--- title: How to Check Transmission Fluid | A-1 Transmission url: https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/how-to-check-transmission-fluid/ business: A-1 Transmission (A-1 Transmission Inc) address: 670 East Grove Street, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 829-1333 hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday type: Transmission shop and auto repair shop in Reno, Nevada, since 1968; walk-ins welcome during business hours, appointments suggested --- - [Home](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/) - [Transmission guides](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/) - How to check transmission fluid # How to check transmission fluid On a vehicle with a transmission dipstick, check it warm, on level ground, with the engine running and the shifter where your owner's manual says (usually Park). Read the level against the HOT marks and look at the color and smell. [Call (775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333) [Get directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=A-1+Transmission+Inc,+670+East+Grove+Street,+Reno,+NV+89502&destination_place_id=ChIJZfhkfH4_mYARqc7eV_uhOws)[What is it doing?](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/symptoms/#checker) 1968 In business since [4.6 ★ 112 Google reviews](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=809418658926218921) ATRA Member shop M-F 7:30 am to 5:30 pm ## Check the fluid in five steps - Warm it up. Drive 10 to 15 minutes so the fluid reaches normal temperature. Most dipsticks are marked for hot fluid. - Park on level ground. Set the parking brake and leave the engine running. Put the shifter where the owner's manual says, usually Park; some vehicles specify Neutral. - Find the transmission dipstick. It is usually toward the back of the engine bay and often has a red, yellow or labeled handle. Do not confuse it with the engine oil dipstick. - Pull, wipe, reinsert, pull again. Wipe it with a clean, lint-free rag, push it all the way back in, wait a second and pull it out. Read the level against the HOT range. - Look and smell. Put a drop on a white paper towel. Note the color (bright red, dark red, brown, pink and milky) and whether it smells burnt. Checking the fluid takes five minutes and tells you a lot: whether there is a leak, whether the transmission has been running hot, and whether it is time for service. Many newer vehicles have no transmission dipstick at all; for those, the level is checked at a fill plug on a lift, and the job belongs in a shop. ## What the reading means Within the HOT range: the level is fine. Below it: the transmission is low, and since transmissions do not use fluid the way engines burn oil, low usually means a leak. Above it: overfilled, which can make the fluid foam and vent. Add fluid only of the type the owner's manual names; the wrong fluid can change how the transmission shifts. The [fluid types guide](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/transmission-fluid-types/) explains why. ## Color and smell New automatic transmission fluid is usually bright red and nearly odorless. With age it darkens. Dark brown or black fluid that smells burnt points to overheating; pink and milky fluid can mean coolant has mixed in through the cooler, which needs attention right away. The [fluid color guide](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/transmission-fluid-color/) has a chart. ## No dipstick? Many vehicles built in the last 15 years or so have a sealed transmission with no dipstick. The level is checked at a fill or check plug, often at a set temperature with the vehicle level on a lift. Without the right equipment it is easy to get wrong, so leave it to a shop. Stock photo: Pulling a dipstick to check the level. ## When to call the shop - The level is low, or you see a red or brown spot under the vehicle - The fluid is dark and smells burnt - The fluid looks pink and milky - The level is fine but it still slips, shifts hard or delays into gear ### Sources - [Automatic transmission fluid, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission_fluid) - [Car Care Council, vehicle care guide](https://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide/) Keep reading ## Related pages [Transmission fluid color: what it tells you Transmission fluid color tells you roughly how old the fluid is and whether the transmission has been running hot: bright red or green is normal.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/transmission-fluid-color/)[How often to change transmission fluid How often to change transmission fluid is set by your vehicle's maker and printed in the owner's manual, and it is shorter if you tow, haul.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/transmission-fluid-change-interval/)[Transmission fluid leak (red or brown fluid) A transmission fluid leak shows up as red, pink or brown oily fluid on the ground, usually near the front or middle of the vehicle.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/symptoms/fluid-leak/) Guides ## More guides - [Transmission fluid types (ATF) explained](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/transmission-fluid-types/) - [What is a transfer case?](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/what-is-a-transfer-case/) - [4WD vs AWD: how the drivetrain differs](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/4wd-vs-awd/) - [Manual vs automatic: care and repair](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/manual-vs-automatic/) - [Signs your transmission needs attention](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/signs-your-transmission-is-failing/) - [Can you drive with a slipping transmission?](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/driving-with-a-slipping-transmission/) - [Towing, summer heat and your transmission](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/towing-heat-and-your-transmission/) - [Cold mornings and slow shifts](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/cold-mornings-and-shifting/) - [Getting a car that won't move to the shop](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/getting-a-car-that-wont-move-to-the-shop/) - [Independent transmission shop, dealer or chain?](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/independent-shop-vs-dealer-vs-chain/) - [Transmission guides](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/) Answers ## Questions drivers ask Still have a question? Call [(775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333) during shop hours. More answers are on the [questions page](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/faq/). ### Should the engine be running when I check transmission fluid? On most vehicles with a dipstick, yes, warm and running in Park. Some specify Neutral. The owner's manual is the final word. ### How often should I check it? A quick check every few oil changes, and any time you notice a leak or a change in shifting, is a good habit. Service intervals are in the owner's manual. ### Can I just top it up? If the level is a little low you can add the fluid the manual names, a small amount at a time. Low fluid usually means a leak, so have it checked. ## Not shifting right? 670 East Grove Street, Reno, NV 89502 Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm [What to tell us when you call](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/call/) [(775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333)