CVT Transmission Fluid Change

When I bought my iQ at 36k miles the CVT gearbox was whiny when high load was put on it; such as full acceleration to motorway speed. Once I changed the CVT fluid the noise completely disappeared.

The fluid was very dirty and was far from the transparent red wine colour is started its life as.

There doesn't seem to be any official Toyota Service Intervals for the CVT gearbox and I think a lot of people assume that they are therefore sealed for life. Given the whine I was experiencing with my car I decided to change the CVT fluid myself.

The fluid needed for our CVT equipped cars is the Genuine Toyota CVT FE fluid.

Part number is 08886-02505. You can order the fluid from Toyota Parts with this number.

I have made a crude image to show how the gearbox is drained and then refilled to the correct amount:

You need to remove the drain plug with an allen key head but the fluid inside will not drain much. The inner plastic tube needs to be screwed out with a similar sized allen head key as it is threaded the same as the drain plug. Once removed the fluid will drain.

Once drained insert the inner plastic tube back in and screw it in slowly until it comes to a stop. Do not tighten this with much force, just only very slightly snug.

Leave the drain plug off and remove the fill plug from the top. It is to the left of the Battery and just above the air filter housing. You'll see it. It is a T55.

Once removed you can either choose to fill up the gearbox until the fluid starts to leak through the inner plastic tube or simply replace with the exact same amount that was removed providing you measure it accurately.

Once filled you can put back both the drain and fill plugs.

It is your choice as to how often you wish to change your CVT fluid but I recommend it to everyone who hasn't already done so or has any paperwork to suggest it was already done. I don't believe Toyota would include in any type of regular service so unless it was changed privately by a garage upon request then I don't think it would have been flushed.

Good luck.

There is a correct way to refill a CVT box and it requires torquing the plastic tube to allow the correct initial filling and final level check. Tightening by guessing effects both initial refill and final level check.

The fluid needs to get up to temp to be checked also and to assume they were filled correctly from factory is wrong so the correct method from the online repair manual is needed.

I agree the fluid should be changed at regular intervals, oil analysis shows these boxes will deteriorate with factory filled fluid over time.

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Do you have the repair manual demonstrating the fluid change? - I would like to read it.

I find it odd that the inner tube needs torqued as it comes to a complete stop once screwed completely in with releative ease.

If you have any more finesse in making this particular job even more successful please share.

Thanks!

It is prudent to remove 'fill plug' first before drain plug! If after removing drain plug there is a problem removing fill plug you could be stuffed refilling! Just a suggestion.

Do you have the repair manual demonstrating the fluid change? - I would like to read it.

I find it odd that the inner tube needs torqued as it comes to a complete stop once screwed completely in with releative ease.

If you have any more finesse in making this particular job even more successful please share.

Thanks!

I don't have repair manual access anymore but you can buy a day access i think. Toyota tech Europe

From memory the CVTs with pipe are all similar.

1. Remove filler and drain plug , remove plastic pipe.

2. Refit plastic pipe and torque it, measure how much was drained.

3. Refill till it drips out slowly. Refit drain plug, just nipped up.

4. Then you add a specified amount depending on work done. Here i would just add the remaining amount of what you measured. Refit filler plug and nip up only.

5. Run car and cycle through all gear selections to get up to temp. Usually needs to be 35-40 degrees Celsius. If it's too hot you have to let it cool down, if it's too cold the wrong fluid level will be displayed.

When up to temp, remove drain plug and let excess flow out to a drip. If nothing comes out top up more fluid.

6. Refit both filler and drain plugs with new washers and torque up. You can get generic ally washers online for about 50p.

7. Test drive and enjoy.

Not sure on torque on drain tube as i don't have manual with me but it's extremely low. The other plugs can just be tightened enough to crush the washers.

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Upon more research and a good look at Toyota Tech EU website here is what I found.

The refill plug torque is 49nm (36lbft).

The drain plug torque is 40nm (30lbft).

The inner plastic tube torque is 0.8nm (7lbft).

Depending on the type of work that was done to the vehicle determines how much oil must be put in to the gearbox.

When refilling and the oil starts to trickle out of the inner plastic tube (which should be tightened to 0.8nm/7lbft) put back the drain plug and tighten to rated torque. Now, follow this information precisely so you have the correct fluid inside:

(This fluid must be added after the initial filling when the oil started to trickle out, this is essentially a top up and must be followed.)

