Should car be running when adding transmission fluid

Q: How long should I let my car run before checking the transmission fluid?

If youre going to be checking the transmission fluid level at home, its a good idea to warm up the car before you do so. If the car is checked while the engine is cold, it might give an inaccurate reading when you use the dipstick. After driving for about 10 minutes, park on an even surface and leave it running.

Jump to Specific Section

Table of Contents Show

Locate the Dipstick
Transmission Fluid Tips and Maintenance
Signs of Low Transmission Fluid
Stage 1 – Checking the Level of Fluid in the Car
Step 2 – Adding Fluid in the Automatic Transmission Car
Final Thoughts
Get Lost in a Therapeutic Alpina B7 Engine Rebuild
How To Remove Window Tint
How To Install a Car Battery
Do you leave the car on when putting transmission fluid in?
How long should I let my car run before checking the transmission fluid?

Locate the Dipstick

The transmission fluid dipstick looks like the engine oil dipstick. The location will depend on your vehicle. Here’s how to locate the dipstick:

Step 1:Leave the engine running and open the hood to your car. The car must be warm when you check transmission fluid.
Step 2:If you have an inline engine, look behind your oil dipstick, toward your windshield, to locate the transmission fluid dipstick.
Step 3: If you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, look to the right of your oil. The transmission fluid dipstick will likely be located near your car’s battery.

Safety Tip: Cars with a manual transmission must be raised on a hoist to access a special plug at the bottom of the vehicle. If you feel unsafe doing this on your own, or you do not have the proper equipment, consult a mechanic for guidance on how to check transmission oil.

Once you’ve located the dipstick, it’s time to assess your fluid levels. The process should take only a few minutes if you’re familiar with your vehicle. Here’s how to check transmission fluid:

Step 1: Remove the dipstick. Make sure the engine is running and your car is in park or neutral. The parking brake (also known as the emergency brake) should be on as well.
Step 2: Wear plastic gloves if you have sensitive skin. Touch the tip of the dipstick with your finger. Rub the fluid between your thumb and index finger, checking to see if the color is clean and clear/pink. Look for burnt particles or a dark color. If you notice burnt particles or a dark color, you should have your transmission fluid changed by a professional. If not, proceed to step three.
Step 3: Wipe the dipstick clean with a lint-free cloth and re-insert it back into the transmission fluid. Remove the dipstick again and check the level. The fluid should reach the “FULL” line. If not, add a small amount of transmission fluid at a time, checking to make sure you don’t overfill.

Transmission Fluid Tips and Maintenance

Maintain proper transmission fluid levels to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Here are a few tips to help preserve your car and transmission:

Checking transmission fluid levels can be more difficult depending on the make and model of your car. Consult your owner’s manual before performing any of the steps above.
Check levels at least once per year. Many mechanics will do this as part of a routine service. You can do this on your own more often as well to ensure optimal performance.
Many experts recommend changing your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

Signs of Low Transmission Fluid

Here are the common signs of low transmission fluid:

A burning smell inside or outside your car.
Grinding or vibrating when shifting gears.
The vehicle is shifting gears slowly or not accelerating properly.
The car feels rough, particularly when shifting gears or performing tasks like accelerating onto the freeway.

Learning how to check your transmission fluid is simple and will help you keep up with your car's maintenance while saving money on repairs. Make sure to check out The Home Depot's wide variety of transmission fluids to keep your car in great condition. Shop online today and find the right transmission fluid for your vehicle.

One day it might happen that instead of starting smoothly like it usually does, your automatic car might just hesitate,...

Car Bibles Staff | Published Apr 24, 2018 6:27 AM

One day it might happen that instead of starting smoothly like it usually does, your automatic car might just hesitate, especially while shifting gears. The first thought that could come to your mind would pertain to something being wrong with the transmission system of your car. However, before stepping on the panic button and calling the mechanic, what you could do is check the level of transmission fluid.

Unless your vehicle relies on electricity for running, it is likely to use some variant of transmission fluid, which needs to be replaced once in a blue moon. Automatic transmission has been known to operate smoothly for thousands of miles, which is why it is usually taken for granted by car owners. However, given its limited lifespan, it runs out one day and the resultant friction in the system hinders with the smooth functioning of the car.

The process of adding fluid to your automatic transmission car is comprised of two stages, which are outlined as follows.

Stage 1 – Checking the Level of Fluid in the Car

Before adding fluid, it is imperative to check the existing level of fluid in the car and to do so you need gloves and a towel/rag. Then follow these steps:

Park your car on a level surface and ensure that the gear is in ‘Park/Neutral’ mode, leaving the engine to idle since it needs to be running for you to check the fluid level.
Pop open the hood by operating a switch and keep it raised at a comfortable height.
Locate the pipe which contains the transmission fluid and find the dipstick with the help of a manual.
In most automatic transmission vehicles, the dipstick comes with a handle, which can be used to extract it from the pipe. A rule of thumb in this regard says that dipstick in a front-wheel drive is usually placed in the front portion of the engine and in a rear-wheel drive it is placed towards the back of the engine.
Since the dipstick is likely to be smeared with fluid, you must have a towel or a rag ready at hand to wipe it immediately after having pulled it out.
Markings on the dipstick either read Hot/Cold or Full/Add and ideally fluid in the automatic transmission car should be between these levels. If the level is lower than these markings, it is an indication that a refill is in order.

At this stage you must make it a point to check the color and condition of the fluid. It should ideally be clear and pink, but sometimes it does turn out to be burnt, milky or smelly. These are signs of contamination and repairs and should be referred to a professional mechanic. Likewise, there might be air bubbles also, which implies the presence of too much fluid or the wrong variant being used.

Step 2 – Adding Fluid in the Automatic Transmission Car

To add fluid in the automatic transmission car, you must equip yourself with a funnel and a can of fluid. Next, following are the steps that you need to follow:

Identify the type of transmission fluid that would be right for your vehicle. Variant of fluid to be added is determined by types of transmission, gear and make of the car and is critical owing to the fact that the wrong type could cause severe damage to the system.
Insert the funnel into the tube which is meant to house the dipstick and add the transmission fluid in small quantities.
Having added a certain amount, check the level of fluid before adding any more so as to conform to the levels recommended in the manual.
Run the car through each of the gears all the way from first to drive, overdrive and reverse and stop at ‘park’ once again. Let the engine idle for some time as this would serve to warm up the fluid and ensure its circulation throughout the system.
Once again insert the dipstick to check the current level of fluid and add more if required. This is also the stage that will enable you to determine if there is a leakage in the system because the level of fluid will have fallen drastically.

Related Post: The Effects and Signs of Too Much Transmission Fluid

Final Thoughts

Hesitation of the vehicle while starting is a symptom that could either mean a faulty transmission or low level of fluid in the system. Therefore, it is advisable to first check the level of fluid in the automatic transmission car rather than assume that the system might have broken down and incur the cost of replacement.

Related Post: Transmission Fluid Change Cost

Sources:

HOW TO CHECK AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID – dummies
How to Check and Add Fluid to an Automatic Transmission Car – Your Mechanic

Do you leave the car on when putting transmission fluid in?

Turn on your car, leaving it in park, and let the engine run for a few minutes to warm up. 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.

How long should I let my car run before checking the transmission fluid?

If you're going to be checking the transmission fluid level at home, it's a good idea to warm up the car before you do so. If the car is checked while the engine is cold, it might give an inaccurate reading when you use the dipstick. After driving for about 10 minutes, park on an even surface and leave it running.