Hi Club Lexus Experts,

I have just purchased a 2010 LS460, with kind of spotty service records. I have pulled up the records on the Lexus site and through carfax. No mention of brake services and minimal oil changes. It looks like the oil changes were done at a lube shop. At any rate the car has 95K miles and the exterior and interior condition are near flawless. I purchased it from a Mercedes dealer and they gave it the full safety inspect, changed the oil, and found a radiator leak and some bad hoses and replaced all. The car drives great. No brake shuttering or control arm issues. I just want to get all of the maintenance to where everything is near perfect. The transmission seems to be shifting perfect.

I think I want to go ahead and service the transmission due to age, 2010 and miles 95K. I have read many conflicting posts regarding doing the simple Drain and Fill or the full transmission flush/exchange. One of the local Lexus dealers is offering a special out the door for the exchange/flush for $285. I called another dealer closer to ask if they would match. They said that they do not recommend and do not do a flush, they just do the drain and fill which only drains about a third of the fluid. So, here I am stuck with the same question everyone seems to have. I will let the fate of the Poll Gods make my decision.

Drain & Fill = removing only about 1/3 of the transmission fluid, so 2/3 of the old stuff stays in there.
Exchange/flush = removes all of the transmission fluid, so all old fluid is replaced with new.

What do you recommend?

Thanks,

Rodney

 

Exchange. Do NOT let them reverse-flush/power flush the lines. Just swap all the oil out.

 

how much is the drain and refill at the second dealership?

 

I want to know too.

 

Hi Mckellyb,

Just to clarify when they say drain and fill, they can only remove about 1/3 of the fluid, they cannot remove all of the fluid without doing a flush/exchange. Are you saying you are okay with that?

 

Drain and fill to level. Go thru all the gears and take a ride until tranny fluid is in operating temp; drive several miles.
Go back and repeat.
Go back and repeat a third time. The fluid should be redder with this 3rd drain.
You can then do a regular D&F every however many miles you choose.
Hope this helps,
MD

 

Merely a straight, non-forceful, 'flush' is fine.

I need to take some pictures and get details of the device I made specifically for this. Cost was less than $40, and it can be used on any vehicle.

 

I would like to hear more about this device.

 

I would have it flushed for that bargain price. I am not afraid of flushing a transmission at all. They are used to having fluid rushing through them. No big deal.

 

Hi Kenny, this seems to make a lot of sense. I think maybe the problem might be with high pressure flushes or I believe some flushes are done with a cleaning agent that some say may dislodge deposits? Just not sure?

 

As others have stated, simply drain and refill. I found out the hard way when the flush eroded a sensor seal and caused a leak. These trannies are very robust, simply exchange the fluid and call it a day..

 

Another wrench in my decision making. I called up the Lexus dealer that suggested drain and fill only and talked to another service manager. He said based on miles and age, 2010/95K that he would not do a drain and fill, he does not recommend it. He said it is a sealed system and would not do anything until maybe 150K miles....

 

 

He would be 100% wrong If he were at a Lexus dealer in Canada, or any other country on the planet and, he wouldn't be saying this. As I've stated before, other than in the US, Lexus REQUIRES you to replace the fluid every 50k miles or so. The only reason US dealers say otherwise, is due to marketing. Advertising lower maintenance costs in a huge US market is good for business. My owners manual/maintenance manual specifically requires periodic transmission fluid changes. I'm due for my second fluid change at 211k kms (130k miles or so). Lexus Canada only requires fluid drain/fill. To do so PROPERLY requires Techstream.

 

Hi Chris, I personally think it is ridiculous not to change it. Could you take a picture of the maintenance section in your Canada Lexus Owner's Manual and upload it here? I would love to show that to the dealer. Even though right now the poll is showing 71% think I should only do a drain and fill, I'm still leaning toward a flush/exchange. I did ask the dealer if it was a heated/cleaner type flush then they put the transmission fluid back in. He said no, they don't use any additives or cleaning solution, they just remove the old and put in new. I don't see how that would loosen any debris? I mean this stuff is getting pumped around every time the car is on right?

Thanks,

Rodney