Bought an 04 Vibe have a question about the transmission

[rob454]

Hi all,I am new here. I just bought a 2004 Pontiac Vibe base auto trans with 117k miles. Actually purchased it from a Pontiac Dealership which the car was a trade in. I pretty much got the car for a steal of a price and of course it has some blemishes but it runs very good and everything works. I figured I could take my time and fix the dings, scratches etc. Since I was always a Chrysler owner, I was always a big fan of doing the transmission flushes but I never purchased a car with this many miles to start. I made the mistake of not checking the tranny dipstick when I purchased it and the fluid appears relatively dark like a grayish color. The fluid may of been changed in the past but I am going to assume it hasn't.I called up my local pepboys and North Star Chevrolet and they recommended a transmission flush. I know they would use Dexron with would be a big mistake in this transmission. I finally called Rorich Toyota and they told me to just drain the fluid and put new in. They would charge about $100 and I'm like, I can probably do it myself.This morning I stop at Kenny Ross Toyota and accidently end up in the service department. I asked them for a quick opinion and they told me to flush the tranny which would cost $178 ad if I just changed the fluid that my tranny would blow(Exact opposite of what Rorich Toyota told me). They also had to mention to me that my car needs tuned up. Seemed like they were just trying to make money that was all. One of the other service guys chimed in just to tell me he was a "Pontiac Tech" Like I care because these cars are different than all the other GM vehicles that was why I went to the Toyota Dealer. Sorry if I was rambling I went to the parts department and picked up 5 quarts of T/IV tranny fluid and I am going to drain the fluid out and fill with new. I know there will be old tranny fluid remaining but I plan to change it again at another 5-7k miles. Do you think this is a good way to go?Thanks again and btw Nice forum!Robert

[bodhi_tree777]

welcome to the forum!Most posts that I've read on the subject seem to lean towards a simple drain and fill for the tranny fluid. I did mine about 15k miles ago (I'm at 75k now) and I'll probably do it again soon. Not sure of the exact procedure on an automatic, but it was super easy on my GT. I'm sure someone will chime in with a more specific reply.As for other maintenence, do you have service records up to this point? You may want to think about changing the coolant, plugs, etc if they haven't been addressed before.

[rob454]

No service records. The oil wasn't even changed at the dealership. No sticker even on the window. I usually look for these things but I certainly missed it this time.The oil looks ok, its a dark brown and smooth, not black and clumpy, looks like it was changed regularly.

[ColonelPanic]

I think your idea of doing a drain/fill is the best solution. Several folks here have done a drain and fill, waited a few thousand, then did another. That Toyota dealer that told you the transmission would blow with a drain and fill is full of it. I'd say you're more likely to have problems with flushing the trans at this mileage, no telling what kind of gunk will get stirred up in the process only to get lodged somewhere else that may cause problems. They don't call 'em stealerships for nothing, I guess. I have this problem with Hyundai dealers all the time, trying to scare into services you really don't need in an attempt to flush your wallet! Slimy.

[rob454]

Im glad you agree with me and I figured @ 4.85 a quart, 5 quarts is only $24. If I do that every few thousand miles, it will eventually clean up the transmission substantially and save a bunch on my wallet. I figure if I have to change it four times then it will be much cheaper than 1 flush and probably have the same or better results since there is a chance of failure with the flush.With my Dodge Avenger I flush it every 50k and change the fluid every 15k. But Chrysler uses a red dye in their fluid which seems to hold the red color much longer than these toyota fluids do. So I can't judge it by my other car.

[joatmon]

I'd say just drain and refill. There's a drain plug, which is nice. (ask anyone who's done it on a tranny where you had to drop the pan still full of fluid)There's no filter, just a screen. You can drop the pan and check/clean the screen if you like.If you do need to take it to a Toytoa dealership for service someday, sounds like Rorich over Kenny Ross.

[blue_can]

You're tranny is not going to blow up if it has never been serviced and a fluid exchange is being done for the first time. However, don't forget to clean the magnet of all the friction material when you drop the pan. This will give you an indication of how much wear is on the clutch discs and bands. If it is really saturated you may want to drop the pan again after a few thousand miles and check the magnet again - any particles not caught the first time shoudl have been trapped by the magnet. At that point you should be able to safely do a flush - either yourself or have a service place do it for you.

[northvibe]

yeah I just did a drain fill on my auto tranny, never dropped the pan. Since not all the auto tranny's oil comes out you have to do it, run the car do it again, run the car a 3-5 times to get it all. Only about 3 quarts come out if its drained the rest is stuck in the torq converter. Its just like changing engine oil.

[rob454]

I did want to mention that the transmission shifts relatively good right now but I did notice it shifting harder when I was going up a hill with 3 people in the car (Heavier guys). It was like wanting to shift to a lower gear everytime I gave it more gas. Is this where I should be using my overdrive button? Is it normal for the transmission to shift harder especially around 3rd to 4th gear?

[rob454]

Well,I actually had the shop down the street change it for me.. They did it for 10 bucks. I live in an apartment complex and its not permitted to work on cars so I have to go to my friends.Anyways, he changed the fluid and told me it was black but not burnt! I figured it was never changed. Only 3.25 quarts drained and I did check the level after he filled it back up and it is at the right level. The fluid is a reddish brown color now. Better than it was before. I am going to wait about 1-2k miles and I will change again.