New CVT gearbox with new Torque Converter: add an extra 1.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

New CVT gearbox with original Torque Converter: add an extra 0.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

Torque Converter replacement: add an extra 0.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

Torque Converter Removal and Refit: add an extra 0.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

Oil-pan removal and fit (follow this one if you are just draining from the drain plug): add an extra 0.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

Drive shaft removal and replacement: add an extra 0.4 litres of CVT fluid after initial refilling.

If in doubt and you're already balls deep in to doing this job, just make sure you refill with exactly what was removed for safe measure.

Apologies.

The inner plastic tube needs to be tightened to 0.8nm (7 pounds per square INCH, not foot.) It is 0.6lbft.

Cant seem to edit previous posts...

Regards.

Which is pretty much the same torque as slightly snug as you suggested in your first post. 

I bet no one has a torque wrench that reads that low anyway.

Craig.

I have a 2013 Toyota (Scion) iQ and seems to have the same CVT sealed tranny as the Toyota in Europe does. I found the drain plug underneath and the fill plug up on the top.  But isn't pouring in new CVT fluid in the top (with the cap removed below) just going to go right back down that fill tube?  Other CVT systems are supposed to be filled from underneath via a tool that attaches to it and fluid is pumped in until it starts to leak over the top of the fill tube.

The drain plug has a plastic tube inside. So the oil will drain upto the height of the plastic tube, if you remove the plastic tube you will completely drain the box.

So when you pour oil in with the plastic fitted, it will fill to a predetermined level. After that is when you add the amount required depending on why you are filling it. Eg. It will tell you to fill more if you have a new box or replaced a components compared to an oil change.

The only other system toyota use is the filler plug at the correct level. So you fill till it pours out the filler. This is on most hybrids and most manual boxes.

You can tell the type you have based on the plastic tube.

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Thanks, I was able to get a little in there and then took the iQ to my mechanic (who is just down the street).  He said the iQ is similar to the Mercedes transmission in that you have to do everything from the bottom and it required a special device to do that.  (I researched it and it's about $400).  So paying him $180 doesn't seem too bad.

Now I know NOT to mess with doing a "simple" fluid change on the tranny.  (I was brave with it because I had a 80cc scooter with a CVT tranny and it was as simple as it gets changing out the fluid.)

Out of curiosity what's the special device? It can be done by shorting pins out in the eobd port and cycling through P,N,D

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Probably means an oil pump with a swan neck filler. You stick that up the drain plug / level tube and pump away until it flows out again. 

Not needed though if you have a filler plug on the top which, you say you have. 

Craig.

My IQ2 CVT has its 5th year service in April. The transmission fluid is inspected at 4 year service but as already mentioned on here there is no replacement in service schedule.  I sometimes get the whine noise (which sounds like an electric motor) when the box is hot and under load. Just called Toyota dealer who's doing the service,  quoted £115 for change of transmission fluid, which I'll be investing in.

Interesting. 

I was recently getting the good old whine from mine and got Toyota to change the oil. Made a great deal of difference for about 3 weeks then returned to the whine up hill. Mind you have done 130,000 in it now

David

Bad translation: see next message 

Sorry the translation is very bad, so I want to change the fluid of my CVT transmission on my IQ3 Racer. Who knows how much fluid I have to buy?

Many thanks to all IQ fans

Anyone know garage in london who can change transmision fluid for my IQ ? With genuine fluid from Toyota 

Any Toyota dealership can do this.  I'm having mine dine next week, been quoted £115 by Steven Eagell in Bishops Stortford. 

I got exactly same problem as you , (strange noise like electric motor) can you text here please if that noise gone after replacing transmission fluid. Thanks

I was wondering if the oil will be changed in the maintenance service, but Toyota's dealership told me that they stop changing transmission oil. Any idea how often the oil needs to be changed?

Thanks

It varies by age, mileage, useage & market. You should check locally.

p.s. in another post you say that you have a 2016 Corolla, your profile photo tends to agree with that yet your profile says 2008?

On the iQ service schedule the transmission fluid is just inspected at year 4. No change of fluid appears on service schedule. If you want the fluid changed you'll need to ask them to do it.  As said earlier, it costs £115 by Toyota.

@Heidfirst, I had an MMT 2008 corolla that I sold earlier last month. I will update my info.

Thank you @Heidfirst and @en8wall69

Had my IQ2 serviced this week and CVT transmission fluid changed. 

Can't comment on whether it has solved the occasional winning noise  as just driven back from dealers. 

One thing I will say is that the dealer misquoted me with £115 for the fluid change. When I collected the car he said I'd had a result as the oil alone cost £81 + vat. I had to leave the car with them for 3 days as they ordered in fluid but the wrong one was delivered so I had to wait for correct batch. I've attached pic of invoice showing the job and will report back once I've driven it a few days.