WhatYaGot

Took my car to the dealer the other day. The dealer said I should have the tranny service at 30,000 miles (which is what I have now) for $99.00. Do you think I should do it now or wait? I know with other vehicles you usually change the fluid 1st at 30,000 and then every 15,000 miles, but don’t know what I should do. As stated below by Lobuxracer in another thread, there is no scheduled service. I do most maintenance work myself, but don’t know if is worth me doing, or if it should be done now. It just doesn’t feel right to not change the fluid as I have with other vehicles and then have to replace the tranny after my 100,00 mile warranty is up because I did not change the fluid often.

Any thoughts?

gsrthomas

iTrader: (1)

I would do it.

I don't believe in life time fluid and a tranny that doesn't need to be serviced. If a tranny

oblivionis

iTrader: (2)

It's supposed to be a sealed transmission with lifetime fluid. What exactly is the dealer going to do for $99?

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

He uses this machine to check if the tranny fluid is still "within spec." In other words, he checks with a meter to see if the fluid is "clean."

When the machine says that it's clean (and believe me, it will be), he then charges you $99.

That's it...

15951

It's not a service item for a reason. If you feel like tipping your dealer $100, then do it, but this is an unncessary service that they've added for pure profit.

gsrthomas

iTrader: (1)

No transmission is truely "sealed". There has to be a way to drain/refill. Might not be your conventional method but there is a way. They say that so you wont mess with it.

When my car reaches 30-40k miles. I will post up how to change the tranny fluid.

I'm surprised no one has posted a DIY to change the tranny fluid on the IS. I have seen many members posting 50k+ miles on there IS. This is time to change the fluid.

Irishman06

Yuup. The ECT "brain" (you may recognize it from the "PWR" switch) monitors the transmission fluid parameters contiunuously and prevents conditions from becoming too hazardous. This is why when you start up on a cold morning it doesn't let you go past 4th gear until the fluid reaches operating temperature.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I imagine the fluid can purged out through the cooler line and pumped in at the trans.

Irishman06

From the Maintenance supplement of your owner's manual:

Additionally, none of the listed service intervals (through 150,000 miles) involve any sort of a "check" on the transmission fluid. If it does fail, you could feasibly sue TMC for the costs incurred and win, because the fluid check was not "advised".

IS350jet

If you read the factory Owners Manual Supplement, the service interval for replacing the automatic transmission fluid is every 60K. Also, the service interval for "check" is every time the car is serviced. This means that the factory recommended interval for checking the trans. fluid is ever time you have the oil changed.

Irishman06

Can you prove this? I pulled those quotes from the Maintenance supplement. The 30k intervals lists "Automatic transmission -- inspect for leakage." Nothing else.

gsrthomas

iTrader: (1)

Instead of guessing whether the dealer has to check or change the transmission fluid, can someone post the proper way to completely drain (dropping the pan) and filling the tranny with WS fluid??

MJB_LEX

gsrthomas,

After looking at high wear numbers from a "Sealed" BMW tranny with 70K miles as well as other "Sealed" units with high wear, (over at Bob is the Oil Guy), I tend to agree with you about this. The funny thing is that my dealer is very adamant about 100K trans fluid changes for the IS. I am planning to insist on having it done ak 50K intervals (along with the coolant). I plan to "drive it 'till the wheels fall off", so I don't mind paying a few bucks for an infrequent service (3 yrs for me) to have some piece of mind.

Maybe I'll do it myself if you post a DIY. I do my own oil changes, which are very easy on this car.

Mike

Irishman06

On the coolant note, Toyota-spec s-LLC (super-Long Life Coolant) is definitely good for 150k miles. Its like no other coolant out there.

HKS350

iTrader: (4)

Isn't there a Transmission fliud filter on the 2IS? When I was on TIS last time it showed one. Could the transmission service be the replacement of this filter and the small amount of tranny fluid in the pan? If so that would explain the $99 charge.