Transmission sounds

[Adramos]

So I have had my car on the road for roughly a month now and just noticed today a sound coming from under the area of the gear shifter or cup holder behind the gear shifter. It sounds like a grinding or a whine and if at high enough speeds electrical crackling, which it is not. I checked my transmission fluid shortly after and it is at half with a light brown color and a smell reminiscent of oil. I do not know the service history of it so I dont know when the trans fluid was last changed. If anyone could help me I would highly appreciate it.

2002 Saturn SL1 Automatic, 152632 miles

[derfderf]

If your tranny is missing half its fluid, find the leak, THEN drain and repair it if not too many $$ -- or -- take it to a tranny shop you TRUST -- not aamco or any of those chains.

You may have damaged the internal pump or something else by starving it of fluid/lubrication, thus wrecking other internal parts or causing sufficient wear to produce this sound. Some issues with this transmission can actually wear a hole in the transmission case, creating both a leak and the sound of metal on metal that made the hole.

You can find junkyard trannys but they are disappearing.

The color should be red and not smell burnt. Sniff it again and see if that oil smell is actually a burnt smell.