Rx330 Awd Transmission Fluid Change Interval

[RX in NC]

My research thus far seems to indicate that for whatever combination of reasons, the notorious 1999/2000 RX300 AWD transmission failure issue had been resolved by the time that the first RX330 AWD rolled off the assembly line back in 2003. While our 2004 RX330 AWD owners manual states "no need to change the Type T-IV ATF for the life of the vehicle during normal operating conditions", those of us who own or owned 1999/2000 versions of the RX300 AWD certainly learned the hard way that this owners manual statement can be a recipe for disaster.

I routinely changed the Type T-IV ATF in my wife's previous 2000 RX300 AWD at 30,000-mile intervals, but I'm thinking of bumping up her 2004 RX330 AWD Type T-IV ATF change interval to 45,000 miles simply because the transmission failure problem doesn't appear to be an issue and the vast majority of owners out there do not change their ATF regardless of the make and model of the vehicles they own.

For those of you who've owned your RX330 AWD vehicles for awhile, what strategy have you decided to deploy regarding your ATF, and why?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond.

[lenore]

Hey good morning, I would still do a change once a year if I were you, just chalk it up to the yearly maintenance and piece of mind.

[TunedRX300]

Other folks' experience is a great resource, but they are experiences that may or may not apply to your situation. I am sure you have heard "I have put XXK miles on my RX and never a single issue, how come you have multiple tranny failures?". You can't blame them since individual experience is a subjective opinion.

Best approach is to do a lab analysis of ATF sample in your tranny, it is scientific, objective, and the result is meaningful...to you. Cost is $20 to get important data to determine the ATF change interval for your RX: Total Acid Number, wear metal level, viscosity etc. These important info can never be accurately revealed by the ATF color. BTW, the cherry dye used is for leak detection and base oil is clear and colorless, had the dye been purple or black, would virgin ATF be drained since it looks dark?

There are many who have done UOA on ATF. Free data, which may be used for estimate for ball park range, is avaliable here

http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/pos...amp;Board=UBB50

Someone just posted his UOA on GS400 w/ 22K on Toyota T-IV, Blackstone Lab analysis indicated high insolubles, viscosity has sheared, and high lead, all suggesting ATF must be changed.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/sho...ge=0#Post855920

Again, if you want a MD to give a clean bill of health, wouldn't you have to ask the nurse to draw your blood, take a recent urine/stool sample, do a x-ray/cat-scan and have the doc to analyze the report? Would external superficial examination and good/bad reports from other folks be good enough, for you? My $0.02.

[newtoncd]

75K on our 2004 RX330.

The dealer didn't want to touch it at the 30K service and I have started going to an independent now. I had a flush done at 60K and from now on will do a drain/fill at 30K intervals.