Talked to the owner of a well-respected transmission shop about changing the fluid on my 2019 Highlander Limited (55K miles). He mentioned that he’s seen some vehicles become immobilized after a simple fluid change. Something about particles washing off the plates in the transmission, which can cause slipping or loss of contact.
He did say the risk is low if done ‘on time’ but increases if it’s past the recommended interval. Now I’m debating whether to change it or leave it alone since my transmission is running perfectly fine right now. What do you guys think?
He’s right… kind of. But 55K is still ‘on time,’ so I don’t see the issue. If you’re worried, just do a single drain and fill instead of a full flush. That way, you still keep some of the old particles in there to help the clutch plates bind while also refreshing the fluid for the seals and bearings.
On your model, doing a drain and fill every 50K miles will keep it in great shape. I’ve seen people change their fluid at 100K+ or even 200K with no issues, but I wouldn’t wait that long lol.
@Tru
Yeah, he did say 55K is still fine, just mentioned the possibility of a malfunction. I’m just unsure since it’s running perfectly right now. Appreciate your take on it.
Had our Toyota dealer do a full fluid change at around 80K miles on our 2016 XLE. No issues before, no issues after. Almost 10K miles later, still running like new.
BS. This only applies to shops that push their flush machines on older, high-mileage cars. A simple drain and fill won’t cause any issues if done properly.