We think 1998 cavalier is low on transmission fluid because of the way the car is acting. how do we even check the trani fluid it has that red plug under the hood and is hard to get to.

You can fill it from there with the engine off access and remove plug you will need a transmission funnel,start the vehicle and add half quart transmission fluid (dextron III) as you remove the funnel you should see fluid at the far bottom just dont fill it to the top just add some if you over fill it it will spew out so a little at a time

There is a small drain plug underneath the vehicle, on the bottom of the transmission case, near the oil drain. Drive the vehicle to reach operating temp. Shut off the vehicle. Then, with the vehicle level, blocked, and on a jack stand for safety, remove the transmission fluid checking plug. If fluid runs out then you have enough fluid. If nothing comes out, slowly add transmission fluid in the top fluid plug (red, says Transmission Fluid) until fluid comes out of the check plug hole. Yeah, really. That's the "correct" way to check fluid on the 1998 Chevy Cavalier. I hope the man who designed it this way suffered a bad birthday.