Transmission fluid

I had the missus pour that last bit, say 1/2 cup at a time, then wait till it all flowed in, then repeat. "Full" happens gradually, wipe the underside of of fill hole clean, then wait a sec. If it spills over a little you're done. Splash a pinky to verify. As long as you've got the car level I would just replace the fill plug (with a new washer), and torque to spec. What that spec is with 5th gen you'll need to track down. Gen 3 is 28 ft/lb, 4th gen a bit more. 30 flt/lb should be plenty...

Also, not sure if it's been mentioned (probably has), but the 5th gen has a new fluid spec (in Owner's Manual); it's not Toyota ATF WS. For the old fluid Toyota cautioned to only use fluid from freshly opened bottles, fwiw.

There's a gen 3 transaxle fluid link in my signature, has some general tips that might be useful. On a phone turn it landscape to see signatures.

 

The hand pumps are cheap, and there are giant syringes also available.

 

I've used both in the past and they tend to be messy and fighting gravity from the bottom up. If you try to go faster or push too hard on the syringe, there a high likely-hood the tubing will dislodge from the fill hole. Been there, done that, big mess. Never had that issue, when filling from the top, but I suppose someone could tug on the tubing to dislodge it.
IMHO, filling from the top is less stressful and requires a lot less energy than fighting gravity.

 

I can see hitting full with fluid still flowing down. Plus lots of bending and moving when doing it yourself.
Also don't know accessible to the differentials on a Subaru.

 

So have anybody done a transmission fluid replacement in the 5 Gen prius? Would TIS have this procedure? Is it worth subscribing o TIS? Car Care Nut says that in the 5 Gen it is a dry sump for transmission (or as Toyota calls it power splitting device). I have read somewhere on the net that Ford had a dry sump for the engine with a self priming pump and while draining it has to be timed! :/ Drain for too long and the pump becomes air logged with all the ensuing consequences! I do not know how much of it applicable to gen 5. I do not think Toyota would have such a stupid system but these days Toyota is not what it used to be, so who knows. Just bought a 4L jug of TE fluid from a dealer (they actually had it in stock). 95+tax Canadian dollars. No country of origin on the jug. People say it is no longer pink but the color of engine oil.

 

it does not look like TIS has any repair manuals for 5Gen Prius.

 

@scotched is offering gen 5 repair manual, requests you private message requests. Presumably a cobbled together compilation of what’s online.

You’re looking in the “Manuals” tab, only offers pdf versions of books/pamphlets that come in the glove box. Toyota apparently doesn’t offer a printable, pdf format “Repair Manual” any more, but all the stuff is there, albeit just online, interactive.

same story for all manufacturers now I think.

 

Toyota TE ATF is made by Eneos in Japan.

Transmission fluid | Page 2 | PriusChat

TIS has all the repair manuals for all Toyota vehicles, perhaps except for very old models that you need to get a hardcopy. You can probably obtain the Gen 5 manual from the poster Mendel mentioned.

 

could you please guide me a little in how to send a privet message to scotched. This message board is not as intuitive as other message boards i am a member of. I see an option "start a conversation" but i do no think this is it. Thank you in advance.

 

The Start a Conversation is the right way to initiate a Private Message. Semantics.

SM-S936U ?

 

You could click on first word in post #47, then enter a message in “write something” field. Looks like lots are doing that.

 

Thank you to both.

 

I just read the procedure for P12 transaxle ATF change in Toyota TIS repair manual for Prius Prime!?! Have to drain and refill it three times while putting engine into Maintenance mode and idling engine for 30 seconds while crawling under the car three times. This is not an easy procedure

 

That sounds like a flush procedure, for contamination scenario.

IIRC there is no mention of changing transaxle fluid change, in the fifth gen maintenance schedule.

Maybe someone proofreading the repair manual questioned, why they describe a procedure they don’t advocate. And the procedure was revised accordingly, to be only for contamination cases.

 

So you think it is only for contamination cases, this is why Toyota wants us to replace it three times as opposed to partial drain and refill?
Although in the manual it is under "Maintenance" In any case even if Toyota does not require it, it is always a great idea to replace brake in fluid after a couple of thousand km. I am always surprised how contaminated the first fluid comes out, the consecutive changes not so much.

 

My experience as well.

a single drain and replaces most of the fluid, unlike a typical automatic transmission drain and fill. You can determine roughly what percent, by dividing refill quantity by specd capacity.

three consecutive drain and fills is something I’ve seen Honda advocate in Shop Manual, specifically for contamination case. That’s the basis for my hunch, fwiw.

 

FYI, the gen4 has the same three drain/fill procedure in the repair manual as the gen5. I also tend to agree that a true maintenance change is a single drain and fill. The triple drain feels like what you'd do after someone put the wrong fluid in or found something bad in the existing fluid.

But we're just internet know-nothings, so take our advice with a giant grain of salt.




Although this does make me wonder if this is one of the reasons some dealerships seem so reluctant to do transmission fluid changes now. Maybe they have to follow the procedure in the book and don't want to spend over an hour doing three changes, plus the waste of somewhat expensive fluid.

Just an idle thought.

 

Well, this is interesting. I thought that with 3.9qts I was changing 100% of ATF in my Gen4 but if Toyota recommends to repeat it three times, each time turning on the transmission pump (via engine maintenance mode) does it mean that the initial fill is 3.9 x three or is it simply to make sure that the system is THOROUGLY purged like Mendel suggests? If the total fill in Gen5 is similar to Gen4 and is only under 4L then to hell with this triple drain/refill procedure Do it once and be done with it I bought only one 4L jug (95$ canadian) thinking it will be enough.