Toyota and other mechanics: advice needed (pics)

Does the fluid have an oily consistency? Smell sweet? Pinkish makes me think tranny fluid, but it might be halogen or blinker fluid...

It does not have an oily consistency, seems water based.

Thanks for your answer, what kind of drain plug is this?

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Pull the dipstick on your tranny and your radiator cap (when motor is cold).

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I thought of that, but there is no longer a dipstick for the transmission fluid in these cars.

One more thing is that this is a hybrid, so I'm not sure how the transmission works with an electric motor providing torque.

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Was the truck behind with the blown tire a White F350? If so that was my brother

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I 10 East yesterday around 11 am between Lafayette and BR? I looked at my rear view and saw the tire blow pretty explosively but he seemed pretty calm.

Speaking as a former Toyota Parts Manager of 15 years that looks like a transmission drain plug. As someone else said, it looks as if that plate can be replaced and that will resolve your issue but it's definitely going to be a dealership only part and it'll likely have to be ordered.

How much fluid has drained out? Is it just a small drip or is a puddle forming?

As you already know, there is no dipstick to add fluid anymore on these cars since trans fluids nowadays are made to go 100000 miles or more. There is a fill plug somewhere on the transmission though and if you feel you must, you can add fluid but make sure you get the correct fluid. Putting the wrong stuff in there can cause failure and lock up.

Is this a hybrid? I see some big gauged orange cables in the background of your 1st picture and that's usually indicative of hybrid electric cables.

If so, that's a game changer and that might not be transmission fluid.

In looking back at your pictures, that plate with the drain plug is either on the gear case or if it's a hybrid, it's a part of the hybrid system. It doesn't look to be the actual transmission pan and drain plug. In doing some googling, everything I'm seeing is the transmission pan is a 1 piece pan. So I looked back at your pic and that plate with the 5 bolts is either on the gear case or if it's a hybrid then it might be a part of that system. And if that's the case, that may not be transmission fluid. It may be some kind of coolant for the hybrid system.

Ooops... I didn't see your later post with you stating it's a hybrid...

Sorry for the multiple posts but I dug a little deeper...

It looks as if your car is a hybrid and that plate with the plug is on the inverter and that is indeed inverter coolant fluid, NOT transmission fluid. Hybrids don't have a traditional transmission and instead use an inverter, aka Power Splitting Device(PSD), in place of a traditional transmission.

Check out this YouTube video... LINK

No idea. But I don't recommend finding out. You're looking at 1000's of dollars for replacement of that inverter and it's highly likely insurance to cover it if they determine you knew there was a leak and continued to drive on it. Driving it with low or no coolant will cause premature failure at best and at worst will fry the inverter which acts as the transmission and is the primary charging source for the batteries. It's basically the "heart" of the hybrid system.

My emphatic recommendation is to park it and don't drive it. Have it towed to a dealer and have it fixed. File an insurance claim for hitting the junk on the road and get a rental.

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JB Weld and go trade it in

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Hahahaha! You jest, but I did that exact thing to a 1987 Camry when I was 18. Drunk with a few friends in the car and I jumped a bridge and bottomed out hard. Transmission started slipping 3 blocks down the road and I barely made it home. Jacked the car up and pulled the pan and it had a 6" crease with a crack in it. Went to pep boys and bought every tube of JB Weld they had and coated the entire inside and outside of the pan. Drove it like that for another 3 years and traded it in.