The transmission in your vehicle is responsible for helping your vehicle to drive by allowing the engine to turn the wheels. A transmission is also responsible for the shifting of gears. To keep your vehicle running smoothly, it’s important that you keep your transmission healthy by taking proactive measures to prevent premature wear and tear. If your transmission goes bad, you may notice that the engine revs but the wheels won’t turn well or that your car lurches or barely moves when you push the gas pedal. Here are some tips to help keep your transmission healthy.
Keep Up with Maintenance
The most important part of maintaining a healthy transmission is keeping up with regular maintenance. The transmission has its’ own fluid that must be checked and kept clean and filled for the transmission to run smoothly. You should change this fluid every 15,000 miles, but check it yearly to insure that it’s not leaking, at a low level, or full of debris. You should also keep your car’s other fluids topped off and clean since all parts of a car work together to provide smooth operation.
Be Careful with Gear Shifts
Since a transmission is responsible for helping your car change gears, you should not shift gears when your car is driving. While it’s tempting to change into a higher or lower gear without stopping, this can actually destroy the gears in the transmission and your car will not operate. Always bring your vehicle to a complete stop before changing gears. If you want to provide less stress on the transmission, you can take your car out of drive when sitting at a stop light or stuck in traffic. It’s also a good idea to use your emergency break when parking on slopes, like hills, to prevent too much stress being placed on the transmission gears.
Give Your Car Plenty of Time to Warm Up
Cars that sit outside in cold temperatures need plenty of time to warm up before you drive. Even if you keep your car in the garage but the temperatures outside are below freezing, you will need to give your car time to warm up in the morning. The fluids within your vehicle thicken at colder temperatures, making it more difficult for the fluids to reach the transmission and other necessary components, which could result in damage to your vehicle. By letting your car idle for a few minutes, the fluids will warm and reach the transmission when you push the gas pedal.
~~
If you follow these steps, and refer to our infographic for more information, your transmission will stay healthy.
