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?
My 2008 ford explorer v6 transmission have shifting problems on reverse and from first to seconed only when the engine temperature is low
When the temperature reaches normal ooerating the transmission starts shifting fine
If i turned engine off and engine temperature dropps then shifting issue starts again
So while back my heads went bad. Ordered them put new heads in it a few days ago. (Before this trans wasn’t giving any problems) well we got it cranked up and running backed it out the shop. Pulled it around the shop. Killed it. Cranked it back up. Trans completely stop working. Yesterday I drove it no problems. Weather was ab to get really bad so I parked it. Few hours later get in it to go put fuel in it. Trans completely stop working agian. Today I get in it put it in drive takes off. Well I drive it for a little while. Driving there is 0 problems. But if I get to a low enough speed or stop. The trans doesn’t wanna pull. Unless I give it enough gas. I smelled trans fluid when I got out. But non was dripping. I checked it. And everything looked good on the dipstick. but I’m at a total lost with this.
Want move in any gear
Greetings to you all. I have a 72 Ford LTD 6.6 400 V8/ C4 trans. Recently noticed trans fluid in the driveway, but we have 4 cars. Fluid looked fresh, and didn’t smell. Didn’t know which it came from or if it was indeed one of ours or a friends. About a week later took the car out for a drive and noticed just a slight hesitation when accelerating, figured I’d get it checked on the next morning. That morning got no movement at all. Checked the fluid and it was empty. Owners manual says 4qts if converter isn’t empty, and 8 if it is. The car had Transmission Reseal Service January of 17 and had only been driven 3800 miles to this date. Upon adding the first 2 bottles of fluid,
It was checked and wasn’t yet at it’s mark, so we slowly poured and checked until it was 4. Around the 3 bottles mark we also tried going through the shifter around 5 min. It only started to move if you reved it. so we stopped and put the rest of the fluid in to see if it would move better when full. After the 4 qts it moves better than previous but still with slight delayed engagement. What should be my next move?
My car is a 2014 Nissan sentra and the car will start up and run but when I put it in drive it won’t go.. I push the gas but it does not go. It stays running bur when I push the gas it won’t ever rev up
My automatic transmission in my 95 Blazer has just stopped shifting out of second gear reverse first and second or fine nothing higher could that be low fluid or the two three solenoid how do I tell
And the car is a G35 2003
It’s not going into reverse wen it goes feels like it locks up n it doesn’t pass 3,000 rpms
I have a 2002 Ford explorer has good reverse and sometimes forward gears. But most of the time I have to put it in first gear and rev up the motor for a min or 2 before it engauges. Then it shifts fine and slips into 3rd.
It seems to have no power
I have a 95 Nissan Pathfinder automatic all gears work but when I put it in first or reverse it feels like brakes are on
Car shifts fine only thing is when you hit a bump or pothole the rear-end feels like it will shimmy/vibrate from one side or the other
Riding at normal speed and hit a bump or pothole cars rear-end seems to shimmer sideways just the rear of the car
hi my name is Carla i have a lexus ls430 2005 when i slow down to stop it seems to be shifting hard in first gear then when i make a complete stop its a harder bang someone said it was low on transmission fluid is that so it started doing this when i put new tires on it
I’ve rebuilt my 2013 Nissan Sentra transmission I need to know how much fluid to put back in it
Well trying to change the oil on my own I accidentally drain the transmission fluid from a 2008 Lexus IS 250 did not realize what I had done until I tried to drive the car and it had no power and was not moving forward. After figuring out what I had done and replacing set transmission fluid the car still will not move forward it acts as if the emergency brake is on and will only creep forward it very slow rate although reverse works just fine not sure what to do or how to fix it or what’s even wrong
4R70W..lost a most of atf topped off now I fear it’s to late…no reverse only shifts to 2 no 3 or 4 neutral when vehicle is off
I have a 4L60E automatic I pulled it out to change the real main seal an it was working perfect I put it back an now it doesn’t go into any gear
Stopped pulling while driving
Hi ,I have a Ford Escape 2009 3.0 v6 4×4 with 6F35 gearbox .When take gearbox dipstick out the oil explodes out ,or when check cold feel like air pressure comes out.this is happening after had the gearbox repaired month ago due to gear shift changes etc.It was also happening before .The garage said is was ok ,but it is not normal.Someone mentioned a pressure solenoid fault ?but not sure.Also the oil level was low when check today which i could not believe after been repaired.Any suggestion greatly appreciated.
I put a rebuilt trany in and it will not go in to any gear.befor I changed it I still had 1st and 2nd and reverse just no 3rd or overdrive.i put 11 quarts of fluid and it won’t move a inch