Hey, I have a 2007 D-4D Yaris with a 5-speed, and I’m wondering if anyone can provide instructions for changing the coolant and gearbox fluid? I couldn’t find much information online, and I have the wrong owner’s manual.
Changing the gearbox fluid is pretty straightforward in any manual transmission car. There’s one plug on the side of the transmission and one at the bottom. Open the side plug first so you know you can refill it later. Then drain from the bottom. After it’s empty and the bottom plug is back in, fill until it starts leaking from the side hole. That’s basically the level it needs to be at. This is how I changed the transmission oil on my 2013 6-speed manual.
@Zachary
That sounds about right, but the filling part seems tricky. Do you have any tips for filling without making a mess?
Jacob said:
@Zachary
That sounds about right, but the filling part seems tricky. Do you have any tips for filling without making a mess?
Use a funnel and a hose. It helps to have someone hold the funnel while you pour and watch the fill hole.
@Payton
Got it. I know you fill until it overflows a bit, but I’m still worried about putting in too much or too little fluid.
Jacob said:
@Payton
Got it. I know you fill until it overflows a bit, but I’m still worried about putting in too much or too little fluid.
Just park the car on level ground and fill until it spills out of the hole. Easy peasy. If you’re worried, you can measure how much you drain and put back in to make sure it’s the right amount. You’ve got this. Also, the drain and fill plugs don’t need to be super tight; just snug them up.
How many miles are on this car?
Vern said:
How many miles are on this car?
Almost 260,000 km. The only maintenance history I have from previous owners is engine oil changes.
In which country is the Yaris located? I can try to look for the manual (no promises). Feel free to DM me. I check Reddit occasionally, so don’t be mad if I don’t reply right away. Here are a couple of links about coolant flushing (I’ve only done it with distilled water, no additives):
Coolant Flush Video
Here’s a video on using a funnel for burping the system:
Funnel Use Video
Also, here’s a post on YarisWorld about how to change the transmission oil:
YarisWorld Transmission Oil Change
@Spencer
I’m in Iceland. Thank you so much for the links!
Jacob said:
@Spencer
I’m in Iceland. Thank you so much for the links!
I sent you a couple of links, but I’m posting this one here so others can see it too if needed. Try typing your VIN in this box to see if it shows up:
Toyota Manuals
@Spencer
I tried Toyota Europe, but it says no publications found. I haven’t received a DM from you yet.
Jacob said:
@Spencer
I tried Toyota Europe, but it says no publications found. I haven’t received a DM from you yet.
That’s unfortunate. Send me a DM and I’ll resend the links in reply.
The radiator has a drain valve. Make sure it’s warm, then pull that, then refill. Super easy. For the transmission, since it’s manual, there’s a fill and drain plug. Pull both plugs, wait until it’s drained, put the drain plug back in, then refill through the fill plug until it overflows, then cap it off. Easy.
@Martina
Understood. Isn’t there a part called a petcock to drain coolant from the engine block too? I also heard you should remove coolant from the reservoir and run the car with water to do a flush.
Jacob said:
@Martina
Understood. Isn’t there a part called a petcock to drain coolant from the engine block too? I also heard you should remove coolant from the reservoir and run the car with water to do a flush.
The drain valve is the petcock located in the radiator. There’s also a valve in the engine block to help remove air when filling, but it’s inconveniently located. What I did was buy a funnel with adapters to fit the radiator opening and overfill it so that there’s coolant in the funnel, which is the highest point. Turn on the car, let it reach running temperature (and turn on the heater full blast to help the thermostat open) and watch the bubbles come up to the funnel (you can squeeze the hoses on and off to help). Pour more coolant if necessary, and when you don’t see any more bubbles, use the stick that came with the funnel to plug it, then remove the funnel to prevent spills. Put the coolant back in the reservoir, and you’re done. I bought the “Lisle 24680 spill-free funnel with standard adapters” on Amazon. There are other brands too. Check the owner’s manual for how many gallons/liters of coolant and transmission fluid you need. My 2007 sedan manual requires 4.8 liters (5.1 US quarts) of coolant (pink coolant!), and the manual transmission oil is SAE 75W-90, about 2 quarts if I’m not mistaken. For my 2007 manual, I used Red Line’s MT90, which was highly recommended on YarisWorld. Even though the manual calls for GL4 or GL5 oil, the consensus there is that GL5 is harsher on the synchros. Edit: about the flush, yes, you can do that with water, but use distilled water to avoid mineral deposits in the system as it heats. Same process as before: fill with the funnel, turn on the heat, burp the system to remove bubbles, drive the car for a bit, empty, and repeat if needed. You can collect the water in cups or bottles to see how it comes out with each flush. Edit2: I saw you have the wrong manual. Go to your regional Toyota website to get the correct owner’s manual, or Google your region with your car model and year; you’ll likely find it.
@Spencer
Thanks for the detailed overview! I’ve tried several Toyota websites to find my manual, but none seem to provide the correct one. My local Toyota site doesn’t offer manuals. But it’s okay because one of my friends has the correct manual. Can I DM you later about this stuff?