If you have an automatic transmission and you’re having issues with it, don’t press the panic button just yet. Your car might just be suffering from transmission fluid starvation.

Transmission fluid and funnel

Some of the common symptoms are clunking noises during shifting, or your car seems to be dragging its feet when changing gears.

First thing you should do is to check the transmission fluid level in your car. Look under the hood and see whether the fluid is at the Full mark. If not, just refill the fluid at about the full mark. Don’t go over the line as it may damage your transmission system. The line is there for a reason.

When buying your transmission fluid, better consult your owner’s manual first to make sure that you’re getting the right one for your vehicle.

You should use a funnel and fill up the transmission fluid reservoir a little at a time. Don’t pour the whole bottle in one go.

If after putting in transmission fluid your car is still like before, check the levels again. If it’s no longer at the full level, check your car for leaks and broken gaskets. If you found none, then take a trip to your dealer or mechanic to have the transmission system looked at.

To prevent this from happening, you should do regular maintenance checks on your vehicle. For most vehicles, you should have the transmission checked every after 20,000 miles.

Info from:

Auto Repair for Dummies by Deanna Sclar

Image from:

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