I
A
utomatic Transmission FIuid
When to Check and Change
A
good time to check your automatic
transmission fluid level
is
when the
engine
oil
is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to change your fluid. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in
the Index.
How
to Check
Because this operation can
be
a
little
difficult, you may choose to have
this
done at your Geo 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 tluid 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.
Be sure to get an accurate reading
if
you check your transmission tluid.
Wait
at
least 30 minutes before checking
the transmission fluid level
if
you have
been driving:
0
When outside temperatures are above
0
At
high speed for quite
a
while.
0
In
heavy traffic
-
especially
in
hot
While pulling
a
trailer.
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).
To
check transmission fluid hot:
Get the
vehicle warmed
up
by
driving about
IS
miles (24
km)
when outside temperatures
are above 50°F
(
10°C).
If
it’s colder
than
50°F (IOOC), drive the vehicle
in
“D”
(Third Gear)
until
the engine temperature
gage moves
and
then remains steady
for
ten minutes. Then follow the hot check
procedures.
To
check transmission fluid
cold:
A
cold
check is made after the vehicle has been
sitting for eight hours or more
with
the
engine off
and
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
(IO’C),
you
may
have to idle the engine longer.
90°F
(32°C).
weather.
Should the
fluid
level be low during a
cold check, you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a
more accurate reading
of
the fluid level.
To
check the fluid hot
or
cold
0
Park your vehicle on a level place.
0
With
the parking brake applied, place
0
With your foot on the brake pedal,
Keep the engine running.
the shift lever
in
“P’
(Park).
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three seconds
in
each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in
“P” (Park).
minutes or more.
0
Let the engine
run
at idle for three
167.,
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