I think there are 1 or 2 bolts that are difficult to access due to frame members. You may have to loosen a motor mount or two and raise the engine up an inch or so to get to them. Check youtube videos for the RX and Highlander up to 2015 as they are almost exactly the same.
If it were my RX with that mileage I would just change the fluid and leave the filter alone. Save your money for something else.

In 2020 I bought a 2013 Sienna (to haul furniture) with 88,000 miles and probably the original ATF. It has the same engine and transmission as the RX.
I did 5 ATF drain and fills then drove it for 20,000 miles before trading it in last August. I did add a Magnefine inline filter. The transmission always worked perfectly and shifted like new. I used Mag One full synthetic low viscosity ATF. Same stuff I use in the RX.

 

Hello everyone,

My RX is due for its 75k mile service on Tuesday, and I asked the shop if they do transmission fluid service. He said they do, and upon inquiring if it is a flush, he said no. They hook up the transmission lines to a machine and swap the fluid out. So I’m assuming it is a fluid exchange, but I’m not completely sure. I definitely don’t want to risk my transmission and do a maintenance that may cause more harm than good. Should I go with their transmission fluid change service? My RX never had any transmission fluid change, and driving around DC definitely hurts the transmission more than usual. Since I have no experience or the means to do drain and fills, I need to go to a shop for this.

 

In the old days it used to be called a transmission flush now it is called a fluid exchange which is more correct. Today's machine are really sophisticated and do a great job. The only possible problem is with transmissions that have way over 100K miles as the new fluid "May" dislodge varnish accumulated over miles/time, I don't think you are there yet, but if it makes you feel better do several Drop & Fill, the Only thing that I'd advise you not to do if going for the Machine Fluid Exchange is
NOT to let them add any additives, be they BG or MOC. Being a Lex dealer it will probably be MOC.

 

What brand and type of ATF will that shop utilize for your vehicle? Very important that it meets the required specs and that they wind up with the correct volume of ATF in the system. I do not trust these fluid exchange jobs - there is always a possibility that long-settled debris will be dragged up and through the valve bodies and create serious problems that were not there before. I will stick wiith simple drain-and-fills on all of our vehicles and do it myself to ensure it is done correctly.

 

What shop in MD are you using? Satellite Motors in Silver Spring is a Toyota specialist and knows how to do a proper transmission fluid exchange. A friend always uses them for her RAV4 on which they have done a transmission fluid exchange.
I think at 75 you will be fine doing a fluid exchange. Just ask what fluid they are using.

 

Thank you for the tip! I’ll definitely ask to check if any additives are involved. A shop I went to back in 2020 suggested I change the trans fluid and their method included additives so I never went back for that.

I really wish I could do multiple drain and fill, but I don’t have the equipment to jack my car up, nor do I have the skills/experience to properly deal with the transmission. Sadly, it escaped my mind to ask them about what fluid they’ll use. If you don’t mind me asking, what is the requirement on the type of fluid for our vehicle?

I’m going to LXT Automotive in N. Bethesda. The owner, Nelson, was a tech at Lexus for a long time, and apparently used to race before as well! They are very patient and elaborative when I asked them questions, so I have been using them since my last service. I went to Satellite Motors back in 2020 for front brakes, after you suggested their shop in some of your comments. They checked my transmission and diff fluids, and suggested I change my transmission fluid. However, they would use additives (BG) and require me to come back after some miles of driving, and that sounded like a flush so I never really went back. What is the minimum spec fluid I should make sure they put for the transmission?

 

LXT looks like a great shop as it is run by a former Lexus Tech. You should be in good hands with them. https://www.******************/
According to independent reviews, I found at Washington Consumer Checkbook they are well regarded and use oem Lexus/Toyota parts

I don't want to start a big argument here, but:
The fluid should state it is Toyota WS compatible or approved. It needs to be low viscosity. Many here and at Toyota Nation use Valvoline Maxlife multi-vehicle synthetic ATF in the Red Bottle. I have used Idemitsu TLS-LV which is a synthetic made to replace Toyota WS (it says so on the bottle) and MAG ONE full synthetic, low viscosity multi-vehicle ATF.

