Dealer vs. Midas - worth paying?

2016 Tacoma, 147k miles, recently started feeling a shudder when accelerating. First it was just low speeds, now it’s higher speeds, too. It could be something really bad, but reading these forums it seems like the smartest and cheapest first step is a transmission fluid flush.

My local dealer quoted me $550 to do it, but Midas will do it for $59.99 - dealers always charge more, but nearly 10 times? What could they possibly be doing differently? Or, is Midas selling me snake oil?

 

100% Midas will fuck it up.

 

I wouldn't do flush. Drain and fill. I would find transmission place, wouldn't trust Midas.

 

Do not flush the trans at this point without dropping the pan and cleaning the pan and filter first. Then do the fluid.If you don’t clean first the fresh fluid and it’s fresh detergents cause the sludge in the pan to come loose. That’s what screws up the trans when you flush at higher mileage. This was explained by tw member and trans expert gearcruncher.

 

Take the truck to an independent transmission shop with a good reputation. Let them drive it and analyze the issue instead of throwing parts at it. You might need a complete rebuild and any money spent on a fluid change is wasted. Or it could be something simple. Fluid issues are rare, especially with less than 200,000 miles. Most transmission problems are electrical parts that go bad.

A few years ago the transmission in our Honda was acting up and throwing codes. Code reader indicated a defective part and a new transmission was needed. 30 minutes after I dropped the Honda off to get a new transmission the shop called and told me to come and get it. Before pulling the old transmission, they found one wire with the insulation missing. It was shorting out causing the transmission to shift erratically and throw codes. They shrink wrapped the bad wire and charged me $50 instead of $2000 for a transmission.

 

$59? Sounds awfully cheap,,

 

Did you ever have TSB 0062-18 done? See post #12 for a PDF of the TSB.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...ota-for-stumble-condition-tsb-0062-18.559435/

 

Thats The Post of The Day Right there..

 

^^^ Especially at 147k. A flush is fine, but drain and fill now and then every 40k is probably fine or even more than enough. I just did my first around 70k, plan to do them every 35-40, depending on timing and weather. Just drain and fill though. Turd gen ATF fill port is a ROY-AL pain to get to. Be ready to make up your own cuss words directed at Toyota when you're in there.

 

A shutter is more than likely a torque converter issue.

 

also, what mileage did you last have transmission fluid changed?
Hopefully at some point.

 

so the dealer and Midas are quoting you prices for two different types of service. One is a 10 quart fluid exchange, one is a 4 quart drain and refill.

this is the transmission ever been serviced? If it has not, I would not do the dealer fluid replacement. I would remove the pan, clean the pan, replace the strainer and do a fill procedure. I would then do the drain and fill every 25,000 miles from here on out

 

stupid question, have you tried cleaning the throttle body?

 

A: I would NEVER trust a muffler shop with my transmission.
B: Do a drain and fill, not a full flush... Especially if you have that many miles and never serviced the tranny before. (I recently had the dealer drain and fill on mine... $180.00)
C: I don't know how Midas can even do a drain and fill that cheap. WS tranny fluid is not cheap. And it's more than just putting the same amount of fluid in as you drained out. You have to refill and check the over-flow plug. Maybe have to add a bit more. Then, you have to get the tranny up to a certain temp range (Don't remember off the top of my head) but it can't be too cold or too hot.
Then you have to check the over-flow plug again and adjust accordingly.
Who knows if anyone at Midas even knows they have go go through that process? Who knows if they even will use the right tranny fluid?
I can just see some 19 year-old McDonald's fry basket reject saying 'Uhhhh .... We use 'Universal Transmission Fluid'.... It works in everything....'

 

No flush. Drain and fill or better yet drop the pan. Use correct ATF from Toyota. Don’t have muffler shops or departments stores even write the word transmission on your service paperwork, let alone work on it. Dealers suck too, but transmissions require specialized knowledge and equipment. It’s one of the most complex components on the vehicle. Never flush a vehicles transmission. It’s a bullshit upsell service that causes more harm than good in a lot of cases.

EDIT: when I did a trans fluid change with ATF-WS on my RAV4 the fluid alone cost more than $59 bucks. Probably quoting bulk universal fluid of some kind. I like to think that doesn’t exist, but it probably does…

 

I wouldn’t even do a fluid level check on a Tacoma for someone for $59 lol. Drain and fill is a fairly easy process to do yourself if you’re capable.

 

A flush will surely kill your auto at this point, no matter who does it. Drain, measure what comes out, replace and hope for the best. You could always do another drain and refill, continuing to introduce new fluid and increasing the % of new vs old each time if you like. But don't flush it

 

This is the way.

 

I'll put it to you this way.
I'll do it for $29.99. That will save you $20.00.

You can apply that $20 to the repair/replacement bill for a new transmission.

BTW, a flush doesn't fix a shudder issue.
It masks it, temporarily.

 

that's absolutely what i'd call an "In The Door" price. they get it in, onto the lift, and then walk back out shaking their heads, and adding zero's.