Transaxle Fluid Drain & Fill (DIY Easy as 1-2-3)

Thanks, good pic's.

A few comments:

1. Have a method to get the car (safely) raised and level. This ensures proper fluid level when refilling.

2. It's not do-or-die, but I'd replace the two plug's washers, whenever you've got them off.

3. The plastic underpanel has a couple of fasteners that are distinctly different, heavier. There might actually be more variations, but the others are close enough that you can mix up. The two heavier ones are right around the "maintenance flap".

4. Proper fluid level is achieved by pouring in new fluid until it starts coming back out, then wait 'till it more-or-less stops.

5. Both Fill and Drain plug torque spec: 29 ft/lb

 

Not that this hasn't been written up before but it is always good to get another prospective and photos. Good job.

Your old fluid looks to be what I would expect it would after that many miles. Some members fluid here looked absolutely terrible, contaminated I would say.

Did you jack it/level it up?

Plan to do mine this summer @ about 45k.

Thanks!

 

What color should the fluid be?

 

R1CH13: When you say it took "forever" to remove, how much time are you talking about? How long did the entire evolution take?

 

How did it shift smoother? The Prius doesnt shift at all.

 

Great posting, thanks

 

I swear Toyota Parts employees are trained to discourage ATF-WS sales...

 

Maybe someone doesn't want us to know the truth???

 

Well that is only if you have a Prius... a Tundra,,, no problem sell you tons

 

No need to remove the bottom cover

 

Did you drain, refill and re-install the plugs with the car on a significant tilt? This might skew the fluid level: the drill is to fill with the car level, until it starts coming back out. If you're using ramps for the front end, you could accomplish this by jacking up the back end and setting on safety stands.

In either event it's likely close.

 

I just did mine again on Sunday. I was at 59,900 miles; I have previously changed it at 15k and at 32k. The fluid I drained was bright red.

A couple things to note - although the repair manual says the fluid capacity is 3.5 qt, I found that it required just over 4 quarts to fill the transaxle until fluid began to spill out of the fill hole. However, I did allow the transaxle to drain for over an hour, which is not common. The manual does state that anywhere between 0mm and 10mm under the fill plug is considered to be an acceptable level, so it is possible that 3.5 qt brings you to 10mm below the fill hole - but this is difficult to verify...so I would recommend filling it until the fluid begins to run out.

For those of us who prefers a fluid pump, the Amsoil fluid pumps screw onto the Toyota ATF-WS bottles and are simply the best pumps that I have used.

This is true - but only if you plan to use lots of full-strength degreaser and a garden hose afterwards for the clean-up.

 

Draining the fluid doesnt even touch the plastics so plastic cover removal uneccesary.

 

If you leave the fill plug in, it might be OK, but sometimes the fluid will spray everywhere when it drains so the clean-up will be much more difficult. Also, many DIYers will probably make a mess when they try to fill the transmission.

Removing the cover is going to be difficult once the car gets older, BTW. The clips will get gummed up with dirt/debris and will probably break unless you use a clip removal tool in a gentle manner.

 

I like pulling the cover off completely, for oil changes or transaxle fluid change. Once you're used to it it takes maybe 15 minutes. Anytime I've got the fasteners off I rinse them out in soapy water, get's the problematic grit out. There's a couple of the fasteners, near the maint. flap, that are a bit bigger, worth marking.

Paint can openers work good with those fasteners, coupled with a thin blade screw driver, depending on the situation. Here's an example: