I need a little help understanding how water can get into an automatic transmission housing under normal driving conditions. OK, well, wet driving conditions in the Daytona area of Florida where it has been pretty rainy recently.

My sister has a Toyota pickup truck with an automatic. It is a relatively new vehicle, maybe two or three years old. She took it to the dealership for routine service, which included changing the transmission fluid. They reported to her that the fluid was contaminated with water. They did not suggest the transmission was trashed but did tell her that was very bad. Well, a few weeks later the transmission began shifting "differently" and she took it back. They drained the fluid and told her they found more water. They noted the transmission would not last long if it kept getting water in it. She swears other than running through some puddles (she agrees they are pretty big ones, but lots of cars run through them) the truck is not being subjected to any water exposure other than rain.

So, do automatics have vents or something that could be out of position and collecting water to add to the transmission? Is there some defect allowing water to get into the fluid? Did the shop just fail to drain the whole transmission? I am not an automatic transmission savvy type since I avoid them at nearly all costs. Thanks for the help, Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Yes, an automatic tranny does have a vent on top, but I dont think water could enter unless it was completely submerged. On my stepdaughter's Mazda, the tranny cooler in the radiator failed. It put most of the trans. fluid in the radiator, and most of the water in the tranny Wasn't aware of the problem till it started blowing hoses due to softened rubber, by then the damage to the tranny was done

__________________
1971 R600 Mack toterhome (SuperDawg)
99 NU-WA Snowbird 34+2 SE 102 5er
If it's not diesel, it's not in my stable!
53 F100 617.951/auto
95 Dodge 3500 Cummins/5 speed service truck

mechmagcn,

Thanks, I will have her check to see if the unit has a cooler in the radiator like your Mazda. Thanks again, Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Does your sister have young children?

I know when I was around 7-11 yrs old, me and my friends would do things like fill the mufflers of our parents cars - then sit back and watch the water shoot out when they started their vehicles - we thought it was really cool! When my best friends mom would come home, we'd take the hose and douse the front rotors. Again we thought it fun to hear the sizzle of the rotor as it cooled off.

Well, her situation could be worse than little children. She has two sons, one just graduated from highschool, and he drives the truck regularly, but swears he did not submerge it in water. She believes him, and she noted he did not drive it after the first fluid change. And she has a 14 year old son, too. He does not drive yet, and is not likely to have paid much attention to the truck. He plays soccer in some Florida State wide league nearly all year and the cars are only a means to get to the soccer field for him.

If it was my car I would be pretty suspicious. My sons have been caught doing a number of unbelievable things, like wiping the hood of the 190E 2.3-16 with a piece of PVC tubing covered in dried mud, throwing rocks at something on the other side of the car, and, at about 4 years old, getting the rocks over the car about 15% of the time, and once, while pretending to drive, shifting the car out of gear, pulling the emergency brake knob and then riding the car backwards down a slope across the driveway and over a 2 ft. stone wall. I came home that night and as my headlights swept through the woods while I turned into the driveway I saw my 1975 240D high centered on the stone wall. My daughter ran out to greet me with "Daddy! Daddy! Did you see what Peter did?" Like I could miss it but she really wanted to let me know it was her brother, and then get to witness his slaying. Yeah, I remember being a kid......

Thanks, Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Boy Jim, that last story was straight out of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip! Always wondered if that had really ever happend to anyone.

__________________
1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Yeah, it happened and I was so flipped out all I could do at the time was tie a tow strap to the 240D and the back of my 190E 2.3-16, and have my wife drive pull me in the Diesel while I tried to drive it off the wall. It is humorous now and I wish I had taken some photos but that didn't occur to me until I had the car back on the driveway. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

LOL! - When my daughter gets old enough to really F up my car, I'll try and remember to take pics first before getting angry! I envision my daughter doing something more like painting flowers on my car with nail polish.