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NEVER Do This in a Toyota Automatic Transmission (Big Mistake)
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- Published on Mar 7, 2026
- Toyota owners - this one’s critical. If you drive an automatic Toyota and want it to last, there are a few major mistakes you need to avoid at all costs.
In NEVER Do This in a Toyota Automatic Transmission (Big Mistake), we’ll break down the bad habits that quietly destroy Toyota transmissions - from shifting into the wrong gear at the wrong time to skipping a simple maintenance step that can cost you thousands in repairs.
Whether you drive a Camry, Corolla, Rav 4, Tacoma, or 4Runner, these transmission warnings apply to nearly every Toyota model on the road. We’ll also cover the right way to handle cold starts, proper fluid checks, and how to spot early signs of transmission wear before it’s too late.
If you care about your Toyota’s reliability, watch this video from start to finish - it could save your transmission and your wallet.
💬 Drop a comment with your Toyota model and mileage - I see every comment and might feature your story in the next video!
Toyota transmission tips, Toyota transmission mistakes, Toyota automatic transmission, Toyota maintenance, Toyota transmission problems, Toyota gear shifting tips, Toyota transmission fluid, Toyota repair advice, Toyota driving habits, Toyota service tips, Toyota care guide, Toyota transmission failure, Toyota longevity, Toyota reliability, Toyota driving mistakes, Toyota transmission flush, Toyota mechanic advice, Toyota transmission care, Toyota car tips, Toyota transmission warning, All Things Toyota, Toyota reliability guide, Toyota DIY maintenance, Toyota transmission repair, Toyota owners advice
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Who are the idiots that coast in neutral for any reason?
2005 Toyota Camry LE four-cylinder. Just bought it a month ago. It has 100,000 miles on it. The previous two owners always took it to the dealership for service. Because of that I have all the records for 20 years. It’s still running great. Love it.
The Toyota 4 cylinders get great gas milage. And for an 05, has low low miles.
i’m having one problem though. Even at very low speed I’m hearing a wind noise on the passenger side at the dash vent. I took it to a body shop and the owner said it was just a air going around the windshield and body. I think it’s more than that, but I don’t know. It’s really bugs me, any suggestions? I do not hear it on the driver side.
@RB-hl3uxget a cigar and blow the smoke in your the compartment you will be able to see some escape or use a smoke machine.
Check your cabin air filter?
If you don't know any of this, you should not drive.
Ok
This advice applies to all car brands.
In other words, don't be an idiot! Don't drive with a cat on your lap either.
In California, it is LEGAL to operate your vehicle while your dog is sitting on your lap. Fact, I lived there for 17 yrs, saw it with my own eyes.
2026 Corolla SE just hit 175 miles. And the best thing is it’s paid off.
Lucky you. Have you thanked God for your blessings? I would and do.
The sealed unit transmissions drive me nuts with no dipstick to easily check fluid levels and add fluid when changing for intervals. I don’t understand why Toyota eliminated the transmission dipstick
Your tips are all pretty much common sense and apply to all car brands. I've got a 2017 Camry LE with the 2.5-liter four; it just turned 19,300 miles. Yeah, I know...a 9-year-old car with less than 20K miles. Side effect of being retired. That car will likely outlast me...
Yep.
I have a 1997 Toyota carmy and it has 372,058 and runs great
400k coming soon.
1:27 minutes that I'll never get back again.
Toyota Hybrids you should never put it in neutral when waiting at lights keep it in Drive (D) with your foot on the brake or use the Auto Hold/Brake Hold feature if available, as neutral stops the battery from charging, drains the hybrid battery, and offers no fuel saving benefit in these short stops, according to Toyota guidance and hybrid experts. Shifting to neutral prevents the regenerative braking system from recharging the battery and can cause unnecessary wear or even lead to engine over-speeding if fully charged. Why you should stay in 'D':
Battery Charging: The hybrid system is designed to charge the battery when you're stopped, but only if it's in 'D' (or 'P') with the brake applied.
Fuel Efficiency: Staying in 'D' allows for seamless transition and prevents battery drain, maintaining overall efficiency, while neutral does the opposite.
System Design: The car's electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) is built to handle brief stops in 'D' without undue strain, unlike traditional automatics.
My hybrid is the lawn mower. I am 100% fossil fuel: drill baby drill😊. No wind, solar or EV on my Tacoma. No Sir!
Even in traffic jams? Sorry for asking
@MowFlats Yes, when it is in neutral it prevents the high voltage battery from charging whilst it continues to power onboard electronics which will drain the battery and cause damage and in neutral the engine cannot start preventing the car from entering ready to drive mode. Put it in park if you are waiting for a long time when in ready mode in jams if you don't switch off the engine or press the hold (brake) button if your car has one. Neutral is only used if your really unlucky and the car needs to be towed or moved to a garage when it has broken down, which you may have to do if you keep putting it in neutral.
i don't shift to neutral on long stops. i stay on park. are you telling the truth or confusing owners?
So what's the truth? Shifting to neutral on long stops or putting it in park?
