Hi everyone. I just bought a 94 GS300 with 77,000 miles on it. I absolutely love the car but I have had a hell of a time trying to check the automatic transmission fluid level. For some reason when the car is cold, the fluid level is above the hot mark, but when the car is hot, the fluid is below the cold mark?!! What is going on? The fluid should be higher on the dipstick when the car is hot. I am parking in the same level spot every time. The difference between the cold and hot marks is about 4 inches!! Anyone else have this problem?

 

Automatic transmissions should be checked when both the engine and trans are hot and the trans has been "loaded" with fluid.

When you park the car the trans fluid drains out of the trans and into the pan. That's why it looks overfilled.

When you drive the car the fluid gets pumped from the pan and is loaded (circulated) throughout the trans including being held under pressure in the valves and passages in the tranny.

To accurately check the trans fluid you have to do it on a warmed up (hot) car. Stop it on a flat surface, put your foot on the brake and run the shift lever through each of the the gears momentarily to make sure all of the trans fluid that should be up in the trans is there.

Then put it in park with the engine running and check the tranny dip stick.

 

Thx, RealMarty. I'll do that. Is is true that we don't have to change trans fluid for sc400?

 

Can't help you with that. I don't know, but I would think that you'd have to at a certain point.

It should be in your manual. If you don't have one or it's not there, perhaps someone else on the board or at your local Lexus dealer can help.