Recommended Fluid Change Intervals

I've got a 2019 OR MT with 18K and I was thinking about when I am due to change.....
1. Differential gear oil
2. MT gear oil
3. Transfer case gear oil

I scanned the maintenance book and none of these 3 systems are listed except to check levels. No mention of draining/changing up through 120K miles.

I like to go by the book and do what is recommended. What does Toyota say and where is this documented?

What do you guys do?

 

Doing my diffs at 30k and transfer case at 60. I just did the transfer case at 30 for the first time and the fluid came out looking like new fluid. Prepare for an onslaught of opinions.

 

Is this what Toyota recommends?? Just curious how you came up with the intervals. Thanks!

 

This information is in the maintenance manual which should be in the pouch with the owner's manual.

 

I am familiar with the manual and I looked at it. I did not see anything about this issue unless I missed it.

 

at 30k & 60k miles Toyota recommends fluid "inspection" on all of the driveline fluids. They recommend fluid replacement for "Special Operating Conditions" (heavy duty/dirty conditions) use.

 

Took my 2016 Corolla and 2013 Tacoma to the dealer just for the Trans Change. They told me they don't recommend Trans Change until 100K. I did mine at 75K. I had a 2003 Corolla too (until i wrecked it) with 250K on the clock. Changed the trans every 75K and it was still shifting smooth. Diffs & Transfer Case I do the same 75K. It's not motor oil! Not sure about the Manual Gear Oil as I have a auto's!

Edit: I bought the truck used with 68K so I changed it at 75K. All fluids had already been changed. (Going by the color) I will do diifs at 30 to 35 intervals from now on.

 

I believe I found it in the online Toyota maintenance site. I believe the severe schedule is 15k for the diffs. 30k for regular. Not sure on the transfer case.

 

30K fluid change interval on diff and transfer case is reasonable. If it's a grocery getter, longer.

 

It's not in the Owners Manual but it is in the Warranty and Maintenance booklet that should have come with your vehicle. I bet you could get a replacement from the dealer if you don't have one, or just DL it from here - https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-19Tacoma/pdf/T-MMS-19Tacoma.pdf

The maintenance part starts on pg 33, about halfway through.

 

Rear diff = now, then every 30k. use a name brand Synthetic gear oil.
MT= every 40k. use a name brand Synthetic gear oil.
Transfer= every 50K. use Redline MT-LV 70W/75W GL-4 GEAR OIL

$47 Valvoline SynPower SAE 75W-90 Full Synthetic Gear Oil 1 GA

https://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-Sy...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-lv-70w75w

 

I did my first change of the gear oils at 13k. I only wished I had at the VERY LEAST checked the levels the first day I brought it home but I trusted my dealership to have done that because they happily charged me the PDI fee before I picked it up on day 1. To me 13k was long enough till the first change and when I dropped the drain plugs this is what I found.
-MT transmission holds 2.5-.6q, 1 3/4 came out.
-Rear diff holds 4q, 3.5 came out.
-Front diff holds 1.6q, 1.4 came out.
-Transfer Case was fine.
I was pissed that I drove it that long, wasn’t too concerned about the diffs but the fricken transmission was nearly 1q low for 13k. What if I waited the 75k or so before dealership changed it? Oil analysts showed from the swab sample I took from inside the bottom of the transmission that the gear oil had undergone some evaporating which is indication of heat buildup. High count of Iron and Nickel was evident. What did dealership say when I went back and told them?? 1. They asked, why didn’t I bring it back? BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY DRAINED IT, and 2. They said I had a great warranty, I had bought the 200k platinum ECP. We’ll take care of you if something happens.
120k odometer rolls around and my sycro gears are grinding into 1st then later both 1st and 3rd grinding. Two dealerships said because I went past 100k “warranty is provided by 3rd party and I’m on the hook for diagnosis fees”.($1950!) I said forget that and took it back to the dealership I bought it from that promised to care for me. Told them I have a great ECP warranty and I’m not paying $1950 to have your uneducated techs pull my transmission apart to diagnose the grinding. Was told best guess is syncro and 1st gear needs replacing and ECP WONT COVER THE BILL. “It’s a wearable part”. I told them they weren’t touching it and a month later I hit an Elk and wrote off the truck.
All this to say, don’t wait till dealership wants to change that oil, at least pull the fill plug and see where levels are at.

 

Good advice. I’ve had all levels checked regularly at my local trusted shop and they are good to go. I’ve been through the blue maintenance guide several times and there is no mention of changing the gear oil under normal operation.

 

I was “lot boy” at Tate Dodge for a summer job. I would take the cars from delivery, 30 second inspection checking for dents, hub caps, mats etc. I would then park the car someplace on the lot. When a car was sold I would take it to the car wash and check it had a quarter tank of gas. From what I could tell I was “dealer prep”.

 

Makes me want to go check my levels. I hit 4975 mi this morning. Debating if I should change the engine oil soon or wait until the 10k service at the dealer. I hoped/assumed the other fluids would be good for a while, but if you were low at 13k that's not very reassuring.

 

I'm almost positive yota uses synthetic transfer case and rear diff fluid...synthetics can go 90-100k under normal use. Conventional fluid (non-synthetic) change every 30k...every 15k if you do a LOT of off roading or heavy hauling is the general recommendation.

They use synthetic tranny fluid so it SHOULD be good for 100k...it supposed to be "lifetime" but that's bs imho...change it at 100k. If you don't have a cooler or do a lot of hauling might want to change it sooner

coolant is long life so it's should be good up to 90k

for oil it depends on whether you use synthetic or not (and hauling/offroading) and even then what type of synthetic...some are 15k change, some are 20, some are 25k change (amsoil)...the bottle should say or manufacturer website can tell you...but regardless always change the filter every 5k with a quart of same brand oil to top off. with conventional oil don't go over 5k with normal driving, 3k has recently been said to be too soon with normal driving.

Brake fluid, when it's no longer clear flush it, it turns brown/tan as it absorbs water, otherwise 30-60k...don't mix types!!! You could get some BAD results

power steering fluid, when it gets dark, you can use atf...usually 30-60k too.

 

Don’t debate it. Just do it. I always change my first engine oil at 1000k, order and install the TRD Pro oil filter which the parts departments don’t have in stock (they have rubber seals on both ends of the filter, normal oil filters dealerships use, do not). Get earth magnets and stick them on the drain plugs. I wouldn’t want the iron filings floating around scaring up everything.

 

My front diff fluid was black with a lot of metal particles in the fluid. MT fluid was not bad at all and rear diff was pretty dark but not bad. I changed all at 18k miles with Redline fluids. Tranny shifts better.

I would not wait too long before changing those fluids, especially the front diff.

 

Thanks for the advice

 

I'm surprised by this, do you spend a lot of time in 4H (or 4low for that matter)?

Personally, I plan on changing the rear diff oil first (probably at 30k) and the rest can wait until 60k or so.