Can you check transmission fluid without car running

Published Sat November 3, 2018

If your vehicle has an automatic transmission—and it probably does—then shifting gears should be a relatively simple, seamless matter. If the engine seems to hesitate or stall before shifting from one gear to the next, that could point to a maintenance issue, and potentially to a mechanical problem.

• Before you panic, though—and before you take the vehicle in for servicing—note that the solution could be as simple as replenishing the transmission fluid.
• This may be something you have never done before, but it’s an easy DIY vehicle maintenance task that could save you a few bucks and a trip to the shop.

Locating Your Transmission Fluid Dipstick

The first step is to locate the dipstick; this will look basically like your oil dipstick, although color-coded, to help you tell the two apart. The exact location of the dipstick can vary. In rear-wheel-drive vehicles, it is usually toward the rear of the engine. In vehicles with front-wheel drive, the dipstick will usually be found sticking out of the transaxle, and in most cases is toward the front of the engine.

Checking Your Transmission Fluid Level

Once you have located the dipstick, you can now check your fluid level:

1. Ensuring that your vehicle is in Park or Neutral and that your parking brake is on, start running your engine. Leave the engine running for a moment as you pull out the dipstick, ensuring the engine is warm as you check the fluid level.
2. Next, dip your index finger into the fluid on the dipstick, and rub it between your finger and thumb. Hopefully, what you see is some pink- or red-tinted, mostly clear liquid. Pay attention to the smell of something burning, or to particles present in the fluid. Both of these are signs that you need to change the fluid right away.
3. Use a clean, lint-free rag to wipe the dipstick clean, re-insert it, and check the fluid level again. If you see some of that pinkish liquid but it does not quite reach the “full” level, use a funnel to pour a bit more transmission fluid into the tank—enough to reach that line, but no more! Don’t overfill!
4. Make sure to reinsert the dipstick when you’re finished.

Final Tips for Fixing the Transmission Fluid

Note, if you do add more fluid, there are many different types of transmission fluids out there. For optimal performance, you will want to use the type specified in your owner’s manual. Make sure you double-check this before purchasing the new fluid.

If you identify the signs that your fluid needs changing, and if you’ve never done that before, your best bet may be to bring it in.  Make an appointment at Meineke today, and ensure that your fluid is changed out before you experience any bigger issues or more serious problems with the vehicle!

By Ralph Kalal

If you have a late-model car, it may not have a dipstick for checking the transmission fluid. Not only does this make it difficult to check fluid level and condition, it also eliminates the dipstick tube or opening through that fluid is normally added to an automatic transmission.

Among the makes that equip some of their vehicles with no dipstick automatic transmissions are Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac (Catera), Chevrolet (Equinox), Chrysler (300), Ford, Mazda (Miata and MPV), Saturn, Toyota, and Volkswagen. At present, the unifying factor is that the transmissions on these vehicles are all of European design. However, the concept is spreading: the GM built 6-speed automatic used in the latest BMW models also lacks a dipstick.

If the vehicle does not have a dipstick, the transmission fluid must be checked at the transmission. This requires lifting the car on four jack stands; it must be level to check the fluid. There will be a fill plug on the side of the transmission case. This is not the drain plug located at the bottom of the sump. With the transmission fluid warm and your foot on the brake, cycle the transmission through the gears so that fluid is in all of the internal passages. Then, with the engine idling, remove the fill plug. A small stream of fluid should come out. If not, the fluid level is low.

To add fluid, you will probably need a fluid transfer hand pump, such as one manufactured by Mityvac that costs about $25, because there won’t be enough room for a funnel. With the engine still running, add fluid until some begins to pour out, and then—engine still running—tighten the fill plug to the specified torque value.

Some manufacturers, including Audi and BMW, are even more specific in their recommended procedure, insisting that the transmission fluid temperature be between 30 degrees C and 50 degrees C. (86 degrees F to 122 degrees F) when checking fluid level or adding fluid. But the Audi transmission should be cooled to ambient temperature before being refilled after draining.

But it gets even more complicated: some manufacturers require on some models, including Toyota and Volkswagen, that a proprietary scan tool be used to enable opening specific passageways in the transmission before checking fluid level.

Before attempting to check fluid level in a car without a dipstick, be sure that you know the proper, factory-specified procedure. You may be able to find that procedure on the Internet, but the best source of information remains the factory shop manual.

Does your car have to be running to check the transmission fluid?

What is the proper way to check transmission fluid?