.jpeg)
Driving your car through a low transmission fluid level is dangerous to you and the vehicle. Failure to top up the fluid is a hazard that might cause extreme damage to the transmission, the engine, and essential components that keep the car running.
What is Transmission Fluid
Most people have no idea what transmission fluid is and how it functions. The transmission fluid is the fluid that lubricates the transmission, the gears, the bearings, and metal parts of a manual or automatic gearbox. It keeps the parts from grinding down during movement, ensuring they don't eat away and tear.
In an automatic transmission, the transmission fluid causes lubrication to the moving parts and provides hydraulic pressure making internal parts function better. It allows a vehicle to shift gears with ease and without wearing out important parts. Whether your vehicle's transmission is automatic or manual, you use different transmission fluid types according to the vehicle's manual.
The transmission fluid serves other functions that include;
Cleaning metal surfaces
Condition gaskets
Reducing high operating temperatures
Enhances the rotational speed
Low-level transmission fluid
Sometimes, a malfunctioned transmission might trigger leaks of the transmission fluid. It causes the levels of the fluid to go low, which affects the functionality of the vehicle. Driving through low transmission fluid levels might result in permanent and costly vehicle damages and expensive repairs.
How do I know when the levels are low?
Warning light
When the level of transmission fluid goes down, you will get a warning light on the dashboard. The warning light indicates hotter temperatures than normal of the fluid, and there is a need to get the fluid checked.
Other Warning Signs
Apart from the check engine light, other signs could indicate low levels of the transmission fluid. They include
Color changes from its usual clear red color to another color such as brown.
Puddles under the car that might be a red liquid
A burning smell in the vehicle
If you detect any of these signs, you can use a dipstick to check the fluid level. Do this on a regular basis. If you need any transmission troubles diagnosis or repairs, we invite you to bring your car to our auto repair shop today for an inspection.