Understanding a Healthy Transmission

As the owner of a vehicle, it is important to properly maintain a healthy transmission. Failure to recognize the importance of this will not only negatively affect the length of your vehicle’s life but the overall quality and performance of your day to day drive. And let’s not forget the huge financial impact that is involved in replacing your transmission altogether. Here are four tips to help be proactive in maintaining your transmission and avoiding any unexpected repairs.

Tip #1 – Schedule your tune-ups regularly.

From oil changes to putting air in your tires to topping off your fluids, each of these actions are crucial to the health of your transmission and vehicle in general. By keeping up with regular transmission maintenance checks, the potential for wear and tear decreases as well as the potential for unexpected breakdowns or expensive repairs.

Tip #2 – Track your routine maintenance.

As you take your vehicle for its routine maintenance, keep a log of what type of work is completed on your engine, brakes, tires, etc. If you do experience difficulties while driving, you’ll be able to check your log in case the issue was recently worked on or is overdue for a check up.

Tip #3 – Check your fluids often.

While there are several different fluids to maintain in your car, the transmission fluid is especially important to keep an eye on over time. In order to run smoothly, your transmission fluid needs to be examined, cleaned and topped off at least yearly. Things to look out for during your examination include the fluid level, smell, and color. If any of these items show concern, this might lead to your fluid needing cleaned or topped off.

Tip #4 – Warm your engine before driving away.

As it begins to get cold outside, whether you leave your car in the driveway or in the garage, try to let your engine heat up before leaving. The fluids will thicken when left in cold temperatures and will not interact with your transmission as effectively as it would when warmed up. And who doesn’t love driving in a toasty warm car on the way to work in a winter cold morning.

While these tips will help with keeping the health of your transmission in tip top shape, don’t be afraid to take your car to your local transmission repair shop if you do begin to see an issue developing. It is much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to transmission problems as they can be quite costly if not handled immediately or properly. Don’t wait for the problem to get worse; make sure to bring your vehicle into the shop sooner rather than later. Call Transmission Technicians today to schedule your routine maintenance and keep your car running smooth or click here to schedule an appointment today.