Just wanted to offer advice to my fellow toyota owners with the sealed u series trans. If you think the trans is jerky and shifts erratically or does other aggrevating things.....have your fluid level checked !!! Just for the heck of it while my car was cold (and transmission fluid would be at its lowest level) i started the car and took out the plug and to my surprise a few ounces of fluid drained out (which shouldnt have happened on a properly filled car)...and it was amazing how it smoothed out the shifts and made the trans easier to live with. I dont know why they are so picky about level....but have it checked if your having issues.
Toyota fluid level
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Ive read on tacomaworld.com that its rampant. I had my fluid drained on my 12 Taco Off Road at 30Kmi and it was a bit low.
Originally Posted By: Familyman
Just wanted to offer advice to my fellow toyota owners with the sealed u series trans. If you think the trans is jerky and shifts erratically or does other aggrevating things.....have your fluid level checked !!! Just for the heck of it while my car was cold (and transmission fluid would be at its lowest level) i started the car and took out the plug and to my surprise a few ounces of fluid drained out (which shouldnt have happened on a properly filled car)...and it was amazing how it smoothed out the shifts and made the trans easier to live with. I dont know why they are so picky about level....but have it checked if your having issues.
So you're thinking it was overfilled from the factory? I know its supposed to be checked/filled at a certain temp for expansion. But you did it cold so nothing should have come out.
Just wanted to offer advice to my fellow toyota owners with the sealed u series trans. If you think the trans is jerky and shifts erratically or does other aggrevating things.....have your fluid level checked !!! Just for the heck of it while my car was cold (and transmission fluid would be at its lowest level) i started the car and took out the plug and to my surprise a few ounces of fluid drained out (which shouldnt have happened on a properly filled car)...and it was amazing how it smoothed out the shifts and made the trans easier to live with. I dont know why they are so picky about level....but have it checked if your having issues.
So you're thinking it was overfilled from the factory? I know its supposed to be checked/filled at a certain temp for expansion. But you did it cold so nothing should have come out.
Originally Posted By: Familyman
Just wanted to offer advice to my fellow toyota owners with the sealed u series trans. If you think the trans is jerky and shifts erratically or does other aggrevating things.....have your fluid level checked !!! Just for the heck of it while my car was cold (and transmission fluid would be at its lowest level) i started the car and took out the plug and to my surprise a few ounces of fluid drained out (which shouldnt have happened on a properly filled car)...and it was amazing how it smoothed out the shifts and made the trans easier to live with. I dont know why they are so picky about level....but have it checked if your having issues.
It is normal for a thin-stream of fluid to always be draining from the check plug/tube in the pan. If the unit was overfilled (if you were checking at the correct temp range), the fluid will be gushing out.
Please re-check the fluid level properly.
Just wanted to offer advice to my fellow toyota owners with the sealed u series trans. If you think the trans is jerky and shifts erratically or does other aggrevating things.....have your fluid level checked !!! Just for the heck of it while my car was cold (and transmission fluid would be at its lowest level) i started the car and took out the plug and to my surprise a few ounces of fluid drained out (which shouldnt have happened on a properly filled car)...and it was amazing how it smoothed out the shifts and made the trans easier to live with. I dont know why they are so picky about level....but have it checked if your having issues.
It is normal for a thin-stream of fluid to always be draining from the check plug/tube in the pan. If the unit was overfilled (if you were checking at the correct temp range), the fluid will be gushing out.
Please re-check the fluid level properly.
Critic: Couldmyou suggest a quick and doable way to check level for an average owner who could do it in the garage. With the procedure being so sensitive to expansion, is there something you have found that could be easy as well as reasonably accurate to accomplish in the privacy of ones garage.
Look for something like this below. but it's for my Lexus. The fluid needs to be at 120 degrees I think, and the oil temperature detection mode needs to be activated. Probably would be a lot easier to use Toyota TechStream to monitor ATF temperature. Read post 44.
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-2nd-gen-2006-2013/236728-transmission-fluid-3.html#post2446051
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-2nd-gen-2006-2013/236728-transmission-fluid-3.html#post2446051
such a stupid procedure we have to go through now. why they started making these things this way is beyond me.... personally if i try it, im going to put back what drains out and leave it at that.
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Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
Critic: Couldmyou suggest a quick and doable way to check level for an average owner who could do it in the garage. With the procedure being so sensitive to expansion, is there something you have found that could be easy as well as reasonably accurate to accomplish in the privacy of ones garage.
Sorry, I forgot to reply. Honestly, I am not sure. Your best option is to probably purchase an inexpensive scanner that displays the AT oil temperature. Autoenginuity with the Toyota pack might be a reasonable option, but I've heard of less expensive options out there.
Also, I personally question how accurate the factory procedure is since Toyota recently introduced a SST for checking the fluid level. The bulletin containing the instructions for the SST talks about having the fluid level being dependent upon the rpm, and the factory instructions make no mention of this.
Critic: Couldmyou suggest a quick and doable way to check level for an average owner who could do it in the garage. With the procedure being so sensitive to expansion, is there something you have found that could be easy as well as reasonably accurate to accomplish in the privacy of ones garage.
Sorry, I forgot to reply. Honestly, I am not sure. Your best option is to probably purchase an inexpensive scanner that displays the AT oil temperature. Autoenginuity with the Toyota pack might be a reasonable option, but I've heard of less expensive options out there.
Also, I personally question how accurate the factory procedure is since Toyota recently introduced a SST for checking the fluid level. The bulletin containing the instructions for the SST talks about having the fluid level being dependent upon the rpm, and the factory instructions make no mention of this.
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