Question about 30K service

Hi Steve,

See my comments to your questions below. You can find repair manual info at techinfo.toyota.com

Automatic transmission fluid-Do you just look at the reservoir?
Front Differential oil-Do I pull the plug on the differential oil case to check it? What do you really do with the differential oil, don't you just make sure that the level is normal?

The transaxle fluid is the same as "auto trans fluid" and "front differential oil". To check fluid level, you will need to raise up the car so that it is level, then remove the transaxle fluid fill plug which is located on the side of the transaxle that faces the radiator. You need a 24 mm socket to remove this. Stick your finger in the hole and see if you can feel the oil at the bottom of the hole. If so then the level is OK. I change this fluid at 30K mile intervals; suggest that you do this at least at 60K miles.

Ball joints and dust covers-Which ball joints? The front suspension ball joints.

Brake lines and hoses-Just looking for what? Brake fluid leakage and cracking in the flexible rubber hoses.

Drive shaft boots-Are you just looking for cracks? Yes, as well as seepage of CV joint grease onto the driveshafts.

Engine/inverter coolant-Do you just look at the reservoir? Yes, and if you should see any debris or corrosion within then you should definitely drain and replace. I also suggest that you remove the black plastic radiator cover so that you can remove and inspect the radiator cap when the engine is cold. The fluid level should be at the top of the radiator neck.

Exhaust pipes and mounting-What are you look for on these? Corrosion, loose exhaust system brackets, holes.

Fuel lines and connection, fuel tank band and fuel vapor vent system hoses?-How do you inspect this? Look around for leaks in the fuel lines in the fuel tank area. Need to get under the car by the hatch area and look up at the top of the fuel tank as several vent hoses are located there. Remove the fuel cap and look at the rubber O-ring which should be in good condition.

Radiator, condenser and intercooler-What about this?: No such thing as an intercooler. Look at the radiator and A/C condenser to see whether physical damage exists. Inspect the hoses (and hose clamps) leading to the radiator and the cabin heater.

Steering gear box-Do you just turn the wheel? Yes, if the power assist works OK then I wouldn't worry since no power steering fluid is involved.

Steering linkage and boots? Look for cracks? Yes

Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis-Which ones? What torque? I wouldn't worry about this if you don't hear any chassis noises.

 

The correct way to check ball joints is to pry against them to check for any play.

The steering linkage inspection is probably in reference to check the outer tie rods. The easiest way to do this is to grab the tire and the 9 and 3 o'clock positions, then pull the tire towards you and rock in from side-to-side. Any tie rod problems should be apparent.

The inner tie-rods can be checked using the procedure in this video:

CarQuest Chassis Training - Suspension Components

 

search for threads by galaxee on this subject...i think you'll find that you dont need to do anything other than oil change and filters

 

Oil, oil filter, and air filter are the only action items. Everything else on the list is "inspect".