Look at it from a different angle or there is just not much fluid in there. One of the two. I suggest adding a 1/2 quart to see if you see it. I also look at it where most wet and the glare is blocking my view.

 

Engine idle, cold reading. I marked where it was if it cannot be seen and I marked where it typically is for me when at normal operating temperature.

 

Thanks, the pics are helpful. It looks like you ignore the little bits of fluid if they aren't connected to the fluid at the bottom of the stick. For example, there is a little fluid just before the "H" in "HOT", but since it's not continuous with the fluid at the bottom of the stick, you treat that as stray fluid and not indicative of the level of fluid in the transmission pan.

Using this method, I should ignore the fluid that extends past the "T" in "HOT", since it's separated by a clear strip of stick from the obvious fluid at the bottom of the stick. So the level appears to be very low (below the cold mark), and I should add fluid.

 

Never remove or insert a dipstick into a running engine.

There are other very recent threads that discuss the problem, and offer solutions. You can use the search function or use Google to search this domain (site:toyotanation.com dipstick read)

 

Even a transmission dipstick?

I tried searching, but results are mostly regarding the oil dipstick.

 

With ATF dipstick you check with engine running. There are some exceptions that you check with the engine off, but not with these transmissions,

Yes, i’d also look for top of a continuous range. Check both sides of the dipstick.

Generally overfilled ATF tends to smear the dipstick. So take multiple measurements at different times, and make sure you really are low on ATF.

 

Remove dipstick slowly. This allows it to drip into pan... otherwise you will pull ATF into the tube.

The hot range temp is usually around 158-176F. So, you need a scan tool, temp guage, or IR gun to set an accurate ATF level.

ATF level check requires vehicle to be running, parked on a level surface, in Park, and check after cycling shifter thru all gear selections.

 

The earlier 2 readings were with engine idling at normal operating temp.

Here are 2 separate readings (dipstick wiped clean before each reading) after engine has been off for an hour, along with my best guess at the level - I'm looking at the 'flat'/no glare spot as the top of the fluid level, with fluid above that as just stray fluid in the dipstick tube. Would you guys concur?

If you agree with the reading, then it would appear that I'm probably a little overfilled and should take it down a bit before driving it around to get a hot reading.

 

After cooling off for an hour, AND then the engine started to run at idle? I don’t know for sure how much the ATF would’ve cooled. So can’t say about the level for sure.

Anyway, try again first thing in the morning. On level ground. With the engine off and cold, what’s the level? Maybe higher than the hot range?

Then, start the engine and at idle, wipe the dipstick and take a measure. What is the level? Around the cold range?

Cold range is for quick check only and should never be used to decide adding ATF.

The earlier 2 readings were with engine idling at normal operating temp.

Here are 2 separate readings (dipstick wiped clean before each reading) after engine has been off for an hour, along with my best guess at the level - I'm looking at the 'flat'/no glare spot as the top of the fluid level, with fluid above that as just stray fluid in the dipstick tube. Would you guys concur?

If you agree with the reading, then it would appear that I'm probably a little overfilled and should take it down a bit before driving it around to get a hot reading.

 

Readings from this morning (car off overnight); each reading preceded by wiping dipstick clean:

Engine off, reading 1:

Engine off, reading 2:

Engine just started, reading 1:

Engine just started, reading 2:

Added a few ounces, engine running, shifted through gears, reading 1:

Reading 2, less than 1 min later:

Added a few more ounces, engine running, shifted through gears, reading 1:

Reading 2, a few min later:

So it looks like when it's cold, you have ATF pooled in the pan and thus a higher reading. Following that logic, the Cold mark on the dipstick must be for checks right after a cold engine has been started (NOT with engine cold and off). Is that correct?

Readings immediately after adding fluid look pretty much useless as fluid seems to smear all over the stick.

I guess I'm still unsure as to what the level is. I guess I'll do a little driving, including highway speeds, then read it hot/engine on, and hopefully the readings will be clearer, and I can add from there as necessary.

 

Right, the cold range is for right after starting after being cold as in overnight.

