Tom

Tom,

Q I have a 2007 Toyota 4Runner 2WD. The other day, I went to the service

department at my dealership to have the transmission fluid and filter
changed. The truck has 35,000 miles on it, and I thought it should be done at
this mileage interval. The service manager told me not to worry about it, that
the fluid did not need to be changed. Is this right? Doesn’t the fluid need to
be changed?

Rod—Warren, Pennsylvania

Rod,

A I checked the Toyota normal maintenance schedule for your truck. The

manufacturer suggests checking the fluid only, no drain interval at all. I
checked all the way up to 150,000 miles. Now based on this, Toyota says that
hypothetically, the transmission fluid could last for the life of the vehicle. I
simply do not agree with this. Transmission fluid is hydraulic oil, and oil
loses its lubricating, cooling, and hydraulic properties over time. Call me
excessive, but I would change that fluid every 35,000 to 45,000 miles. I have
seen the inside of too many broken transmissions that have been left alone
without regular fluid and filter changes to recommend anything else.