- This topic has 2 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
Hi, I have a 2010 Toyota corolla with a 1.8 engine with automatic transmission the dealer says that the trans. fluid is for life and that it will last 100,000 miles. I have 50,000 miles on the car should I change the trans. fluid now or should I go ahead and change it at 100,000 miles. I find it odd that any trans fluid would last that long. Is the WS fluid a real synthetic fluid? or are thay giving me a line.
-
Replies
-
You should change the fluid every 30 or 40k miles. That “lifetime” fluid recommendation is made by the marketing division. They have a vested interest in making consumers think their cars do not need much in the line of maintenance. That in turn promotes sales at the expense of mechanical longevity.
Car manufacturers also make this hokey recommendations with oil change intervals, valve lash inspections, and so on.For what it’s worth, a long time friend of mine runs a transmission shop and has for over 40 years. He took it over from his dad, a lifetime transmission rebuilder.
During discussions with him on this issue he also says that it’s BS. He also has said that almost every failed transmission he sees coming into his shop has failed for one of several reasons.
1. Never changing the fluid.
2. Operating the transmission low on fluid due to leaks.The end result is the same because with both of them aged or low fluid overheats very quickly and heat is the great destroyer of automatics.
I fully agree with the above. (Many Toyota vehicles are also used for towing and these definitely require more frequent fluid changes) .
You should get the fluid changed now if you intend keeping the car. Go to a Toyota dealer for that to ensure they use the same Toyota World Standard (WS) fluid that is in the vehicle now. Go somewhere else and they might put anything in the transmission they have on the shelf they think is good enough. You cannot get all the old fluid out in any event and it is a bad idea to mix different formulations of ATF in your transmission. Use only what Toyota specify even if it is more expensive than off the shelf products that are claimed to be OK to use.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.