A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid level is when the engine oil is changed.

Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles (83,000 km) if the vehicle's GVWR is over 8,600 or if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions:

If your vehicle's GVWR is not over 8,600 and you do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, change the fluid and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).

See Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services .

Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may choose to have this done at the dealership service department.

If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.

Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage your transmission. Too much can mean that some of the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your transmission fluid.

Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transmission fluid level if you have been driving:

To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F (82°C to 93°C).

Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F (10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (10°C), drive the vehicle in DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature gage moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.

A cold fluid check can be made after the vehicle has been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off, but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five minutes if outside temperatures are 50°F (10°C) or more. If it's colder than 50°F (10°C), you may have to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low during this cold check, you must check the fluid hot before adding fluid. Checking the fluid hot will give you a more accurate reading of the fluid level.

Checking the Fluid Level

Prepare your vehicle as follows:

Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:

The transmission dipstick is located near the center of the engine compartment and will be labeled with this graphic shown. See Engine Compartment Overview for more information on location.

Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transmission fluid to use. See Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .

Using a funnel, add fluid down the transmission dipstick tube only after checking the transmission fluid while it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.) If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check. It doesn't take much fluid, generally less than one pint (0.5 L). Don't overfill .

Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled DEXRON® -III, because fluid with that label is made especially for your automatic transmission. Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON® -III is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.