3rd Gen (2011-2016) Toyota Sienna Transmission Fluid Change - The Right Way

Changing the transmission fluid and filter on a 2011 Toyota Sienna. Flushing the cooler lines to get as much old fluid out as possible. Using the Sienna’s ecu to check transmission fluid temperature using a jumper in the OBD2 plug. This is on the 6 speed transmission

[@antonio0072007]

I forgot to mention this is for the 3.5L V6 FWD version

[@MrHipp00]

when you drained it. was it cold or was it up to temp?

[@antonio0072007]

I drove it around the neighborhood to get it up to temp and then let it sit for a while prior to removing the drain plug. My thinking is that the fluid drains better when its hot but i let it cool down just a bit to avoid getting burned by the exhaust and other hot metal parts.

[@antonio0072007]

A couple of people have asked so i want to clarify. You do remove the DRAIN plug to check the fluid level not the fill plug. i understand how it can be confusing but it is the correct way to check the fluid level. Thats why there is a red inspection tube inside the drain plug hole. The purpose of the inspection tube is to set the correct level inside the transmission pan and allow the excess fluid to flow out of the drain hole.

[@Collinator1000]

Thank you sooooooo much!! I was able to get our front wheel drive sleigh ready for the holiday trip thanks to you. The OBD bypass was an EXCELLENT tip that helped this certified KZbin mechanic do something I never would have got right.

[@antonio0072007]

I’m so glad this video helped you out. That makes it worthwhile.

[@michaeldoty5861]

I used that combo wrench for that pesky bolt above the frame. Except I put the open end on the bolt head, and used a screwdriver through the box end to turn and apply torque. Super easy and came right off.

[@rmeyers2003]

Good job, I've been doing transmission fluid changes this way for years.

[@jones9633]

I have 2011 Sienna & just practice this morning the temp Checking of Trans fluid. The van was sitting in the garage overnight. It took about 15 minutes for the D light to come on solid & another 16 minutes for the D light to start flashing. So you definitely have more than enough time to do your proper Fluid level Check!

[@gunsaccessories8853]

Great video! Thank you! Trying to get my 2011 Sienna in better shape. It has 268,000 miles on it. I'm trying to squeeze out a few more.

[@jones9633]

Do you know if the Trans fluid was changed before? Do you have any problem with the van after the fluid replacement & how many miles now since it was changed?

[@The01baker]

Great informative video sir! Thanks.

[@MadLlamaFilms]

To remove the tricky drain pan bolt loosen it slightly with the box end wrench you mentioned, then stick the open end side of the wrench on the bolt straight on and use a screwdriver in the box side to loosen

[@michaeldoty5861]

Used that same approach, works great. Except I was able to start right in with the screwdriver through the box end.

[@jorgba]

Excellent video. Thanks so much. Great help. I had a major issues by using Valvoline ATF, I switched it to Toyota WS and that resolved the problems I had with the other AFT. For all others here please use only Toyota WS ATF it will save you lots of troubles.

[@loden888]

Which Vavoline ATF? Maxlife (red bottle) or something else? I've used MaxLife on a 2011 Rav4 with no issues.

[@jorgba]

@@loden888 Red bottle, problems started after 500 miles

[@kevins5268]

​@@loden888 most dealers use vavoline maxlife. You'll be fine. Just follow the specs in your owners manual

[@ScubaCat3]

are you sure it wasn't a little underfilled? I had weird problems when I flushed mine and an extra half quart solved everything. Probably some air gets in and I didn't let it run long enough to get an accurate reading.

[@slacker_DIY]

​@@jorgba I used Maxlife red bottle last spring on a Sienna 2012 119k miles. Still no issues. I used it on a Volvo V70 with Lucas Trans Fix and it saved my transmission .

[@kevins5268]

If you grind down shallow 10mm socket half with bench grinder works perfect to access the 2 bolts on the pan you can't get to

[@coreycarr9879]

Great job man, very helpful. Thanks man

[@antonio0072007]

Thank you

[@jones9633]

I just wanted to share with you my experience today. I was 50/50 in deciding whether to change my transmission fluid of my 2011 Sienna with 224,773 miles on the original Trans fluid. It was previously owned by my sister & always on time with all the maintenance at the dealership except the transmission fluid because dealership says it’s sealed & lifetime transmission fluid. I was only able to drain 1.5 quarts of the old transmission, filled 2 quarts, did the process of checking the right temp & drained excess trans fluid. Happy to say so far after the test drive, that the van is driving normally. Btw, it was driving ok, no issues prior to Trans fluid replacement. The old Fluid was brown & did not smell burnt. 😅

[@antonio0072007]

Good strategy of only draining small amount of fluid. Do that frequently (maybe every 30k miles) and you should be good.

