Could a lot of transmission problems have been prevented by replacing the transmission fluid and filter every 30K miles? (vehicles, manual transmission)
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I have a 2014 ES350 that already has 71k miles on it. I drive a lot and it's mostly highway, but of course there are always braking and acceleration leading to gear changes. It supposedly has the lifetime fluid and "no transmission fluid is necessary unless towing." It's that Toyota WS-ATF.
So coming from Honda/Acura which requires transmission fluid changes every 30k, I am used to changing the fluid. I've asked 3 Lexus dealerships in the area and requested to change the fluid, and 1 Toyota dealership. They actually said NO and refused. So they pretty much refused a $200+ service or what prices they are charging these days for that. Guess I will ask again when I reach 100k miles and try again. Otherwise this will be a test on how the ES350 handles no fluid changes. I expect to keep this car to at least 200k.
On the other hand, my father-in-law has a 2007 ES350 with no transmission fluid change and it's at 198k miles with no issues. (He could care less about maintenance which is why he got a Lexus).
I think a well built transmission is a lifetime part for most drivers - possibly excepting taxi drivers. A old Taxi driver told me he got at avg 250K out of Tarurs transmissions and 300 + out of Camry ones - this was 20 + years ago.
The ones needing rebuilds at 80 or 90 or 110 or even 120 are just not well designed/built.
I have a 2014 ES350 that already has 71k miles on it. I drive a lot and it's mostly highway, but of course there are always braking and acceleration leading to gear changes. It supposedly has the lifetime fluid and "no transmission fluid is necessary unless towing." It's that Toyota WS-ATF.
So coming from Honda/Acura which requires transmission fluid changes every 30k, I am used to changing the fluid. I've asked 3 Lexus dealerships in the area and requested to change the fluid, and 1 Toyota dealership. They actually said NO and refused. So they pretty much refused a $200+ service or what prices they are charging these days for that. Guess I will ask again when I reach 100k miles and try again. Otherwise this will be a test on how the ES350 handles no fluid changes. I expect to keep this car to at least 200k.
On the other hand, my father-in-law has a 2007 ES350 with no transmission fluid change and it's at 198k miles with no issues. (He could care less about maintenance which is why he got a Lexus).
The Toyota WS fluid in my Tundra was shot at 100k miles, which lead to shuddering. I replaced it all with Maxlife full synthetic atf and every bit of the shuddering is gone.
I have a 2014 ES350 that already has 71k miles on it. I drive a lot and it's mostly highway, but of course there are always braking and acceleration leading to gear changes. It supposedly has the lifetime fluid and "no transmission fluid is necessary unless towing." It's that Toyota WS-ATF.
So coming from Honda/Acura which requires transmission fluid changes every 30k, I am used to changing the fluid. I've asked 3 Lexus dealerships in the area and requested to change the fluid, and 1 Toyota dealership. They actually said NO and refused. So they pretty much refused a $200+ service or what prices they are charging these days for that. Guess I will ask again when I reach 100k miles and try again. Otherwise this will be a test on how the ES350 handles no fluid changes. I expect to keep this car to at least 200k.
On the other hand, my father-in-law has a 2007 ES350 with no transmission fluid change and it's at 198k miles with no issues. (He could care less about maintenance which is why he got a Lexus).
I would do it at 55K miles, right before the powertrain warranty expires, so you have atleast a couple of months to get a feel for it after they changed it.
No amount of Fluid changes can save a poor designed transmission. Look at all the Nissan CVT failures in the Pathfinder and Qx60's or the Ford Focus DCT's.
No, NOT regularly changing transmission fluid will cause premature failure. Old worn out fluid is thinner, at operating temperature it will "shear" meaning instead of gap of oil between all of your plates or gears, you have metal on metal contact which creates accelerated wear.
ALSO flushing EVERY transmission fluid change or flushing on a transmission that's never been flushed will ruin your transmission, why?
Because you're flushing out the suspended clutch material that's needed to engage your gears.
IMO the ONLY time you flush is if the transmission is when it's contaminated, which usually happen when coolant enters the transmission via a hole in the transmission cooler/heat exchanger, which happens to be inside the radiator (either on the sides or bottom).
The transmission out of my 300SDL was OLD and Dark, a very blackish red, the transmission shifted a lot better after the fluid change, no more flaring.
I would do it at 55K miles, right before the powertrain warranty expires, so you have atleast a couple of months to get a feel for it after they changed it.
I had the same idea, but that's my point. I couldn't anyone to do it. I started asking Lexus and Toyota dealers before I reached 60k miles for this service. No one wanted to change the fluid and kept stating, "You don't need to change the transmission fluid -it will only cause more problems."
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