2008 Corolla - Burnt ATF Fluid at 100k - Course Of Action?

[newyota08]

Just bought a used 2008 Corolla S automatic tranny from a Nissan/Subaru dealership a couple days ago. 100k.

Brought it to a mechanic (one of those locally-owned Goodyear chains) before I bought. Only mechanical thing they noted was very dark and dirty ATF and they recommended a flush. I have not looked at the fluid myself (I just checked oil and coolant levels when I test drove and had the mechanic check other things out). My wild guess is the fluid has either not been changed or been changed once during the lifetime of the car. Still shifts OK.

As part of the deal, I negotiated a full flush as condition of the final sale. Scheduled to take the car in sometime next week. I have always owned cars (Dodge, Ford) which previously required flushes ~60k miles.

Now I'm reading all sorts of mixed reports on what I should be doing.

There is no definitive timetable for replacing the fluid in the Toyota service schedule.

Some are saying "flush if it looks bad, get the fluid back to a nicer color."

Others are saying "don't flush, you'll disturb things, just do a drain and fill."

Others are saying "don't touch anything! 'Yota says do nothing!"

Any suggestions on what I should have done? There is also apparently the issue of using T-IV fluid? Is this something a non-Toyota dealer can handle? (they are closed for the weekend so I can't call).

 

[salcuta88]

Just bought a used 2008 Corolla S automatic tranny from a Nissan/Subaru dealership a couple days ago. 100k.

Brought it to a mechanic (one of those locally-owned Goodyear chains) before I bought. Only mechanical thing they noted was very dark and dirty ATF and they recommended a flush. I have not looked at the fluid myself (I just checked oil and coolant levels when I test drove and had the mechanic check other things out). My wild guess is the fluid has either not been changed or been changed once during the lifetime of the car. Still shifts OK.

As part of the deal, I negotiated a full flush as condition of the final sale. Scheduled to take the car in sometime next week. I have always owned cars (Dodge, Ford) which previously required flushes ~60k miles.

Now I'm reading all sorts of mixed reports on what I should be doing.

There is no definitive timetable for replacing the fluid in the Toyota service schedule.

Some are saying "flush if it looks bad, get the fluid back to a nicer color."

Others are saying "don't flush, you'll disturb things, just do a drain and fill."

Others are saying "don't touch anything! 'Yota says do nothing!"

Any suggestions on what I should have done? There is also apparently the issue of using T-IV fluid? Is this something a non-Toyota dealer can handle? (they are closed for the weekend so I can't call).

Drain and refill. I would say a 3x drain refill. Drain/refill once...drive it for a bit, then do it again to clean the tranny. I wouldn't do a flush.

 

[Savoir-Faire]

Yeah if you are using conventional oil (non synthetic) and changing your motor oil at around 3K-5K miles I would drain what comes out of the tranny drain plug every 2nd engine oil change.
That's what I used to do. I think the tranny drain plug will drain off between 3-4 quarts, also I think there is about 7 or 8 quarts in the tranny but not all of it drains out of the transmission drain plug.
But anyway draining and adding 3 or 4 times with Caster Oil t4 made for Toyotas and Hondas got me back to Red.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

If you don't change the transmission fluid, the transmission will fail. If you do change the transmission fluid, the transmission might last a lot longer.

$2,000+ for a transmission rebuild.

 

[LPBinTN]

I believe Toyota recommends a transmission drain/refill at 100k. As the Toyota (unlike other Asian cars) does not have a magnetic drain plug which will trap any particulate, you should not flush the system. If the auto trans has a filter I would change this, refill with fresh trans fluid (OEM trans fluid) and then drive another 100k.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Any transmission fluid can be used as long as it meets the Toyota specifications, (many do). There is no need to use the outrageously priced fluid sold at Toyota dealerships. Of course, they will try to tell you otherwise. I wonder why they would do that?:blink::laughing:

 

[larg]

i do drain and fills every few years using castrol for asian cars, and havnt had any problems. i dont do flushes. i pour the drained fluid into a gallon milk jug and refill the same amount into the fill tube. if your fluid is dark, id do it twice, maybe a month or so apart. then maybe another drain and fill in a year.

 

[salcuta88]

Any transmission fluid can be used as long as it meets the Toyota specifications, (many do). There is no need to use the outrageously priced fluid sold at Toyota dealerships. Of course, they will try to tell you otherwise. I wonder why they would do that?:blink::laughing:

Try and tell that to the Honda forum! It's like they see a scare crow.