Although many aspects of transmission maintenance should be done by a mechanic, there are certain things you can do yourself to keep tabs on how your car is running.
Check Your Transmission Fluid
If you have a manual transmission car, this may not be an option for you – or at least may not be as simple. However, if you have an automatic transmission, you will likely have a second dipstick under the hood of your car. Most people have checked their oil level before and checking the transmission fluid level is similar. In addition to looking at the level of fluid, you’ll want to pay attention to its color, smell, and consistency.
Don’t Shift Gears Until You’re Fully Stopped
For automatic transmission cars, when you shift from reverse into drive while your car is still moving, you’re putting extra strain on your transmission. That can lead to serious problems down the road and it will shorten the lifespan of your car’s transmission, costing you a lot more money.
Don’t Ride Your Brake
When you keep your foot on the brake while also accelerating, you’re not just wearing down your brakes faster. This also makes your transmission work harder because the car is working against itself. Over time, this is going to make the parts within your transmission wear down faster, meaning sooner and costlier transmission repairs for you.
Pay Attention to Engine Temperature
In general, heat is not good for longevity with cars. While this applies to climate and weather, it also applies to how well your cooling system is functioning. If you notice your cooling system working overtime, it may be time to get it checked out. If your engine is consistently running warmer than usual, it can cause extra wear and tear on the parts within your transmission, leading to costly transmission repairs.
Be Mindful of Using a Spare Tire
You will most likely have to use a spare tire at some point and that’s fine – but it should be limited as much as possible. That’s because driving on mismatched tires causes extra strain on your car’s transmission.
Listen to Your Car
More specifically, pay attention to how your car drives and changes gears. If you notice this becoming more difficult or erratic, there is likely an issue with your transmission. In this case, you can check your transmission fluid level but you should also make an appointment with local transmission experts to get it diagnosed.
What Are Necessary Transmission Services?
If you’re noticing a problem with how your car runs, you need to take your car to a mechanic. However, there are some other transmission services you should get done on a regular basis.
Transmission Fluid Changes & Flushes
Check your owner’s manual for specific intervals for your car but most cars require a transmission fluid change or flush every 100,000 miles. Transmissions are a sealed system but over time the transmission fluid inside will become increasingly dirty and contaminated from the environment and wearing down of parts.
If you keep up with checking your transmission fluid level and consistency, you can catch this before it causes more serious problems. This is also likely the required transmission service if you’re noticing difficult or erratic gear shifting.
A fluid change and a transmission flush are similar services, though getting a flush is more thorough. When you get a transmission flush, nearly 100% of the transmission fluid will be replaced, whereas doing a simple drain and refill will miss some of the older transmission fluid.
A transmission fluid flush will also loosen some of the extra debris that may be inside your transmission, helping keep your new transmission fluid cleaner longer.
Change Your Transmission Filter
Your transmission filter is placed between the transmission pan, where oil sits, and the rest of the transmission. It filters out debris and contaminants from the transmission fluid so that it causes less wear and tear on your transmission. As your transmission filter ages, it accumulates more contaminants and is less able to keep them out of the rest of your transmission.
Often, this transmission service will also include a new pickup tube, gasket, and seal.
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