Your new 2010 - 2015 truck -Auto transmission could be low on fluid directly from factory

Look on page 16 http://www.toyotatundraforum.com/pdf/A750E.pdf

Seems to explain things in a little more detail . Not sure what they mean by limited grade ?
DO NOT WAIT for the light to come on . You are way too late by then and have already cooked your transmission fluid . The transmission temp light comes on when the transmission reaches 310 degrees .

 

Yeah, I know where it's supposed to be. But nothing is there. Nothing ever lights up.

 

I need to check my tranny fluid. Since new it's always been kinda punchy when cold.

 

Dug a little deeper and found out why I don't have that indicator. Turns out the A/T Oil Temp light only comes on 4-wheel drive models. Way to go Toyota.

 

A/T Oil light is on 2wd drive models as well...it just doesn't light up when you turn the key on. If you put the truck into temp check mode it will show up...just did it yesterday. My truck was about 12 oz low.

 

Instead of temp check mode, could I use the AT temp reading from an OBDII gauge?

 

Not too sure if you can use the OBD guage to check your fluid . There is a thermostat within the transmission cooling system and I beleive Toyota requires the internal thermostat to cycle opened and closed at least once to verify all galleries within the transmission cooling system are filled with oil in order to turn the temp light on .
In order to get the TEMP light to illuminate , the ECM must see that all parameters have been met .

If you are checking the fluid by using an OBD2 scanner , there could be a difference in the fluid level because you wouldnt know if the internal cooler has circulated .
I suppose the way to verify this would be to put the transmission into the fluid check mode , check the fluid level and then check it at a later time using just the scanner . I have never tried this

 

I did the 60k DIY trans flush a few weeks ago on my 2011 and added little over a qt more than I took out.

 

Mine was low from the get go, but I didn't know it. I didn't realize how much better the truck would shift until I recently got it filled up (1 1/2 qt. low).

 

Then someone needs to tell Toyota. According to the owners manual for my year, 2wd doesn't have it. Page 14. "Automatic Transmission Fluid Temperature Warning Light (four-wheel drive models only)"

http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM35869U/pdf/07omsour/2007/07tacoma/16.pdf

 

Didn't realize it was different between years. My 2011 has it and the manual just says "if equipped" not "4wd only"

 

Thanks for the heads up . Good stuff to know !!!!
Question is , how do you get your truck into the trans temp mode if it doesnt have a light ? So much for attempting the check at home ?

 

From what I've seen just driving it around normal for 15 minutes it was always ready when I put it in temp check mode.

 

Gearcruncher, great information , gracias amigo

Before signing on the bottom line, taking delivery on a new Tacoma, will have service check A/t fluid.
Can you trust service to honestly do this service on a new truck, or will the service tecs laugh a you, ...or they will just say they checked everything, and everything is fine..don worry mon...

 

I am willing to bet they are gonna add the fluid inspection to the price of the truck since it takes an hour to do the level check using the Toyota repair manual . Its a deal breaker for sure . Not to mention if they say they are going to charge you , its obvious they dont care about your business
Fight the dealer !!! get them to make double sure the level is good before you drive away . .... Thats the way it should be in my opinion .
If the dealer did their job properly , there would be no reason for this post

 

I need to check mine, it doesn't feel as smooth as any other auto I have driven. Went in to the dealership I bought it from and talked to one of the service managers and he said I would have to pay for the service. Actually was kind of a dick. He kept explaining that fluid is considered normal wear and tear. I asked what he called it if the trans was low from the factory? He didn't seem to really care, so I just left. i'll just do my own work and if something breaks they can replace it under warranty. Douchbag dealers

 

There is no charge and they do not check on PDI. The dealer said that if you randomly go in and ask them to check your fluid without presenting issues they could charge. They CAN NOT charge you (set by Toyota Policies) if you go in under warranty with a concern. they have to check the fluid as part of the warranty troubleshooting process.

 

So I should go in and say something feels wrong and ask if they can check it out? What would be the best way to approach them? By the end of the conversation with this guy I wanted to punch him in the face. Just plain inconsiderate, but I expected it going in so I guess It is what it is. Thanks for the info.

 

Thats the problem . You go in and say there are issues with the transmission and the service manager sends the technician on a road test only to find that everything is considered " normal " after the tech comes back from the road test . With this said ,You have to find a way to get the technician to check the transmission fluid .
If it were my vehicle , I would tell the service manager that the truck slips once in a while going around corners and travelling uphills . Sometimes it takes a while for the truck to move in the morning when its cool .
These are all classic low on fluid symptoms . The technicians know this and the service manager knows this as well .
I hate dealerships as well . Havnt found a reliable dealership within a thousand miles of where I live and I make sure everyone I talk to knows it

 

I checked mine on Saturday and it ended up being around 20oz low, it's hard to say for sure because I pulled a few ounces out to send to Blackstone Labs. When I first pulled the overflow plug while everything was cold and the engine was off, 20oz of fluid came out. I began to think some nasty things about Gearcruncher and his ancestry because obviously if stuff came out the overflow, then it was full already. Right?

I figured I might as well follow the procedure through so I put a full quart back in and ran thru the temp check cycle, expecting to get a bunch back out when I pulled the plug. Nothing. I did that cycle 3 more times until I had it full enough for excess to come out of the overflow plug. I guess there's a lot less fluid in the pan when the engine is running and the fluid is warm.

As for effects, I think it feels a bit smoother when downshifting from 4th to 3rd. Aside from that I couldn't really tell.