Advice Please On 2004 Automatic Transmission

My 2004 Corolla now has 28,000 miles on it. I change the oil every 3k and the air filter every 15k and rotate the tires every 7.5k. That's all the maintenance I plan to ever do on this car and I expect to drive it for 150k without a glitch. I think my chances of accomplishing this are very good.

My question is this - should I really drain, refill, and/or drop and clean the tranny pan at 30k. Is this really necessary? Who cares if there are metal shavings stuck to a magnet in the pan? If the tranny fluid is red and smells good - then doesn't the old saying kick in, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Keep in mind, the tranny fluid in my car is only 18 months old.

Isn't a transmission like an expensive watch. You open it up unneccessarily and the air/dust that gets in does more harm than the good created by the maintenance attempt.

Just some thoughts.

You'd better change(drain) the tranny oil.

mine was dark after about 35k miles.

I definitely recomend a drain and fiull at 30k although I did mine at 20K. I plan on doing a drain and and fill every 10 k from now onwards. Its just cheap insurance. Oil does get worn out and dark after some time. I new transmission can cost alot and 3 quarts of tranny fluid at $ 4 qt is cheap insurance and a good nights sleep. I change the fluids myself so $ 12 per change is cheap compared to what the dealer would charge $ 50 per drain and fill. You can do math and tell me what makes more sense.

Goodluck

I for one will go ahead and recommend the other direction. I'd go more by the condition of the fluid and 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

I've read that Matrix auto's are really hard on fluid and NEED to be changed regularly (probably more than 30k) but if you actually examined your fluid, it is still fresh and clear (and not burnt) then the fluid is probably fine, the filings are probably settled on the bottom of the pan as they should, and everything is probably OK. It probably wouldn't hurt to change it, it probably wouldn't hurt to leave it alone.

It sounds like you must drive conservately, maybe you are very gentle on your auto.

I have a lot less experience with these things than most people, please keep in mind, but my experience was bad (one shop dropped pan, leaked, 'couldn't' fix it, another shop no fix, third shop no fix, at least slowed to a slow drip...sigh...). So, my wifes auto only gets changes when the fluid starts to look and smell less than new.

I will get to the 30000 mark soon. How much is the T-IV fluid?

Do a full flush. A simple drain and refill only removes about 80% of the old fluid.

Yes it costs more money....a machine that does the flush costs less than dropping the pan and cleaning the strainer...

Do a full flush. A simple drain and refill only removes about 80% of the old fluid.

Yes it costs more money....a machine that does the flush costs less than dropping the pan and cleaning the strainer...

you may be right, the cost of full flush at dealership may not be

that much more expensive than doing several 30% drain and fills

as the tranny fluid is rather expensive.

Maybe consider Amsoil ATF, Automatic Tranny Fluid. It's supposed to meet T-IV requirements and lasts 60,000 miles (severe) to 100,000 miles (normal)

I am not convinced that "flushing" the tranny every 30K is of any particular value. I did a drain and replace of my ATF at the 28,000 mark, I got out 3.6 quarts, about half of the total capacity. I plan to do this again as soon as I have another 15,000 miles on the odo, around the 43,000 mark. I'll keep up the 15K schedule until I have 100K on the car, then I'll go for a full flush including dropping the pan and cleaning the magnets.

The maintenance guide says the drain/replace only needs to be accomplsihed every 30K miles, but I only drive about 10,000 miles a year, 95% of that is short trip city driving in the worst of stop-and-go conditions. Therefore, a little extra PM makes sense to me.

when i check my ATF level when the engine is cold(like right after I start my engine), the level is about a third inch below the "cold" mark. Also, when the engine is warm(about 5-10 minute driving) and the temperature gauge is at the middle, the ATF is again a third inch below "hot" mark. The wierd thing is if I drive my car for about 40+ minutes, the ATF level is at "hot" mark. Am I low in ATF or what?

edit---

I have '05 auto, and i check the level with the engine on, gear in park.

when i check my ATF level when the engine is cold(like right after I start my engine), the level is about a third inch below the "cold" mark. Also, when the engine is warm(about 5-10 minute driving) and the temperature gauge is at the middle, the ATF is again a third inch below "hot" mark. The wierd thing is if I drive my car for about 40+ minutes, the ATF level is at "hot" mark. Am I low in ATF or what?

edit---

I have '05 auto, and i check the level with the engine on, gear in park.

takes awhile for the tranny fluid to get to hot.

so don't worry,,,, i personally check it at hot

after driving atleast 40 mins.