Do I Need to Change My Transmission Fluid?

Pay Attention to Your Recommended Maintenance Schedule

The best way to ensure you don’t run into problems with your transmission fluid is to pay attention to your car’s recommended maintenance schedule. Take a look at your owner’s manual and you’ll find recommended mileage and timeframes for all regular maintenance services, from transmission fluid flushes to oil changes and tune-ups. This varies depending on your car, so even what you read online may not always be completely accurate to what your car needs.

Why Does Your Transmission Need Fresh Transmission Fluid?

Over time, your transmission fluid starts to build up a lot of debris from the inside of your transmission. This is completely normal but with continued use, the fluid will be less able to do its job as it becomes increasingly contaminated and degrades over time. This is solved by keeping up with regular transmission fluid flushes to ensure proper flow throughout your transmission.

Your Transmission Fluid is Primarily a Lubricant

Since your transmission fluid’s primary function is to lubricate the metal parts inside your transmission, it’s important to keep it fresh. As transmission fluid becomes more contaminated, it also cannot flow through the inside of your transmission as easily. This can result in clogging and even overheating of your transmission. The longer you go with overly contaminated and old transmission fluid, the more you risk causing unnecessary extra wear that can lead to expensive transmission repairs.

Take a Look at Your Transmission Fluid

Whether or not you suspect your transmission fluid may be nearing a necessary flush and replacement, you may be able to check on your transmission fluid just as easily as engine oil. Check your owner’s manual for more specific instructions, but some cars have a transmission fluid dipstick you can use to check the level, color, and consistency of your transmission fluid.

Make sure you’re following other directions, such as checking while your engine and transmission are at a particular temperature and parking on a level surface, to make sure you get an accurate reading. If you don’t have a dipstick to check your transmission fluid, you’ll have to go to a mechanic to have it checked.

Pay Attention to Color & Consistency

First, check the level of your transmission fluid. The dipstick will have markers for low and full, so it should fall somewhere in between. If the level is low and you’re comfortable with finding the correct transmission fluid, you can top it off until you’re able to schedule an appointment with a mechanic. The fluid will also become both darker and thicker with time. If yours looks too dark or has a lot of particles in it, you should make an appointment to have your transmission fluid replaced.