Price quotes on transaxle fluid change

My dealer charged $107

 

Did you try Elk Grove, Folsom, or Elk Grove Toyota?

 

How do you refill it? There's not much room down there. I have a funnel with a long tube but I'm not sure if that will work. Maybe some tubing?

Thanks, Greg

 

I use a black plastic transmission funnel with a flexible tail, total length of 3 ft. I place the funnel near the inverter so that the tail can snake its way down to the transaxle fluid fill opening. The funnel's tail is rigid enough so that the funnel will stand up on its own while I am pouring fluid into it.

 

The gravity method works just fine as I can attest, but in my hands it is a bit messy. I think next time I will buy an el-cheapo hand pump. That way the ATF can sit on the ground in front of the car. Toyota has very thoughtfully left a hole in the plastic undercover for a straight path to the fill-hole.

 

My local repair shop charges 89.95 to change trans-axle fluid with Toyota
fluids.

 

I use a hand pump when changing the MGR (the rear axle motor-generator) ATF fluid on my AWD-i HiHy because there's no way to get to the fill hole from above. Pumping the ATF by hand is very tedious and I would not opt for that if a funnel alternative is available.

When I use the funnel, the only mess created is when I remove the funnel tube from the transaxle fill opening and a bit of fluid dribbles out. I let that drip into the oil drain pan before removing the funnel from the car.

 

I'll have to get a longer funnel, mine is too short. Also, a pump might be another option, I guess they might have these at an auto store?


Thanks!

 

Yes, you can buy either a transmission oil funnel or a hand pump that screws onto the ATF fluid bottle, at a discount auto parts store. I prefer the former, as stated in my post #28 above.

 

This cost $7.99CAN I think, at Princess Auto. The hose it came with is that little one just lying on top. The bigger hose is a wine syphon I had around: I don't like it for siphoning, it's too big a diameter, things happen too fast. But should work good for transaxle fluid, when I get there.

Got to remember to give that funnel a wipe-out, though.



I've got a traditional tranny funnel as well, works fine for readily accesible transmissions that fill through a dipstick opening, but not the Prius transaxle with the way down fill bolt.

 

For us dummies, can anyone post pictures of the process of where to drain/fill the TAF?

 

Someone posted this nice picture before; drain and fill plugs indicated by red arrows - and don't open up the coolant drain to the left of the seam by mistake!

 

They did not have one with a long tube at a couple of local stores. I did get a pump that should work. I plan to do it this weekend.

Thanks.

 

My local home improvement store (Lowes) has plastic tubing of different sizes that can be bought by the linear foot. I took a funnel into the store and matched it to tubing. Then, for a bit snugger fit I put a rubber ring on the tubing that lodges in the narrowing of the funnel.

 

I was able to use the pump and it works OK. It's probably a lot faster your way.

Thanks!

 

$95 at Hoselton Toyota, Rochester, NY.

Edit: Bah! More like $160 actually. When I brought it in I was informed that the service adviser who I had initially spoken to mistakenly quoted me the price for the less expensive "regular" ATF. Fortunately they did eventually agree to honor their original quote, but that wouldn't be the typical cost at this dealer.

 

I paid 65$ today for the TAF drain and fill with Toyota TAF. This is quite inexpensive compared to what others have quoted.

 

A great price, if your dealer used 4 qt of Toyota ATF WS (and not something else like ATF T-IV). You win the prize for finding the lowest dealer price for a transaxle ATF fluid change.

Perhaps you might want to provide that dealer's name for the sake of other members living in your city.

 

They wanted $234 at the Hagerstown, Md Toyota. I took mine in for the recalls and they looked the car over and came up with a list of things that they said needed work. They found my rear bulb was out but wanted $28 to fix it! I paid $1.29 for the bulb and 30 sec of my time. I can't believe they want so much for simple things.