Transmission Cooling - Overview

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The transmission fluid cooling system consists of a heat exchanger mounted to the transmission, an auxiliary transmission fluid cooler mounted in front of the A/C condenser and a cooler bypass valve. Transmission fluid cooler tubes connect the various components together. The heat exchanger has both transmission fluid and engine coolant flowing through it in separate chambers. When the transmission fluid is cooler than the engine coolant, the heat exchanger warms the transmission fluid. When the transmission fluid is warmer than the engine coolant, the heat exchanger cools the transmission fluid. A coolant control valve controls coolant flow to the transmission fluid cooler.

When the transmission fluid is below a set temperature, the cooler bypass valve routes transmission fluid from the heat exchanger back to the transmission. When the transmission fluid is at or above a set temperature, the cooler bypass valve routes the transmission fluid through the auxiliary transmission fluid cooler and back to the transmission. The auxiliary transmission fluid cooler transfers heat to the ambient air.