Transmission fluid filled to F while car is off

[bkbenjy]

A year ago I brought my Altima to a shop to have the atf changed. After It was changed. I happened to notice that the fluid was filled to the full line while the car is off. Its supposed to be at the full line after is warmed up. Right? I asked the mechanic. He said these cars (Japanese) are OK if they are overfilled.

The car runs smooth as butter. Should I be concerned?

 

[Chris Meutsch]

You need to know the difference between the quantity at "off" and the quantity at "on." I'd treat it like engine oil......if it's foaming in any way if potentially overfilled it's a problem. Otherwise it may be OK if you don't see any problems or if it's only 1/2 quart overfilled. Japanese transmissions have nothing to do with it.

 

[Eddie]

Check your owners manual on how to check the ATF in your vehicle. Most AT are checked, fully warmed up and idleing.

 

[unDummy]

Fully warmed up, idling, in park, and on a level surface....

Get a new mechanic.

 

[Ursae_Majoris]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
Fully warmed up, idling, in park, and on a level surface....

Get a new mechanic.

Some trannies need to be Neutral, warmed up, idling.

 

[crinkles]

neutral = park - parking pawl

 

[CharBaby]

All of my vehicles ATF shows overfull on the dipstick while the engines are off/COLD. Start the engines and the level falls to the FULL COLD. Drive for 20-30 min and the level rises the the FULL HOT mark. So in a sence, I know when my ATF is full with the engines off COLD, for example first thing in the morning.

 

[NightRiderQ45]

Originally Posted By: bkbenjy
A year ago I brought my Altima to a shop to have the atf changed. After It was changed. I happened to notice that the fluid was filled to the full line while the car is off. Its supposed to be at the full line after is warmed up. Right? I asked the mechanic. He said these cars (Japanese) are OK if they are overfilled.

The car runs smooth as butter. Should I be concerned?

If he destroys your tranny, will he fix it? Get him to sign off on something like that to see if he really believes his own nonsense.

 

[RF Overlord]

Agree with the above. Although you *may* be fine, do you want to take that risk with something as expensive as an automatic transaxle?

BTW, why did you wait a year to bring it up to him?

 

[thrace]

Do not know the year or transmission of your Nissan. Check how the owners manual says to do it.
You could find your owners manual and download from :
http://www.nissanusa.com/apps/techpubs

From the owners manual for a 2006 Altima 4 spd AT

4-SPEED AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION FLUID

2006 Altima

TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS FOR
CHECKING
c The fluid level should be checked using the
HOT range on the dipstick after the following
conditions have been met:
– The engine should be warmed up to operating
temperature.
– The vehicle should be driven at least 5
minutes.
– The automatic transmission fluid should
be warmed to 122 - 176°F (50 - 80°C).
c The fluid can be checked at fluid temperatures
of 86 - 122°F (30 - 50°C) using the
COLD range on the dipstick after the engine
is warmed up and before driving. However,
the fluid should be re-checked using the
HOT range.
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and set
the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and then move the shift
selector lever through each gear range, ending
in P (Park).
3. Check the fluid level with the engine idling.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean with
lint-free paper.
5. Reinsert the dipstick into the dipstick tube
as far as it will go.
6. Remove the dipstick and note the reading. If
the automatic transmission fluid level is
within the normal operating range sB , no
additional fluid is required. If the fluid level is
lowsA add fluid through the dipstick tube.

 

[bkbenjy]

Originally Posted By: NightRiderQ45
Originally Posted By: bkbenjy
A year ago I brought my Altima to a shop to have the atf changed. After It was changed. I happened to notice that the fluid was filled to the full line while the car is off. Its supposed to be at the full line after is warmed up. Right? I asked the mechanic. He said these cars (Japanese) are OK if they are overfilled.

The car runs smooth as butter. Should I be concerned?

If he destroys your tranny, will he fix it? Get him to sign off on something like that to see if he really believes his own nonsense.


The mechanic that I asked is not the same one that changed the atf.

 

[unDummy]

When the car if 'off', what the dipstick says is meaningless for your Altima.

 

[51Plymouth]

Some automatic transmissions do need to be in neutral and idling for a proper fluid level check. Here is how I know. I did automatic transmission fluid and filter changes that were directly followed by cooling line disconnects to remove more old fluid from the torque converter. I did the procedure on my car (1989 Dodge 2000 GTX (rebadged)in Canada, Mitsubishi Galant in rest of the world) and my wife's car (2005 Toyota Echo).

On both cars, there is NO transmission cooling line flow in park. There is all kinds of cooling line flow in neutral.

Some early 80s full size GM rear wheel drive products I used to own and work on had full cooling line flow in park, as I am sure lots of other cars do too. This type would only need to be in park and idling for a correct fluid level reading.

I would suggest that owners of some cars (notably Mitsubishi Galant and Toyota Echo) check their fluid level in neutral while idling. My Galant reads higher in park and idling than the correct way at neutral and idling by about half a quart. If I checked while in park I would have too low a fluid level.

 

[unDummy]

Levels are usually calibrated and set by the automaker.

If your owners manual says to check it in park, then you are incorrect to assume the level in neutral is proper.

The problem with the thread starter was his checking the level OFF which is meaningless, and the fact that his mechanic should've been smart enough to tell him that the level is checked 'running', 'in park', 'warmed up', and on a 'level surface'.

And, all the Toyota's that I've serviced were also checked similarly, as was required. I'm not going to recommend to check it in neutral, reverse, drive or some other method. The dipstick usually is calibrated and the check procedure is in your owners manual or service manual for that calibration.

BTW, there is a liability to the automaker if some clown checks his fluid in neutral, forgets the parking brake, and has his vehicle roll over him. Neutral ATF checks aren't too common.

 

[mechtech2]

Almost all auto trannys are checked when running.
But there are are a few rare oddballs that require the engine to be off.
I don't know your specifics - sorry.

 

[SteveSRT8]

yeah, x2. Late model cars have developed some bizarre rituals to check something as simple as trans fluid level!

On any of our GM products filled to F while shut down would actually be under filled when operating.