What Are The Symptoms Of Low Transmission Fluid?

May 27, 2020 | By Mister Transmission

What Are The Symptoms Of Low Transmission Fluid?

Keeping a sufficient level of transmission fluid is crucial. If you drive with insufficient transmission fluid, you run the risk of compromising road safety, destroying critical system components, and having to pay exorbitant repair and part replacement costs.

Fortunately, transmission fluid is relatively cheap, and keeping yours at the optimal level is easy, especially if you know how to spot the signs of fluid shortages.

Read on to learn some transmission fluid fundamentals, and find how to spot the signs of low transmission fluid before it costs you an arm-and-a-leg and contact a Mister Transmission technician to book a free inspection and same-day quote at a shop near you.

Transmission fluid fundamentals: 6 reasons to stay on the level

Automatic transmission fluid is the life blood of the automatic transmission. It is also used in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and occasionally in manual transmissions, though the latter more commonly uses transmission oil. In all cases, transmission fluids play a similar role, keeping your system running as intended and increasing the service life of critical components by:

  • Lubricating your vehicle’s mechanical parts
  • Maintaining fluid pressure
  • Cooling your transmission system
  • Preventing aeration
  • Conditioning the gasket
  • Preventing rust formation

Given this wide range of benefits, it should come as no surprise that low levels of transmission fluid can cause all sorts of problems. And the more you know about these problems and their warning signs, the greater your odds of preventing minor issues from snowballing into major expenses and safety concerns.

Read on to learn more, or contact your local Mister Transmission to speak directly with a certified transmission specialist near you.

Save on transmission service: 7 signs of low transmission fluid

Insufficient transmission fluid can cause or contribute to a whole host of problems, some of which can be detected without any special training or equipment. To save on transmission service, watch out for the following low-fluid warning signs:

  • Slow Gear Engagement
    With a low level of transmission fluid comes low levels of pressure. This can mean that your transmission is slow to engage when you shift gears. If you find that your transmission takes a second to engage into drive or reverse, it’s time to check your transmission fluid level.
  • Problems Shifting Gears
    Slow gear engagement isn’t the only problem you might encounter when you try to gear up or down. If you feel any resistance, grinding, or friction when you try to shift, something’s awry, and there’s a good chance that low transmission fluid is to blame.
  • Transmission Overheating
    As the old saying goes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire! While your transmission system may not burst into flames, low fluid can create excess friction and heat that causes varnish to form on metal parts, seals to harden, and clutches/transmission bands to slip.
  • Warning Light Turns On
    If your “Check Engine” light turns on, there’s a chance that your transmission system is acting up. Of course, there could be many other causes, so we recommend looking for symptom clusters (i.e. two or more symptoms of insufficient transmission fluid) to confirm, or booking a free road test and multicheckto pinpoint the problem.
  • Slipping Gears
    Sometimes, instead of making it too hard to shift gears, low transmission fluid causes the opposite problem, making it so shift-sensitive that it slips out of gear on its own, without any input from the driver. As you might have guessed, this is a serious problem, one that can jeopardize road safety for you and nearby drivers. This usually occurs shortly after you have switched gears and it usually slips into neutral, but not always. Again, low transmission fluid can cause this because of low hydraulic pressure.
  • Funny Noises
    Your transmission will often tell you if something is wrong, as long as you know how to listen. Fortunately, even a transmission tyro will have no problem determining when something’s awry—it just sounds wrong, even to an inexperienced ear. Manual transmissions tend to clunk and grind, whereas automatic transmissions whine, whir, and hum. If you hear any of these odd noises while you’re behind the wheel, you could have a faulty transmission on your hands, and low transmission fluid may be at the root of the problem. But you’ll need to contact a transmission professional to know for sure.
  • Transmission Fluid Where It’s Not Supposed to Be
    Another way you can tell if you have low transmission fluid is if the fluid is not where it’s supposed to be, e.g., on your driveway. If you see patches of reddish liquid leaking out of your vehicle and pooling under your car, you could be low on transmission fluid, and additional repairs may be needed.

Where to fill up on transmission fluid near me: Call Mister Transmission

With Mister Transmission on your team, maintaining the correct transmission fluid levels is easy.

For your convenience, we offer:

To book a free transmission road test and multicheck, and get a same-day quote on any service, you can:

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Customer Reviews
I took my car for...
Sal Ayed
I took my car for a transmission issue. Noah welcomed me and listened carefully to my problem. He diagnosed the issue and explained not only the problem, but also inspected the car and informed me about what it needs… I went to pick it up and he refused to charge me !!!! I never seen an honest and caring mechanic for a while now…. The shop won me as a customer and I will refer all my friends and family to it… unbelievable service wow…. Good job Noah.
Date: December 12, 2024
Website: Google
Fast and professionally done work....
Lin Kevin
Fast and professionally done work. No complaints and would highly recommend services to anyone with transmission issues. They replaced my oil and filter in 3 hrs with no problems!
Date: December 11, 2024
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Recently had my car towed...
Jay J.
Recently had my car towed there as I had them repair my torque converter in 2020. Since the engine would rev but was struggling to move faster than 20kmph, and eventually just stopped moving completely, I thought it may be the torque converter again. Phil was able to diagnose the issue as my passenger axle and gave me a estimate for the repair of $1100, but that parts would need to be ordered. A few days later Phil called back with good news that they were able to reuse the bracket and the bill was now just $650, a lot less than the $1100 and a far cry from the almost $4000 I feared (thinking it was the transmission). There was a slight blip at after hours pickup as the dash codes were not cleared, but Neil was able to take care of it the next business day. Overall very happy with the work (both in 2020 and now in 2024) and I do recommend them. They are genuine and are honestly trying to do best by their customers. The car drives great once again. :)
Date: December 11, 2024
Website: Google
The quote given was given...
Pierre Houle
The quote given was given confidently. I was encouraged by their knowledge and experience. The quote was accurate and they fit in the repair so I could get my vehicle back the same day. We'll done.
Date: December 10, 2024
Website: Google
They have done several large...
Peter Hughes
They have done several large transmissions jobs for my company and I have never had an issue. Highly recommend.
Date: December 10, 2024
Website: Google
Peter is the best and...
Andy Couto
Peter is the best and I trust him because he is honest.
Date: December 9, 2024
Website: Google
I've just recently had my...
Dave Poole
I've just recently had my transmission replaced on my vehicle. I chose Mr. Transmission based on many reviews over a long period of time being a senior myself! Upon contacting Mr. Transmission located at 265 Centennial Road in Hamilton Ontario, I had the pleasure to speak to a very fine gentleman named Dan Burgess. Not only did he assist me with the transmission dilemma I was facing but also went the entire distance being extremely knowledgeable, courteous, respectable and offering any help as I desired with no hesitation! I personally commend Mr. Burgess for his professionalism! High regards! Sincerely, David Poole.
Date: December 9, 2024
Website: Google
Good and honest people
A Malik
Good and honest people
Date: December 9, 2024
Website: Google
Chris was great to deal...
Justin Clarke
Chris was great to deal with and having a vehicle to use during my service was a huge bonus. I just purchased a transmission service and will continue to use Mr. transmission at the Owen Sound location in the future.
Date: December 8, 2024
Website: Google
Excellent service.
Brent Beck
Excellent service.
Date: December 8, 2024
Website: Google
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