Transmission fluid change... but for RAV4 AWD. Cannot find answers.

Not related to my Taco truck but rather my 2016 RAV4 AWD. Was at the Toyota dealer for my Taco (oil change) and inquired about transmission fluid change for my RAV4. Was told that transmission fluid change is $300 and suggested front differential for $200. Just to confirm what he told me, I went to a transmission shop and he says front differential and transmission fluid exchange is the same thing. In other words, just one fluid exchange needed. He wanted $380. Can anyone confirm?

 

My good friend owned a Toyota shop.
He said they strongly recommend NOT to do a flush, but do a simple filter replace and oil change, but on a more frequent basis.

The local trans shop here has the same opinion about avoiding flushes.
Says they can cause more problems that they solve.

 

Not sure about the RAV4 but my Honda is this way, transmission and front differential fluid are the samething so when you drain the tranny you are also training the front diff.

What does your manual say for front differential service?

 

If you have an AWD, he might've misspoke, because you do have a rear differential. So there would still be 2 fluid services. But either way, don't pay the dealer. It's easy as hell with basic hand tools. My wife has a '16 RAV4 hybrid limited AWD, of course hers is the CVT, not sure what you have. Drain and refill is all that's needed on those

 

I can speak from hybrid awd version.
You have front transaxle and rear diff.
My specs call for 4.1qrt for front and 1.8 for rear.
The fluid is about $100.
If you have floor jack and stands you can dyi, but these cars are low and it is sketchy to get under to reach fill plug

 

If you have an AWD Rav4 that is NOT a Hybrid, You most definitely have a FRONT and REAR Diff that need fluid changes, as well as the Transmission. Under severe use conditions the diff fluids are due every 30K miles.

 

How does a car with a transaxle in the front have a front differential AND a transaxle?

 

It's what converts the drive from the front to turn the driveshaft to the rear. It bolts to the side of the transaxle. I don't currently have one in the air to take a picture of. But trust me it does. I'm a Toyota tech and have done 100+ front diff services on Rav4 and Highlanders.

EDIT: Think of it like a transfer case, only instead of having high and low gear, it has a ring gear that transfers the side to side power of the transaxle to power to the rear.

 

Dynamic Torque Control AWD, the system includes a transfer case integrated within the transmission with a driveshaft that leads to the rear wheels. An electromagnetic coupler between the driveshaft and the rear differential engages and disengages as needed, altering front/rear torque split between 100:0 and 50:50.

 

Fair enough. Lol

You learn something every day

So it's basically a center diff, like most other AWD cars have, it just happens to be near the front because it's mounted to a transaxle and not the back of a rwd trans.