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Guest 195

I just got to 5000 miles and thought I would be doing a simple oil change tonight. I wasn't really giving it any thought but I should have paid more attention and realized I unscrewed the wrong plug cuz the fluids coming out were reddish. What did I just drain?

Can somebody confirm that the oil is the screw that's on an angle of the oil pan on the passengers side. I unscrewed the one that is directly on the bottom of some other pan on the drivers side.

Please give me some information fast guys. I need the car by tomorrow morning! It's my first toyota and I should have paid more attention.

It's a 2007 Corolla.

Help!!

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I just got to 5000 miles and thought I would be doing a simple oil change tonight. I wasn't really giving it any thought but I should have paid more attention and realized I unscrewed the wrong plug cuz the fluids coming out were reddish. What did I just drain?

Can somebody confirm that the oil is the screw that's on an angle of the oil pan on the passengers side. I unscrewed the one that is directly on the bottom of some other pan on the drivers side.

Please give me some information fast guys. I need the car by tomorrow morning! It's my first toyota and I should have paid more attention.

It's a 2007 Corolla.

Help!!

If the fluid is red and thicker than water it is your Automatic Transmission Fluid.

You can not drive the car without ATF, you will ruin the transaxle.

Unfortunately for you, your car takes a newer type of ATF that isn't available in auto-parts stores yet (as far as I know it is still dealer only).

You MUST use the fluid specified in your owner's manual or otherwise you will have problems.

It doesn't look like you'll be using your Corolla tomorrow to me unless you've got a 24 hour Toyota dealer somewhere around.

Guest 195

yea I just realized it's the transmission fluid. I'll have to go in late to work tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick reply and details on the fluid. I'll be waiting for the parts dept at the dealer to open.

Just a rant but the two fluid pans under the car should be labeled or something. I know oil is traditionally the one on the angle of a pan, but still...

Bikeman982

If you haven't dumped the fluid, you could pour it back in to your tanny.

Then you could drive again.

yea I just realized it's the transmission fluid. I'll have to go in late to work tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick reply and details on the fluid. I'll be waiting for the parts dept at the dealer to open.

Just a rant but the two fluid pans under the car should be labeled or something. I know oil is traditionally the one on the angle of a pan, but still...

Just remember, Oil is always the bigger pan and it's always directly under the engine, not the transmission.

Bikeman982

yea I just realized it's the transmission fluid. I'll have to go in late to work tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick reply and details on the fluid. I'll be waiting for the parts dept at the dealer to open.

Just a rant but the two fluid pans under the car should be labeled or something. I know oil is traditionally the one on the angle of a pan, but still...

Just remember, Oil is always the bigger pan and it's always directly under the engine, not the transmission.

Before starting any maintenance, it is a good idea to consult a repair manual.

 

It helps to have someone who has done it before alongside you as you work.

At least the next oil (or tranny fluid) change will be easier for you.

yea I just realized it's the transmission fluid. I'll have to go in late to work tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick reply and details on the fluid. I'll be waiting for the parts dept at the dealer to open.

Just a rant but the two fluid pans under the car should be labeled or something. I know oil is traditionally the one on the angle of a pan, but still...

Just remember, Oil is always the bigger pan and it's always directly under the engine, not the transmission.

Before starting any maintenance, it is a good idea to consult a repair manual.

 

It helps to have someone who has done it before alongside you as you work.

At least the next oil (or tranny fluid) change will be easier for you.

I have done this before, but fortunately I was able to speak to my Toyota Dealer Mechanic, he indicated that if it is a short distance to drive, anything under 10Km in distance your transaxle will be fine there will be enough protection lubricant on the gears to drive that far safely. I drove about 5km to my dealership to get the trany fluid refilled.

I don't know how this car is set up but....on most cars, the diff will survive "dry" as you stated for a short distance but the transmission will not survive very long if it being starved of ATF. Of course if the tranny fluid level is too low it won't move anyways.

Jay in MA

yea I just realized it's the transmission fluid. I'll have to go in late to work tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick reply and details on the fluid. I'll be waiting for the parts dept at the dealer to open.

Just a rant but the two fluid pans under the car should be labeled or something. I know oil is traditionally the one on the angle of a pan, but still...

Just remember, Oil is always the bigger pan and it's always directly under the engine, not the transmission.

Before starting any maintenance, it is a good idea to consult a repair manual.

 

It helps to have someone who has done it before alongside you as you work.

At least the next oil (or tranny fluid) change will be easier for you.

I have done this before, but fortunately I was able to speak to my Toyota Dealer Mechanic, he indicated that if it is a short distance to drive, anything under 10Km in distance your transaxle will be fine there will be enough protection lubricant on the gears to drive that far safely. I drove about 5km to my dealership to get the trany fluid refilled.

Bikeman982

I wouldn't take the chance of driving anywhere, if the transaxle or the differential was empty of fluid.

It is far better to go and get fluid, than to drive the car to the fluid.

It is not hard to ATF to a car.



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