#5 is very specific to Toyota. You definitely need to warm it up to get fluids circulating. Thing about a dry rubber band and what happens if you try to pull it the way you would a normal rubber band. Let your car have its 3 minute warm up in regular temps and a full 5 minutes in winter conditions.
Good advice.
2019 Toyota Rav 4. I have 115,000 so far. Had a 2000 Cavalier convertible. It was still running smooth at 289,000 mi. Also had a 1992 Chevy Silvarado. It had 292,000. Sold both when my husband passed away in 2022. Purchased a used Rav 4.
Didn't want you said use manual let paint 😊
Good tips, for all vehicles
2015 4Runner 136000 miles and still strong as the day I bought it ❤️
I just got a 2026 Camry SE Nightshade edition in January. 745 km on her so far. Some good things to remember in this video, though not all apply to the eCVT system present in hybrids.
Sweet. Love Nightshade trim package.
I usually turn off the vehicle every time I'm waiting for a freight train to pass. They take forever!!!!
Putting it in neutral or park first is recommended
2011 4Runner SR5, 150000 miles and still going strong. This will easily be a 300k+ vehicle.
Have a Tundra. Over 400k. Routine maintenance pays off.
Yap yap yap-cut out all the useless yap and get immediately to the heart of the matter
I Agree they do this all the time,never getting to the point American BS
I love my 2019 Toyota Yaris- perfect city car-- completely reliable and small for parking!
@4:17 , there is a Cat in a Lap and why is AI showing us a manual Clutch Disk when talking automatics ?
About to buy an automatic hilux. Good to know these things
2015 venza 50600 miles
Geez low low miles
2007 V6, 146,000
2021 Toyota Venza limited , 65,000 miles. My wife’s car. She loves it!!! I love the ride and great MPG’s
A venza. Glad she likes it. Toyota doesn't really sell that many, but they are nice.
i love my toyota voxy..very smooth and does not give problems..
How about a tutorial on using the S selection while driving?
Bought a new Corolla in 2006, sold it in 2024 with 370K miles. Rann perfectly, burned/used no oil between 5K changes. Everything worked, no motor work ever. Original exhaust. Only routine maintenance.
2019 Camry XSE 2.5 i4 with 48k miles, slapped on a Borla cat back exhaust, AEM intake, and a Megan racing front strut bar
2018 Tacoma. 155,000 miles. Only problem was engine knock sensor failed (dame mouse eat the wires) the sensor is under the intake. Had to have dealer tear down the top of the engine. When your knock sensor fails the transmission slam shifts. I love the truck 4 door 6 foot bed Off Road
Low miles. 200k on the way.
2011 Sienna 255k miles
2009 Venza, 19600 miles.😊
Running on empty LOL ,how does a car that’s empty run .
2014 Tundra 235,000 miles
2016 Corolla Hatchback 1.8 Litre 6 speed manual 71,450km. Toyota serviced. Cooper tyres. Has never missed a beat. I intend to keep it as long as possible as I don’t like autos or hybrids.
I just got a 2026 tundra limited. It has 246 miles on it right now. This is my 3rd tundra. My last one was the 2019 limited. There terrible on gas but they drive like cars. I love them. This new one has improved so much. Im still figuring it all out actually. Its very smart. To smart sometimes.
Nice. Im going to drop a video soon on new Toyotas. Congrats.
2009 Toyota RAV4 278,687
2012 Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-Cat Automatic, about 355,000 Km
Just bought a 2014 Rav4 with 72,500 miles. So far so good. Paid too much but I got the 2yr power train warranty also.
Cool low miles for age
2017 Tacoma 4cyl 2WD 20500
2008 highlander 217000 miles
2020 Prius Prime SLE
I have a 2013 Camry SE four-cylinder with 226,000 miles and it’s still running
Still Running good. You gonna break 300k?
Does the electronic break/park engage automatically when parked? I have a 26 corolla se and i do see the button next to the driver seat, though dont live in a hilly area.
2023 Tacoma , 93000 miles
2010 toyota corrolla s 275000
2011, 174,000 miles. Runs like new.
My 2012 has 180, 000, and it is a beast
2012 Highlander Hybrid 258,000 miles and still going strong and in good shape!
Going to hit 300k
I use to shift to neutral in my 1982 Celica, manual transmission, down the long dowhills of the mm mountains of MT. No harm done for manual transmissions, not a good idea to do this for automatic transmissions as stated.
2021 tundra 99k black on lac
Just sold 08 highlander 121,000 miles no issues. Sold to young man who wanted toyota. I expect him to get another 50-75k before any major repair. Needs painting but no rust.
21 Camry TRD 46,573 miles
2011 tundra 111,000 kilometers. Runs great. Change oil every 6 months.
2007 FJ 200,000 miles
2024 4Runner SR5 45,000 miles
2001 Tundra. Little over 400k. Diligent about routine maintenance.
2012 4-runner with 170,000 miles. I liked it so much that I decided to get a 2024 SR5 Premium for my wife it has 10,000 miles on it
Nice.
