1990 pathfinder SE automatic. Tranny issue

1990 pathfinderr automatic. :runaround: the tranny acts up when shifting...I went off roading and since then it acts up when i drive it. won't shift to 3rd or 4th or just revs up...anyway i checked the fluid, it was low, i added addictive, and now i checked it after a short trip and ATF smells burnt...is my tranny cooked and $$$$ is needed or it is just a simple tranny service?

Try a filter and flush first, but my guess is that its toast. Offroading is very tough on an automatic; heavy loading, not much forward motion to get air across the fluid cooler, two axles to drive instead of one.

Sounds like it was on its way out and this just put it over the edge.

My advice (working in a shop that does about 6 transmissions a day) is to stop driving it. Right now all you've done is probably fry the clutches. A standard rebuild will fix it. If you continue to drive with all that burnt clutch material in the oil, you will potentially severely damage hard parts like bearings, bushings, gears, and shafts.