5 Tips for Transmission Maintenance| Transmission Guide
Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Car’s Transmission Healthy
One of the aspects that people take for granted with their vehicle is the transmission. There are lots of ways for a novice driver to screw up a car gearbox. Quite often, he or she won’t really know that driving patterns can trigger additional strain or even damage until it’s too late and the bill arrives.
But, what can you do with it? Ok, first of all, you should educate yourself. Flip through the owner’s manual sections and read posts online. Our website alone has a variety of posts on the subject—dos and don’ts, upkeep, and even some neat tips and tricks. If you are trying to refer to what you already know about transmissions, keep on reading.
Tips that will help you take care of your transmission – for manual transmission
1. With every gear change, fully take the foot off the clutch pedal: In other words, do not really ride the clutch. It’s a terrible habit to get in while you’re driving because it places unnecessary strain on the clutch and the gearbox.
2. Get the engine cooling system serviced on a regular basis: The ventilation mechanism of your car helps keep the engine from overheating. But did you realize that it often means that the transfer fluid pumping into the gearbox is cooled? It is more likely that you would require a transmission replacement before your engine fully overheats. Make sure the cooling system is working in the highest possible state.
3. Get the transmission flushed on a regular basis: Changing the fluid of transmission in your car is better left to an expert. Consult the owner’s manual of your car, so usually, have the vehicle’s transmission drained once a year. How long the transmission fluid in your car lasts relies on the vehicle’s running temperature and also how much you move.
4. Don’t downshift when you need to slow down: Contrary to common opinion, downshifting as you slow down or pause your car is not beneficial for your engine or manual transmission. In reality, downshifting brings more wear and tear to your transmission. Stick to using the brakes to slow down.
5. Get your transmission tested annually: Getting a licensed transmission repair expert to perform a diagnostic inspection of the transmission for leakage and other anomalies at least once a year, as well as a daily check of the level, color, and scent of the transmission fluid, is smart preventive maintenance.
Tips that will help you take care of your transmission – for automatic transmission
1. Routine maintenance
Your transmission fluid has to be replaced after 15,000 miles. If you have a regular maintenance plan for your dealership, you will be taken care of on one of your big maintenance trips. If not, prepare to adjust the transmission fluid after every 15000 miles.
2. Test the fluid level periodically
Much like your oil pan, your transmission even has its own dipstick that helps you to monitor your fluid levels. Make sure the levels are fine, as per the owner’s manual, and check for discoloration. Know what color your transmission fluid is meant to be and inspect your car whether the fluid is melted or discolored. If you find any leakage in the transmission fluid, get it fixed as soon as you can. Sometimes a quick replacement of the seal will repair it, otherwise, it may be a symptom of major problems.
3. Come to a full halt before you shift
If you move rapidly between forward and reverse gears, attempt to stop fully before you shift gears. This will help to prevent excessive wear and tear.
4. Don’t break the brakes
If you’re driving with your foot applying more pressure on the brake button, that can bring a lot of additional tension on the engine and transmission. Be alert not to overuse the brake for a traffic stop and go. Often, use the parking brake while you’re parked on a slope or downhill. This will alleviate the burden on the parking connection.
5. Take control of the engine
Your whole vehicle is a fine-tuned system with a lot of functioning components. If the engine fails to work properly, it would place more tension on the transmission (and vice versa). Be sure that both the engine and transmission are checked to minimize the possibility of major problems.
Additional tips for Transmission Maintenance
1) Be Patient Before Driving: We realize you’re still ready to get to the next stop as soon as possible. But if you start ripping out of your driveway or parking lot before your car has already had a minute or two to warm up, you might place unnecessary stress on your car’s transmission and engine systems.
The computer in your vehicle can prevent the transmission from moving properly when things are cold, causing the engine to drive higher and longer during changes to rapidly warm up the fluids. Waiting for a little time before going out would help warm up the fluid and ensure that it is lubricated and moves as desired.
2) Avoid Towing: If you have a bigger, more efficient vehicle, friends and family members will rely on you for towing.
Although, whether your car is built to be towed with a Heavy Duty factory cooling device, heavy-duty transmission components, and heavy-duty springs and shocks, coupled with a fully mounted and prepared tow hitch, towing, or carrying heavy loads, you will place unnecessary stress on your vehicle.
That being said, if you agree to serve as a stand-in for a tow truck in harsh heat, your transmission fluid is likely to be running hot and will no longer lubricate as needed.
This does harm to the transmission If possible, hire a truck or let the professionals do the towing.