Transmission Fluid "Exchange"

My first opinion is stay away from Sears (or JiffyLube, or Meineke, or .....) for this sort of work. These places often turn this sort of work over to their less skilled employees. These sort of places also tend to use universal type fluids that may or may not be good enough for your application.

I also say stay away from reverse flush type machines. I think fluid exchange machines are fine, if all they do is exchange the fluid without adding any cleaners, miracle supplements, or try to back flush the transmission.

For cars with low mileage, like yours, a simple drain and refill is sufficient. You will only change a portion of the fluid in this manner, but if you repeat the process every 30,000 miles or so, you will avoid any problems with the fluid.

For cars with very high mileage that have not had the fluid changed regualrly there are plenty of stories that suggest changing the fluid will lead to transmission failure. I have seen it claimed that the new clean fluid disolves the crud that was sealing the various operating pistons and that when this crud dissolves, total transmission failure follows. I tend to discount these stories to some degree. I figure the transmissions were already near the failure point and that the fluid change was a last gasp effort to save the situations. Once the transmission fluid turns brown and smells like it is burned, things are already desperate and an emergency fluid change may or may not save the day.

One importat thing - use the correct Toyota Fluid. It is my belief that using uiniversal fluids, or fluids that claim to meet many certifications is very risky. It is probably OK to add a little of the universal fluid to top up a transmission that is slightly low on fluid, but I'd never use anything but the correct, genuine Toyota fluid for a fluid replacement or exchange. Many companies have started seealing automatic transmissions becasue of problems with Customers adding the wrong fluid, or over filling the transmission.

I generally change my own transmission fluid, or take it to a trusted shop. If you don't have a shop you trust, I recommend taking it to a Toyota dealer you trust.

Ed

They probably disconnect one of the transmission cooler lines and pump the new fluid in through there.

Never let a garage do any work on a car unless they know how to fix their worst-case mistake, and considering the skill level of the average Sears mechanic, I wouldn't expect them to be able to do that. Another worry is that the garage won't use the more expensive factory recommended transmission fluid but will instead put in ordinary Dexron/ Mercon plus an additive that makes the resulting mixture "just as good" as the factory fluid, meaning not as good, not approved, and if the transmission fails soon, they'll deny responsibility for the destruction they caused because you're the first customer to complain.

Use the factory recommended fluid, according to Toyota, not super- duper synthetic that's supposed to be better (but the factory fluid may contain synthetic).

Sears Auto Center nationwide fraud, from 1992:

"Sears to pay $20M to settle auto fraud - Sears, Roebuck and Co Discount Store News, Sept 21, 1992

12Next ..CHICAGO - Sears has agreed to pay as much as $20 million to settle 19 class action lawsuits that stemmed from California state charges that it bilked auto repair customers by recommending unneeded repairs.

Under terms of the settlement, Sears will offer a coupon worth $50 to some 933,000 customers nationwide who had the various services performed at a Sears auto center since Aug. 1, 1990, through Jan. 31,

1992. They include: replacements of a brake master cylinder; idler arm; a pair of shock absorbers, brake calipers or coil springs.

California state authorities charged that about half of the 72 auto centers recommended unnecessary replacement of such parts when undercover investigators came in for simple brake jobs that Sears advertised..."

Note that Toyota specifies transmission fluid drain and refill, not an "exchange."