[@jones9633]

Thanks Antonio your video really helped me gives confidence to just go ahead & do it!

[@grego10r]

awesome video ty

[@mickmcgrath2313]

Nice video! Good job! The only thing I would've done differently would be to turn it off when it reached temperature. Partly to keep it from overheating, and partly to keep it from over draining due to turbulence in the drain pan.

[@antonio0072007]

As far as i know Toyota recommends leaving the vehicle running while checking the level. It takes ~5-10 minutes for the temperature to climb from 104f to 113f so you have quite a bit of time to check the level.

[@sheldonmcclaflin8904]

How much turbulence is there? What is the cause of the turbulence? Do you have some kind of info of a clear pan? Would like to know, Thank you very much.

[@johngreen4459]

great job!

[@antonio0072007]

Thank you

[@cantwealljustgetalong2]

thank you antonio

[@loden888]

Good point about removing the most difficult bolt first. It's also interesting that your boxed end wrench says Durabuilt - China on it.

[@railroaded1991]

Get a wobble extension (or two) for your socket to get around things that are slightly in the way. (Unlike you I am a mechanic.)😊

[@landy216]

Just need some clarification please. At the 18:30 mark you put the car in park and waited for the P to come back on, but when video resumed it was a D on the display. Does this mean that when the temp is reached a D will show even if you have it in park? thanks for this video.

[@antonio0072007]

@landy216 that is correct, i misspoke in the video. Once you have cycled between D and N multiple times and the D light stays illuminated for a split second and then turns off it doesnt matter what gear you are in. The D light will come on once the trans has reached the correct temp. Obviously for safety reasons it is best to leave it in park during this time

[@jordanmiller3916]

Thanks for the info! Where did you buy your pan gasket and fluid from? Any online Toyota suppliers that you recommend? Thanks again

[@antonio0072007]

The filter and pan gasket i purchased aftermarket from rockauto, not the same quality as oem to be honest but i change them every 60,000 miles and have never had any issues. The fluid is OEM Toyota ATF WS, i recommend you stick with toyota recommended fluid. If i recall correctly i think i found the best price on ebay.

[@waruddell]

How did the magnets look when you cleaned them? I see most videos don't go the extra step of dropping the pan and replacing the filter. My 2019 Sienna 8-speed transmission has 70,000 miles and I'm thinking of just doing the drain & fill every two years. Most videos show about 2.5 quarts of the 6.9 quarts is replaced using the this method. I have not seen others disconnect the transmission cooler line to drain more out. Does the manual recommend this or is this your own technique to get more fluid replaced at one time? Thank you for taking the extra time to record and post the video. The idea that car manufactures, especially Subaru, tell owners the fluid is for the "life of the transmission" is foolish. What do they care if your transmission fails due to old oil. It just makes it easier for them to sell you a newer vehicle.

[@antonio0072007]

The magnets didnt look bad, as i mentioned in the video, the trans fluid didnt look bad at all which tells me it was recently replaced even though the carfax did not show it on the maintenance history, with used cars you never know so i always get a baseline by replacing all fluids to the full extent. If i was in your shoes (bought the van new and only had 70,000 miles) i would probably not drop the pan and replace filter but i would still pull the trans cooler hose to get more fluid out. If you did this every 60,000 miles you would probably never need to drop the pan and replace filter but because i’m ocd i would probably drop the pan and replace filter every other trabs fluid change (which would be every 120,000 miles). I am assuming you do not live in the north where you have to deal with undercarriage corrosion and will not have any issues removing the trans pan bolts. If you do live in the north then i would be very cautious removing the pan bolts because if they are corroded you will probably break them trying to remove them. If you live in the north you have 2 options, commit to never dropping the pan and never replacing the trans filter or, drop the pan every trans fluid change just so you can add a fresh layer of anti-seize to the bolts, because 120,000 of salt corrosion is just too long even for anti-seize. As for disconnecting the trans cooler hose or not, my thoughts are that if you dont you are leaving roughly half of the old fluid in the system, the only way i would feel comfortable doing that is if i shortened the trans fluid change interval to 30,000 miles, but because i’d rather work less and drive more i’ll stick with 60,000 intervals and pull the trans cooler hose to flush most of the fluid, its not that much extra work to flush the trans cooler. Thats my 2 pennies, im no expert but i am a mechanical engineer, diy mechanic and a car care nut. By the way, if you havent already done so, check out TheCarCareNut youtube channel, he provides excellent info about toyota cars and maintenance, i believe he has one specifically about long term maintenance of toyota transmissions and toyotas in general.

