Ten tips to take care of your vehicle’s automatic transmission

Transmission repairs can be very costly depending on what type of car you are driving and its age. Sometimes, it gets very hard for a mechanic to repair a transmission failure especially when it’s a total breakdown.

But there are certain guidelines you can follow to keep your car’s transmission healthy. Check out the list of top ten maintenance tips for your car's transmission:

Check your car’s transmission fluid regularly 

 

On many new modern cars, checking the transmission fluid is pretty easy. It is similar to checking the oil. While the engine is idle, pull out the dipstick, clean it off, insert it back and pull it out to get an accurate reading. If the stick shows a low fluid level, there could be a leak. The fluid should be red and clear with a sweet smell. If it appears to be dark and smells like rotting fish, it is time to visit your car mechanic.

Use a good quality transmission fluid

Always pay attention to your vehicle’s manual to find out the right type of transmission fluid for your vehicle. If you do not have your manual, it is suggested to take heed of an expert.

Service your engine’s cooling system periodically 

We are aware of the fact that our vehicle's cooling system ensures that the engine is not overheated, but do you know how it affects the transmission? Well, the cooling system keeps the transmission fluid cool while pumping through the gearbox. Hence, ensure that your cooling system works fine.

Change your transmission fluid regularly

Changing the transmission fluid in your car is quite a difficult task and should be handled by a professional. Ensure that the fluid is changed at least once a year. Time for changing the fluid also depends on the amount of driving you to do.

Avoid changing gears when your car is in motion 

Bring your vehicle to a stop before applying that reverse gear or vice versa. If changing gears isn't properly done, it pressurizes the transmission which in turn can lead to a serious damage over the course of time.

Warm up your car before driving 

Raise your hands if you always hop into the driver's seat, start the engine and get going? Well most of us are guilty. Your car needs some time to warm up before setting out for a ride. Make sure you turn on the engine and warm your engine, especially during the winters.

Don’t drive on a spare tyre for a long duration

 

Torn tyres, mismatched tire sizes or driving on a small tyre for a long duration can damage the vital parts of your vehicle and that includes your transmission.

Change your vehicle’s transmission filter regularly 

Some of the high-end cars have transmission filters and you need to change them every time you change your transmission fluid. However, most of the cars do not have such a filter, it totally depends on the cost and the make of the car.

Avoid using your car for towing other vehicles 

Using your car to tow other vehicles, especially during the summers can put a lot of strain on your transmission. Your transmission fluid can burn and in turn, it will wear out your vehicle's transmission.

Have your transmission checked once in a year 

Always have a transmission specialist analyze your vehicle's transmission once a year. Transmission is something that is not visible to the naked eye and hence even if there is some fault with it, we are often not able to identify it.

So, if you take care of your transmission using the above tips, you will have a good car with a perfectly working transmission for a very long time.