How to Check Your Transmission Fluid

You probably understand how important it is to check your oil and change it regularly. You may not realize that it’s just as important to check your transmission fluid. If you don’t keep a close eye on it, you might find yourself in a position where it’s either very low on it or even completely out. That’s why you should make it your mission to check your transmission fluid occasionally.

We should point out that many modern-day vehicles have sealed-for-life transmissions, which means you can’t access the transmission fluid. Luckily, the highly trained and professional team at Brewster Ford’s service center will be able to work on your transmission for you.

Today, we will explain why your car must always have the right amount of transmission fluid in it. We’ll also discuss how to check your transmission fluid level without much effort. Finally, we’ll tell you what you should do when it’s time to replace your transmission fluid. Keep reading to get the information you need.

Why Is Transmission Fluid Important?

The oil you put into your car’s engine lubricates all its parts and keeps them working as they should. It also keeps your engine cool while your car is running. Transmission fluid does the same thing for your car’s transmission. It’ll lubricate all the different bearings and other moving metal parts within your transmission and prevent them from getting too warm.

You shouldn’t drive around in your car with low transmission fluid. Without enough transmission fluid in your vehicle, it could seriously damage your transmission and result in costly repairs. It could even force you to part ways with a car ahead of schedule simply because you didn’t take the time to check on your transmission fluid.

What Can Happen If You’re Low on Transmission Fluid or Run Out of It?

If your car is low on transmission fluid and you continue driving it around, you might not notice any changes right away. But it won’t take too long before you see signs that your car doesn’t have enough transmission fluid. Here are several signs that should be on your radar:

• Trouble shifting from one gear to the next.
• Slipping or jumping gears.
• Acceleration delays.
• Strange grinding sounds.

Eventually, you might also experience total transmission failure. If things get to this point, you’ll have no choice but to replace your entire transmission or consider getting a new car altogether.

How Often Should You Check Your Transmission Fluid?

When it comes to your car’s oil, you should check it about once a month to see where it stands. While doing so, you should also check your transmission fluid to ensure it’s acceptable. You might be able to get away with doing it less often, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The last thing you want to do is put off checking your transmission fluid for months on end and pay the price for it.

How Do You Check Your Transmission Fluid?

We will give you a basic breakdown of the steps needed to check your transmission fluid. But before doing that, we want to emphasize that you should always refer to the owner’s manual for your specific vehicle before checking your transmission fluid. It’ll provide you with valuable information, such as the location of your transmission fluid dipstick. It might also give you more in-depth instructions on checking the transmission fluid in your particular make and model car.

Generally speaking, you’ll take the same steps when checking the transmission fluid in most vehicles. Here are the steps you’ll need to take to see how much transmission fluid is in your car at any given time:

1. Park your car on a level surface and pop the hood.
2. Look for the dipstick for your transmission fluid (it should have a transmission symbol to differentiate it from your oil dipstick).
3. Start your car and allow it to idle.
4. Remove the dipstick for your transmission fluid, wipe it off with a clean rag, put it back into place, and remove it again.
5. See where the transmission fluid lands on the dipstick (there are typically “full,” “low,” and “fill” lines that will be on it)
6. Look at what color your transmission fluid is (It should be reddish-pink and not a dark brown or black color).
7. Put the dipstick for your transmission fluid back and close the hood of your car.

What Should You Do If Your Transmission Fluid Is Low?

If you check the transmission fluid in your car and find that it’s low, this usually indicates that you leak. In that case, you’ll want to do more than add transmission fluid to it. You will want to schedule a vehicle transmission service so a mechanic can determine what’s happening. They should be able to pinpoint the source of a transmission fluid leak and fix it so that you can return your transmission fluid to the required level.

Contact Us To Schedule Transmission Service for Your Vehicle

Did you recently check your transmission fluid and discover it’s on the low side? Or did you check it and find it’s darker than it should be? Either way, Brewster Ford can help you get to the bottom of your transmission troubles. Get in touch with us today to schedule transmission service at our state-of-the-art service center on Route 22 in Brewster, New York. If your transmission is beyond repair or you simply decide it’s time to purchase a new vehicle, check out our online inventory to find the perfect replacement.

Photo Credit: transmission dipstick 1 by schwartz.mark is licensed with CC BY 2.0

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