According to my Haynes Manual, my 2001 Galant ES should have a screw-on type filter (similar to an oil filter) loacted to the A/T dipstick. My car doesn't have one there!! There is a place where it looks like one might go, but the there are no threads present to screw the new filter on. I'm totally lost!!

No there were changes to the transmissions. Which most manuals do not catch. Its all depending on the model. Per say Like Most Diamante's ,Magna's, Verda's with the F4A51 gtransmission had the screw on tranny filter frum 1996-1999.5 and a batch of 2000 models , 4 Cyl cars using teh F4A41/42 had the screw tranny filter til 1999 , the outside transmission filter was initially done away because there was already a transmission filter present inside the consealed area inside the transmission already , the outside one just became an obsolite thing. On later models where teh filter would have been its just an slot with a filter like base looking area.

Thanks for the info. I can sleep better at night now!! My next question would be, how do I access the internal filter to change it?

The internal filter can onlee be accessed if yu remove the transmission and open/seperate the front case.

You've really been a big help. Thanks for your answers. I appreciate your time.

NO problem at all . Glad that it has helped. If yu are planning to service the transmission , yu can perform a fluid change which is always good. near the bottom under-right side of the transmission nearing the area where the cv shaft enters is a drain screw on teh transmission housing to which yu can drain the transmission fluid. As for when i do manual drains and refills like this , i let it drain til its a very slow drain and then cap it and pour about half a quart tranny fluid in and then uncap it and while uncapped slowlly pour the rest of teh generic trans fluid in to flush through any small amounts of debris left . Then let drain for 20 min then cap and refill the transmission.