2001 4cyl Toyota solara transmission
I have about 222,600 miles on this thing and my transmission is starting to slip first the first time the I have 0 clue when the fluid was changed last the transmission fluid is dirty and I wondering if I should just replace the filter and drain the fluid and add additives and new trans fluid or replace it.
Bear in mind that the transmission is just worn out, and replacing it may be the only true fix. It could stop working altogether very soon.
- try replacing the fluid and filter. This restored drivability for a few people on this forum.
- If that still doesn't help, then try some additive and maybe you can squeeze a few more months out of it.
If you have slipping than propably you have worn plates. If the slipping is worse when engine and transmission gets hot, than you can try some thickener. But whatever you do transmission needs rebuild. Dirty fluid helps a little to transfer power, so plates now are propably flat worn out if slippage occurs.
See the FAQ for details on the issues and potential pitfalls of changing fluid on a high-mileage, poorly-maintained transmission. Any additive will be a temporary bandaid at best. Scotty has talked about seeing some successes with the Lucas transmission additive, but it's really a last-resort "nothing left to lose" attempt to get a few more miles out of a sick trans.
Check the transmission fluid level first. Your transmission is not a world standard (WS) type, meaning it has a dipstick. Search the internet or check your owners book where to find the dipstick and how to read it correctly, and what type of fluid it requires. You usually can find a manual on the interenet if the car came without one or you can contact your nearby Toyota shop and ask. If the level is low, hopefully adding the proper amount will resolve the slipping issue.
