Transaxle fluid change ripoff in Houston?

Yes, #2 and #3 from your list are untrue relative to Prius. Maybe the service writers you are talking to are thinking of a normal automatic transmission where 3 is always true and 2 might be.

Regarding #1 from your list, if you DIY you'll save around $310 - $360 based upon your quoted prices. Is that enough motivation for you to learn to DIY? If so there are many posts about how to do the job quickly and painlessly. Good luck.

 

I certainly hope that #2 and #3 are not true--I just changed my tranny fluid yesterday without worrying about the oil temperature or the computer.

I did, however, take the car for a little spin before doing the work, just to optimize the amount of particulate matter suspended in the fluid rather than laying on various parts inside the transaxle. But that's something that should be done with any vehicle.

 

For that price, it seems to me you have three options.

1.) Get screwed over by your local Toyota Stealership.
2.) DIY - I did mine a few months back and it was no harder than changing your oil. Would be happy to send instructions on the funnel I made to refill.
3.) Buy your own fluid and take it to an independent shop or a Meineke etc... I've taken my previous car (Ford Focus) to the Meineke here in Morgantown and had excellent luck every time - I can all but guarantee that they would be less than half of your quotes.

 

For DIY here is a good place to start:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-.../44124-changing-transaxle-oil.html#post577739

Good luck!

 

There is no mention of computer or temperature in the service manual.

 

Don

Sounds like the confused my FJ with your Prius

Oh, and even for the FJ (No dipstick, there is an "overflow check plug" on the trans pan) those prices are WAY out of line. I can get my FJ trans serviced for $90 Cdn!

 

A high price is not fraud, it just makes it less worthwhile for you to agree to.

Changing this oil is silly simple. You can DIY in less time than you will spend whining here.

 

Hmmm . . . that Service Manual says the fluid capacity is 4.0 US quarts. My Owner's Manual says 3.8 US quarts. When I filled the tranny and let the overfill drain from the fill hole, the tranny had taken just about 3.8 US quarts.

My advice: don't put the car on ramps and try to stuff 4.0 US quarts into the tranny. Rather, have the car as level as possible, let the extra fluid drain from the fill hole, verify that you have put in the amount of fluid stated in your Owner's Manual, and reinstall the fill plug once the overfill has stopped draining from the fill hole. This is the best way to make sure you don't overfill the tranny.

 

We live in Ontario and just got this job done yesterday - Replace transmission fluid - labour 0.89 hours $85 , with a disposal fee $1.50 , a new gasket $8.84 and the WSATF - 12 coolant $24.36 - total cost parts and labour $119.76 + ontario taxes.
Car has 91,000 KM or around 55,000 miles

 

I'm assuming that you are quoting CAN$. Labor and the ATF WS (which is not coolant, BTW) prices are good. If the two washers for the drain and fill plugs were replaced they would cost around US$4 total. No gasket is needed.

 

Should be two new gaskets, and $8.84 seems too high but the overall price seems OK.

 

The 4.0 quart capacity means dry fill up quantity. When drain and fill, some of the fluid cannot be drained out, so the quantity is smaller at 3.8 Q.