How to Check Your Transmission Fluid

The transmission is what changes the gears of an engine, to move the car around Atlantic City, Egg Harbor, or Vineland. In order for the transmission to do its job, it needs clean transmission fluid. That’s why it’s important to check the fluid regularly.

Below, we’ll go over how to check your transmission fluid. Read through our guide and contact the Service Center at BMW of Atlantic City if you have any questions.

Checking Fluid in an Automatic Transmission

Do you own an automatic vehicle? Then, you’ll want to follow these steps to check the transmission fluid…

1. Find the dipstick, and pull it out. It’ll be red in color (unlike the engine oil dipstick, which is usually yellow or white). If your car is rear-wheel drive, the dipstick is usually on the passenger side of the engine compartment, toward the back. In a front-wheel drive vehicle, the dipstick will be on the driver’s side, on one side of the transmission.
2. Check the fluid. After pulling the dipstick out, you’ll want to take some of the fluid onto your finger and check the color, consistency, and smell. Make sure it’s bright red, has no particles, and doesn’t smell or look burnt. If anything is off, then the fluid will have to get changed as soon as possible.
3. Wipe the dipstick clean, reinsert it, then pull it back out. This is where you’ll be checking how much fluid is inside the transmission. If the fluid is clear, but doesn’t reach the Full line on the dipstick, then it simply needs to be topped off.

Checking Fluid in a Manual Transmission

Checking fluid in a manual transmission is completely different from in an automatic. That’s because rather than a dipstick, the fluid is in a fill plug that’s located on the upper side of the transmission case, which is under the car.

So, to check the fluid, you’ll have to complete the following steps…

1. Lift the vehicle up. Use a hydraulic floor jack to do this, and secure the vehicle with jack stands on all four corners. Make sure you lift the car high enough to get clearance underneath it.
2. Find the fluid fill plug, and remove it. It’ll be a bolt that’s located about halfway up the side of the transmission. You’ll then want to use a socket wrench to remove it.
3. Check the fluid level. Stick your finger or other object inside the hole. If there’s fluid on the end of it, then you’re good to go. Otherwise, fluid will need to be added until it reaches the proper level.

Why Checking the Transmission Fluid Is Important

Now that you know how to check transmission fluid, you may be asking yourself why checking it is so important.

Transmission fluid is what prevents the various working parts of the transmission from getting damaged. It’ll make sure everything is kept lubricated and cool, so that the gears don’t grind against each other.

Over time, the fluid can collect a great amount of debris. When this happens, acceleration and gear shifting will be impacted. And if you ignore the problem and don’t get the fluid replaced, then the transmission can fail completely, making for a very costly replacement.

Get Your Transmission Fluid Checked Today

To prevent transmission failure, get the transmission fluid checked on a regular basis. We’ll even make things easy by checking the fluid for you. All you have to do is bring your car to our service center at BMW of Atlantic City.

Here, our technicians will check the transmission fluid, and top it off or replace it, as needed. Plus, we’ll work quickly and efficiently, so that you can be driving around Atlantic City, Egg Harbor, or Vineland as soon as possible.

Don’t wait. Schedule a transmission fluid check today!