2002 toyota tacoma, auto, 128,500 miles. At normal acceleration shifts smooth, at higher rpms it thuds slightly when shifting. Is the transmission just worn out, or can it be saved, thanks. Fluid has only been partially changed in its life time(I did it since I bought it 1 year ago)
128.5k miles on a Toyota transmission is nowhere close to being worn out. Did you make sure you put the correct amount of fluid back in when you did the change? Gear shifts will be slightly more noticeable when you're really putting your foot into it, because bands in the transmission need to engage and stop certain gear assemblies in the planetary gears that were spinning to perform gear changes. There's a lot more energy that needs to be absorbed by the band when you're flooring it, vs normal acceleration.
I took it to a transmission shop to partially change the fluid, considering it had never been done, and I could hear what sounded like dirt in the fluid during acceleration(which i no longer hear),it made the thud noise before and after the change
I'd have the fluid level checked elsewhere if you don't have a dipstick. You can't trust shops sometimes, I know two people whose cars leaked oil like crazy recently from oil change shop employees using the wrong size oil filters on their cars.
I can confirm there is enough fluid, it does have a dipstick