The no-start range will be higher, as the fluid in the converter and circuits drain back. And once you started the level will drop.

I asked for those 2 readings (cold no-start and started) to see in what ball park the level is in.

Can you tell me what the level is at before and right after starting, as I can’t really tell from the pics. I could see the no-start level is somewhere above the cold notches, but unsure by how much.

Is the cold, no-start level past both the cold and hot notches?

And did the cold, started reading reach the cold notches?

 

It's very difficult for me to say where the level is, which is why I'm posting pics.

It appears to me that cold, no-start level is past the hot notches, but I could also see it as being between the hot and cold notches. Immediately after starting, the level looks to be on the stick but below the first cold notch.

I ran some errands, including a couple of minutes at highway speed. When I got back, I took a reading (wiped stick clean first, engine still running):

Looks to me like 1/3 of the way between cold and hot (closer to cold).

Then I added a few ounces, shifted through all the gears, wiped stick, and took a reading (all subsequent readings followed same procedure):

Looks to me like ~40% of the way between cold and hot.

Added a few ounces and measured:

Maybe 2/3 of the way between cold and hot?

A few more ounces:

Can't tell from the pic, but at the time, I thought it was just below the first hot notch.

And maybe another ounce (pics of both front and back of stick):

Again, very hard to say, but I thought it was just below the first hot notch, and decided to stop here.

Unless someone sees something I missed (very possible), I'm thinking I'll just check it over the next few days, and if it consistently looks to be just below hot notch even after a longer drive (or one in more traffic or more aggressive driving), then I'll add ~2 ounces and check again.

Appreciate the help, guys. I'm coming from a manual transmission, so reading this dipstick is like some mystical voodoo to me. I'm used to filling the transmission until fluid comes out of the bleeder and you're done - no reading/squinting/interpreting involved.

 

It looks full but like I said before mine is typically over the cold or over the hot when at idle at normal operating temperature. Seeing it "too low" worries me more than see "a little bit more" as long as it is not a lot.

 

This helps me do a cold reading on a 4 speed: The night before, I pull the dipstick and wipe it off, and insert but leave it 4 - 5" from all the way down. The bend at the bottom of the dipstick has to point left, towards passenger side. The next morning, I start it, wait 4 sec, run it down and up the gears, pausing 2 sec in each; leave it idling, push the dipstick all the way down, wait 2 sec, and pull it slowly. The dipstick side that was on the outside of the tube bend it will smear ATF, but the other side, on the inside side of the bend, the left side, the dipstick will have an accurate read of the level. I can generally get a couple of good readings before the tube gets too much ATF in it and may smear the dipstick. I trust two "1st" cold readings that are the same, and will top up based on that.

 

My procedure to read the dipstick when hot: After driving, leave running, pull the dipstick slowly, wipe it off, reinsert, but stop 5" from fully down. Emergency brake on fully. Shift into each gear for 2 sec, going down to L and back up. Immediately push dipstick all the way down, wait 2 sec, and pull it out slowly. As soon as it clears the tube, turn it so the passenger side is up and it is level. Keep it that way. Now look at an angle from higher on the dipstick along it towards bottom. Look for where the ATF gets thicker, there will straight line perpendicular to the dipstick. There will be ATF smeared on the dipstick from being removed and inserted, but will be thin, except for where it was actually in the ATF within the transmission. There it will be 3 - 4 times thicker. Look for the transition to being thicker, that's the level. I just checked mine in preparation for summer, and after a 15-20 min city street drive, lot's of shifting, 80F air temp, my level was 2/3 the way up the HOT marked section.

Update: I wanted a more accurate hot temp reading, so I borrowed a friend's IR temp gun, and after doing a similar run as above, the temp read 134F, which is below the range Toyota gives (158 - 176F.) After a much longer run today, it read 177F prior to doing the reading, which was 1/8" above the higher HOT mark (and the ATF had thinned out, so I didn't see the height difference - instead looked for a gap in the ATF coverage), 182F after. The cooling fans were clicking in periodically keeping the coolant temps inline (a/c off.)