Genuine Toyota WS ATF 00289-ATFWS - 6 Quart Case

If you own a Camry, Avalon, Sienna, Highlander, RAV4, Venza, ES 350 or RX 350 with the six-speed automatic, the fluid it was built around is Toyota Genuine ATF WS, part number 00289-ATFWS. People usually land here for one of three reasons: a drain-and-fill is due, a light-throttle shudder showed up between 25 and 50 mph, or a quick-lube shop topped the transaxle off with something that was not WS and the shifts have not felt right since. This case holds six one-quart bottles of the factory fluid, enough for a normal service with fluid left over for setting the level.

What WS fluid does in a U660E or U760E

WS (World Standard, JWS 3324) is a thin, full-synthetic ATF with a friction profile Toyota matched to the clutches and to the torque converter clutch in these units. That matters more here than in an older four-speed because the U660E and U760E use what Toyota calls flex lockup: the converter clutch is held in controlled slip across a wide range of speed and throttle, and the TCM also changes line pressure strategy with fluid temperature. Gears Magazine (ATRA) lists the usual results of incompatible fluid as TCC apply shudder, harsh or flaring shifts, and shift or pressure solenoid performance codes. WS is not interchangeable with older Toyota Type T-IV or with a Dexron fluid.

Symptoms that point to the fluid

• A rumble-strip shudder at light throttle between about 25 and 50 mph
• Harsh or flaring upshifts, especially once the unit is fully warm
• Shift or pressure solenoid performance codes with no electrical fault found
• Dark brown or burnt-smelling fluid at the overflow plug
• Shift quality that changed right after a top-off with a universal fluid

How to confirm before you buy anything bigger

Fluid is the cheapest test, so it goes first. To separate converter shudder from an engine miss, drive the car in Manual 3rd: that disables flex lockup, so a shudder that disappears in M3 is converter-related. Next, drain, refill with genuine WS and set the level correctly, then re-drive. If it still shudders or bangs, worn valve body bores are the next suspect. Our U660E and U760E problems guide walks through that order step by step.

Fitment

Use this fluid in any Toyota, Lexus or Scion automatic whose owner's manual or service data calls for Toyota Genuine ATF WS. That includes the U660E/U660F six-speed behind the 3.5L V6, the four-cylinder U760E/U760F, and the rear-drive Aisin units such as the A760, A960 and AB60 in trucks and Lexus sedans. It is the wrong fluid for transmissions that specify Type T-IV, a CVT fluid, or a Dexron product, so check the manual or give us the year and VIN and we will confirm. Every part we stock for these transaxles is on the U660E parts page.

How much you need and how to set the level

ATSG gives the total U660E capacity as 6.57 liters (6.94 US quarts) including the differential, which shares the same sump. A pan drain gives back only part of that, so a single drain-and-fill normally takes about four quarts; the much larger dry-fill figures you see quoted are for a rebuilt unit with an empty converter. There is no dipstick. Fluid goes in through the refill plug on the case, and the level is set at the overflow plug in the pan.

• Measure what drains out and put about that much back before you start the engine.
• Per Toyota T-SB-0036-13, check the level with the car level on the lift and the fluid at 185 to 194 F (85 to 90 C), read on the scan tool as A/T Oil Temperature 1.
• Let excess drain until it slows to a drip inside that window. Checked cold, the unit ends up overfilled; checked too hot, it ends up low.
• The bulletin lists 30 ft-lb for the overflow plug and 36 ft-lb for the refill plug on the U660E; confirm against your model's repair manual.

A badly worn unit will not be cured by fluid alone. If the shudder returns after a correct service, plan for a replacement U660E valve body or a U660E shift kit to restore lost pressure. Our U660E fluid capacity and interval guide has the full bulletin procedure, including the gauge settings.

Can I use a universal multi-vehicle ATF instead of Toyota WS?

On a U660E or U760E we do not recommend it. These units run the converter clutch in controlled slip, and the friction behavior of the fluid is tuned to that. A substitute should state that it meets the Toyota WS specification, not just that it is recommended where WS is called for.

Is one six-quart case enough for my Camry or Highlander?

For a normal pan drain-and-fill, yes. Most U660E and U760E services take roughly four quarts, leaving spare fluid for setting the level. A full exchange or a fill after a rebuild needs two or more cases.

Is WS the same as Toyota Type T-IV?

No. WS is a lower-viscosity fluid with a different friction profile. Use WS only where the vehicle calls for it, and do not mix it into a transmission that specifies T-IV.

Where is the dipstick on my U660E?

There is none. The unit is filled through a refill plug on the side of the case and the level is set at an overflow plug in the pan, with the fluid between 185 and 194 F as read on a scan tool.

Will new fluid fix my 25 to 50 mph shudder?

Often it does if the old fluid was wrong or worn. Re-drive the car after a correct service and level set. If the shudder remains and goes away in Manual 3rd, the valve body lockup circuits or the converter clutch are the next things to check.

• U660E Fluid Type, Capacity and Service Interval
• Toyota/Aisin U660E and U760E: Shudder, Valve Body Wear, and the WS Fluid-Level Procedure
• Complete ATF Fluid Types Guide