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RAV4 Auto Transmission Fluid Change

allchecksallchecks Member Posts: 25
edited March 2014 in Toyota
My daughter's 98 all wheel (or 4 wheel) drive RAV4 is due for service. It looks to me like any other automatic transmission fluid change, i.e. drop the pan, pull the filter (I assume there is one in there) out and add fluid through the dip stick tube. Has anyone done this on a RAV4 who could confirm it for me? I was all around town tonight and cannot find a Haynes manual for it. Last, it looks like the pan has a dran plug for a rather large allen wrench. Is it a drain plug? Anyone know the size? It's bigger than any allen wrench I have. Thanks.
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Comments

  • gslevegsleve Member Posts: 183
    rest of procedure you described for a tranny fluid and filter change is the same however I'd be sure to keep old fluid and after drain pour back into a gallon jug so you have an idea as to how much to replace
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Called hexagonal sockets. My Camry is 15 mm I believe, sold at any auto parts store, manual should have size though if not ask a dealer. I suggest a drain and fill and forget about filter until 60,000 or so. Changed my filter at 25,000 and haven't done so since, now 139,000, fluid drain and fill around 30,000 each time.
  • ocelot1ocelot1 Member Posts: 101
    I had a Rav4 1998. Make sure you buy the Toyota type (T) Trans fluid ONLY!It's what they call a highly friction modified fluid. It comes in one gallon metal containers from your local dealer,I think it was about 22.00 a gallon if I remember correctly.I looked for a replacment Fluid but I never found one and most auto parts pros Had never heard of the stuff.Tony
  • allchecksallchecks Member Posts: 25
    I appreciate the help. I asked two dealers about the drain plug. Neither said anything about hexagonal sockets. One suggested a non-dealer maintenance that resulted in the wrong plug being used. I asked both dealers and two auto parts stores about the replacement fluid. All said Mercon Dexron III; no one mentioned Toyota type (T). One dealer said they used a "special fluid", but couldn't tell me what it was and said they bought it in bulk and did not sell it in containers. The parts guy did say that it was a higher density fluid, but didn't know anything more about it. I have Friday only to do this, but don't want to rush into the wrong thing. Any more advice would be appreciated.
  • ocelot1ocelot1 Member Posts: 101
    Look in the owners manual and it will say auto trans fluid type (T) OR equivalent Which there is none. The toyota dealer can get the fluid in metal one gallon containers I bought some about a year ago. The older toyota all track used type (T) too,and some newer lexis's. Dave Holt Toyota is the local dealer around here and is where I bought my fluid Give them a call 1-541-382-4040. They know this fluid and they buy the one gallon containers to use in their service department.Maybe they can contact your local dealer and get them up to speed. Tony
  • allchecksallchecks Member Posts: 25
    I went back to the dealer and asked for T type transmission fluid. They had it ($29.00 #@!&). I realized after talking to them again that our first two conversations were a comedy of errors. The job went well.
  • allchecksallchecks Member Posts: 25
    We call them allen wrenches. It was a 10mm. I don't think the parts guy had a clue regarding the drain plug.
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