as of yet, I see no rash in transmission failures on the 2nd Gen, or other makes/models with these same allegations.
Nor have I heard of any mass recalls or law suits pertaining to this issue, and I first started reading these allegations of low ATF fluid in GM forums as far back as 2008.
Hope that helps!
Cheers!

 

It's not an exact science, but I can look at the side of the bottle after I'm finished and see that I have 1/2 quart, 1/3 quart, or none, etc. left over. I don't know how they do it at the service departments, but I know I put in an entire quart plus a little bit of another quart ... thus I added approximately 1.1 quarts. Exact - no, but I figure it's a pretty close number.

See my attachment for the procedure. Page 5 tells how to do it without a techstream.

 

'09 to first quarter '16. Best I can offer.

 

Hey John, I too live in Knoxville and will be taking my 2016 Sport in for 5K service soon. Do you mind me asking which dealer did your service?

Thanks.

 

Same here, mine was 1.5 low too. But, I didn't wait. I took my Truck back after only having it for a couple weeks. Dealer agreed to check level with no issue.

 

WOW Thanks for this great information. My apologies when I wrote my post; I was ONLY referring to "many" service departments where I worked. My job was to FILL the transmission to the optimum level, the customer had already been charged for the whole quart; so the whole quart was what was listed on the work order.

Thanks for this attachment. WOW things are WAY more complicated then when I was a FULL TIME Floor tech. Disconnect pins TC and TG which activate the engine idle, then the D shift indicator comes on for 2 seconds when the temp is 95 - 113F ... etc etc .... WOW all this and more to CHECK the transmission fluid level. NO WONDER Toyota doesn't do this all the time; that is a lot of tech wages/money to JUST check the fluid level.

What a big procedure; in the OLD DAYS we just had the engine idling, and we pulled out a dipstick to check the level.

 

Yeah, the procedure is much more involved than the "old days" and overly time consuming, which is why dealerships don't want to do it unless they absolutely have to. I timed the procedure on a cold truck, mid 70's ambient temp, and it took about 8 minutes to get to temperature, and another 5 or so minutes to get above the max checking temp, so the process itself takes less than 15 minutes, but they may have to wait hours for the temp to come down enough to check it after someone drives it in.

I sure do miss the dipstick.

 

Mine just died in the middle of the highway. Hot at/transmission light then the whole dash lit up. I quit looking at the dash and coasted off the road without power steering.

 

WTF Did Toyota secretly get bought out by Ford?

 

I have the same issue. Truck has been in 3 times. twice they filled the trans after a check. First tech scan said it was Ok. Not sure why this is so hard to fix but I still have the R to D delay, "slipping" feeling when trans is in higher gears, and when making turns it feels like the whole truck just dies and starts back up or falls out of gear. Hard to explain.

I am almost hoping my trans just quits like @helimech09 's just did so they have to fix a problem.

 

I was not happy with the service people at the dealership I purchased my truck at. Toyota Corp or America, whatever it is, said to take it to a different dealership. Problem is, now I have put my leveling kit on, 265/75's, and spidertrax spacers on ( don't hate its just for the mall). I am sure they will try to say its "the lift".

 

I beg your pardon for this foolish question, but my dealership assured me that this is an issue with the auto transmission only. Should I be concerned with this with my 5 speed MT?

 

It would be VERY unlikely. Manual transmissions have grease or lube in them, not regular transmission fluid. They would get filled when they are built, like an automatic would, BUT there's no transmission cooler on a manual so no chance for loss of fluid when the cooler is installed at the port.

Yours can also be checked much easier. It should have a plug on the side you take out and stick your finger in and down. If you touch the grease you're good. Do this when the transmission is COLD though. If you've driven it for a couple hours I imagine that lube could get pretty hot. No need to burn a finger.

 

Potential policy gap?

1. What is Toyota's written process or instruction for PDI/PDS at the dealer level?
2. What does Toyota promise to the customer upon delivery of the vehicle as far as what will be performed in a PDS/PDI?

If Toyota is promising to provide a check of fluids, they should be more specific on what fluids they will check. If toyota is requiring dealers to check this fluid then they should be providing the resource allocation (time) to the dealer for this process.

My guess is, right hand doesn't know what in the fuck the left hand is doing.

 

False alarm, crankshaft position sensor

 

It appears on or PDS sheet if we checked the level but because Toyota only pays and hour to do the PDS the dealerships won't do it. Not a chance your going to get the PDS done in a hour if they add the ATF fluid check.

 

Did it look like this?