How do you change the automatic transmission fluid on a 2004 Camry?

Answer 1

You do not want to do this it is too messy for your garage or garage pad Take my advise and spend the 80 dollars and go a quick change place like valvoline or Jiffy Quick lube and they pump it out What is so good about this is the only way to get it all the oil out transmission and torque converter Even the Toyota dealers use this system the pump pumps out the oil as it fills it with clean oil I even use it for my Ford trucks.

Sometimes expensive problems happen with a transmission flush - I have talked with a number of people who have had to have their transmissions rebuilt after a transmission flush....Toyota, as well as others have explained what makes sense to me.....drain all the Transmission Fluid at the same time you have your oil changed, then add the three or four litres of transmission fluid it requires.....then after 5 or 6,000 kms - have you engine oil and filter changed, then drain the transmission fluid again, then add the three or four litres of transmission fluid it requires.

If the transmission fluid smells burnt, or if the transmission is using fluid you should have the magnetic drain plug checked for metal filings.

By flushing the transmission fluid, it can be very expensive if a minute, exceptionally small piece of metal from the transmission ends up bypassing the internal filter damaging the transmission....if you have never had the fluid changed with over 120,000 kilometres - most mechanics do not recommend doing anything to the transmission.

At this point, a do not fix it until it is broken mentality....different answers from different mechanics.

With new vehicles, many people use synthetic oil as soon as the automatic transmission is broken in. Apparently synthetic oil helps the automatic transmission shift faster and smoother than the standard fluid!

Good luck - Michael