2013 TE Transmission Temperature Check

[Badbob]

Hi there!

I did a filter, flush on my tranny last Saturday. Put in 12 quarts, took out 12 quarts of old and I'm still low. So I need to add more. However, I have two questions:

1) what is the procedure to put a 2013 TE in Transmission Temperature Check Mode. I jump the pins #4 and #13 but I was not sure if the AT/Temp light blinks or the "D" for drive blinks. I used a Snapon ODB scanner but the temp was a 118 degrees and I could not get it to go down even after letting it sit for two hours. So I jump the pins but no AT/Temp light nor a blinking "D".

2) My transmission has been great--no problems. Anybody experience problems after doing a filter/flush? Some youtuber Toyota tech says not to do a flush on a vehicle over 100k. Well I did mine at 148k. However, I'm the second owner and don't know if it was ever done. Even with low fluid it drives and shifts fine. But my paranoia wants to research if doing a ATF change at 148k was a bad idea.

Many thanks for your thoughts and your help.

BB

 

[djeepin]

IMHO "doing a ATF change at 148k was a bad idea." The Car Care Nut explained in details what and when to service transmission.

 

[Badbob]

IMHO "doing a ATF change at 148k was a bad idea." The Car Care Nut explained in details what and when to service transmission.

ya, I saw that video too. Interesting he says that he does not work on a Toyota with over 100k miles. He probably did a tranny service on an older vehicle. The tranny crapped out, he got blamed and had to fixes the fried tranny.

If there is a tech bulletin on this from Toyota that is one thing. Anybody lost a tranny because they did a fluid change?

 

[iamabeliever]

I did the same as you at 120k miles. First flush on my truck. Tranny shifts smooth as butter now at 133k miles.

 

[Jeremy556]

The A750 is damn near indestructible. I know of many of them personally with over 300k miles on the original fill, and no problems. I have over 1/2 million miles on them in my extended family fleet, all with 100k fluid changes.

Not changing trans fluid because of high mileage is about like not changing your oil because you are overdue for an oil change. Techs don't like high mileage first fluid changes because when they come in they aren't P/M anymore. The customer starts having trans issues so they bring it in for fluid change, then blame the service when it doesn't get better or grenades shortly there-after.

Besides the official procedure below, you can use an IR thermometer on the trans pan.

FLUID LEVEL CHECK
NOTICE:

It is necessary to change to temperature detection mode in order to idle the vehicle appropriately.
The ATF temperature must be between 40 and 45°C (104 and 113°F) to accurately check the fluid level.
When using the Techstream:

Enter the following menus: Powertrain / ECT / Active Test / Connect the TC and TE1.
Standard condition:

Indicator lights in the combination meter blink.

When not using the Techstream:

Using SST, connect terminals 13 (TC) and 4 (CG) of the DLC3.
image
SST : 09843-18040

Standard condition:

Indicator lights in the combination meter blink.

Text in Illustration


*1 Front view of DLC3:

Start the engine and idle it.
NOTICE:

Check that electrical systems such as the air conditioning system, audio system and lighting system are off.

Slowly move the shift lever from P to S, and then change the gear from 1st to 5th. Then return the shift lever to P.
HINT:

Slowly move the shift lever to circulate the fluid through each part of the transmission.

Move the shift lever to D, and quickly move it back and forth between N and D (once within 1.5 seconds) for at least 6 seconds. This will activate the fluid temperature detection mode.

image
Standard condition:

Indicator light [D] remains illuminated for 2 seconds and then turns off.

Text in Illustration


*A Optitron Meter
*B Standard Meter

When using the Techstream:

Return the shift lever to P and terminate the Active Test on the Techstream.
When not using the Techstream:

Return the shift lever to P and disconnect SST from the DLC3.
Allow the engine to idle until the fluid temperature reaches 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F).
HINT:

The indicator [D] will come on again when the fluid temperature reaches 40°C (104°F) and will blink if it is higher than 45°C (113°F).

Indicator [D] Indication of ATF Temperature


Below 40°C (104°F) 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F) Higher than 45°C (113°F)
Turn off Turn on Blinking

Remove the overflow plug and gasket with the engine idling.

image
Wait until the overflow slows to a trickle.
Text in Illustration


*1 Overflow Tube
*a Specified fluid level

NOTICE:

If the fluid does not overflow, perform the following:

Remove the refill plug and gasket.
Refill the transmission through the refill hole until fluid begins to trickle out of the overflow tube.
Wait until the overflow slows to a trickle.
Install a new gasket and the overflow plug.
Torque : 20 Nm (204 kgf-cm, 15 ft-lbf)

Install a new gasket and the refill plug.
Torque : 37 Nm (379 kgf-cm, 27 ft-lbf)

 

[Jeremy556]

Looks like you have a TE, so optitron. There is an outline around the gear selection when moving the selector lever. When below 40c it will not exist in temp check mode, will be solid in the correct range, and flash when over temp.

 

[Badbob]

Thanks for the help! I had to add another quart. so I'm at 13 quarts total. I must of flushed out, or pumped out, as I was adding. But, anyhow, I got it up to temperature, added a little more until it trickled out and then sealed up everything. So I think I'm good to go. I was using a snapon scanner to read the temps. It would get to about 115 and then stop rising even though the actual fluid was luke warm at best.

Shifts much smoother but now I got the peace of mind to get back out in the backcountry.

Cheers!

 

[mike5]

On my 13, I recently also wanted to check the level (fluid previously exchanged). After driving, I had to let it sit for a few hours to get the temp to drop low enough (around 105) in order to check the level. When I went to add, of temp was low. So let it idle, eventually put it in D with foot on the brake which got it to warm up faster.

I used a scanner to monitor the trans pan temp (our cars have two sensors, one by torque converter).