Car leaking transmission fluid??

Question

Our car its a its a ford 2001 windstar is leaking transmission fluid and my mom is at work and my uncle says that its not safe for her to drive home with it leaking, is this true?? Also my uncle says that he is going to have to take it to a car shop so they can put new transmission fluid in it, you cant just buy transmission fluid and put it in the car yourself?? Also my mom knows nothing about cars and dosen't get out of work until 11 at night so there is no way for her to put transmission fluid in the car!! Thanks!!

Answer 1

I'm not a mechanic, but have worked on many of my own vehicles while i was in the military. Generally, we were taught that if there was some sort of fluid leak around the engine area, first try to notify what fluid it is. If it's a dark reddish color, it's likely the transmission fluid. Next, get under the car and look up around the engine area of the car and find the lowest point of the leak. After you find the low point, then try to follow it up to see where it's actually leaking from. If you're lucky, maybe it's just a loose clamp. In this case, just take a screwdriver and tighten the clamp. If there's actually a hole in the hose, you need a new hose. The likely case is it's just a loose clamp you can tighten yourself and save money. After you fill that out, it's not a problem to put transmission fluid in it. Just check the manual to find the exact kind. Hope this helps. Leaks are usually easy if you start at the bottom of the car and locate the leak, then follow it up to the leaking source. Cheers~

Answer 2

I wouldnt drive it home, you should be able to put fluid in it yourself though pop the hood and youll see a dip stick that says trans on it pour it down there.  windstars are hard on transmissions id get a different vechicle i dont know where it would be leaking at exceept from the pan or theres a hole in the side of it.

Answer 3

We just answered this question. Go to the autoparts store or even the grocery store or 7/11 and get some tranny fluid and put it in for the ride home

no problem

Answer 4

uncle needs to change the gasket, 20 bucks

Answer 5

Did your Uncle say that he had examined the leakage of the transmission fluid and that it was so severe that the oil level was too low for the car to be driven?  Did HE personally check the level of the fluid.  If he says that the auto can't be driven safely, did he say how HE is going to take it to a repair shop?

Somehow, I have a 'bad feeling' about this. I wish there was some way that I could have more details about the leakage -- where it is coming from and how severe it really is.  Right now, I'm at a loss to advise you.

Can you contact your Mom and ask her for more details about how the leakage might have been caused and how it was detected? Did your Mom run over a high curb or something and 'hit bottom' under the hump in the front seat floor? Did she notice the leakage causing a real pool of oil under the car after she parked in the lot at work?  New replacement transmission oil CAN be purchased and added to the transmission easily and make it safe for driving, if the leakage is only a drip now and then.

Answer 6

your mom can probally drive to the NEAREST store and get some tranny fluid for it just tell her to be carefull and that if it starts grinding to pull over cause you dont want to ruin the gears but tell her that if she makes it then she will need to put the tranny fluid in it at the store.

Answer 7

is it really leaking or did he just let it go dry?it,s best to leave it sit, until you get more fluid in it or you will burn the transmission up or she could get stranded.

Answer 8

yea u could just add more  fluid but if the trans fluid leaks all of the fluid out dont drive it if its leaking bad get fluid and add then get it fixed  

Answer 9

First of all, you don't need to replace all the fluid, you just need to add more to replace what has leaked out. There's a transmission dipstick that you can use to check the level, but the car has to be warm to do that properly. You can buy transmission fluid at the parts store or Wal Mart even. This should be fine to get her home, but after that you need to have it looked at by a mechanic. They need to find and repair the leak or the fuild will just keep leaking out.

Answer 10

depends on the leak... is it a drip or a steady flow if its just a drip then yes its ok to drive if the transmission fluid is full... and yes you can buy trans fluid just about any store will need a  funnel and you pour it in same place you check it at the dip stick... long as is not pouring out the bottom... and it wil be hard to pour in the dark