What Are The Tenets Of Transmission Maintenance?
Transmission maintenance is essential in keeping your vehicle in its best shape. Being one of the most important components of any vehicle, transmission is durable by design. Even so, you should follow best practices to avoid premature failure, which may require costly transmission repair. The tenets of transmission maintenance are as follows:
Do it Regularly
Set a schedule to check your transmission. It may be every week for checking transmission fluid or every month for finding leaks and testing for transmission repair needs. However, you should also check the transmission whenever the situation calls for it. For instance, when you are on your way for a long drive or when you are hearing unusual sounds, give the transmission an inspection. The key is to set a schedule and be willing to do transmission repair whenever needed, before it is too late for an easy fix.
Habitually Check the Transmission Fluid
You should also check both the quantity and quality of your transmission fluid. Too little or too much fluid has unfavorable effects on your transmission's performance. Likewise, dirty, burnt, and old transmission fluid no longer provides optimum lubrication. Moreover, you should also maintain the type of transmission fluid that best suits your vehicle. Make it a habit to check the transmission fluid to save yourself from unnecessary failure and transmission repair.
Avoid Overheating
Transmission failure, which requires extensive transmission repair, frequently occurs due to overheating. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of the time, transmission failure is directly caused by overheating. A transmission temperature gauge system would remind you to keep it around 175° F. One way to avoid overheating is to maintain your car's radiator and cooling system at their peak performance. Another way is to add another cooling system that is dedicated to the transmission system alone. Either way, the key is to maintain optimum temperature, especially when the climate is hot or your driving habits make your car heat up more easily.
Have it Serviced By a Professional
Of course, even if you do all the necessary checks regularly, the sure-fire way to prolong the life your transmission is to have to routinely checked by an experienced and certified mechanic. As a rule of thumb, bring your vehicle for transmission repair and service every 30,000 to 60,000 miles.
In sum, the tenets of transmission maintenance involve regular checks, optimum transmission fluid, strong cooling system, and professional transmission repair and services. Keep these tenets in mind, practice them, and be surprised how your transmission can outlive your entire vehicle.