[@ArmyofSeaturtles]

filter change is not necessary on the 8speed u cant even get to it because the pan is in the front

[@alexandrumotinga8679]

hi!thank you for the video!which size of clear tubing did you use ?thanks!

[@antonio0072007]

3/8” inner diameter rubber hose

[@hb_woodie]

Thanks for the video. How many miles on the car when you did this service?

[@antonio0072007]

Mine had 120,000 and was at least the 2nd time the trans fluid had been changed. I believe the manual calls for changing the trans fluid every 60,000 miles.

[@jeffsgarage1969]

Thank you 🇺🇲

[@mannypack6983]

I like the seat cover! Where did you get em?

[@antonio0072007]

Amazon a.co/d/fYoZv9B

[@Dillr0d]

1/4 drive 10mm socket on a wobbly makes short work of that rear pan bolt.

[@sheldonmcclaflin8904]

I was goin to write the same thing. I like wobble extensions. Bought my first 3/4 Drive, 12" long at PEP BOYs in San Diego, in 1996. Still have it.

[@yellowglass2260]

Should you just drain for the other hose? Correct me if I’m wrong. In your method your draining the outlet line of the trans. I’m assuming the other line is the return line from the cooler. If you use that line to drain, you would be able to flush the cooler while doing this.

[@antonio0072007]

In my method i am draining the outlet line of the trans cooler, its the line closest to the driver side and exits the radiator looking trans cooler.

[@penigbuya55uy55]

Antonio what 24mm socket you used to remove the fill plug? 12 point or 6 point?

[@antonio0072007]

6 point

[@jeffreychamp8355]

What’s the background whine noise it makes when changing gears? Is that a normal sound?

[@antonio0072007]

I went back and listened to the video again but i did not notice any sounds out of the ordinary. The noises i do hear in the video and in person when changing gears i consider normal.

[@rogerrambit4447]

did you replace the drain bolt gasket/washer? If so, what type would i need....2011 Sienna

[@antonio0072007]

I did replace it and i still had a leak, had to use teflon tape on the threads of the drain bolt

[@chocotoynk2931]

How did you level the car in your garage? I want to do this but my drive way isn't leveled. Do i need to use a level gauge and where should i put it on the car to get the perfect leveled position so i can get a correct reading on my oil.

[@antonio0072007]

I had jack stands positioned under the front frame lift points just behind the front wheels. I used a single floor jack to lift the rear of the vehicle using the floor jack lift point (its a tow hook looking thing under the center rear of the van). I placed a level under the bottom door sill just to the rear of the jack stands.

[@chocotoynk2931]

@@antonio0072007 thank you for replying i hope the procedure is the same on 4 cylinder siennas as mine is non v6 engine.

[@jeremyreeves8940]

I saw one video they seemed to place a magnetic digital angle finder right in the trans pan

[@chocotoynk2931]

@jeremyreeves8940 thanks for the tip i will definitely try this.

[@jeremyreeves8940]

@@chocotoynk2931 yeah I just did mine yesterday. I already had a magnetic digital angle finder. I was level to .5 degrees just sitting in garage. I put it right on the trans pan. You could put a bubble water level on it to to check

[@jones9633]

My 2011 Sienna has 225,000 miles on original Transmission fluid, would you change the fluid? Thanks.

[@antonio0072007]

Are you having any transmission issues? How long do you plan on keeping the van?

[@josuemacario9259]

Hola, me podrías comentar cuanto fue lo que usaste de aceite para estar en la medida correcta? Gracias

[@antonio0072007]

La manera correcta de medir el nivel de aceite es usando el proceso en el video. Pero son mas o menos 7 litros

[@atxjax1]

I don't bother checking it at temp. What I do is measure what comes out and what I put back in to be exactly the same. Never had an issue.

[@antonio0072007]

I only buy used vehicle so i have no idea if the amount of fluid in the transmission is the correct amount so i cannot use your method.

[@Stich46]

Hi will this method work for a 2019 highlander AWD?

[@antonio0072007]

I’m not sure, i would assume the transmission fluid procedure for a highlander is similar but with a different amount of transmission fluid used. As far as the method of checking the transmission temperature, again i’m not sure but since this method can be used on a tundra and a sienna i would assume its applicable to all or most toyotas.

[@andyzhao9476]

👍

[@jeffreychamp8355]

Because my sienna actually makes the same sound when going to reverse! Do you believes it goes way?

