#CosoCars I find it weird that Toyota dealers are saying that the transmission fluid in the Corolla CVT is good for "the lifetime of the vehicle." Some dealers have arbitrary (around 100k) recommendations for changing it.
My sister has my dad's old Prius (also CVT) and I'm sure never changed. It probably has over 200k (hw) miles. The owner's manual only recommends changing tranny fluid if has been under "heavy use."
I think the 200k empirical data point (tho n=1) says no, don't spend hundreds to change it. Anyone else, Toyota CVT experience?
@Ellico2020bis
I've never owned a Toyota, but I owned a Subaru Impreza with a CVT that had the same service recommendation (or lack therof). It's the only car I've ever owned where you are never instructed to change the trans fluid, only to inspect that it's still there.
The valve bodies in the transmission gunked up with this old fluid, and couldn't be repaired. Dealer told me I would need the transmission rebuilt, which would cost more than the car was worth at the time. So I got rid of it.
@Ellico2020bis
I wish I could remember what that Subaru felt like when the transmission was failing. If you have any suspicions at all, I would trade it in sooner rather than later.
@Ellico2020bis
I wouldn't say this means that all CVTs are bad, but after that experience I decided I would avoid that kind of transmission in the future.
@voltronic Just got a new clutch in my Honda 6-speed. Until I'm too old and feeble to push a Honda clutch, I won't worry about a CVT myself.
@voltronic Thanks for responding. I've seen videos of the gunked up fluid in Toyotas, too. My spouse has a 2014 Corolla CVT with 114k. She/we want it to last. I just have no direct experience with CVT or "feel" for when it's not behaving properly like I did for traditional AT or MT, and the online advice is very polarized.