Transmisson Oil Change

[lenore]

Well, I just dropped the pan and replaced the filter and gasket. By the way the filter was not a wire mesh and the tranny was supplied by Lexus. There was very little fuzz on the magnets, that is good. I also changed the external tranny filter that I installed previously. The fluid drain was still a little black, but still red in color. These RX300 AWD just don't seem be friendly to the fluid. The fluid was only 7.5k old. and the transmisson is only 15k old. Well this was the last thing I wanted to do on the tranny this year. Next I get to replace the right front shock upper strut mount for a second time and the fluids in the differential to synthetics. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all and God Bless our Troops overseas.

[mikey00]

I just did mine too. It had 15K on it was still somewhat red but was slowly going over to the black side. I don't drop the pan but I do a drain and fill using both the transmission pan drain plug and the front differential drain plug. It takes just about 5 qts. I am going to continue on a 15k drain and fill schedule, which I think is excessive, but I want to give this trans every chance of survival. However, I do believe there is a design problem in this model trans and even a weekly drain and fill or a weekly flush will not prevent its eventual failure.

Edited December 25, 2005 by mikey00

[Ericok]

One thing I've never understood: If the RX300 transmission is so problematic, why don't you see any transmission problems posted on Toyota Highlander forums? It's the same unit.

[lenore]

That is an excellent question, something has to be different, maybe the shifting, the viscous coupling, I wish I knew.