Thread: New Hilux Auto Transmission Shudder?

Originally Posted by GR Journey's NZ

Thanks heaps for replying!

Sooo a little more info - the Hilux gets used as a Hilux, camping, overlanding etc (Insta: @GR_Journey'sNZ) so it sees fords regularly. Trans fluid is a red colour when fresh, removed fluid was like a clean pinky colour - no other contaminants, not mud, etc reported. I estimate around 150 - 200km were driven on contaminated fluids with no signs of any issues while contaminated.

After looking a bit deeper into Hilux wading depths, I've found 700mm is the max wading depth. The diff openings are on the top of the pumpkin, no more than 300mmm from the ground! Transmission and VSC have breathers on the top of the transmission tunnel but highly doubt they are 700mm from the ground.

I looked back over the invoices received from GWD and they have only "Replaced" the fluids and can confirm today via email that no flushes were done at contamination time. I believe this to be the crucial issue seeing the complexity of the transmission systems and the little crevasses contaminants can hide. The only way I know of is a complete transmission flush via a flushing machine ?


After a email today from GWD, they are blaming the contamination for the damage - I'm saying the system should of been flushed properly which has caused remaining water in the system. Am I crazy ?

Yeah, agree with Cambo there should have had a full flush and as mandatory action not just a customer's choice. If the customer didn't want to pay I would have been getting them to sign a waiver accepting liability for any transmission problem going forward basically voiding the warranty if the thing wasn't fully serviced and flushed.

As far as fording depth, the rule is no deeper than center of the diff housing unless the vehicle has been properly prepped - regardless of claims. What Ford has in the small print is that the 800mm fording depth also means that the thing needs to be checked for water ingress at the earliest opportunity it's not a "sweet, keep on trucking bruva" exercise. By special prep I mean axle seals checked and springs in the seals replaced with orings (which provide a more consistent tension on the shafts), breathers extended to the top of the cab somewhere, all low plugs checked and sealed with some form of semi adhesive non-conductive grease, and things like the dipstick tube orings (generally just a push in fit) and air intake joints given a bit more help to actually stay sealed.

The biggest problem with fording is that normally the vehicle arrives at the swim hot as heck, everything warm and expanded including all of the fluids in the diffs and if you don't give it time to cool before dunking the thing in (usually f**king cold) water everything contracts really quickly. When everything contracts, it drags water into the components and not just through the breather vents - it can pull it in through the seals on the shafts and into electrical plugs. The latter can be a major problem as it can put a vehicle into limp mode which might mean you need to be recovered from whatever you're in!