The transmission is reinstalled, fluid refilled to the full level with fresh, clean transmission fluid and any external adjustments are made as needed. Your vehicle is then road tested to ensure the transmission is functioning properly and your car, truck or SUV is ready to take you anywhere you need to go. Without knowing what the code is its hard to tell was is wrong. I can tell you when a x-type has this transmission fault light on about 90% of the time this means the tranny is failing or already has failed. I would start by just shut ing the car off and restarting it. If the light persists your most likely looking at some type transmission problem, and its most likely major. Leaking transmission fluid is probably one of the easiest ways to determine your car needs attention. A little fluid on your driveway can quickly turn into a huge and expensive car problem. Transmission fluid is crucial to your car's shifting capabilities and is bright red and sweet or tart smelling.
Last Updated on January 30, 2019
Transmission Light On Car Won't Start
The T5 transmission is one of the muscle car world's most enduring success stories. This five-speed manual gearbox, originally built by Borg-Warner, pulled duty in vehicles built by Detroit's most important '80s and '90s muscle cars, as well as a long list of 4x4s, vans, SUVs, sports coupes, and even trucks during its nearly 30 years on the market. In most car and truck applications, the DCT functions as an automatic transmission, requiring no driver input to change gears. The first DCT to reach production was the Easidrive automatic transmission introduced on the 1961 Hillman Minx mid-size car.
The color of the automatic transmission fluid in your car can help in diagnosing a transmission problem and give you an indication of the overall health of your transmission.
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To use the information and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) color chart provided below you must first determine the color of the transmission fluid that is in your transmission or transaxle. To do this, follow these instructions:
- Open your vehicle’s hood and locate the transmission dipstick.
- Pull the dipstick out of the filler tube.
- Determine the fluid color.
Look closely at the fluid on the end of the dipstick to determine the fluid color. If it’s hard to tell, place a few drops of transmission fluid on a clean white sheet of paper to get a more accurate color reading. Match the color with the closest color shown on the fluid color chart below. The below provides an explanation and suggested course of action for each fluid color.
Automatic Transmission Fluid Color Chart
Color of Transmission Fluid
Red Transparent
What It Means: This is what new or like new transmission fluid should look like. Keep your fluid in this condition and make sure it doesn’t get low and you will likely never have a serious transmission problem.
Recommended Action: Check the fluid condition regularly and follow the manufacturer’s transmission/transaxle service procedures and service intervals.
Light Brown Semi-Transparent
What It Means: Your transmission fluid is in generally good condition. Maintain this fluid condition and watch for leaks and your transmission will probably outlast the rest of your vehicle.
Recommended Action: Check the fluid condition regularly and follow the manufacturer’s transmission/transaxle service procedures and service intervals.
Dark Brown Opaque
What It Means: Your transmission fluid is old, dirty, and contaminated and doesn’t provide adequate lubrication. Poor lubrication causes excessive wear and damage to internal parts. Dark brown transmission fluid also increases heat inside the transmission, which can quickly lead to transmission failure.
Check Transmission Light On Car
Recommended Action: Take action now before this fluid condition causes serious problems or even transmission failure. Perform a transmission fluid and filter change or a complete flush of the transmission.
Very Dark Brown or Black
What It Means: The transmission fluid is old, dirty, contaminated, and/or oxidized. A burnt odor will confirm oxidization.
Recommended Action: Take action immediately. Some internal damage may have already occurred. If your transmission is still working properly, a fluid and filter change or flush should be performed immediately. If problems already exist, a transmission rebuild may be necessary.
Light Pink
What It Means: When water or coolant has entered the transmission, the friction clutches fall apart and seals are ruined. The water enters the transmission through a damaged or leaking transmission oil cooler line radiator. Complete failure of the transmission is almost certain.
Recommended Action: Unfortunately, you will need to rebuild or replace your transmission.
Other Ways to Check Transmission Fluid Condition
Fluid Smell
Smell the fluid. If it has a burnt odor, the transmission has overheated and the fluid is oxidized. The result is poor lubrication, increased friction, increased heat and excessive wear or damage to internal parts and seals. In most instances, burnt smelling transmission fluid means some internal damage has already occurred.
Blotter Test
Transmission Fluid Light On In Car
Place a couple of drops of the ATF on a paper towel and wait about 30-seconds or so. If the fluid has spread out and is red or light brown in color, the fluid is good – No action is needed. If the fluid does not spread out and is dark in color, the fluid is oxidized. In this case, a fluid and filter change or flush is needed.