Two drain plugs for the transmission or is one for the front differential?

[jdmccright]

This forum has been very helpful so far with my 03 AWD Vibe. However, I am perplexed as to what the second drain plug is for. It is behind the trans pan drain plug and inboard, close to the center and facing the passenger side.

I cannot find a fill plug for this supposed portion of the trans. I thought I found a fill plug for it behind the engine but it was for gear oil (a second transfer case fill?)

I've had this car for a long time & never noticed it, or if I did I tried to look up what it was for with no success and forgot about it. When I had an old Camry, it had separate transmission and diff fluids, but I had read they are now combined, so I disregarded it until today.

I just changed the trans fluid and decided to just crack it open, curious that they were both the same. I blotted fluid from the dipstick and the mystery plug onto some card stock, and they look similar but not quite and don't smell the same. The car has been driven, so any mixing between the two should have been complete.

Photo will follow shortly (attachment size is preventing me) but help in easing my mind would be appreciated. Is it just a second drain plug for the transaxle?

[ehoff121]

There are three components involved in this discussion:

1. Automatic Transaxle (transmission)
2. Front Transfer Case
3. Rear Differential

All three have separate drain and fill plugs. They are connected mechanically, but do not share fluids. The transmission uses Toyota T-IV Transmission fluid. The Transfer Case and Differential use gear oil.

I've found it's easier to fill the transmission through the dipstick pipe with a thin neck funnel.

If you decide to change the Transfer and Diff oil, make sure you can get the fill plugs open BEFORE you drain them.

[jdmccright]

I need to post the photo but it won't let me despite trying to resize. I just changed all three of these, so I am well familiar with each. I would just pull the mystery plug to see if it was in fact for the trans, but I haven't found a coinciding fill plug (I actually did find a fill plug low on the back side of the engine but it smells of gear lube, so I disregarded it).

I did let some fluid weep out (also shown in my photo) and it did look like fresh ATF. I just want peace of mind.

[lannvouivre]

Here are the transfer case plugs. The auto transmission is filled like an FWD auto, and drained the same way.

Fill the transfer case until the oil is level with plug 1 in the diagram. Plug 2 is probably a vent plug or something.