Why is my Car Leaking Transmission Fluid?

Having your car leaking transmission fluid is a dangerous place to be in.  Having a low transmission fluid level can lead to all sorts of problems with your transmission.  With a low fluid level, your transmission can shift improperly due to incorrect line pressures.  If your transmission is shifting improperly, it can cause a dangerous situation while driving if your car doesn’t accelerate or respond in the way you expect it to.  A low fluid level can also cause your transmission to overheat causing damage as the transmission fluid is what keeps things cool during normal operation.  Lastly, a low transmission fluid level can cause a lack of lubrication in your transmission which can lead to internal damage, destroyed seals, and most likely either a transmission overhaul or new transmission to get your car back on the road.

If you have a car leaking transmission fluid, it’s important to discover the cause and get the problem fixed quickly to avoid any of these problems.  Discovering the cause of your transmission leak starts with checking your transmission fluid level and condition.  Most automatic transmissions have a dipstick, very similar to your engine oil dipstick.  It is often located at the back of your engine bay and will have a different color handle than your engine oil dipstick, either red, yellow or clearly marked as “TRANS”.

Checking the fluid condition and level can give you a lot of information about what’s going on inside your transmission.  Like we mentioned earlier, a low fluid level could be one of the causes of the leak your transmission has.  Low fluid levels can leave seals dry so the spinning shaft can easily stretch or tear the seal.  Also, your transmission fluid level can help you estimate how long your transmission has been leaking for which can help you determine how urgent the repair needs to be.

The fluid condition may also be able to help you determine the cause of the leak you have.  If the fluid in your transmission is extremely dark or burnt smelling it could be an indication that your transmission has overheated recently.  An overheating transmission can cause seals to warp or crack which can lead to a leak.  Also, extremely dark brown or black transmission fluid can indicate your transmission is past due for a fluid change.  Old transmission fluid can lose some of its lubrication properties allow seals to wear quickly and cause leaks.  Lastly, if you can see particulates in your transmission fluid, it could indicate that your transmission fluid has become abrasive and is wearing the soft rubber seals itself.  As your transmission wears, the small metal shavings and dirt will be suspended in the fluid and if it isn’t filtered or changed regularly, it can lead to seal wear and eventual leaks as well.

For all these reasons, it is important to make sure you change your transmission fluid and filter regularly to avoid leaks in your transmission.  If you do have a leak in your transmission you can quickly and easily seal the leak using BlueDevil Transmission Sealer.  Make sure to check your fluid condition first and if it needs to be changed, you can have it changed and topped off, then add BlueDevil Transmission Sealer to stop your leak and save your new fluid.  BlueDevil Transmission Sealer is safe to leave in your transmission fluid and will seal the leak as you drive.

For more information about BlueDevil Transmission Sealer, click on the banner bellow!

You can find BlueDevil Transmission Sealer at any of our partnering local auto parts stores like:

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