gripau1

I have a SC430 2003 and I've changed my tranny fluid when I first got it. Lexus never changed it and the fluid was started to stink.

I know that the Type IV fluid is about $150.00 AUD for 12 litres and takes only an 1 hour to do a proper flush. A replacement transmission is $12k from Lexus. I rather change fluids than a tranny.

From the bean counters point of view its cheaper not to put a dipstick, and they will make more money replacing transmission than the oil.

Even though there is no dipstick, you can still change the tranny fluid via the trans cooler lines, ie start/stop the car take 2 litres out and put 2 litres of fresh fluid. Keep doing this until 12-16 litres has been replaced.

I had to do this on a BMW 320i which also has a sealed for life transmission, ie no dipstick.

What if people use the Lexus to race, or to tow a boat etc. This is hard on the transmission fluids, and to say that you don't need to change the fluid ever... is overly too simplified IMHO.

gripau1

ok here is a picture of what the new and old oil looks like from my SC430.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...xperience.html

Brewmyown

The debate to change or not change the trans fluid will go on forever. Common sense would tell you to change it (at some point) but like many have said, Lexus does not recommend it. I bought my car used but I was handed a folder of service records from day one with all service done at Lexus. I looked through all the records and it has had every recommended scheduled maintenance done to it (and then some) and the trans fluid was never changed or recommended to be changed (my 2002 has 125,000 on it). I noticed the brake fluid, coolant, power steering, etc. were changed but never the trans. Brake fluid? Really? When did brake fluid become a fluid to change? I have never ever done it in any of my cars (most with well over 100,000 miles) and they all stopped just fine.

My thought is that if the dealers could sell you service, a trans fluid change is an easy money maker for them to sell. With a new trans costing between $3,000 - $5,000 the fear of paying for a new trans would make people want to change the fluid. If they aren't selling it, its hard for me to imagine why aside from the thought that the transmission will last "forever".

This being said, I don't think they planned on people putting 150,000 - 200,000 plus miles on them. Although I'd be angry if the trans failed with over 150,000 miles on it, can I really complain if the trans fluid was never changed and it lasted that long?

In my opinion, having fresh fluid every now and then can only help. You read a lot that if you haven't change your trans fluid and your car has very high miles, don't change it or you'll have problems. My opinion on that is that those people that do change their fluid with very high miles have something wrong with their trans and that's why they are changing the fluid. Once a trans starts acting up, its too late to change fluids in it. The damage has already been done.

Recommended or not, I will be changing mine soon before it shows signs of failure.

Carnut

Every LS and one GS I've owned the Lexus Techs vacuumed the brake fluid and replaced. They also did the transmission fluid but they were pre-2005 model. I'm calling the dealership today and see if they will do my transmission fluid total flush and fill. It has just over 79,000 miles on it. One Service Manager told me he would do it at 80,000 but that would be sooner than what it really needed.

Brewmyown

I sold a 2007 Acura TLS to get my 2002 LS. Acuras have had many premature trans failures over the last 8 years or so. I also have a 2006 MDX I bought used and it has 159,000 miles on it and I can sense the torque converter needing replacement before long. Its making a slight noise every now and then when its up-shifting under very light acceleration from drive to over drive. Its my wifes car that now only gets driven about 5,000 miles a year so it may last quite a while. I am real sensitive to transmissions because they are so costly to replace but so cheap to maintain.

Carnut

My First LS-400 was a 1993 and it had 82,000 miles on it when I bought it. Not long after I bought it I was on the freeway and when it would go into "over-drive" I felt the car "shudder", like a slight vibration. I immediately took it to a friend who replaced the transmission fluid and it never acted up again. I drove the car to 147,000 miles before buying a newer LS-400. Just saying !!!!!!

Brewmyown

You are one of the lucky ones. Also that was almost 20 years ago. In those days you were supposed to change the oil. Heck a lot of cars in those days when the trans slipped you tightened the bands and all was good. You cant do that now .When it shudders, its slipping. A lot of people don't notice it and it keeps getting worse. Then they change the fluid and wonder why the trans got worse.

Like I said I'm changing the fluid because not waiting for a problem to change $50 worth of trans fluid before a $4,000 repair is needed. I know there are probably many cars out there that have 200,000 plus miles on them without changing trans fluid but I plan on having this car for quite a while and to spend $50 for a little piece of mind is money well spent to me.

gripau1

Here is the difference between new and old trans fluid.

I'll let the people decide if they want to change the fluid or not.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...nce-tranny.jpg

Carnut

I'm going to let a Lexus Dealership change mine. Then, if there's any problems, I have confidence they will stand behind it. I don't have the equipment to flush it all out. I'm told they charge in the $250 range, so I think it's worth it in this matter.

