2003 4Runner and Changing Tranny Fluid

[live4swell]

When you go to Toyota for the 30k service and they service the Tranny do they do a drain and refill or a flush? I dont want to go to them to do it if they are going to flush it. If its a drain and refill and I wanted to do it myself, how much should be drained? and how much should be put back in?

 

[Kanab]

When you go to Toyota for the 30k service and they service the Tranny do they do a drain and refill or a flush? I dont want to go to them to do it if they are going to flush it. If its a drain and refill and I wanted to do it myself, how much should be drained? and how much should be put back in?

They normally will offer both. There is nothing wrong with a flush as long as they don't use anything but ATF.

 

[Sac State]

I am old school also and like the option of checking my fluid and condition. What month did Toyota switch to the sealed unit?

As mentioned, mine was built 2/03 and has a dipstick.

 

[Kanab]

It started on the 04's. We're OK with the 03's.

OK? What do you mean OK, you have that out dated inferior type IV ATF

 

[bulldog-yota]

OK? What do you mean OK, you have that out dated inferior type IV ATF

we can always change to WS or any other ATF we want when we want. You will still have a pain with the 04 tranny

 

[TechWrench]

It started on the 04's. We're OK with the 03's.

I have a friend with an '03 V8 which he picked up in late Aug or early Sep and he doesn't have the dipstick.

 

[TechWrench]

Mine is the "second generation" 03 with the painted cladding and it has one. I bought it Aug 25th, 2003. Interesting, I thought they started in 04. Sorry. That seems odd.

He lives down state from me, but when I get a chance, I will get his VIN. Maybe that will shed some light.

 

[TechWrench]

This is interesting. You wouldn't think they'd slip stream a completely different tranny like that.

I've got to make a trip downstate during the holidays, so I'm going to verify his report on this. He isn't the most mechanically automotive person I know, and I am relying on him telling me he couldn't find the dipstick when I mentioned this issue to him last year. I do know that he has the gray cladding, which would put his 'vintage' before yours, so now I am also curious about what he actually has. I will report back, when I know for sure.

 

[live4swell]

Cool, or you can email him the pic I just took below and see if it matches. (without the mud of course)

I was changing my oil today and since i am at a little over 30k miles I checked the ATF again and it still looks good, color and smell then I looked at the red top of the dipstick and there is a sticker that says Notice: Under normal driving conditions ATF does not have to be changed, something to that extent. I quoted the pic because you can see the white sticker around the dipstick. When i read things like that it confuses me even more about when it should be changed especially since i inspected it and it seems fine.

 

[Kanab]

I was changing my oil today and since i am at a little over 30k miles I checked the ATF again and it still looks good, color and smell then I looked at the red top of the dipstick and there is a sticker that says Notice: Under normal driving conditions ATF does not have to be changed, something to that extent. I quoted the pic because you can see the white sticker around the dipstick. When i read things like that it confuses me even more about when it should be changed especially since i inspected it and it seems fine.

Depends on how long you plan on keeping it?? If you are going to keep it for 150K+ miles I would service it every 30K miles. If you are going to trade it before 100K miles I would service it at 60K miles. If you tow I would service it at 30K miles even if you plan on trading. I have the 2004 with the "WS" ATF and don't tow and will trade at 80-90K miles, I plan on servicing mine at 45K miles, just because I'm a anal nut case. Does anyone know if these 5 speed auto's have a transmission filter that is changed when it is serviced?

 

[TechWrench]

Depends on how long you plan on keeping it?? If you are going to keep it for 150K+ miles I would service it every 30K miles. If you are going to trade it before 100K miles I would service it at 60K miles. If you tow I would service it at 30K miles even if you plan on trading. I have the 2004 with the "WS" ATF and don't tow and will trade at 80-90K miles, I plan on servicing mine at 45K miles, just because I'm a anal nut case. Does anyone know if these 5 speed auto's have a transmission filter that is changed when it is serviced?

Can't swear to it, but I would have to assume that it has the same type of screen filter that last years 5-speed had. They usually don't require replacement unless the screen is perforated, just a cleaning at best.

 

[Kanab]

Can't swear to it, but I would have to assume that it has the same type of screen filter that last years 5-speed had. They usually don't require replacement unless the screen is perforated, just a cleaning at best.

Sounds like it is like my 95 Landcruiser, it just had a screen. I figure I will do the transmission service at 45K and not the fluid exchange, since I have the "WS" ATF in mine and don't trust that anyone could do the fluid exchange and not mix the WS with another type of fluid that was already in the flush/exchange machine.

 

[Larry]

Quote:
I had mine flushed at 30K last week. I specifically asked them about dropping the pan and cleaning the screen. The dealer said they do not drop the pan when they do a flush. I asked how could they know if it had caught anything unless they look and he said the holes in the screen were big enough that if they had caught anything that big the tranny would not be functioning anyway.

I did not like that answer.
----------------------------------------------------------------

You are right, not to like the answer. if you want to see under there you should figure out a way to get a look. Don't think that the dealer is the last best work on everything for your Toyota.

I'm like Pitbull, not going to trust anyone to do it and am going to do my own, in the driveway. I have an 03 with regular tranny fluid and plan to pick a synthetic fluid.