Auto Trans Fluid Change And Antifreeze Change

[filhiol]

I have a 2004 RX330 FWD. According to the instructions on the dipstick of the auto trans fluid one does not have to ever change it under normal use of the vehicle. Also, there is a message under the hood that there is no need to change the antifreeze/coolant for the first 100,000 miles. Can anyone confirm this information? Filhiol

[PK_3]

Don't know what you hood says but modern juices are generally ok up to 100k. I personally see know reason to push it though. I've seen enough 100k juices fail. They seem to solve short run problems they know of but ignore "late in life" ones they never had.

I'd find the TSB's for the car as it's 5 years old and see if any thing is changed. Lexus has not been above class action lawsuits (they lost, so did I by 6 months) due in part to these very sorts of claims

Regards, PK

[lenore]

Yep great sales tool, but real life is different. I would drain and fill the tranny with the

Toyota recommended fluid at no later than 30k miles, and the radiator coolent with Toyota Type Red no longer than the recommended 5 year mark....

[mikey00]

Yep great sales tool, but real life is different. I would drain and fill the tranny with the

Toyota recommended fluid at no later than 30k miles, and the radiator coolent with Toyota Type Red no longer than the recommended 5 year mark....

I'm pretty sure Toyota stopped using Toyota Long Life Red, a 30,000 mile coolant, before 2004. Red is in my 2000 and 2001 RX 300 but they changed to pink sometime around 2003. Your Rx330 should have Toyota Super Long Life Pink which is good for 100k. The sticker you are reading under the hood leads me to believe you definitely have the Ultra Long Life Pink.

As far as the trans goes I think you would be safe going with the lifetime recomendation as long as you check it regularly and monitor its condition. Earlier RX transmissions had a design problem which which cast some doubt on this "lifetime" claim. However, if it were me I would change it at 30k just to be safe. I am still a little gun shy from my 2001 trans failure. Let someone else prove the lifetime claim.

[code58]

Yep great sales tool, but real life is different. I would drain and fill the tranny with the

Toyota recommended fluid at no later than 30k miles, and the radiator coolent with Toyota Type Red no longer than the recommended 5 year mark....

I'm pretty sure Toyota stopped using Toyota Long Life Red, a 30,000 mile coolant, before 2004. Red is in my 2000 and 2001 RX 300 but they changed to pink sometime around 2003. Your Rx330 should have Toyota Ultra Long Life Pink which is good for 100k. The sticker you are reading under the hood leads me to believe you definitely have the Ultra Long Life Pink.

As far as the trans goes I think you would be safe going with the lifetime recomendation as long as you check it regularly and monitor its condition. Earlier RX transmissions had a design problem which which cast some doubt on this "lifetime" claim. However, if it were me I would change it at 30k just to be safe. I am still a little gun shy from my 2001 trans failure. Let someone else prove the lifetime claim.

Mikey- My wife's '02 Camry had the pink ELL. I didn't like the white stuff that it spewed (or leaked out whenever it could) so I changed to the red LL at about 30k mi. and deep 6'd the pink. I was so impressed with the red in my DIL's RX when I changed it at 97k mi. for the 1st. time, that I decided I liked that better. It looked absolutely new without one trace of sediment or discoloration. I intend to get a bottle of the test strips and see how it tests for additives, sure looks great!