Adding transmission fluid to any vehicle is neglected more often than most other types of vehicle maintenance tasks. Most people only think about it after their car stops shifting. This also holds true for the 1995 Toyota Tercel. Adding fluid is much easier than draining and refilling it. If you often tow a vehicle or spend a lot of time in stop and go traffic, you'll need to change it more often. If not, you can get by with the occasional check of the fluid level.
Park the car on a level surface. Start the engine, and shift the gear selector into every position while the car is idling. Put the gearshift in the Park position. Let it idle and go to the engine compartment.
Find the transmission dipstick. It's next to the oil dipstick and has a latch that holds it down. Turn and pull the dipstick out, and wipe it clean before re-inserting it. Pull it out again, and check the fluid level on the dipstick to be sure it's in the HOT range while the car is running.
If the transmission fluid is below the HOT range, add transmission fluid through the dipstick tube. Check it again until the level is in the lower part of the HOT range. Do not overfill the reservoir with transmission fluid.
