Most of the metal shavings caught by the magnets in your pan filter accumilate when the transmission is breaking in while still brand new.

The pan filter should be changed every 60k miles

If the pan filter is not in stock, or worst case scenario you need to get it done without a new one for whatever reason, very carefully clean out your existing transmission pan filter and add 2 or 3 transmission magnets into the bottom of the pan. You can do it yourself but I would suggest finding a reputable mechanic shop just in case.

 

I agree with moisture other people may have different results..

Others are correct the filter is more like a screen from my experience on the RX330(150K miles) which is useless to filter out the normal fine metal powder.
My personal experience- others may have different results.
I got my car at approx 120k miles and at 130k miles the fluid looked ok but not great.
Then some deals came up on a little newer RX350 and I almost pulled the trigger and almost traded it in.
The deciding factor on the RX350 upgrade came down to doing the filter(screen) service and dropping the pan and seeing what I found
and that would decide if I would keep the car or not. If I saw metal chunks or other debris the car was a going bye bye. lol

I jacked up the engine and dropped the pan and much to my suprise it was all original.
The tiny little magnet was at max capacity and could no longer hold any more material.
Another equal amout of fine metal powder was found all over the bottom of the pan mixed with tranny fluid as if the pan had become
very weakly magnetic over the years.
This gray liquid did not come out when I drained the fluid and I would've never known if I didn't drop the pan.
This was very disturbing because whatever ferrous metallic material I had floating in my fluid was not trapped by the filter or the magnets and
only some of it was weakly attracted to the pan.

* I liked what I saw and kept the car but I will be adding magnets on the outside of the pan.

PS- If I knew then what I know now I would've slapped some big magnets on the outside of the pan to pull any metal debris downward out of my fluid
until I got around to dropping the pan and not driving it 2 years that way. lol

 

This is why its a bad idea to do only a drain and fill at higher mileage. All it does it increase the chances of these metal shavings breaking free and clogging one of the many intricate passageways within the transmission.

If you drop your pan filter and saw what is going inside with 60K+ miles on your car, well; you'll be happy you did.

 

How bad is it if I’m over due on the mile for getting a transmission fluid flush and fill? I ask because according to my onboard maintenance log where u set the distance; I’m about 9000 miles past due so I’m gonna have to get it done in january.

 

What's your current mileage?

 

Right now, i'm shy of 130 000 miles on the car. I think itz's had a drain and fill done before.
fab

 

The sooner you visit a transmission shop and have them drop your pan filter, the better.

@matts6887 I thought I was replying to you, lol

 

138000 miles

 

I saw your reply. And yea I figured the sooner the better. Problem is I’m very cash strapped at the moment and the shop down the street from me wants almost 200 bucks out the door for the trans flush n fill.

 

If they're asking for $200, they are using top notch Redline ATF fluid, and changing the pan filter.. then sure. For a simple drain and fill? No way.

 

Yep $200 is a steal. It takes at least 10 quarts to do the flush and the filter is at least $25-30. The shop is barely making money on this job. For the simple drain/refill, my mechanic charge me $60 labor only. He charges $90 last time for the drain/refill + filter/gaskets replacement. I supply all parts to him.

 

matts I know you mentioned you can't work on the car where you live but @ $200 sounds ridiculous for drain and fill unless they drop the pan.

For that kinda money I'd do the drain and fill myself in the walmart parking lot if that's all I was getting. lol

Edit: My bad I was thinking $200 for dump and refill didn't realize it was a total flush.

PS: Lexsc "He charges $90 last time for the drain/refill + filter/gaskets replacement. I supply all parts to him."
For that kinda money I'd let someone else do it too not bad at all.

 

Thats my next job is swap out the fluid/filter.....Possibly add a trans cooler such as the oem one too.

 

trust me if I could do it myself I would; but that’s not gonna happen I don’t have the jack stands to jack the car up nor do I have the money to get them so I’m gonna have to figure something out cause I don’t want the transmission blowing up on me

 

I was gonna do a trans cooler upgrade when I got my car but I was pleasantly surprised when I was under the car and saw tucked under the
battery/lower radiator support area on drivers side factory OEM tranny cooler lines and a cooler!

I have no tow package option so I wasn't expecting that so I was happy.