Dear Scotty
I hope you and your family are doing well. I am writing to you because I have contradictory information concerning the transmission of my car. Yesterday I bought a 2015 Toyota Corolla with 10,000 miles. The car has a CVT transmission. The car is seven years old and has low mileage. I live in Quebec (French Canadian...). The car has always been stored in the winter. It is therefore in perfect condition. Only the battery had to be replaced. But because it was little used I asked the dealer to change the coolant which is seven years old. This will be done next week. I asked to also change the transmission oil for the same reasons. The dealer informed me that this is a maintenance free transmission and that the oil does not need to be changed. I wonder about this assertion that a transmission can be maintenance-free. What do you think? Thank you in advance for your advice and I wish you a great summer.
Maintenance free transmission on Toyota car ?
No such thing.
These do destroy their fluid and develop humming after 60k miles (100k km).
It's best to replace the fluid every 20k-30k miles.
Maintenance free transmission doesn't exist regardless of the manufacturer, yes even Toyota.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvTSowJGhUo
Find a local mechanic to change the ATF or do it yourself.
2015 Toyota Corolla with 10,000 miles
That is remarkable it’s that low mileage. Did a mechanic verify that?
The dealer informed me that this is a maintenance free transmission and that the oil does not need to be changed.
Nothing last forever, and for sure the dealer does not have your best interest. They want to sell you another Toyota in a few years when the transmission needs to be replaced.
Especially on a delicate CVT, be sure to change the transmission fluid no more than every 30,000 miles with the OEM fluid only. Take it to an independent, honest mechanic to do it.
The dealers are good for nothing.
Did a mechanic verify that (10 000miles)?
The car was very little used by the previous owner and only in summer. The car has been checked by a government-mandated mechanical workshop. In Quebec, any car that has not been registered for more than 12 months must be checked to ensure the safety of the vehicle before it can be put back on the road. The dealer should also provide you with the name of the previous owner so you can contact them to find out if the car had any issues.
The idea of a "maintenance free" transmission is a scam, and not even a new one. I still have the owner's manual for a 1972 Hornet where it states that automatic transmission fluid changes not required. It was a crock 50 years ago and it's even more of a crock now. (CVTs are much more fragile than those old-school 3-speed automatics and much more expensive when they fail.)
