Anyone not get flashing dash lights when using OBD jumper trans method?

I used the OBD pin 4-13 jumper method today to check Trans temp during a level check. It worked fine using the “D” indication light to indicate proper temp range. D is NOT visible as it heats up, solid D when in proper range, flashing D when too hot. Every video out there shows many flashing instrument panel lights with jumper installed. I didn’t get ANY in my 2023 ORP. My 2016 Tacoma had the flashing lights but otherwise worked the same. Is this abnormal or is the software different? I’m not too worried about it since the indications provided the needed info. But I was expecting the temp check mode to have the flashing lights?

 

I just watched “The Car Care Nut” video before seeing your question, I hope this helps.

https://youtu.be/NUAuGmDGntY

 

I believe his video is on a pre-2021. Mine doesn’t even have the same terminals in the ODB port as this video. I assume that’s part of the discrepancy.

Thanks to OP for updated pin numbers. I’ll have to try this out and get back to you.

 

I wish he had gone into more detail on using a scan tool in the video. He just said that is one method...

 

Yes I have watched it in detail before I tried. And I do not get the flashing lights. I also noticed some OBD ports in various videos are mounted with the wide edge of the trapezoidal shape upwards while some are downward. Mine is upwards and matches the Toyota procedure. Since the are only 8 pins across each row (top and bottom) it doesn’t matter as long as you count (from left to right) 4 over top row, 5 over bottom row. You get the same pins either way. I was expecting to get the flashing lights like I did on my 2016 Tacoma, but did not. However it still worked. I have the Toyota procedure which I will attach. It does not mention anything about flashing lights. But on my 2016 Tacoma I got them. Also the procedure says move selector from N to D every 1.5 seconds for 6 seconds. That is 4 cycles of N-D. On one occasion it did not ever give me the solid D. But if you get the solid D, you then place it in Park. At that point the D will vanish. You then remove jumper. Assuming the transmission was cool (less than 115 F) the D will appear solid at 115 F. You check level thru overflow tube while solid D. If you let the vehicle idle the trans fluid heats up. At 130 F the D will flash and it is now to hot to check. In my garage and a cool transmission, it took 16 minutes to get to 130 F and the D started flashing. I have run this procedure 4 times and 3 of them got the D to appear cycling the lever from N-D rather quickly. I just move it fast (1 cycle every 1.5 secs) until the D appears. It may take 15 cycles. It is hard to exactly do N-D every 1.5 seconds for 6 seconds. If the computer is accurately measuring the time delays, that likely explains why it may take a couple try’s to get into “temp check mode”.

 

Thanks for this thread @rmiked. I was sure that my obd connector was missing wires from those terminals, but when I tried to take a picture to show you, the camera picked up the terminals inside (I guess I had been looking from a bad angle, I feel like an idiot). I’m gonna have to try this tonight.

 

OBD Fusion app, bluetooth OBD adapter, done.

 

Which adaptor did you use? I tried the $100 job from Oreilly’s (I thought others were using cheap Amazon versions), and it never would connect.

 

$32 Veepeak OBDCheck BLE Bluetooth OBD II Scanner Auto Diagnostic Scan Tool for iOS & Android, Bluetooth 4.0 Car Check Engine Light Code Reader

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XKQQQW?ie=UTF8

 

How did this work out for you? I took a look at my OBD port, even removed it from the mount, and it looks like the lower pin 13 does not have a wire coming into the back.

 

I am the OP. As I said in original post, the jumper method worked great with “solid” or flashing “D” to indicate temperature. Just no flashing lights on 2023 ORP. The Toyota procedure doesn’t mention flashing lights. I assume it’s just a software version difference. Now that I have verified the proper filled state of my transmission, in the future I can just drain the fluid, measure what was removed, and refill the exact same volume. Of course since you are filling with ambient temperature fluid, you should drain it when it’s cool. Otherwise if hot when drain, the volume of cool fluid you add will expand to a larger volume when it heats up, in theory slightly overfilling each time.

 

When the time comes, I’ll just pay the dealership to handle this and be done with it.

 

Pin 13 on my connector does not have a wire connected. Verified from looking at the back of the connector also. Shorting pin 4 and 13 will not accomplish anything for me.

 

Anyone run into this on their OBD port?

 

You don't have to do all that. Drain and fill cool, add to trans fill plug until it runs out, start run through gears to fill cooler and lines, pull check plug and add until it runs out, install plug and your done. Better with 2 people if you have help. It's good you want to do it properly, but it's not all that. It's a technical procedure developed to look technical.

 

I don’t see a wire on mine either. Well that may explain why I didn’t get the flashing lights. However, the “D” indicator worked great (no light, solid light, flashing light) for telling you when you are in the correct temperature range. Perhaps the fast changing of the gear selector from D to N 6 times, put it in “temp check mode”? It worked great. But now that I have verified it’s properly filled, in the future I will just replace the same volume I drain out. Likely when cold. As long as the temperature of what you replace matches what you drain , you shouldn’t introduce any level error.

 

Has anyone found their factory fill to be significantly low? I’ve never checked my 2018 but I’m only in the mid 20s mileage wise.

 

Mine was about 1 quart low. I don’t consider it a big deal as I believe the total volume is around 13 quarts. Plus when you are checking the level the amount you add is dependent on how much you let drain out before inserting the overflow plug (when the flow stream starts chugging or gulping). You need to subtract the amount drained out during the check from the total amount added. So you are intentionally overfilling, then draining to the correct level within the specified temperature range. In other words, I could have only been 1/2 quart low. I really think you only need to do it correctly once. Then fill the same amount drained, which for “drain and fill” I believe is around 3.5 quarts. My main goal was to verify it was properly filled.