There are two main things about tranny fluid: Show
Checking engine oil is a lot different. It needs to be checked when it's in the oil pan. In order for it to be in the oil pan, it needs to drain after it's been up in the engine. This takes a little bit of time. Engine oil doesn't expand as much as transmission fluid, so can be checked hot or cold. While engine oil is important to how an engine operates, the level isn't as imperative as transmission fluid. Transmissions are very sensitive to line pressure. As you get more transmission fluid into the transmission, the pressures rise. If left unchecked, the fluid will find an escape hatch somewhere and that somewhere is usually a seal. Blowing out the front main seal (or where the torque converter rides) requires a transmission pull to fix. This isn't something you want to do every day. Engines don't have the pressure effect which transmissions do. The pressure is regulated at the pump and mainly needs to have oil flow in order to operate efficiently. Most engine manufacturers are good down to even 5psi of oil pressure. There is also a lot of space in an engine for oil to hide. As oil gets pumped around, it sticks to walls and is all over the place. It needs to drain back into the sump, thus the 5 minutes of drain time. Not everything will drain down, but the vast majority of it will. This isn't how every manufacturer likes to have it read, but leaves things in a pretty good state as far as the level goes. I don't read this as a discrepancy in either case. I look at it as how they are designed/engineered to be checked. If your vehicle is experiencing any issues, such as hesitating when it shifts gears or if it makes noises while shifting, you don’t necessarily have to get a new transmission. It could be as straightforward as just checking your ATF, or Automatic Transmission Fluid. Your transmission depends entirely on this distinctive fluid, hence a low fluid level can have a disastrous effect on transmission operation. We recommend you check the level at least once a month. This will enable you to catch a slow fluid leak you may not know you had potentially saving a lot of money in damaged transmission parts. Your car’s owners manual should provide a detailed description on how check your transmission fluid level. If you don’t have an owner’s manual, here’s the basic procedure that will work on just about any car that has a transmission dipstick. WARNING: Checking the transmission fluid level requires working under the hood of your car with the engine running. This can be very dangerous if you aren’t careful. Watch out for moving components, such as fans, fan belts, pulleys, etc. If you aren’t comfortable with this procedure, always take your car to your local service station to have the transmission fluid checked.
REMEMBER: Always use the fluid recommended by the manufacturer (see ‘Choosing the Right Transmission Fluid’). Also, if the transmission requires more than a quart, or is using fluid regularly, take your car in to have it checked for leaks. If you’re ever unsure of the procedure or where to find the transmission dipstick, check with your local Mister Transmission shop. They’ll be happy to show you where the dipstick is, and how to check the fluid level. LASTLY: Unfortunately, in recent years, many manufacturers have started to eliminate the transmission fluid dipstick. Referred to as sealed units, these transmissions require a much more involved process to check fluid levels than in days gone by. The process often involves electronic testing devices, such as a computer scan tool. This puts checking the transmission fluid level beyond the capabilities of the average car owner. So if your car doesn’t have a dipstick, you should have your local transmission shop or dealership check the transmission fluid level at least a couple times a year, even if you don’t notice a problem with transmission operation. A FOOTNOTE: It’s also worth mentioning that a faulty transmission and one that’s just low on fluid share many of the same symptoms. But obviously, adding transmission fluid is a lot cheaper than replacing the whole transmission system! Either way, we’re always here to help in any way we can. *Rear wheel drive vehicles — the dipstick will usually be on the passenger’s side of the engine compartment, near the back of the engine. Front wheel drive vehicles — the dipstick will usually be on the driver’s side of the vehicle, on either side of the transmission. Visit your nearest Mister Transmission location today!
Contact your nearest Click here to browse all Mister Transmission locations. Does car need to be running to check transmission fluid?Transmission fluid expands in heat and in order to receive accurate results, it must be under normal operating conditions. If the fluid is checked when the engine is cold, you may get false results indicating the fluid is low. Allow the engine to continue running while you check the level.
What is the proper way to check transmission fluid?Check the Level
With the engine warmed up, leave the car idling in park on a level surface. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, replace it slowly, and then pull it back out. Check the fluid level—how high the fluid comes up on the dipstick—against the "full" and "low" or "fill" marks on the dipstick.
Why do you check transmission fluid when the car is running?It is better to check a car's transmission fluid when the engine is running. This is because transmission fluid expands and diminishes when it is cold. If your car's fluid is checked when it is running warm, you can easily tell its amount. But when cold, the fluid may appear low, and this may lead to overfilling.
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