What Color Is Transmission Fluid? What To Look For In A Leak

Transmission fluid is one of the many important fluids your car needs in order to function optimally (not to be confused with the completely made up blinker fluid gag). Transmission fluid is made to specifically lubricate and protect your cars' transmission components, avoiding wear and tear. This allows you to shift gears without any damaging friction. Automatic transmission cars should change transmission fluid every 60,000 to 100,000 miles while some manual transmission cars may need a change as often as every 30,000 miles. Worried you've maybe missed that milestone? It may be time to check the color of the transmission fluid. 

Healthy transmission fluid ensures that your car won't overheat, have trouble shifting gears, or even grind or shake from a compromised transmission. If you check your transmission fluid and see that it's bright red, that means it's like-new and your car is good to go. Dark red indicates that some debris have gotten into the mix while driving but your car is still protected. Brown means the transmission fluid has started to oxidize and it may be time to schedule a fluid change or flush to be safe. If the color is dark brown (almost black), your transmission is in danger — with little to no lubrication left, your transmission may need to be repaired if you keep driving. Pink means there's a leak in the radiator and the fluid has been diluted — this can cause significant damage so you'll need to call a mechanic right away.

A transmission fluid leak is a serious issue, so if you suspect one you should immediately check the transmission fluid level. This can be done by looking at the dipstick, located near the firewall under the car's hood. Wipe it clean, re-insert it, and then remove it again. If the level appears low, it could be leaking. 

There are other ways to identify a transmission fluid leak as well. If the transmission light on the dashboard turns on, this could be due to a few issues, one being a low amount of fluid. You may also notice a leak under your car so make sure to check for that once you've been parked somewhere for a bit. You may also hear grinding gears and clunking sounds as you drive, alerting you that something is up with the transmission. Some drivers also notice a burning smell, which could mean the transmission fluid is leaking and overheating. 

A lot of these symptoms could mean you're dealing with leaking transmission fluid — or it could be something else completely. If you are experiencing any of these issues with your car, it's best to bring it to an expert to get a proper diagnosis. It could end up being an easy fix if you get it checked out in a timely manner.