Carnut

Thanks for the response gripau.

alex870

The dealer will probably do the flush properly, but generally: it's a bad idea to flush an ATX using a high pressure system. It has the tendency to whip up all the crap settled at the bottom of the pan and push it into important and sensitive areas you wouldn't want debris to go. While passive draining (dropping the pan or sucking it out through the dipstick '01-'03 only) will not get all the ATX fluid out in one shot, you just repeat the process a 2nd time the following weekend and that'll give you the benefit of new fluid without the problems of high pressure.

Another trick (worth considering for the 04's+) is disconnecting the ATX fluid hose to the radiator and setting up 2 large buckets. One with new fluid for it to suck up and another empty bucket to catch the old. Be prepared for the large volume and pressure it will come out. You'll definitely need a second person at the ignition (to quickly stop the engine when done) and to secure temporary hosing and connectors to extend the pipes out from under the car (hardware store). You'll have to hold the hoses in their correct buckets or they'll do a "water weasle" to your garage interior. ( Speaking from experience here - not a nice cleanup ) Then it's as easy as starting the engine and waiting until the expelled fluid changes to match the fresh fluid (or you run out of fresh fluid).

Personally, I got an '03 precisely because it had a dipstick to easily service the ATX fluid and the 5 speeds were reported to be bulletproof.

Carnut

Thanks for the informtion. I was at my Lexus Dealership last Saturday, and the Service Advisor called back to the "transmission Department" and inquired about what they would do on a transmission flush" at 80,000 miles. " The answer I got was, "They don't like to change the transmission fluid until 100,000 miles, and it's a drain and fill, for just over a $100 bucks. The Service Advisor tole me they rarely had ANY transmission issues with 2004-2006 LS-430's so I should just leave it alone until I got to 100,000 miles. Folks. these people could be selling us a bill of goods we don't want, but they sure dont' want to sell me what I want. I have 80,000 miles on mine and shifting fine.

With all that said, I have another couple buddies that left Lexus to work on Lexus at an Independent Repair shop, working on Lexus only. He said he would do a flush if I insisted, but they are NOT putting WS fluid back into the tranny. He said if he replaced ALL my fluid there was no reason I'd have any issues for another 80,000 miles if ever. ???????????????

Good luck folks.

Lexicon1

For what these cars cost, (I checked w Toyota and its approx $250) to replace WS fluid is a sound decision, unless the dealer screws it up.
Fresh fluid means youve drained the depleted fluid and the particulate matter that was picked up during the last 6 yrs
Ive got 75k on the car and within the next 6 months, the fluid gets changed. If anyone thinks that one of the previous posts above where there is a dark blackish fluid vs new pink fluid is equally effective, then , more power to you.
Otherwise, my bet is to change it and leave it alone till I sell the car in 10 yrs.
Peace of mind ......

Carnut

Lexicon, you state on your "heading" of your post, 2006+ years. From my understanding, the cars with sealed transmissions are the LS-430 years 2004-2006. Of course they did not make any LS-430's after 2006, they wen to the LS-460.

Also, you cannot "Drain" the fluid from a LS-430 transmission, it has to be pumped out by attaching a hose to one inlet opening and pump new fluid in while allowing the old fluid to come out on the "outlet" side. This requires special tools/equipment. In the old days mechanics seemed to always recommend to never change the transmission fluid if the car had high mileage and had not had the transmission fluid changed on a regular basis. I'm curious as to what has changed that attitude with these LS-430's. The Dealerships are saying 100,000 miles before doing it, so the only thing I know to do is wait until somebody posts on this forum the outcome of having their LS-430 fluid "Flushed" out and all new put it, and the results of waiting 100,000 miles to do it. I sure have not been successful in getting anyone I know, both the dealership Service Advisors, my two friends who are Lexus Technicians, or my next door neighbor who works for Lexus and is very knowledgeable about mechanics and cars in general. They all tell me to "Leave it alone".

So I may be one of the first, if I keep my LS-430 to 100,000 miles to find out what happens after I have my transmission fluid flushed and replaced. The only place that is willing to do it does not put WS fluid back in, so there lies another hurtle. The plot thickens.

damon

Unless you have some kind of super duty use that is hard for me to imagine doing with a 430 I am okay with 100,000 miles for an inspection as long as the time frame is within a reasonable amount of years.

My theory is that the sealed transmission are made that way because fluid such as Toyota WS is highly Hygroscopic. I would certainly not mix it with other fluids.

I see no reason to believe that moisture somehow cooks or boils water out the tranny fluid due to heat.
If this is not true of brake fluid why would this happen inside an A761E? Someone earlier had espoused this belief.