Hi I recently bought a 2012 corolla with 108,800 miles and noticed the ATF fluid was black on the dipstick, no smell or flakes though. Car shifts good but it's become clear to me that there was little to no maintenance overall.
- I need help deciding whether it's safe for an ATF fluid/filter change(no flush) I plan on driving this car until the end of time. I hear many stories of ATF failure after a change so I could use some clarification thanks.
Drain and refill should be ok but keep the oil fluid in a clean container just in case if the transmission acted up.
I just got a 99 corolla I am fixing up for a friend. It has fairly dirty trans fluid, but I have seen worse, and it shifts fine. My first drain and fill I used valvoline max life atf (cheaper), and I plan to do it again in a week or so. After that I will follow up with amsoil drain and fill at least once, probably twice, and by then the fluid should be pretty well changed out. Sometimes I just pulls the trans lines and do a full fluid change, but it is just so easy to drain and fill on these things, especially when I am by myself. Although I have never had a reason to test the amsoil warranty, they stand behind their product. I have never had any issues changing trans fluid by drain and fill, or changing through the trans lines, just don't do one of those power flushes, too many bad stories from that.
