RandomTech

WS fluid has no service interval. Doing a drain and fill is very complicated. Checking the level after flushing is also very complicated to do it properly.

azncapcom

Which year ES350's say it is good for lifetime? Mines a 2008 and in the owners manual it says 96kkm (60k miles). Keep in mind that mine is a Canadian Vehicle. Although all ES350's are made in Japan, maybe Canada was given a slightly different model?

Bigrick7

Being my manual states nothing about the transmission fluid servicing. Will
Lexus dealers still change the fluid when as part of maintanance or refuse to
do so since it is not called for?

Road Rage

Here are the 2 processes:

1. Drain the pan into a measured container and then add the same amount of new fluid (this doesn't do much since the amount is small but better than nothing at all).

2. pump out old fluid and pump in new. bring operating temp to about 117 degrees F and then remove the level plug and observe the draining of the fluid (while running) until the proper trickle is noticed then put the plug back in and off you go. Put the plug in too early or too late and your tranny will be operating at the wrong fluid level.

You guys are starting to see the correlation between "life of the xyz" and the industry phrase "total operating cost". Fluid goes bad, refresh it or change it.

frankbcnt

It IS BS. The fluid WILL break down after time. If you want your car to last dont be so cheap to not change your fluid out at 50k or so for what 80 bux? My car has 45k right now and ive been meaning to change it since 40k. If the deal wount doit then buy the fluid yourself and take it to someone that will change it.

My tundra I Changed the oil at 2k and the rear end fluid at 8k. There was metal in both from break in. The lexus I changed the oil at 2500 as well.

Most likely it would be fine going that long but its such an inexpensive insurance I have a hard time believing that people actually wouldn't doit.

If you dont believe me go talk to a transmission guy anywhere and ask him what he thinks for drain intervals. I guarantee he is not going to say "never" (well maybe he will and give you his card when you have a problem "

gemigniani

Toyota has never (except in the early 1970's) said the power steering fluid has to be changed either. But look what happens if you dont: leaky or failed power steering pump or steering rack.

Same deal with differential fluid in rear wheel drive Toyotas: No fluid change interval is given in the scheduled maintenance guide but if you don't change it you're prone to developing axle seal leaks or noisy differential bearings or wheel bearings after 200,000 miles.

There's nothing special about about the sealed Toyota automatics that would make them less needy of periodic fluid changes than the unsealed older units. And the WS fluid is only slightly more oxidation resistant than Type T or Dexron. Bottom line: these sealed transmissions will benefit from periodic changes IF the owner plans to keep the car beyond 100-150K miles. Also, all Lexus transmissions, even though going back to 1990's have electronic shift control solenoids which tend to start malfunctioning after 100-150K miles if the fluid is never changed. Each solenoid costs about $150 + installation labor.

frankbcnt

I just changed the fluid tonight and it needed changing at 45k. The fluid was a dark redish brown. I have a pic but I'll have to post it later, I'm on my iPhone.

RandomTech

This makes it sounds like Toyota is put to screw the customer. Frankly, this transmission has a near-zero failure rate.

frankbcnt

Compared to what?

Everything fails eventually.

I do believe that the parts made in Japan are to a higher standard then say ford or chevy parts made in Mexico. This is the main reason I buy Japanese cars.

It's that main reason I have a yamaha outboard vs mercury (even though the block and power head are the same but everything else different).

I think we are going to see a higher failure rate now that they are saying the fluid is lifetime. I am going to post the pic later for you guys to see.

It only makes sense. I think it's just a marketing tactic myself.

frankbcnt

Here is the comparison at 45k

mlacomb

Frankbcnt:

Was this out of the ES? Which instructions did you follow to complete if it was out of the ES?

frankbcnt

yes

its a long process but drain the pan, a quart will come out. Add a quart to the fill hole. Take off the cooler line closest to the drivers side, attach a hose to the radiator and have someone start the car and pump the fluid into a 2 1/2 quart painters bucket and a soon as you hear air have them shut it off. 2 quarts will come out (sometimes a tad over). Pour 2 quarts in and repeat till 11 quarts are out and 11 quarts are in (2 at a time of coarse). Add a half quart more in the fill and start the car. Make sure it is level either on a lift or get a level and level the car. Get a temp gun and wait till its 104-113 degrees on the pan and open and drain the pan while its running (yea sounds weird) until it slows to a trickle (about a half quart comes out) and quickly put the pan plug back in and tighten. turn the car off and add 200ml and your done.

gemigniani

And since you have a new Tundra, you may know that on the Tundrasolutions forum there is an active member who is a shop foreman of a Toyota dealership with 26 years of experience and he agrees with you that the WS fluid does deteriorate after 30-40K miles and does need changing (for owners who have ambitions to get 150,000+ miles of troublefree life from the transmission). The owners who sell or trade their vehicles every 125,000 miles or less need not bother with fluid changes.

frankbcnt

I'm not much on there. But if your towing then I'd say even less like he's saying 30k if light towing and if towing alot prob less. I tow a few times a month. I haven't looked up how many quarts it takes but it scares me cause the tranny is so big! I mean the engine takes like 9.5 qts!

Anyone that knows trannys is gonna tell ya the same thing . That darker fluid you see has clutch disk material in it from the clutch packs in the trans and from the torque converter. That material can clog accumulators, the pump pickup, ect..

My source is my father who is master certified with ford for transmissions and worked transmissions for almost 40 yrs.

Myself ive never rebuilt autos but I have rebuilt tons of manuals. Ive seen how autos work and i can see how if a little bit of debri clogs a small passageway your gonna have a problem.

wpbmed

My dad has had his own shop for 35 years. I have been rebuilding engines for 20. Every single time he has had a customer who decided that the "synthetic fluid" they were using in their car was going to last these ridiculous amounts of miles or time, it ALWAYS ended in problems. There is no way on this Earth tranny fluid can heat up and flow for 100k miles without breaking down in some significant way. How does Toyota know it will last that long? Have they driven multiple different cars with the fluid for 100K miles, and never had a single problem with any one of them? Bosch says you can use their platinum plugs for 100k miles - but you'd be an idiot to. I've taken them out of cars with 30k miles on them, and the platinum is mostly corroded all away. GM says dex cool runs 150k miles!!!! Seriously??? There is no way. They can't possibly take in to account all the real world situations which would cause these different things to fail. (The worst would have to be Amsoil and their absurd claims, can't tell you how many engines they have ruined) The point I am making is I don't know if it is just for marketing, or what causes these companies to make these false claims, but they are NOT TRUE. Take your car in at 50k and demand to have it flushed and filled. If the dealer won't do it, find another. Toyota or Lexus, both are the exact same techs with the same tools.