I bought the car used with 95K miles on it from a Nissan dealer in NC. Less than a year after purchase I took it to a local ASE Blue Seal Certified shop to have the fluid changed and a new filter put in because I didn't know how well the previous owner took care of it or what his/her driving habits were. Everything was fine until a few years later. Early December 2023 the transmission started to fail at 124k miles. On a hill driveway about 8 feet high x 50 feet length, the transmission wouldn't reverse and had trouble going into drive. I verified there was enough fluid in it but it was black like it was never changed. I thought that was pretty strange especially when I looked at the fluid in the used transmission I bought to put in. It was a nice clear red color. I'm thinking that shop didn't use the correct ATF WS fluid that MUST be used with Toyota transmissions, NO EXCEPTIONS. Toyota recommends ATF change at 60K miles.

My commute to work is only 16 miles round trip. I made 2 trips to Florida from South Carolina and one to Alabama so I'm not putting much mileage on it. Less than 12k miles per year. it should NOT have been so dirty with no other color.

I brought it to a good reviewed transmission shop to find out what the problem was. They said I need another transmission and was quoted $6000 (dollars US) for a used transmission with 65K miles on it and 20 hours of labor. That price shocked me and since I helped a friend install a full car lift in his garage we decided to change the transmission ourselves.

I called a local auto salvage place and they got me a transmission with 65K miles for $2100, with the same year and model as my car and with a 30 day warranty. Probably the same one the transmission shop was quoted. Who knows.

It was a lot of work and a pain at times because it's the first time either of us had done an automatic front wheel drive change but we learned as we went, read a lot, and 3 weeks later it was done and driving well. Took long because we did it after we got off work and about a week of that was just waiting for parts. Had to pay $80 for a mechanic to do a re-code and reset to the computer and now it's relearning my drive pattern. Also needed some tools, a subscription to Toyota TIS, a case of ATF WS fluid, filter, new rear engine mount, CV axle bearing and it's mount, axle nuts, misc greases, thread locker and also installed a new serpentine belt since it was on the lift and the wheel and other covers were off. All in all I saved $3500 doing it myself.