Clutchless

Yes a complete flush through the cooling lines is more complete, I have done many of them, however they were all on vehicles that had a dipstick for the transmission. The problem with this transmission is the insanely over complicated way Toyota/Lexus has you check the ATF fluid level. It requires a temperature sensor and is the reason they put that overflow tube in above the drain plug. It is the reason I only do drain and fills on mine. However, some brave folks have done it and described the process at Toyotanation.com and on YouTube.

BP1203

Plan to change the tranny fluid on my wife's 2012 RX next May (car will be 5 years old). Car was purchased 3 weeks before our daughter was born and my goal is to hand this car down to her. My uncle's Tacoma has 276k on the clock and it runs like brand new. If you maintain these cars, they'll run forever.

There's no way any fluid, synthetic or otherwise, can last forever. I'll get a complete flush done by my Toyota dealer where I take the car for service at 60k and change every 60k thereafter.

CookieRoe

Completely agree with you. I still haven't ruled out calling Lexus of North America (customer service) on my local dealer to complain (it's a small complain, I know). It makes no sense that some Lexus dealers offer a "transmission service" while others warn the devil will kill you if you do.

Clutchless: I agree, these (transmission in my 4Runner as well) are very sensitive to the level of fluid in them. There are other methods to do it as you mention, but I would feel much better have a "scan tool" to help out if I were to do it myself, or better yet, have Toyota (qualified) tech do it for relative cheap.

lexus114

supposedly these box`s in the rx (6 spd) are the same way.

CookieRoe

Must be a Toyota thing, LOL.

mandyfig

I do not know about the RX350's, the IS350's (at least the 2006), the manual says, DRAIN and FILL at 1.6 Quarts WS Fluid.

Hence it can be drained and filled. I have done drain-fill on all my Toyota's and Lexus' cars and now ill do it for the IS350. Ordering the fluid on mazon. There must be a drain plug and a fill plug. I used to own a Mazda MX-5 Miata and it had Drain and fill plugs, I use an extractor-loader to fill up the tranny reservoir. I will be using the same thing.

And similarly, I anticipating to see the WS fluid to be dark. As in my Miata. I have gone through 8 drain and fill to get the color back to reddish-pink. Felt better after the multiple drain-fill.

There's a lot of 1.6 drain and fill to impact the whole tranny fluid volume. But I will feel better that I am slowly but surely replenishing the existing fluid with fresh fluid.

I do hear some slight whining with the tranny, been hearing it since we bought it at 46K miles. Now it is at 93K.

Clutchless

The 2006 IS350 has a different transmission than the third generation RX350.

mandyfig

Ok, that explains it.

Lexus went to the real sealed unit. Bet you it was something to do with them not wanting you to touch it.

Clutchless

The IS350 is rear wheel drive with an all wheel drive option. While the RX350 is front wheel drive with an all wheel drive option, however the all wheel part only works when slip is detected.
Also the IS350 uses a different version of the 3.5 engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_GR_engine
i think because it is a longitudinal mount and primarily rear wheel drive vs transverse mount front wheel drive that is why the transmissions are quite different.

CookieRoe

Them and MANY other manufactures. I want to say that MOST do not get their ATF changed during the "life" of the vehicle. This "life" probably equates to about 100-150K miles. At this point, the manufacture is off the hook to guarantee it, so they don't care. Some of us do keep their vehicles for longer than that. The only way (safe way) to ensure that it doesn't prematurely fail is to properly service it. Any lubricant will degrade and eventually fail thus the component it's meant to protect to also fail. When "Lexus or Toyota or GM" say it's a non-serviceable (because it's a sealed unit) part, I call BS. There is ALWAYS a procedure to fix whatever.

Sorry for the mini-rant.

lexus114

agreed cookieroe ^^^ off topic a little, but the k46 trans axle in my john deere x 300 is supposedly not serviceable as well. thats why i serviced it a few weeks ago and what a difference!

GibbsLexus

iTrader: (1)

Hello,
I am new to this forum. My wife just purchased a 2013 RX350 FWD and I am wanting to know when to change the tranny fluid. I don't see it in the Lexus maintenance schedule. With past vehicles I would get it change around 70-80k. Does anyone know this or better yet how often do you all change the tranny fluid?

11bravo

that's because it is considered to be a "lifetime fluid", i.e., no change needed. There is a DIY somewhere for those folks who do want to change, but I could not find it just now.

Jimk

GibbsLexus

iTrader: (1)

All fluid break down over time though. For most vehicles the warranty often expires then so I'll probably change out at 80k. I'm just taking the conservative route.

lexus114

change it way before that! ^^^^