PSA: Don't trust cheap transmission fluid flush kits

Bought a $25 flush kit from AutoZone for my 2005 Tacoma. Clogged the solenoid in 10 minutes. Cost me $600 at a shop to fix the mess.

4 comments

4 Comments

max_cooper211d ago

Man I feel your pain. I tried a cheap flush kit on my old Civic once and it turned the transmission fluid into chocolate milk inside of 5 minutes. My buddy still calls me "flush master" to this day, and not in a good way. Take it from someone who learned the hard way, those bargain kits are basically a gamble with your transmission's life. Your mileage may vary of course, but I'd rather pay for the good stuff upfront than get hit with a $600 surprise.

taylor_patel16h ago

Actually, that chocolate milk look is usually just air bubbles, not real failure.

max_cooper2116h ago

Nah man, air bubbles look totally different from actual chocolate milk. I've seen both up close and trust me, you can tell the difference. Real coolant contamination turns that fluid into a thick, milky mess that looks like a melted milkshake. Air bubbles are more like soda fizz, they clear up fast when the engine runs a bit. Chocolate milk sticks around and smells burnt. I'm not saying I'm some expert, but I've ruined enough parts to know the difference by now. That stuff is bad news, period.

richard_young8023h ago

Flush master" is a classic nickname that never goes away, I still get called worse for my own cheap parts experiments. @max_cooper21 nailed it, those bargain kits are just asking for a $600 reality check.