Four Ways You Can Damage Your Transmission
Just like any other part of your vehicle, your car’s transmission system need its owner’s care and attention. It may not require frequent maintenance like oil changes, but there are some things people should know to make sure their transmission is running properly. Here are some common practices car owners can do to ensure they are not damaging their vehicle’s transmission.
Never having the transmission fluid changed. Luckily, this is not something that needs to be changed very often. For many cars, the manufacturer may suggest not needing to get fresh transmission fluid until 100,000 miles. In some cars, that can even be extended to 150,000 miles while other car experts suggest every 50,000 miles. Although the specifics may vary by vehicle, if your car has a lot of years and miles on it or may not be running smoothly, it may be time to take your car in and have your transmission fluid changed.
Our professionals at Mr. Transmission are the perfect resources to check on the performance of your car’s transmission system and can recommend any kind of service needed, even if it is as simple as a fluid change. Even more convenient for the customer, many of the Mr. Transmission locations are co-branded with Milex Complete Auto Care. Any of your car care needs can be handled at one location, saving customers time and hassle of taking their vehicle to multiple spots.
Never get your oil regularly changed. As you know, your car needs regular oil changes, but one side benefit of having your car serviced regularly is that if you have a transmission fluid leak, the professionals Milex will catch it before any real damage has been done. If you have a transmission fluid leak that continues indefinitely, that can lead to problems, such as your car eventually overheating or burning parts of your engine.
Driving with a lot of fast starts and sudden stops. Rapid acceleration and slamming on the brakes is dangerous for you and others on the road. It can also damage parts of your engine and your transmission system. This kind of reckless driving puts an additional toll on your car’s transmission and will lead to the need for service. Occasional fast speeding up or slamming of the brakes will happen, but make sure it is not a repeated practice.
The car gets stuck in the snow. If you get in a situation in which your car is in a ditch or a parking lot covered with snow, multiple attempts to get yourself out is where some drivers go wrong.
This happens when one tire is spinning while the other is trying to gain traction, and it is repeated over and over why trying to free the vehicle. That can sometimes lead to the transmission fluid pump or convertor to overheat. It can also lead to other problems with your gears, axle and other engine components as well.
Resist the temptation to keep spinning your wheels thinking that will finally get you free. Some people keep kitty litter in their trunk to help gain traction in the snow and ice. Calling a tow truck may be expensive, but it will be cheaper than repairing your transmission or needing to replace some other part of your engine.
Make sure to visit the experts at your local Mr. Transmission and they will ensure your car’s transmission system is functioning properly.