Transmission Drain Plug

Hi Everyone,

I will be buying my first Tundra (coming from Chevy and Ford trucks) in the next few months. I wanted to see if anyone could confirm the below. I haven't seen this question asked in the forums and YouTube videos are limited as well.

Question:
Do the Gen 3 Tundras have a transmission drain plug so we can do our own drain and refill maintenance?

I think the answer is yes based on parts diagrams and the overflow plug which is present but I need a confirmation on this as its important to my purchase decision.

I appreciate the support and I look forward to contributing to the forum once I get my new truck.

 

Yes.

 

I appreciate that confirmation. Curious if anyone has done a fluid change yet. Might still be a bit early though.

 

I dont think that people have changed that yet... No dipstick either on that which is annoying.

Changing the fluid is going to be like other toyota products. One drain plug, one overfill plug.
Fill tranny when cold and get that tranny warmed up to the proper temp. Fill till it comes out the overfill. Once done, tighten up the plugs and you are done. Only thing thats a pain is getting a device that can read the tranny temp from the computer system.

I have to check out the fluid interval for the front and reach diffs as well as the transfer case.
My previous gen tacoma had those spec'd out at 30k fluid replacements.

 

I would love to see someone dropping the pan and replacing the filter as well. I believe in proper maintenance and have done it all my life. The problem with my current silverado and transit van is that its nearly impossible to do the job in a simple way. Far too much take this off, drop the sub frame, remove this bolts etc etc. And no drain plug on any of these newer vehicles. Which is why i am glad the Trundra has one.

 

I had the dealer perform a fluid change on the diffs, transfer case and transmission at 30,000 miles so it's recorded in their logs. Not cheap by any means but I feel more confident is any driveline issues arise lack of fluid changes won't be an issue.

 

You never did it on your 22? Figure you would have. Didn't you put like 100k on it?

 

It’s pretty asinine. The 2nd Gen

Mine was done at 60K, and now it’s a bit overdue but nothing crazy. I’ll do it before winter.

 

I am fine with replacing 5qrts at 30k then do it 2 more times around 50-60k until most of it is new. Then at 60k or so drop the pan and replace the filter. That is why I was so interested in ensuring the the pan had a drain plug.

 

likely my approach too - measure what you drain and put that amount back in. Hope to the sky that the total amount put in at factory was correct and a level check was properly done too. If so then there is no reason you should not be good to go. Rinse and repeat for a few change intervals until it comes time to drop the pan and change the filter.

 

Back in my Tacoma days... like last year... many of us did a DIY flush by disconnecting a line from the trans cooler then running the motor in idle to pump fluid into a container. Run out 4 or 5 qts, shut it down, refill and repeat a few times. Then do the final top up to spec. A ScanGauge 2 (or 3) and some other OBD readers report trans temp to assist with getting it in range for the refill. I only did that procedure once at 100,000 miles. I have a long way to go before I start thinking about doing it on the Tundra.

 

Do they have the ability (on later model GM transmissions) to measure transmission fluid level via a dipstick?

Toyota got rid of that. Drives me nuts because to check if you have the correct level....
Well there involves a rather long proceedure and you need have a device that can read the live transmission temp.
(havent looked into it with the Tundra yet but did it on my 4runner, Sienna and Tacoma)

With a single dipstick checking and adding are simple. Extraction can be done via a fluid vacuum pump.

I am thankful that Toyota engineering hasnt gone the way of some Mercedes engines.
No oil dipsticks and single use plastic drainplugs. This catastrophe happens when the bean counters infect engineering.
That or maybe the owners of S560's etc wouldnt even check if there was one.

 

My OBD scanner reads the Trans temp but I’m more curious if this truck can do the same trick as the Tacoma by shorting two OBD II pins and the check engine light flashes when the trans hits the right temp. Remains to be seen. Before I installed the Trans/Cat shield I forgot to look if there’s a Trans thermostat that has to be pinned Open, like the Tacoma, to heat all the fluid in the system for the proper fluid temp while setting the level. I’m anxious for the first shop manual.

 

The severe duty transmission service interval has been eliminated on the 3rd Gen? Huh. I recall the 2nd Gen listing the transmission as Lifetime for regular duty but 60k (?) for severe duty. If I weren’t so lazy I’d go look in the glove box and reaffirm my answer.

Bummer I really appreciate the serviceability of my truck - especially compared to all of my previous domestics. It was honestly one of the selling points when I was looking to purchase it 10 years ago. That, and I crawled underneath it right on the dealer lot and beheld the hefty, beefity-girdled underloins.

 

Agree, eliminating the dipstick is bad on many levels. I had a pinhole leak from a rusty trans cooler line on my Tacoma at about 13 years and 85,000 miles that I found after I started having shifting issues. It dripped only under pressure so there were no puddles or stains in the driveway. Luckily, I was able to drive it home where I could crawl under and top it up a couple of times to get me through until I could order the lines and replace them. But it was a major PITA that didn't have to be if only there had been a dipstick and fill tube. If I had been on a road trip when this happened it would have required a tow job and very $$ repair. All for lack of a dipstick.

 

Somewhat related but the transfer case takes ATF fluid

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu7HF_dL0t1/

 

Would anyone be willing to crawl under their truck to take pictures of the transmission drain plug among other serviceable areas? Just to confirm for the community?

 

This appears to be what we're looking for but just guessing by sight, i don't have service manual.
passenger side of trans: overflow/fill? plug 14mm, drain plug 6mm hex

 

Drain and Fill...
Drain out and measure what came out. Replace with new.

I did that on my Camry. Sold it with 195K miles. No issues.

 

That is a good method but some vehicles were sold underfilled. (happened on Tacomas, not sure about other models)

 

From the picture is seems your identification of each bolt makes sense. However I have heard others saying the hex bolt is the overflow not the drain plug.

 

Look at the pan and see where the bolts are located. The drain is the 6mm hex one on the bottom.

 

100% agree that is logical and what I would think. I have just seen some youtube videos that said it was switched around. Here is one and at the 18:54 mark he briefly mentions it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKRlBoj0s7E&t=1180s

 

Well one thing is guaranteed... If you have the transmission skid plate it makes the job a little more of a pain in the ass.

 

The best way is to get a bi -directional OBD reader, which I am about to do. This will show trans temp very accurately. I'm looking at the D7. You can even program a new key FOB with some of these......if key FOB's ever become available. Kid

 

Mike what OBD reader did you get ? Do you recommend it ? Also I don't think we will ever see shop manuals for our trucks. Everything is an on-line paid subscription. Kid

 

Transfercase has clutches???smh
My f150 did, Tundra does not.

Really dislike it when folks try to help but
There no up to date on what they are saying.

 

what is GST?
As for the reset, does that mean a computer adjusts for degradation and is reset for new fluid?

is it similar to,the car care nut videos, where you have to put the truck in service mode and watch for a specific temp and then use the overfill tube to check level?