Adding transmission fluid to your car is an easy task, but it is important that you do it the right way. Transmission fluid should only be added when the car is off and the engine is cool. The reason for this is simple: if you add transmission fluid to your car while the engine is running, or even just hot from running, then you can cause some serious damage to your transmission. Since the engine will still be hot, there will be excess heat in the transmission, which can cause issues like burning up seals, creating leaks and other problems.
So how do you know if you need to add fluid? Well if your car starts jerking a little bit (especially after shifting gears), or if it takes a long time for your car’s gears to change, then it may be time to check on your transmission fluid levels. If you don’t see any signs of low-fluid, though—then there’s no need to worry!
If you do add transmission fluid while the car is running, make sure you check the fluid level frequently and stop adding fluid if you start to see leaks.
Once you’ve located the dipstick and transmission fluid, check to see that the car can be started without it being in drive. If so, start the car and slowly add small amounts of fluid at a time. Ensure that you are checking the fluid level frequently for any leaks or overfills—and stop adding fluid if you see either! Using a funnel will also prevent spillage from occurring; just make sure it’s clean so as not to contaminate your new batch of transmission fluid.
You want to avoid any accidents where you spill a lot of fluid at once.
One mistake many people make is adding too much fluid to their car at once. This might seem like a great shortcut—after all, who doesn’t want to get the job done in one easy step? But it’s best to avoid this approach because it can cause a lot of problems down the road.
The most obvious reason not to add too much fluid at once is that you could spill some while pouring it into your car, causing a potential fire hazard. Less obviously, you may damage your car’s paint job if even a tiny amount of fluid spills onto it. If any gets on the undercarriage of your car, rust could develop over time and reduce its resale value or lead to more costly repairs later on. And if you spill enough that some drips onto the ground beneath your vehicle, you’re creating a safety hazard for yourself and anyone else who passes by while you’re working on your car!
You can prevent these scenarios from happening by keeping a close eye on how much fluid you’re putting into your transmission reservoir. Adding small amounts at regular intervals allows for better control and will ensure that no extra fluid ends up where it shouldn’t be.
If you need to top up transmission fluid while driving, stop the car and let it cool down first.
If you need to top up transmission fluid while driving, stop the car and let it cool down first.
Transmission fluid temperature is critical when adding or changing transmission fluid. Transmission filler tubes are usually located close to the engine, and adding or draining hot transmission fluid can cause steam burns on skin. If the vehicle has been running for any length of time, start by letting the engine run for some minutes so that excess heat dissipates from the transmission fluid.
Parking on a slight incline with the front end pointed down can help prevent air from becoming trapped in the system as you add transmission fluid through the dipstick tube. Once you are finished adding fluid, drive around a bit before rechecking your level.
Do not add transmission fluid in small amounts each time, even if your car starts leaking again right away.
To avoid damaging your transmission, do not add transmission fluid in small amounts each time, even if your car starts leaking again right away. You’ll just keep wasting fluid and may possibly damage the transmission. Instead, add a small amount of fluid and then wait for a leak to return. If you have to add more than five times, stop and take it to a mechanic before you cause serious damage.
If your transmission fluid is low or your car has started leaking it, you will need to check the level and add it back up again. The first step is checking the level: Do this by parking on a flat surface near a fire hydrant at night with the engine running while your car’s transmission is in neutral (if you’re driving an automatic) or in fourth gear (if you’re driving a manual). Just kidding! It’s actually as simple as pulling out the dipstick, wiping it off with paper towel or rag, returning it to its proper place inside the engine compartment and pulling it out again. If there’s enough fluid on the stick, that means there’s enough fluid in the pan underneath your car—as long as there aren’t any leaks happening elsewhere!
If you are unsure of how much to add or need help with checking transmission fluid levels, consult a professional mechanic.
If you don’t know how much transmission fluid to add, or need assistance checking your transmission fluid levels, consult a professional mechanic. He or she can do the following:
- Check your engine’s transmission fluid levels
- Top it off if necessary
- Inform you on how much to add
- Address any leaks in the system
By consulting a professional for this process, you’ll save yourself time and money by avoiding future repairs that would have been required had you done it wrong.
Transmission fluid should never be added while the vehicle is running, although there are few exceptions to this rule.
In most cases, you should never add transmission fluid while the vehicle is running. When you add transmission fluid while the car is running, there is a risk that it will overflow and cause leaks in your engine. If this happens, you should stop adding transmission fluid immediately and allow your vehicle to cool before checking for leaks.
If you are an experienced mechanic who knows how to handle these situations properly, then it may be okay for you to add transmission fluid while your car is running; however, even if this is something that would work for a trained professional, it’s usually recommended that people avoid doing it unless absolutely necessary.
