Purchase as low mileage as you can afford, replace the trans fluid, add a trans cooler and monitor. I initially installed the factory cooler that's on TROTW Prado 150 and found it inadequate and up sized to a larger Hadden. Rarely see above 215.
Do GX 460's have transmission problems? Should I run away? (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Import Driver
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The Hayden 678 is all of $51 on Amazon today, and is around 3X the size as the OEM cooler. Same price as 4 quarts of Toyota WS or 2 gallons of Valvoline MaxLife trans fluid 
Just bought an used 2021 with 28k miles and I have seen quite a few posts lately about gx460s tranmission going out at 120k or 150k, that is a bit concerning especially after i thought this would be a bulletproof transmission as the A750 in the 4runner. Could it be that these owners never replaced the fluids and that is why these transmissions are failing ?. I am planning to keep this rig for a long time and i don't tow but and just do light offroad occasionally. Planning to replace that AT fluid once I hit 60k. Is the general consensus this transmissions is not as good as the A750? or that is not the case? would appreciate any input
I think the core issue is that Toyota/Lexus service states that the GX has "lifetime" transmission fluid and its true that if you never replace your AT fluid, it will last "the life" of the transmission...
The secondary issue is that the GX460 transmissions tend to run on the warm side no matter what due to the lack of an external cooler from the factory. Eventually the fluid gets cooked enough that it leads to failures, especially if you add in extra stress from towing or off roading.
I bought my GX with 40k miles and replaced the fluid at 65k just to be on the safe side. It looked fine but I plan on making that a 30k or every few years maintenance item. I am also going to add a cooler at some point since it seems pretty easy and there isn't really a downside.
Thank you, Planning to replace my AT fluid as well at 60k, no matter what the dealer says and then at 100k. Hopefully with good maintenance this will be avoided. What i don't understand is , if this almost the same tranny as the 4runner A750F why they are failing at higher rate what the GX . from my understanding the A750F in the 4runner/FJ does not have a cooler either. It seems a bit strange!
I'd actually suggest replacing it ever 30-50K. It's not that expensive, the fluid is around $100 for all 16 quarts if you use Valvoline MaxLife and the gasket/filter is around $40. It's a messy job but pretty easy to DIY it within 2-3 hours total. Then your transmission should last the life of the vehicle.
For the cooler, I'm not super-familiar with adding it to a 460, but the cooler itself for my 470 (a Hayden 678) was only around $50, and it was not difficult to fabricate some simple brackets to place it in the stock cooler location.
Overall, it's pretty easy to perform preventative maintenance/improvements on these trans and rectify the factory issues (lack of cooler and ambitious service interval for the fluid).
For the cooler, I'm not super-familiar with adding it to a 460, but the cooler itself for my 470 (a Hayden 678) was only around $50, and it was not difficult to fabricate some simple brackets to place it in the stock cooler location.
Overall, it's pretty easy to perform preventative maintenance/improvements on these trans and rectify the factory issues (lack of cooler and ambitious service interval for the fluid).
I was thinking about just a plain drain and refill 4 quarts i think it takes every 30k. . Would you recommend valvoline maxlife over the Toyota WS fluid?
Car Care Nut says to stick with Toyota WS fluid so that's what I do. For engine oil I'll use Costco or Mobile One. On my last fluid change for the diffs/tc I used the Toyota stuff at a silly $70/qt. It's about time to do another fluid change. Car Car Nut said Valvoline 75W-90 synthetic for everything is OK so that's what I'm doing.
Yes, it's a full synthetic fluid, which Toyota WS is not. Lots of folks use MaxLife in Toyota transmissions and it works very well. I read up on it extensively (which you can do as well) prior to first using it in 2020 and have been happy with it for the past 45K miles or so. CCN is entitled to his opinion, but it's just that. (note he says "use the OE fluids" but isn't providing evidence that non-OEs cause problems) However, certainly use WS if you want to and if you are more comfortable with it.
I would also avoid drain-and-fills. You're mixing new clean fluid with old contaminated fluid. I've compared it to taking a glass of muddy water, pouring out a quarter of it, adding clean water, and drinking it. You're still drinking dirty water that contaminates the new water your just poured in. It's much better to just get all of the old fluid out and add in fresh fluid.
