How to Put Transmission Fluid in a Nissan Armada

Put Transmission Fluid in a Nissan Armada

If you look up the transmission fluid section of the Nissan Armada manual, you'll see that Nissan strongly suggests that you bring your car in for authorized service to check, add or change transmission fluid. For those do-it-yourself drivers who would prefer to add their own, they'll have to bypass a little security feature that Nissan has added to lock the transmission fluid cap closed. Other than that, it's just like adding fluid to any other car or truck.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
Nissan Armada
Small flat-head screwdriver
Rag
Long, narrow funnel
Transmission fluid
1

Start the vehicle and take it for a little drive. Aim to drive for about ten miles or twenty minutes, and try to spend at least some of the time driving on a highway or high-speed road so that you can cycle through all of the gears.
2

Park on a flat, level surface, but leave the Armada running. Pop the hood release, then open the hood and prop it up.
3

Locate the transmission fluid dipstick cap lock. This is located just to the left side of the engine and directly behind the engine oil cap. It looks like a small plastic cylinder with a little square hole on the side.
4

Stick the end of a small flat head screwdriver into the little square hole on the cap. This part can be a little tricky, but you must wiggle the screwdriver around in the hole while pulling straight up on the cap with your other hand. There's a small locking mechanism inside the cap that must be released. When it comes loose, start pulling on the cap and you'll see that it's actually the handle to the transmission fluid dipstick.
5

Pull the transmission fluid dipstick all the way out, wipe it clean and put it all the way back in. Then pull it out once more to read the level on the dipstick. There should be a line marked "WARM FULL." Measure the transmission fluid level by this line, and only add more fluid if you're sure it's low.
6

Add more fluid approximately one ounce at a time. To do this, set the transmission fluid dipstick aside and pour about an ounce of transmission fluid directly into the small dipstick hole using a plastic funnel. Once you pour in the first ounce, you must wait a minute or two as the fluid cycles through the transmission.
7

Measure the fluid level with the dipstick after each small amount you add. Be sure to wait for the fluid to cycle through for a couple of minutes before taking each measurement. It is very important that you take your time here, adding only a small amount at a time and measuring constantly throughout the process, because overfilling the transmission fluid reservoir can cause major transmission and engine problems.
8

Replace the dipstick when you're done filling, and push it all the way down onto the dipstick tube to lock it back in place. Close the hood.

Tips & Warnings

If you must work on Nissans regularly and check their transmission fluid levels often, consider contacting a Nissan dealership about purchasing a unique tool designed specifically for removing the locking transmission fluid cap. All dealers have this tool, which is faster and easier to use than a screwdriver.