P0218
Transmission Fluid Over Temperature Condition
- Severity
- High
- Driving
- Drive only to a garage
The transmission fluid is too hot. Heat is what destroys automatic transmission fluid, and degraded fluid then damages the clutches it is supposed to protect. Most transmissions will reduce what they allow you to do while this is happening, which is the protection working.
Possible causes
- CommonTowing or heavy load beyond what the transmission is rated for
- CommonLow or degraded transmission fluid
- CommonBlocked or restricted transmission fluid cooler
- CommonTorque converter clutch not locking up, so the converter generates heat
- PossibleSlipping clutches inside the transmission
- PossibleEngine cooling system fault, since many coolers run through the radiator
- PossibleFaulty temperature sensor
What you might notice
- Transmission warning message
- Harsh or delayed shifts
- Reduced power
- Burnt smell
- Transmission slipping
What to check, in order
- Stop somewhere safe and let it cool with the engine idling in neutral or park. That circulates fluid through the cooler without adding load, and it is the quickest way to bring the temperature down.
- If you are towing or heavily loaded, that is very likely the cause. Reduce the load, and use a lower gear on long climbs so the torque converter is not slipping.
- Check the transmission fluid level and condition once cool. Burnt-smelling fluid means damage has already begun.
- Check the transmission cooler and its lines for blockage, and the radiator for debris blocking airflow.
- Read all codes. A torque converter clutch code alongside this one explains where the heat is coming from.
Read this code from your own car
Plug an ELM327 adapter into the OBD-II port under the dashboard. Pin16 reads every stored, pending and permanent code, explains each one like this page does — offline, with no account — and shows what the car recorded when the fault was set.
Where this code sits
P00xxP01xxP02xxP03xxP04xxP05xxP06xxP07xxP08xxP09xxP0AxxP0BxxP0CxxP0DxxP0ExxP0FxxP10xxP11xxP12xxP13xxP14xxP15xxP16xxP17xxP18xxP19xxP1AxxP1BxxP1CxxP1DxxP1ExxP1FxxP20xxP21xxP22xxP23xxP24xxP25xxP26xxP27xxP28xxP29xxP2AxxP2BxxP2CxxP2DxxP2ExxP2FxxP30xxP31xxP32xxP33xxP34xxP35xxP36xxP37xxP38xxP39xxP3AxxP3BxxP3CxxP3DxxP3ExxP3Fxx
Fuel and air metering - injector circuits
P0200P0201P0202P0203P0204P0205P0206P0207P0208P0209P0210P0211P0212P0213P0214P0215P0216P0217P0218P0219P0220P0221P0222P0223P0224P0225P0226P0227P0228P0229P0230P0231P0232P0233P0234P0235P0236P0237P0238P0239P0240P0241P0242P0243P0244P0245P0246P0247P0248P0249P0250P0251P0252P0253P0254P0255P0256P0257P0258P0259P0260P0261P0262P0263P0264P0265P0266P0267P0268P0269P0270P0271P0272P0273P0274P0275P0276P0277P0278P0279P0280P0281P0282P0283P0284P0285P0286P0287P0288P0289P0290P0291P0292P0293P0294P0295P0296P0297P0298P0299