ATF fluid changes ARE Required.

IIRC it was around $3.50 per. Keep in mind this is something you do every 3-4 years, the price of a hamburger meal.

Also, one time I bought oil pan drain bolt washer, a 10 pack on Amazon: they were not the same quality: had burred edges and the liner looked like crude paper. Returned them. Can be a gamble.

 

I agree. A lot of cheap knock off parts on Amazon and Ebay selling as Genuine.

 

Has anyone had any problems using something other than WS?

 

I haven't heard of any. My take though, is why go there, what with Toyota's stance? The Owner's Manual is quite emphatic. Other sections, the coolant spec for example, include phrases like "or equal". But the transaxle fluid: they strongly caution to use Toyota ATF WS and nothing else, or risk damage. The price is reasonable. IMHO, marching to a different drummer is foolhardy.

 

The better question is "Has anyone had any problems AFTER using it?" IMO Toyota ATF WS is close enough in price and the fluid is done so infrequently why risk it?

Having said that, when I helped @Taxi/Limo change his fluid, he had Eneos Transmission fluid that Arts Automotive supplied him. So a recognized hybrid shop is using something other than ATF WS.

 

Art's said they like this stuff and use it so I trust them.

 

I have been using toyota atf ws for past couple of fluid changes. This time i went to toyota dealership and asked for transmission fluid for 2010 prius, guy asked me vin number and pulled this 4L cvt fluid by toyota made in japan i never saw before. He said this is recommended coming for your prius, not the ws one. This stuff was $90 with taxes. I would rather pay $90 and get this one every 50k miles instead of saving $40-$50 bucks.

 

That is the wrong transmission fluid. The Toyota "CVT Fluid FE" is for "normal" belt type CVT transmissions. It is specially formulated to produce high friction between the metal belt and the pulleys of a belt type CVT.

The Prius CVT is an electric power split CVT, or E-CVT, and has neither belt nor pulleys. It has only gears and electric motors. It is designed to use low viscosity automatic transmission fluid (LV ATF) for minimal friction. The Toyota brand low viscosity ATF is called "ATF WS".

I bet the "guy" at the Toyota dealership saw something or other about "CVT", then just stopped looking, and just assumed that all cars with a CVT transmission must use a "CVT" fluid.

Using the CVT Fluid FE would certainly result in at least slightly reduced fuel economy, and possibly greatly reduced fuel economy. I don't know whether it would damage the transmission or not. For all I know it could also make it last forever. That would be a very interesting experiment.

 

There seems to be an inverse relationship, between emphatic this-and-nothing-but instructions, and adherence to said instructions. Maybe it's a phenomena: the more you're told to do something this way, the greater the urge to go the other way?

If it's not owners with better ideas, it's the Toyota parts counter guys, service writers and of course independent garages.

 

I've read through this whole thread and decided it'd be a good idea to have the transmission fluid in my 2015 with 33,000 miles changed. I called my dealer and they quoted me $83, so I'll have it done in a few weeks along with the 35K service.

 

I was in the same boat as you are. After reading this and other threads on ATF change in this forum, I too decided to go for it. I just took mine (same year as yours) yesterday to only Toyota dealership nearby. I bought my own 4qt of Toyota ATF WS and drain plug washers on-line, and brought them with me, so they charged me $52 labor only. The cost was ATF WS $7/qt, and $8 for 10 washers (though you only need two), so my total expense was also around $80. Your dealer's quote of $83 if it includes fluid and washer, then is excellent price.

Only one regret, I forgot to ask for sample of ATF taken from my 30K Prius. I don't know what it looked like.

 

I would love to see that evidence of "crap" rather than name calling.
I personally like to think outside the box and I successfully used redline D4 in Corolla and RAV4, but hesitate to put anything than WS in Prius.
I replaced ATF in Prius at 22000 and I'm due for another one at 85000, it is just inconvenience to go to dealership for WS. Amazon has it for the same price.

 

I found this oil. It says that have Toyota ATF WS specification ( specs are in Spanish). Motul is a great in high performance lubs...

 

If you can get Toyota ATF WS fluid I would use that. Why risk it? And there is strict warning in Owners Manual, to not use anything else, or risk damage.

 

Eletric motor can work without demage in certain oils.

I have motors work for years inside hidraulic oil (iso46), sometimes more than 10h a day at high temp.

Just a suggestion

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Why roll the dice tho: where's the upside in gambling with an alternate fluid, going against Toyota's emphatic warning? Let me guess: you already have?

One of many reasons I'll stick to buying new.

 

The problem of some oils is the durability. Some have short life and others a long.
My experience tells me for synthetic oil that the time is most important that usage. Obviously the working time (hours or km) it's important and have to be respected, but durability of synthetic is shorter then mineral.
This could damage a electric motor.
What I mean is the oil changes must be in planed. If it regularly (2 by 2 years max) the oil don't have time to changes is characteristics. A good oil is important. But don't need to be "the oil".



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Maybe though you should put a disclaimer, say "do this at your own risk, it goes against a strong warning from Toyota"?

I mean, it's ok to advocate increased frequency maintenance and similar, but this is different. You're promoting an alternate fluid, when Toyota says use ATF WS and nothing else.

You're not the first, and I lock horns with the others too, lol.

 

I understand your concern

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But this Japanese ATF I can't found.
The Toyota ATF WS the dealer don't want to sell. We want to do the service.
I always toke the car to Toyota, but now I want to do it myself.
You know a online sealer to Europe that sell this oil?

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