Suitable substitutes for the Toyota ATF-WS transmission or transaxle fluid?

Well, Toyota could have said "requires", then Magnusson-Moss would require them to give it to us free during the warranty period at least....

moto g(7) power ?

 

I am one to believe that Toyota has a reason to try to scare people from using no Toyota ATF and it’s maybe business or anything else I don’t know but I know they rather sell their oil than let others get their business, clear evidence of people here on pc have driven thousands of miles on no one but many different brand other than Toyota with not problem, also for those that change the ATF and then have a problem I always hear that sometimes when transmission it’s very wear out and or old it’s a chance of problem arrives if oil it’s changed not matter what brand you put in, so this said it’s not evidence of Toyota statement of non Toyota ATF do any harm to the transmission neither anyone here on PC that I have knowledge either, something else why to believe Toyota that only Toyota ATF WS has to be used and then no believe the Toyota ATF WS is lifetime because obviously if anyone changed it’s because they don’t agree with the lifetime statement sorry but I need evidence to believe and the only evidence are people using no one but many different ATF brand successful with not problem.

 

This is the only instance where they are adamant that you should not use any other fluid. Also: they give no service interval for changing the fluid. I don't see them getting rich over this.

I manage to change it, with Toyota ATF WS, and sleep at night.

Why? I figure they built it, they're concerned, I'm just bright enough to go along with their recommendation.

 

Good morning, first I really enjoy talking about prius here on prius chat so no loosing sleep over this theme keep that clear about they will not get rich with this I can Agree and disagree but not important to debate what it’s important is to be able to avoid stealerships the most we can back to the discussion if other ATF will make any damage to a transmission my question is after how many miles you expecting to happen because we have members with lots of miles log in to their Prius with no problems at all, what I am move to believe Toyota is afraid people can put the wrong Oil on their transmission, people make put CVT oil when prius use Regular ATF WS just to say what can happen so it’s not that alternative is not available it’s that not everyone will know if they putting the wrong Oil so Toyota can avoid it in the first place by sticking to telling people to use only their Toyota ATF WS, funny Toyota can’t void the warranty for people using other ATF WS, this proof to me that they only concerned about people putting the wrong ATF like CVT oil besides ATF WS to say something., Great theme by the way!

 

By the way I will be more concerned about buying a Prius with a refurbished hybrid battery pack that seems like they have a high rate number of failures that worry about the car have not Toyota ATF WS in the transmission, when it’s no proof of other ATF will do any bad to the transmission.

 

well, that's pretty obvious, me too. plus, you'd have no idea about the tranny history.

 

I'll always buy new.

 

If you can afford to buy new good for you but lots or people better off saving that money for something else with less money losses, depending of the value of a new car and depending on if you buying cash or financing a car around 20k tend to loose a value of about a less 3k just by driving it off the new car lot not counting the financing charge if any I rather save 10k buy a car from a private seller cash and if I get a good deal the car I buy may worth more than what I paid, I can profit If I like to, reselling it, will never happen with a new car!

 

Unless you need some prius dealer repairs.... could add up to full vehicle cost very fast. Then you save nothing...... : )

I bought a used 13 cheap but i have put $3500 in it... and did the repairs myself...... quite a few hours...
Not arguing about it just stating used Prius facts.... Used ICE vehicles are a better value than a used Prius when it comes to repairs.

 

I can’t agree more you point it’s all true, hybrids cars definitely are not for everyone but it’s a wonderful car for DIY peoples that drive lots of miles but anyone who doesn’t drive hundreds of miles a week and don’t know how to do some DIY repairs better off buying a not hybrid car, anyway I tend to believe that when a something expensive need to be repaired it’s because you pick the wrong car to buy and you just got you self into a expensive fix the previous owner sold the car to avoid to fix, so if you don’t make that mistake to buy the wrong car in the first place you should be fine, my self got a 2006 Prius with 92k in 12/2014 and have changed anything more than oil and a free water pump recall I had 158k now factory battery pack that I just took out and clean the bus bars just as maintenance that it so 3500 in 2014 and still driving it, so I guess 14 years working for a new car dealer give me enough knowledge on car to know which one to pick so hopefully my luck doesn’t change and I stay trouble free.

 

I bought my 2013 v for $5000 two years ago. Now has 252,000. Wouldn't do it again......What I save in gas went up in parts..... All Prius will need a traction battery or two. Maybe a head gasket or a new motor and brake system. I don't have any experience on the gen 2...... got a 3 cause I thought they might be better.
Plus I have two other toyota ICE with hundreds of thousand of more miles and no expensive repairs.
My message to anybody thinking about buying a used one is it needs to be low miles.... and it could still burn oil.....
If your going to purchase a car with 150,000 and I have and drove for 13 years.... don't get a hybrid unless you can work on it.....

 

I bought a 2014 with 129k last year for my wife 7500 just one dent and little scratch on front bumper looks and drive like new so like I said people need to know better when come to buy a car and you can’t be desperate because that’s why people make mistakes.

 

Wait till it gets another 50,000 on it..... you'll know what I'm talking about.....
And my car looks excellent only one small scratch......interior perfect.....

 

It’s possible but I don’t think the 2014 will ever see 50k more miles while my wife own it since she drive less than 3k a year and any long trip will go on the 2006, I think I got the wrong car for her since she doesn’t drive much so We may sell it and replace it with a no hybrid in the near future.

 

Good Idea.......

 

Summary of alternative ATFs used by people in this thread:

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
0	Member Name	ATF Brand	Type	Total Distance with Alternative Brand ATF
1	danlatu	Valvoline	MaxLife	76000 mi. (2005 Prius 129k~205k)
2	danlatu	Valvoline	MaxLife	57000 mi. (2010 Prius 60k~117k)
3	danlatu	Valvoline	MaxLife	8000 mi. (2011 Prius 297k~305k)
4	Fred_H	Ravenol	T-WS Lifetime	153000 mi. (2007 Prius 157k-310k)
5	edthefox5	Redline	D6	150000 mi.
6	tvpierce	Aisin	WS	?
7	TheChip	Redline	D6	30000 mi.
8	4md	Yacco	ATF X FE	?
9	Simtronic	Millers	Millermatic fully synthetic	50000 mi. + ?
10	stanny101	Redline	D6	?
11	mjoo	Redline	D6	8000 mi.
12	Tim Jones	Wallvoline	Supertechmax	16000 mi. (2013 Prius v)
13	nssdiver	Amsoil	FE SS	230000 mi. (2007 Prius 100k-180k-250k-330k)
14	nssdiver	Amsoil	Std ATF	.…. mi. (2007 Prius 330k-.....)

 

Still using D6, this time I changed it at 50k miles. Analysis will come later. Fluid came out red instead of black and thick like the WS I removed initially.

Still waiting for someone to post a negative experience with their other than WS fluid.

 

It is unlikely that you will find someone on THIS forum who has had a negative experience with Toyota’s WS ATF.

I use Amsoil because my driving style resembles Mario Andretti than your average tree-hugger...


iPhone ?

 

So together with the previous 30k miles, that makes 80k miles total with D6?

 

I think if you pulled a vehicle aside as it rolled off the assembly line, drained the Toyota ATF WS and refilled with some alternate fluid, drove around the block and repeated the process (to flush the remainder), then drove say 60K miles, it would coming out equally "black and thick".

In my experience, 15K kms first drain was noticeably darker colour. Two subsesquent drains (all Toyota ATF WS), were progressively cleaner. That last one looked so clean, I resolved to not change it any more, for a goodly long time.