How to Check Your Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid

How often do you check your transmission fluid, and when do you replace it? Understanding how to check your transmission fluid on a regular basis can help prevent major issues in the future. Find out how this important task fits into your maintenance schedule with the Jim Hudson Ford team.

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Steps to Check Your Transmission Fluid

Follow these steps to check your transmission fluid at your Columbia home:

Warm your vehicle up by starting the engine. Place the car in park, and open the hood.
Locate the transmission fluid dipstick. This is usually near the oil dipstick on FWD cars, but you can always check your owner’s manual for assistance in finding it.
Remove the dipstick and check the fluid color, appearance, and smell. It should be basically clear. If it’s dirty or gives off a burnt smell, schedule service with Jim Hudson Ford.
Wipe off the dipstick, reinsert it, and pull it out again to determine the fluid level. If under the “Full” mark, you will need to add more transmission fluid.
Use a funnel to pour in the fluid, taking care to not overfill.

If you run into any issues as you check your transmission fluid, connect with the Jim Hudson Ford Service Department, located near Irmo.

How Often Do You Check Your Transmission Fluid?

Chapin-area drivers should check their vehicle’s main fluid levels every month, and this includes transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and engine oil. Don’t forget to use your owner’s manual as a resource for more details about what to look for.

Transmission Fluid Basics

As one of the most complex and crucial components of your vehicle, the transmission requires extreme attention and care, and a major part of that is checking your transmission fluid. Consider these tips:

Just like engine oil, not all transmission fluid is the same. New Ford models require a certain type of transmission fluid, while older models may use something different. The same is true for manual vs automatic transmissions. Your owner’s manual will specify exactly which transmission fluid to use.
The process to check a manual transmission’s fluid is quite different. You will need to use a jack to access a plug beneath the car. The Jim Hudson Ford Service Department near Columbia is an option for drivers who prefer not to do this themselves.
Pay attention to how your transmission functions on the Irmo roads. If your vehicle hesitates as it shifts gears, your transmission may be low, or it may be a sign of a more serious issue.
Replace your transmission fluid entirely every 50,000 to 100,000 miles. This is a large range, and the actual mileage depends on your driving habits, type of transmission, and other factors.

Turn to Jim Hudson Ford For All Your Service Needs

Jim Hudson Ford is here to answer any service-related questions you may have, from how to unlock your steering wheel or how to reset your tire pressure light to what is tire rotation and how to jump start your car. Get in touch for more assistance!

Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, and license charges. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.

Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, and license fees. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.