Transmission Fluid "Exchange" [Toyota]

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From: marco polo on 13 Jul 2010 16:33

hi all,

My 2003 Avalon has 30,000 miles on it,
and the Transmission Fluid looks a little red-brownish,
so I thought I would just change it - because it's been 7 years

Anyway, Sears advertises a "Fluid Exchange" for $100,
where I guess they go through the dipstick tube,
and don't take the pan off...
although I don't know if All the fluid is replaced or not...

any opinions?

thanks, marc

From: C. E. White on 14 Jul 2010 10:16

"marco polo" <markphd21(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:86462b73-9b34-497c-b350-d2d892b0a0f0(a)e5g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
> hi all,
>
> My 2003 Avalon has 30,000 miles on it,
> and the Transmission Fluid looks a little red-brownish,
> so I thought I would just change it - because it's been 7 years
>
> Anyway, Sears advertises a "Fluid Exchange" for $100,
> where I guess they go through the dipstick tube,
> and don't take the pan off...
> although I don't know if All the fluid is replaced or not...
>
> any opinions?

My first opinion is stay away from Sears (or JiffyLube, or Meineke, or
......) for this sort of work. These places often turn this sort of work over
to their less skilled employees. These sort of places also tend to use
universal type fluids that may or may not be good enough for your
application.

I also say stay away from reverse flush type machines. I think fluid
exchange machines are fine, if all they do is exchange the fluid without
adding any cleaners, miracle supplements, or try to back flush the
transmission.

For cars with low mileage, like yours, a simple drain and refill is
sufficient. You will only change a portion of the fluid in this manner, but
if you repeat the process every 30,000 miles or so, you will avoid any
problems with the fluid.

For cars with very high mileage that have not had the fluid changed
regualrly there are plenty of stories that suggest changing the fluid will
lead to transmission failure. I have seen it claimed that the new clean
fluid disolves the crud that was sealing the various operating pistons and
that when this crud dissolves, total transmission failure follows. I tend to
discount these stories to some degree. I figure the transmissions were
already near the failure point and that the fluid change was a last gasp
effort to save the situations. Once the transmission fluid turns brown and
smells like it is burned, things are already desperate and an emergency
fluid change may or may not save the day.

One importat thing - use the correct Toyota Fluid. It is my belief that
using uiniversal fluids, or fluids that claim to meet many certifications is
very risky. It is probably OK to add a little of the universal fluid to top
up a transmission that is slightly low on fluid, but I'd never use anything
but the correct, genuine Toyota fluid for a fluid replacement or exchange.
Many companies have started seealing automatic transmissions becasue of
problems with Customers adding the wrong fluid, or over filling the
transmission.

I generally change my own transmission fluid, or take it to a trusted shop.
If you don't have a shop you trust, I recommend taking it to a Toyota dealer
you trust.

Ed

From: larry moe 'n curly on 14 Jul 2010 23:42

marco polo wrote:
> hi all,
>
> My 2003 Avalon has 30,000 miles on it,
> and the Transmission Fluid looks a little red-brownish,
> so I thought I would just change it - because it's been 7 years
>
> Anyway, Sears advertises a "Fluid Exchange" for $100,
> where I guess they go through the dipstick tube,
> and don't take the pan off...
> although I don't know if All the fluid is replaced or not...

They probably disconnect one of the transmission cooler lines and pump
the new fluid in through there.

Never let a garage do any work on a car unless they know how to fix
their worst-case mistake, and considering the skill level of the
average Sears mechanic, I wouldn't expect them to be able to do that.
Another worry is that the garage won't use the more expensive factory
recommended transmission fluid but will instead put in ordinary Dexron/
Mercon plus an additive that makes the resulting mixture "just as
good" as the factory fluid, meaning not as good, not approved, and if
the transmission fails soon, they'll deny responsibility for the
destruction they caused because you're the first customer to complain.

Use the factory recommended fluid, according to Toyota, not super-
duper synthetic that's supposed to be better (but the factory fluid
may contain synthetic).

Sears Auto Center nationwide fraud, from 1992:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n18_v31/ai_12736011/

"Sears to pay $20M to settle auto fraud - Sears, Roebuck and Co
Discount Store News, Sept 21, 1992
12Next ..CHICAGO - Sears has agreed to pay as much as $20 million to
settle 19 class action lawsuits that stemmed from California state
charges that it bilked auto repair customers by recommending unneeded
repairs.

Under terms of the settlement, Sears will offer a coupon worth $50 to
some 933,000 customers nationwide who had the various services
performed at a Sears auto center since Aug. 1, 1990, through Jan. 31,
1992. They include: replacements of a brake master cylinder; idler
arm; a pair of shock absorbers, brake calipers or coil springs.

California state authorities charged that about half of the 72 auto
centers recommended unnecessary replacement of such parts when
undercover investigators came in for simple brake jobs that Sears
advertised..."

From: Hachiroku ハチロク on 15 Jul 2010 18:01

On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:42:33 -0700, larry moe 'n curly wrote:

>> Anyway, Sears advertises a "Fluid Exchange" for $100, where I guess they
>> go through the dipstick tube, and don't take the pan off...
>> although I don't know if All the fluid is replaced or not...
>
> They probably disconnect one of the transmission cooler lines and pump the
> new fluid in through there.

You can do this yourself. Disconnect one of the tubes, lift the front (or
rear, depending on which wheels drive the car) put the trans in N and
start the car. If fluid comes out of the tube, you're OK, if not,
disconnect the other one. Run the car at idle in N and keep adding ATF
through the filler neck until it runs clear red.

From: Ray O on 16 Jul 2010 00:59

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