Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) has two main purposes:
What Transmission Do I Have?
First, it is the lifeblood that enables a transmission to transfer power from the engine to the pavement. The torque converter uses ATF to form a hydraulic circuit in order to transfer rotational force from the engine to the transmission.
Its second purpose is to cool the transmission by absorbing the heat created by all its moving parts and expelling the heat through the radiator.
If a leak develops or a faulty component causes the transmission to lose fluid and you continue drive with a low fluid level, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
In This Guide
- Transmission Slipping
- Delayed Gear Engagement
- Hard or Erratic Shifts
- Car Won’t Shift
- Overheated Transmission
- Transmission Failure
- Checking your Transmission Fluid
1) Transmission Slipping
You’ll know that your transmission is slipping when it makes a gear change, but then seems to falls back out of that gear. Other symptoms include abrupt up/down shifts, unusually high RPMs before a shift, erratic shifting, and a groaning or grinding noise coming from the transmission.
These problems may indicate that your vehicle is low on fluid, (which can cause it to overheat) and the friction material on the clutches and transmission bands are no longer able to securely engage a gear. This is a bad sign because it’s very likely that excessive wear/damage has already occurred.
2) Delayed Gear Engagement
Being low on fluid can cause a noticeably longer delay when you select Drive or Reverse, because there isn’t enough fluid pressure to immediately actuate the gear change. It may take 2-3 seconds before the selected gear actually engages, leaving you with plenty of time to ponder the fact that you haven’t checked your transmission fluid lately.
3) Hard or Erratic Shifts
Another sign is when your vehicle starts shifting erratically (shifts come later or sooner than normal), or it sort of bangs/slams into gear. An automatic transmission relies on hydraulic pressure to change gears, and a lack of ATF can have a negative impact on both shift timing and smoothness.
4) Car Won’t Shift
If there’s absolutely no ATF left in a transmission, it simply won’t work. No Drive, no reverse, nothing. Refilling the transmission with the correct type of ATF may bring it back to life in some cases, but you’ll still need to figure out how it got that low in the first place.
5) Overheated Transmission
Since ATF is responsible for cooling the transmission, not having enough of it can cause it to overheat – very quickly.
Signs of an overheated transmission include delayed or erratic shifts, slipping between gears, loss of power, smoke and/or a burning smell. If this happens, pull over immediately and let the transmission cool down. Temperatures in excess of 240 degrees can cause serious internal damage, so you really don’t want to keep driving.
Transmission Heat Damage
- 220 degrees – varnish starts to form on metal parts
- 240 degrees – seals begin to harden
- 260 degrees – clutches & transmission bands slip
- 295 degrees – call a tow truck
6) Transmission Failure / Replacement Needed
If any of the above symptoms persist after you’ve topped off the ATF, then it’s very likely that your transmission will need to be rebuilt or replaced. In this case, here are 8 options to choose from.
Checking your Transmission Fluid
The problems listed above can lead to some very costly repairs if they are not taken care of.
To avoid this, start checking your fluid on a regular basis. If you put a lot of miles on your vehicle or tow heavy loads, then you should check your ATF at least every 2 weeks. Otherwise, most drivers can check it once a month (unless there’s a leak).
• Always leave the motor running when checking the fluid
• Consult your owner’s manual to determine the correct type of fluid for your vehicle and the proper way to add ATF
What Transmission Do I Have?
What to Read Next
- Transmission Fluid Leak Repair Cost
- How to Check Transmission Fluid
- Overheated Transmission: How to Avoid
- Common Transmission Problems
Over to You
We’re interested to know – which of these symptoms are you experiencing?
Our 2012 Cad SRX, shifts fine at low speed. At highway speed, it sounds as if it’s in low and stays that way without shifting, unless I slow way down. Today, a mechanic suggested the problem is the hub assembly. He only listened to the car but didn’t drive it. I….drive it and it sounds to me like a transmission problem. It feels….like a transmission problem. So, hubs agreed to check the fluid level and we shall see. Also, this morning, the letters ALTC flashed on my dash board and, before I got home, my dash lights suddenly brightened. It’s a mystery.
Once the tuck gets hot and you but it in a gear it shut off what could that be it is a 1995 ford f150 and the transmission was relbit two years ago
My Honda pilot 2003 model , if starts in morning and move in a low pace ,its cuts off from acceleration and would just be raising without moving , and sometimes picks after few seconds of not accelerating and sometimes needed to return gear back to pack and reload back to drive before it will pick . but after much acceleration of about 20 – 30 km it stop for d whole day and won’t repeat for d day. Please I need a solution.
