automatic transmission fluid check

[stillmarried]

My 2017 Explorer manual says to:

Check the fluid level with the engine running and the transmission in park (P).
Make sure that your vehicle is on level ground.
Rotate the automatic transmission fluid cap in a counterclockwise direction. See Under Hood Overview - 3.5L Duratec.
Remove the cap and dipstick and wipe it with a clean, lint-free cloth. Replace the cap and dipstick and remove it again to check the fluid level.

Can anyone verify that I am reading this instruction to mean that I DO NOT screw the cap back down to check the automatic transmission fluid level before removing the dipstick?

Update:
Thanks to the comments below, I measured the fluid level properly and the dipstick was completely dry, added 6 ounces of transmission fluid and the level is now at the MAX line.

When you put the dipstick in the hole, line up the arrow on the top knob of the dipstick with the arrow on the female fitting that the dipstick goes into, the arrow on this fitting is at about the 6 o’clock position. The knob may wobble a bit on the female fitting, but as you turn the arrow on the knob to the arrow on the female fitting, the knob will seat flat, this is the position of the dipstick that you check the automatic transmission fluid level.

 

[javaleo]

Replace the cap, line up the arrows and remove to check the level. There are a bunch of YouTube Vids on this. Check out FordTechMakuloco He has a good one.

 

[Steve8316]

Correct - NOT screwed down. But don't do this quickly. Every time you pull a dipstick up, it trails fluid into the tube. If you wipe & drop the stick fast, you pick up that fluid all along the dipstick, making it hard to read the correct level. Take the dipstick out & wipe it. Then start the engine & let it reach operating temp. Then drop the dipstick, and read it.