About 15% to 20% of the cost of your vehicle is the cost of your transmission. With that fact in mind, prolonging the life of your automatic transmission is obviously something all drivers should want to do. Without a doubt, the best maintenance you can give your transmission is to change the transmission fluid every 15,000 miles, or once a year. However, there are other steps you can take that will lengthen the life of your automatic transmission and save you money in the long run.
- In cold weather, make sure you warm up your vehicle before driving it and putting it into gear. This will allow the transmission fluid to also warm up and lubricate all parts before shifting.
- Always come to a complete stop before changing from drive to reverse or reverse to drive.
- If your vehicle is stuck in ice, snow or mud, do not rock back and forth between drive and reverse. This will put far too much pressure on the inner mechanisms of your transmission.
- Check your transmission fluid regularly and never drive when the fluid is low.
- Do not downshift with an automatic transmission or use it for braking. They are not designed to operate the same way a manual transmission is.
- Do not “drag race” with your automatic transmission, and avoid spinning your tires unless it is an emergency.
- Do not assume that your transmission will be serviced when you have your car serviced. Usually this has to be asked for specifically.
- When parking on an incline, make sure you use your emergency brake, thereby reducing the stress on the parking pawl and linkage.
- Avoid bumping the curb when you are parking on the street. Every time you hit the curb you are putting unnecessary loads on the front wheel shaft of the trans-axle.
- If your car shows signs of overheating do not drive it. Overheating not only affects the engine but also the transmission.
- Thousands of dollars in repair can be saved by diagnosing a problem early on; if you suspect the gears are slipping or some other problem is occurring, get the transmission checked immediately.
These are simple maintenance steps that any car owner can take. Being aware and driving a car the way it was meant to be driven can save you loads of cash over the life of that car and transmission. Take a little care now or pay later.
