# Changing transmission fluid

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** rav4, toyota\
**Created:** [March 8, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401 "2011-03-08T20:42:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cbrowne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cbrowne](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cbrowne)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/1 "2011-03-08T20:42:41Z")

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Is it useless to change the transmission fluid without cleaning out the torque converter first or at the same time?  
  
 Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/2 "2011-03-08T20:55:55Z")

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No, its not useless.

BC.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/3 "2011-03-08T21:00:02Z")

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If you are changing the fluid on a regular basis like every 25 - 35,000 miles, You are doing your transmission good. Not changing it at all is bad. Changing the rest of the fluid is good, but generally not needed.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/4 "2011-03-08T21:22:48Z")

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If the transmission fluid is changed on a regular basis then dropping the pan, changing the filter and adding the proper amount of fluid is all that’s needed. The interval should be specified in your mom’s owners manual.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/5 "2011-03-08T21:46:55Z")

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Whatever it says in the owners manual it is probably clearly screwy and you should ignore it. Have a local transmission shop drop the pan & change the filter every 3yr/30K miles. If this car has gone a really long time without a fluid change then have the pan dropped, filter changed, and then have a full fluid exchange done. Then just pick up the 30K miles filter change intervals.

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**Author:** ![cbrowne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cbrowne](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cbrowne)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-transmission-fluid/62401/6 "2011-03-08T22:33:42Z")

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Thanks!