[@jamesyang233]

anyone can please help, I'm having a hard time finding the part number for the filler plug gasket( washer), I have a 2014 Sienna FWD LE 3.5L V6 ( U660E transmission), so the part number should be the same, for the drain plug I have 90430-A0002...Thank you!!

[@jones9633]

I have 2011 Sienna & the Filler Plug Gasket is 90430-A0003 ($1.44 online). The Trans Fluid Drain Plug Gasket is 90430-A0002 ($1.44 online). Hope this clarifies.

[@shawnjohnson981]

How is your transmission now with the flush? How many miles did you flush? Should I flush my 2011 Toyota Sienna at 167,000 miles with not recored if it changed?

[@antonio0072007]

Its running great, but it was running great before the fluid change as well. Changing the transmission fluid is preventative so you really shouldnt notice a change. I change my transmission fluid every 60,000 miles.

[@shawnjohnson981]

Should I flush my 167,000 mile van?

[@antonio0072007]

Thats a tough question, because i dont know all the maintenance history of your van. If the transmission fluid has never been changed in its entire life, there are several people who would tell you dont change it now because you may introduce more problems. Ultimately its your call, i will say that if i was in your shoes, and the oil in my van had never been changed my decision whether or not to change it now would depend on 2 things: 1. Do i suspect there is an issue with the transmission like strange noises or its slipping, if the answer is yes then i would be inclined to change the oil to see if it helps (i like to try the easy fixes first). 2. How long do i plan on keeping the van, if i was about to sell the van and its running ok now, i would not change the trans fluid. If i’m going to keep the van for several hundred thousand miles more, i probably would change the fluid and deal with any negative consequences “at home” as opposed to “on the road”. I woukd also start changing it every 60,000 miles. However, if i opted to change the oil i wouldnt drop the pan or flush the transmission cooler, i would just drain the fluid through the drain hole and refill the trans, check the level and thats it. Thats my 2 pennies.

[@steveamores9806]

I changed my transmission fluid on a used 2005 nissan pathfinder at around 190,000 miles with unknown service history because I could feel the transmission was overheating and not shifting correctly and after draining, filter change and filling with new fluid (recommend amsoil the best) it drives so smooth. Dont think flushing is necessary

[@erikmartinezrivera7965]

Si quite la transmisión de mi Sienna 2005 FWD y la volví a poner ¿Cuántos litros de aceite lleva? De antemano muchas gracias

[@antonio0072007]

Mas o menos 8 litros

[@SwedishHunter77]

Your title 2011-2016 3rd gen ..What about years 2017-2020 aren't 3rd Generation ? Or this method does not apply to them !

[@antonio0072007]

I actually had to change the title to clarify that this only applies up to year 2016. It was brought to my attention that starting in 2017 the transmissions are different and dont have a transmission pan so this process does not apply to 2017 and newer siennas.

[@SS-iv7wv]

Good video, but your sound goes up and down making it difficult to hear what you're saying at times.

[@lumberjackdreamer6267]

What a strange design! Why? Why the hard to reach bolt? Why no dipstick?

[@antonio0072007]

According to Toyota its a “Maintenance-free sealed transmission” but since i only buy used cars with 100k+ miles i always change all of the fluids to ensure my vehicles can make it to 200k miles or more.

[@Collinator1000]

I had to remove the motor mount bolt and use a jack to lift the engine a half an inch in order to reach two of the oil pan bolts. Wild design.

[@Collinator1000]

Otherwise the subframe would have to be pulled…

[@landy216]

They want us to bring cars in so that dealers keep making the money on service.

[@lloydnolan8218]

Helped some, but you skipped a lot of stuff and left me confused.

[@antonio0072007]

My bad, whats your question?

[@mityashin]

2017 and up don’t have pan don’t mislead people

[@kevins5268]

Lol somebody triled to pull a transmission pan off this video 😂😂😂

[@antonio0072007]

Thanks for the comment, i’ll update the description

[@rickchambers73]

Retired Professional Mechanic. Horrible Video. Common Sense should tell you if I over heat the transmission that's not good. Running it out of fluid then leaving it run dry is very stupid. You should go by manufacturer way, 18 years in a Chevrolet dealership we would never run dry a transmission dry, especially to the point of overheating it.

[@antonio0072007]

Rick, while i appreciate your comment, i dont think you understood the instructions in the video. I never ran the transmission dry, at worst it was a quart low. Also, i never overheated the transmission, there is a specific temperature range for checking the transmission and you need to be in that range (104-113), but the transmission does not overheat at 114 degrees it just means its too hot to set the correct fluid level.