I think the BG machine does a good job with the fluid exchange and my local Toyota dealer uses it, and their chemicals, but WS fluid. Thousands of vehicles get their ATF exchanged on their machines without problems. It is the skill of the operator that is important. I wonder if the Toyota dealer uses it because it may be faster to adjust the fluid than the Lexus temperature overflow method since it is done with the motor running and they do not have to wait for it to cool down then warm up. https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/trans...ower-steering/
Time is money.

We had my Niece's 2010 ES350 transmission serviced there in 2018 at 40,000 miles and now she is at 85,000 and it still runs great.

I find it odd Satellite wanted you to return after the transmission service.

BG makes a fully synthetic low viscosity ATF that is compatible with WS. I wonder if it is relabeled MAG ONE, or Valvoline. I would not have a problem using it if that is what the shop offered.
I do have concerns about their additional chemicals. I know they run a pre-exchange cleaner through the trans and then some additive stuff after the exchange in addition to the ATF.
https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/trans...synthetic-atf/

 

I was looking i to purchasing a 2015 Rx fsport from a small Dealer. They got the car and told me that the mechanic noticed that the trans fluid was a touch low which was weird to me considering the trans is sealed and no dipstick to check level. They claim that is what they do to all the cars that come in that are "higher mileage"...keep in mind it only has 89k. You guys think this is a red flag and stay away? They used BG transmission conditioner

 

Not necessarily. If it drives fine now it is probably okay. That is a good policy on their part to help prevent warranty claims from transmission problems.
Keep in mind the F Sport has the 8 speed transmission and the fluid exchange process is different from the 6 speed and it feels much different.

I had a similar situation with the 2013 Toyota Sienna I owned for 18 months. I got it with 88,000 miles and no record of the transmission fluid ever having been changed. It drove okay but was much slower from a stop than my RX. However it has a great service history. I started doing 3 transmission drain and fills. It had the exact same 6-speed transmission as the RX.
On the first one, I only got about a quart and a half. I always got 2 quarts or a bit over on the RX. So I started increasing the amount of fluid added after each drain. The shift quality was not much better the first time, but improved after the second.
When I completed the third fill with a bit over 2 quarts the Sienna drive was just like the RX. It had an instant response to the throttle from a stop and shifted much faster.
So it did have low transmission fluid, whether from the factory or for whatever reason over 7 years and 88,000 miles. I did not see any leaks.
When I traded it in last Summer it had 109,000 miles and the transmission shifted perfectly. Now the front struts were beginning to leak....

 

The Car Care Nut has a good video on changing fluids on a sealed Toyota/Lexus transmission.

The guy is a Toyota master service technician and he recommends doing periodic drain and refills based on his real world experience servicing these vehicles over many years. I just did my first drain and refill on my 13 RX350 at just over 100,000 miles. I used the procedure shown and used a scan tool method to monitor the fluid temp.

 

[QUOTE=Clutchless;11223597]
The fluid should state it is Toyota WS compatible or approved. It needs to be low viscosity. Many here and at Toyota Nation use Valvoline Maxlife multi-vehicle synthetic ATF in the Red Bottle. I have used Idemitsu TLS-LV which is a synthetic made to replace Toyota WS (it says so on the bottle).
I think the BG machine does a good job with the fluid exchange and my local Toyota dealer uses it, and their chemicals, but WS fluid. Thousands of vehicles get their ATF exchanged on their machines without problems. It is the skill of the operator that is important. I wonder if the Toyota dealer uses it because it may be faster to adjust the fluid than the Lexus temperature overflow method since it is done with the motor running and they do not have to wait for it to cool down then warm up.
I find it odd Satellite wanted you to return after the transmission service. QUOTE]

All of that and particularly what I have highlighted is very true, for myself if not using Toyota WS I'd use Idemitsu orAisin ATF the latter is the maker of Toyota trannies. I'm not a believer in ATF that suit all trannies, not trying to badmouth Valvoline

 

I ended up buying a 2014 fsport the other day with 58k on it. The plan is to do all the fluids including the trans when it warms up here.

 

What scan tool do you guys recommend to buy that can monitor ATF temps , etc ? Is there a tablet or phone app version that conndcts via bluetooth or wifi ?

 

Look at the Car Care Nut youtube video mentioned above. Also, you have to connect via the OBD cable connection under the dash. I don't think you can do wifi or Bluetooth connection. The vehicle is too old for that to work. The Bluetooth apparently only works for phone or music. I think Scotty Kilmer recommends a scan tool on his youtube channel.