How long do automatic transmissions last?

[Bullet]

I know it all depends......

I'm talking about Tacomas, Tundras, and Sequoias. In approx two years will need another vehicle and it will be used. So I've been looking online and I see many over 200K miles and a few over 300K miles. I'm wondering if they go that long on the original transmission with and without fluid changes? Buying used you might not be able to find out about maintenance unless it's at a dealership and on a car fax.

Anyone have first hand knowledge with and without maintenance?

Anyway, I looked at SUV during the week. It has some dings and pealing clear coat paint, but otherwise I really liked it, but not just not time yet.

 

[Lubener]

There really is no way to tell and anyone who says otherwise is just guessing and that means nothing. Exception being would be a personal experience with those models.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Certainly Toyota’s have a reputation of getting to high miles, 250,000 miles being fairly common. My Chevy 6L90 has just over 240,000 miles, getting a pan drop every five years. The last drop resulted in a bit of fuzz on the magnet. I also replace 3 quarts of transmission fluid yearly using a vacuum tube. My Dexron VI is always a bright red in colour. I understand the failure mode on these are to have the torque convertor fail and fill the tranny with debris.

 

[SHOZ]

My rural mail man use to drive the Plymouth and Dodge mini vans. ~125 miles a day and extreme stop and go. Usually got over 200k on them. I was amazed.

 

[atikovi]

My 500,000 mile Sequoia had the original transmission as best as I could tell. If mostly highway driven with fewer gear changes, there is no reason it shouldn't last that long assuming regular maintenance.

 

[supton]

I believe the million mile Tundra did need a trans rebuild around 700k.

They do seem to go to high miles. But conversely, does that mean finding a suitable reman will cost more? And I do believe I have seen rebuilders hawking remans, so, someone somewhere has had them fail. Just not as commonly as the other makes it would seem.

 

[Tdbo]

Too many variables to determine.
I religiously do pan drops on all my vehicles at 30K.
That interval was good enough to take the original transmission on a 2000 Taurus out to 275K, yet a transmission on a 1993 Chrysler died at 66K on that same interval.
The Taurus still shifted perfectly on the original transmission when I got rid of it at 275K. The Chrysler was rebuilt (under warranty) and was never correct. I traded it shortly thereafter.
That doesn't exactly answer the Toyota question, I know. However, it does make the point. Design, quality of components, and intervals of maintenance are all factors in the longevity of a transmission.

 

[oil pan 4]

The solenoid bores will wear out on the valve body if they're not sleeved with steel if they are then the next failure point is likely going to be the torque converter lock up clutch.

 

[Dave9]

Regarding the linked vehicle, I wouldn't pay $16K for a mid-sized luxury SUV with 160K mi. even if it has near half its life left. Get the purchase price low enough that if the tranny or any of the other 4 columns of ~$1K repairs fails, it's in the budget to fix those.

 

[JohnnyG]

With proper maintenance, most will last the life of the vehicle.

There are transmissions that known to fail early though. Think some early CV's and some Chevy trucks.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I regularly service our 2001 Tundra's transmission, 220K miles. Seems fine. I replaced the filter when I got the truck. Spill and fills every 25K to 30K after that. Maxlife.

 

[Donald]

Adding a Magnefine inline filter would be a good idea.

But even if a vehicle has a solid reputation for its transmission lasting 500K miles if the original owner romps on the gas pedal every time the light turns green it's probably not going to last 500K miles.

You can rebuild a transmission but cannot fix a rusty frame.

 

[John105]

I saw vlogs with my moms 2006 TSX 500k and they were addressing a leak, it didn’t need a rebuild.

I’m hoping Toyotas are good as I have an 06 LS at 136k and I’ve done 4 drain/fills starting at 85k.

Seems there’s no need for AAMCO as there once was…

 

[SHOZ]

Adding a Magnefine inline filter would be a good idea.

But even if a vehicle has a solid reputation for its transmission lasting 500K miles if the original owner romps on the gas pedal every time the light turns green it's probably not going to last 500K miles.

You can rebuild a transmission but cannot fix a rusty frame.

I gave up my SHO as I could not keep a trans in it. I did get where I could drop the subframe, hubs and all in about an hour. Then take it off the subframe to get the trans back on and off.

 

[The motor guy]

My transmission on my dodge ram started acting up at 175k miles. Goes into limp mode if you don't baby it. I think it sense slippage and puts it into limp mode. Seems like a waste of a transmission. I'm at 215 now and it still runs the same. Why not wait until it's actually obvious to the driver instead of cutting the life short

 

[thastinger]

If I were buying used 100-125K vehicles, I would go worse case scenario and assume it has never been changed. If it has 250K on it, then someone probably took care of it.

 

[The motor guy]

If I were buying used 100-125K vehicles, I would go worse case scenario and assume it has never been changed. If it has 250K on it, then someone probably took care of it.

Either way you're looking at a new tanny soon

 

[208vette]

I have an '03 4runner V8 and 5 speed auto transmission, using the T-IV fluid. Currently at 268k miles and never had any transmission issues. I bought it at 144k, and did a fluid exchange with 16 qts Amsoil signature series. I'm pretty sure that it still had the original fluid in it at that time. The fluid that came out was darker red, and didn't have that ATF smell anymore. Did another 16 qt fluid exchange with Amsoil at 220k after doing some heavy towing for a few thousand miles. ATF still looked almost new, not as bright as fresh fluid but still had that pungent scent. The pan has never been dropped and drain plug never opened.

 

[CDX825]

My neighbor had a Ford E series van with over 500k on the original transmission without having any work done to it. He used the van as a hot shot rig and had the fluid changed once a year some times twice depending on how many miles they had driven.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I think you don't see too many 300K transmissions because it would take most people far too long to get there.

My Xterra has 392,000 on its original transmission - never been opened. But most of those miles are at interstate speeds with the converter locked up, so how hard is that on a transmission?

Some transmission designs are good, and some are not. Even the good ones come down to how you drive and maintenance - so if that is an unknown - your guess is as good as mine.