And I have a 2005 Sport edition, but it’s just a toy to play with when I retire
2004 Camry 270,000
2017 rav4 se. 49000 southern region
2010 Venza AWD with 361,000 km
I hope I don’t make that mistake to my new Toyota Land Cruiser and my Toyota super grandia
LOL. Wife got a 2024 Camry 4 cyl new. DealerFolks asked why we brought it in to change oil at 600 miles and then at 3,000 miles. Wife said "Because we have a 2000 Chevy Express V6 with 303,000 miles on it following this OCI(Oil Change Interval) and we want to see if the Camry can do better".
Also, a co-worker saw me in wife's Camry the 1 day when I drove it to work. He said his Camry(2018?) burns a quart of oil every 1,000 miles....so I asked about his OCI. He said "I followed the manual, it said every 5,000 miles". I said "Exactly why we change oil every 3,000 miles".
Is it right to apply electronic parking brake at red light instead of shifting to P mode.
Why was there a Honda in the video 🤔
Just got a 2026 trd 4runner it has 7 miles on it
2020 CHR 51,000 miles.
Landcruiser j20 2005 97000 miles
Mistake Number 45,786.
2014 prius, 216000k. The wheelbearings& hubs rear just went bad. 3k oil changes, faithfully.
This is the same for all vehicles.
I have a 2009 Rav with 172,000 miles on it. I try to keep the oil changed, etc..
Oil stop-leak additive softens the oil seals too much, causing them to wear out quickly.
2009 Toyota Camry
The myth about the empty tank. The fuel pump intake is always in the same spot. Full tank or empty, it draws fuel from the bottom of the tank and will take up any sediments there.... there is this thing called a fuel filter. Just replace as needed.
😅 makes sense
Just got a Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD 2025 it has eco, normal and sport for the transmission. Can I be choosing different modes while driving the vehicle?
2024 Yaris Hybrid, when I put the transmission to neutral on stop light, an error lights up the dashboard that advice: "it only charge the battery when in drive"
2007 camry 4 cyl
So my Toyota is not a submarine duly noted lol
I have Toyota Yaris Cross Z Urbano E-Four Hybrid, 2025 model, 10,060km mileage!
2000 Corolla
2013 Venza LE 232,639 miles. Runs amazingly well!!! Best car I have ever owned!!
U hitting 300k miles
2012 Limited 483500 and still jumps up 70 easily
2020 camery 96k miles
2012 camry se with 2.5l 4cyl 115,000
My O3 Tacoma with 565,000 miles. Runs smoothly and sounds great. Original miles on transmission too. Crazy!
Over 500k miles wow. One of the highest Ive seen in comments so far.
@allthingstoyota I"ve got a remanufactured engine by Nutech I've had for three years. I may never need it. Also, a friend of a mechanic I know has $1 million miles on his 3.4 V6.
So, your Title says how to save your transmission and your 1st tip is don't Run on Empty?
Indeed
Yeah who knew transmissions needed gasoline.
How often should change granny fluid I've been doing it at 50k
60 to 80k is reasonable depends on if your towing and carrying heavy loads too.
Automatic transmissions have water-soluble glue for the clutch linings.
2001 highlander. 245000 miles
Nice. You going to go for 300k
2008 Toyota Tundra 200,000 miles
200k club
I have a 2015 Toyota Camry Le four-cylinder I have 145,000 miles on it. I just did a trans flush and put new trans fluid in and it runs so smooth.
Like butter
Was the transmission flush the first one?
I bought a 17 camry le with 157k. It shifts good and thought about a flush.
Not sure about prior maintenance.
I've heard it can sometimes mess the transmission up?
NEVER Flush your transmission..!! just replace say 6 pints and install a new filter
2005 4Runner, 277k miles, bought 8 years ago with 140k miles, original trans fluid as far as I can tell.
They say only flush trans fluid at suggested miles otherwise if going way over to just let it be. I have flushed twice at about 150,000 in a Chevy and both cratered not long after. I’ve left alone 3 vehicles and over 300k on a mustang and it still drives great. But I’m no expert but between 5 vehicles that got to over 200k and 3 of those over 300k it’s just my experience and what I read online from others
I drive an 06 4Runner with 203,000 miles. It is the best, most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I am in my 70s. The video was elementary but makes good points.
Still Running Strong.
Most of this doesn’t seem to matter with the hybrids. The shifter is more of a prop as it’s all controlled by the computer. When your at a red light, the car goes to sleep until the “gas” pedal is pushed. The “clutch” doesn’t really exist because of the ECVT.
I have to store a 2024 new toyota tacoma truck, I keep getting mixed advice. Should the gas tank be empty or full, and what other precautions should I take? Also, I do not have the option to drive it periodically, how often should I start and run and is it okay I run in park?
toyota corolla SE 2024 60k miles
First 2018 Rav4 adventure 165,000 second 2021 RAV4 XLE premium 63,000
2022 Rav4 Hybrid with 53k
2004 Camry XLE...335,000 miles and still going well. No major problems...
Awesome you gonna break 400k