I found a automatic 2005 Honda Accord with a vortex v6..I test drove it around the block and it’s like it goes in nuteral when it goes to second gear.so I stopped and I put it in park and put it in drive and drove it again and it did the same thing like 3 or 4 times the fifth time it shifted.. I parked it..they said it has a bad aultanator so I didn’t wanna keep driving it the battery that’s in it i charge the battery but it was only halfway changed when I test drove the car..what would cause the car to act like it goes into nuteral when It goes into second gear.. what should I do
Should I check the transmission fluid
I found a automatic 2005 Honda Accord with a vortex v6..I test drove it around the block and it’s like it goes in nuteral when it goes to second gear.so I stopped and I put it in park and put it in drive and drove it again and it did the same thing like 3 or 4 times the fifth time it shifted.. I parked it..they said it has a bad aultanator so I didn’t wanna keep driving it the battery that’s in it i charge the battery but it was only halfway changed when I test drove the car..what would cause the car to act like it goes into nuteral when It goes into second gear..
The other day I had installed a new condenser for my 2014 silverado due to a leak in ac system. Next day took off for a drive when all of a sudden i starded loosing speed 75mph to and power. Immidiately pulled over only to find out that one of the transmission cooler lines popped off and leaked or forced all trans. fluid out. Topped back up so i can drive home. But now between 3&4 gear transmission slipps and or makes like Howling or humming noise too??
I’m in South Africa and I’m driving bmw 525i e 39 automatic, the problem is that the car is not moving at all, on D drive and R, it started with high sound as if I’m accelerating the Same time the speed goes down till it stops what might be the problem?
timing belt
and the car becomes heavy and struggles to get to 3
I have a 2011 Honda Accord that seems to shift okay but the rpm needle at times goes up then down and i hear a noise almost like when you need break shoes has i pick up speed and at times it feels like the needle stays at 2 and becomes heavy
Hi I have Ford Escape 2014 se miles around 147 thousand can you please how much cost for the transmission
I have a 1995 ford explorer, it has bangs and delayed engagement while changing gears. I have changed the gearbox oil filter but the problem persist. What can it be and how do I fix it? Thank you
I Have a 2006 Mustang GT with 110,000 miles on it and the transmission does not shift as quickly as it should , and when it finally does it grabs very quickly and clunks and sometimes does not down shift properly and it downshifted coming to a red light the other day and made a clunking noise and stalled the motor so I started it back up and put it in drive and it took a few seconds to engage so I took it to a Ford dealer today and they did some tests on it and checked the fluid and the fluid was full but burnt so they are recommending installing a remanufactured transmission.
I had my clutch replaced and the day I got my 2004 toyota matrix back my transmission started making noise any suggestion on what could have happened it’s a 5 speed manual transmission
I have a 07 Chevy classic truck 4.3L and there’s no shifting problems until I warms up. It won’t shift and feels like its bogged down while driving, is this the transmission or something else? Help me?!
Had 02 dodge ram 5.9 gas auto quad cab trans rebuilt 1 year and a half 14000 miles ago noticed last night slow take off like slippage out of the blue fluid level good pinkish red smells like fluid and looks like new fluid in jug but its been wind chill of -10 to -30 below here manual shifts fine ? Could cold just be the factor ?
My 2006 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor has been having troubles. A LOT of symptoms she’s having are listed here. One symptom she has I am VERY concerned about. She won’t go into 3rd gear. I just checked the fluid, almost none. The person who sold the car to me told me she had fresh fluid so I didn’t think anything of it…
Yes the tranny filler neck has popped out. Simple fix.. just find the filler to the tranny. Not the resiviuor. It’ll be the actual hook shaped, metal,( hard )tubing going to the tranny… A certified mechanic can tell you the name of this
My car was running fine no slipping no jamming then all of sudden I’m driving and it begins jerk and finally it just wouldn’t go. When I was towed there was a puddle of transmission fluid on the ground, any thoughts on why that would happen?
I just changed the trans fluid, a few weeks later it would not shift to third randomly get stuck in neutral and it threw a code for p0700 and p0776. Would low fluid cause tt he shift solenoid to through a code?
I had transmission rebuilt on my 1997 Dodge Stratus about 5 months ago..I drove it around town no more than 40 miles today I checked transmission fluid it is empty..do u think I damaged my car..what advice can u give me
.the car is running good just a little high idle that’s is all..thank you
very good thanks