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r2m
Richard
There's lots of info about adding an additional cooler or replacing stock with a larger one on this forum. If you do an "Advanced Search" you'll find the threads.
But in short, in everything I've read it's a pretty easy install. Lots of room behind the front grill and plumbing is pretty easy. The coolers themselves are also pretty cheap too.
Something on my bucket list to do.
My 2nd gen '13 Taco had the A750 tranny and some people were looking to swap it out for the A760 LOL. Which is pretty much impossible to do because of the ECU. The A760 is used on
2010+ Tundra 4.6L 4WD
2010+ Sequoia 4.6L 4WD
2010+ Lexus GX 460
That is a lot of vehicles in total since 2010 and with the mileage on some of the older ones they are failing. Other day on FB another GX460 tranny bit the dust and the backlog is down to ~90 now, a couple of months ago it was 140.
Good chance my 19 GX will be my last vehicle and want it to last long enough to be if that is the case. But agree that they should last longer than they do. The water pump and radiator should last longer then 7 years/70K that is going back in time, not forward. At one time you could buy water side kits for domestic vehicles that included radiator, water pump, belt, hoses, idler and tension pulleys etc. and was standard practice to replace OEM at 50K. I will build my own "kit" and do mine at 70K which should be 7 years for me. The 4.6 does seem to be going backwards and is not the same as the Tacoma. Or 4Runner. But preventive maintenance can help.
Sealed transmission as mentioned isn't helping. Mine has 42K on it and have a Hayden 698 cooler in the garage. Mountain Passes mounting bracket and kit came yesterday for it. I will do a fluid change and pan drop and filter replacement when it is installed. And pin the factory ATF heater open because the Hayden has a stat which I am hoping is lower temp than the factory warmer that appears to be ~200°. Too warm.
I agree with Rednexus and will change ATF at each ~40-50K. Personal preference and some experience having dealt with the Navy Oil Analysis Program for 20 years on machinery I will stay with OEM fluids for the engine and transmission. But probably doesn't make a hill of beans difference at the end of the day as long as you don't mix fluids. If we had to add more than 10% fluid then it was mandated that we did a complete fluid change.
Given your location which is in the tropics I would pin your factory tranny warmer open and leave it that way when you change your ATF, you will never need it. As long as you don't go too far North.
That has been the concerned since I purchased my 2021 used. The amount of old 460s with transmission issues that I have seen in the FB groups is unreal. I would say 90% of them would not make it to even 200k, Granted this has been exacerbated with the fact that dealers are not promoting replacing these fluids at the correct intervals. I bet many of the issues that people are experiencing are 2nd or 3 owners that don't know the history of the vehicle and the previous owners have not replaced the fluid because the dealer did not advise on it. Now, what is it not the same case with the 4runners and other vehicles with the A750F Transmission? . Would be nice to know someone that know these transmissions well to know if there are major differences b/w the A750F and A760F
A760 is not much different than the A750 other than having a 6th gear.
Remember most 470s had an external AT cooler while most 460s did not. Also that thermostat setup was added on the 460 as well.
Even this was added in recent years for 60k mile AT service
Remember most 470s had an external AT cooler while most 460s did not. Also that thermostat setup was added on the 460 as well.
Even this was added in recent years for 60k mile AT service
r2m
Richard
Ha-ha-ha! I have to laugh at your second line, "... I would say 90% of them would not make it to even 200k..."
We are SOoo spoiled with the reliability of Toyota's.
Most all U.S. and European vehicles would be LUCKY to get HALF that many miles out of the any part of the drive train! My son-in-law's father has a job where he really loads up the miles quickly on his truck. He loves American trucks but ALWAYS trades them in for another new one just after it hits 6 digits on the odometer within a couple years. Just doesn't trust them much after 100,000 miles.
And we complain about not getting 200k miles! Ha-ha-ha!!!
Every Toyota product we've had, I think 6? We've had over a quarter million miles on before we gave them up. And the reason was usually because they were just "looking" really tired. The paints clear coat was peeling all of and paint was terrible, the interior was torn and falling apart, old technology, etc. BUT everyone of those Toyota's was mechanically solid and could have driven cross county with no issues!
