dcdyd

I checked 08 RX ATF level when engine is cold for several times just to be sure that that I see it corectly. Everytime the level is 1 inch above above the hot mark. The cold mark is even lower on the stick. Is that correct? The RX runs strong and I don;t feel anything strange for gear shifting. This gets me confused. If the level doesn;t need to be so accurate why bother set so close mark for both cold and mark on the stick. I assume that the two marks for both cold and hot indicates the low anf high level of the ATF.

spacecraft

Careful there, checking the ATF oil level is a fine art.
I've not yet looked into the RX specifically, having bought it recently and just serviced.
But typically, the two marks (cold and hot) are actually two ranges, if you look them carefully.
And the oil MUST be within that small range.
Besides, cold and hot actually correspond to specific temperatures (e.g. 40 and 80 degrees Celsius), and to get an accurate measure you should connect the scanner to the diagnostic socket, and make the check exactly at those temperatures, BOTH when cold and hot.
Last but not least, if you saw it 1" above the hot mark, it sounds like you measured it with the engine turned off, whilst with the transmission you should have the engine running and the transmission in P.

dcdyd

Well, I measured that when the engine is cold. SO the ATF level should be between two marks for cold. However it is way higher that that, even higher that the mark for hot. My question is whether this is normal or not. The truck was driven for nearly 60K and I believe that it has been always that way. If this doesn;t make difference why bother to have so narrow requirements for either cold or hot.

lexus114

I always check the trans fluid level when the vehicle is warmed up. And of course on a level surface. To unpredictable checking it cold.

dcdyd

SInce the hot mark is above cold mark, I assume that when the truck warms up, the level of ATF goes higher. Am I wrong here?

spacecraft

If you measured it with the engine turned off, it is indeed normal.
When you turn off the engine, it's unpredictable how much oil flows down from an auto gearbox.
That's the reason why you MUST check it with the engine on.
If instead you measured it with the engine on, and got that sort of result, that's definitely NOT normal, and you'd better have it fixed asap.

spacecraft

Nope, that's correct.
Actually, ANY fluid level increases with temperature - be it engine oil, ATF, water, you name it.