On a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the dipstick is usually in the rear of the engine, above the valve cover. On a vehicle with front-wheel drive, the dipstick is usually in the front of the engine and is connected to the transaxle, sticking straight up out of the transmission. [3] X Research source
Usually, you should not have to add transmission fluid. If the level is down significantly below the “Add” or “Cold” line, you probably have a system leak and should take the car to your mechanic to have your car inspected for leaks by a technician.
If the transmission fluid is a discolored brown or smells burnt, the fluid has been overheated and it can no longer protect the transmission as designed. The fluid can be tested further by putting some on a clean paper towel and waiting 30 seconds to see if it spreads. If it does not, the transmission should be serviced, or the transmission itself will suffer serious damage. If the transmission fluid looks milky brown, it has been contaminated by coolant from the radiator through a leak in the automatic transmission fluid cooler. Take the car to your mechanic at once. If the transmission fluid is either foamy or bubbly, there may be too much fluid in the transmission or the wrong transmission fluid has been used.
If you’ve drained the care completely, you will probably need to add between three and four quarts of transmission fluid. Otherwise, check the dipstick regularly to avoid overfilling the fluid pan.
If you’re simply topping up, you may need to only add only a quart of fluid, or even less. If you’ve drained the fluid from the pan, removed the pan and replaced the filter, you may need to add anywhere from 4 to 12 quarts, depending on the make and model.
