check transmission fluid

How to Check the Transmission Fluid in Your Car – DIY

So, how do you check the transmission fluid level of your car? So, most of you know how to check the oil in your car’s engine, but the transmission fluid is important too. A caution is given at the outset that you need to check your specific vehicles’ owners’ manual, but in general here is what the demonstrator does.

How to Check & Add Transmission Fluid (Video)

To summarize how to check the transmission fluid level, follow these easy steps according to Advance Auto Parts:

  1. Set Emergency Brake
  2. Warm up engine
  3. Cycle through all gears
  4. Put shifter in neutral
  5. Pull out dipstick
  6. wipe fluid from dipstick
  7. Insert, then remove dipstick
  8. check fluid level
  9. Add fluid if needed

*Related: Oil Change Specials at Advance Auto Parts


Detail: Steps For Checking Your Transmission Fluid

First, he advises letting the engine run on idle for 10-15 minutes, allowing the engine to heat up to operating temperatures. He then cycles the gear selector through park, neutral, drive, etc, mandating that the vehicle is on level ground and with a properly functioning emergency brake so the car does not go anywhere.

There are two dipsticks, one for the oil and the other for the transmission fluid. The one with the transmission fluid has a distinct symbol indicating the engine, it looks like a starburst in some ways, check it out in the video.

Just like an oil dipstick, it is best to pull out the transmission fluid dipstick fully, wipe it clean with a cloth, and then fully insert and withdraw again. If the level is low as in the video, a funnel is recommended, and for this particular car, ATF Transmission fluid is preferred. You can of course purchase ATF transmission fluid by using one of the links from this website to Advance Auto Parts or AutoZone.

The demonstrator adds two quarts of transmission fluid until the dipstick indicates he has sufficiently filled the reservoir. He checks the dipstick using the same technique, wiping clean with a towel in between.

There you go – almost as easy as making sweet potato pie!

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