How to Check Your Transmission Fluid

Checking Your Vehicle’s Transmission Fluid

 

Inspecting the fluid for your model’s transmission is easy and quick. All you have to do is follow these steps:

1. Unlike when you check your car’s oil, transmission fluid is easier to read when the vehicle is warm. To start, warm up your vehicle by having it idle in a safe, level place.

2. Locate the transmission dipstick under the hood of your vehicle. This is typically found towards the back by the firewall and will likely be marked with a transmission symbol or specific color.

3. Carefully pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean with a lint-free rag, and stick it into the pipe slowly. Then, pull it back out.

4. Inspect the transmission fluid. This should include checking fluid levels (“full”, “low”, and “fill” lines are included on the stick) as well as the condition. Here are some things to watch for…

• Level: If you are noticing that your transmission fluid is low, it may be time for a transmission fluid change or it could be an indication that there is a leak in the system. Check under your vehicle for bright pink or red puddles. If you see any, make sure to visit a professional right away to avoid dangerous driving and more issues down the line.
• Color: Clean, fresh transmission fluid is a reddish-pink hue. However, if your vehicle needs a replacement, it may be dark brown or even black.
• Smell: While fresh transmission has a sweeter smell, fluid that is past its lifespan will smell burnt, an indication a transmission fluid change should be in your future.
• Consistency: Over time, your model’s transmission fluid will pick up dirt, debris, and more to keep the system safe and clean. If other issues are present, you may also find metal shavings. Make sure to schedule an appointment right away!

When to Change Transmission Fluid

To avoid possible transmission issues that can be costly, it’s important to schedule transmission fluid changes according to your specific model’s owner’s manual. This will likely be somewhere around 30,000 to 60,000 miles for cars with manual transmissions and 60,000 to 10,000 miles for automatics.

If you’re not sure when your last transmission fluid change was, worry not. Changing your vehicle’s transmission fluid early causes no harm to your model!