The transmission fluid in your car makes sure that your transmission functions smoothly and properly when switching gears. Without transmission fluid, the gears in your vehicle's transmission would quickly heat up and start to degrade from all of the friction. To prevent this from happening, it is suggested that you change your transmission fluid at least every 100,000 miles. However, many mechanics suggest you do it every 30,000 miles.
Raise up your Solara using a car jack. Put a jack stand under every tire of your car. You need to do it on all four tires as you need your vehicle to be level when you are flushing the car.
Activate the emergency brake on your Solara.
Locate your transmission fluid spill pan. On the Solara, it will be located directly in the middle center of the underside of the vehicle.
Place a large drip pan under the spill pan to collect the transmission fluid that is stored in it.
Remove the bolt that secures the spill pan in one corner and let as much of the fluid empty into your drip pan as possible.
Remove the other three bolts that secure the spill pan while collecting any fluid that spills from the pan.
Wipe the pan clean using a brake cleaner and reattach the pan to the bottom of your vehicle using the bolts.
Open your hood and locate your transmission, which will be to your slight left. Locate the check plug dipstick that is just to the left of the transmission.
Unscrew the check plug. This is where you will be adding the fluid.
Locate your radiator, which will be to the right of your transmission.
Remove the coolant line from the radiator. Attach a hose from the radiator to a bucket outside of your vehicle that will be used to collect the old fluid. The hose must be the same diameter as your coolant line, and can be secure with a clasp.
Ask a friend to start your engine and leave it in neutral.
Notice how much fluid is leaving through the tube you attached, and attempt to add a similar amount of new fluid through the check plug.
Have your friend hold down your brake and switch gears a few times.
Turn off your engine.
Disconnect the collection line and reattach the coolant line to your radiator.
Check the dipstick on the transmission check plug line.
Fill the line full with transmission fluid using the dipstick as a measure.
Reattach the check plug.
Lower your car back down to the ground.
Deactivate your parking brake.
