Tips for Maintaining Your Vehicle’s Transmission

Your vehicle’s transmission is responsible for transferring power to your vehicle’s wheels to drive at a specified speed. There are two types of transmissions, manual and automatic. A car with a manual transmission requires the driver to manually shift gears to get up to speed and slow down. An automatic transmission does this for you. Regardless of the type of transmission your vehicle has, if it stops working, your vehicle cannot move under its own power. Here are some tips for keeping your transmission in optimal condition:

• Regularly Check Your Transmission Fluid: Your transmission fluid is vital to the operation of your transmission. The fluid can last up to 65,000 miles. However, it does not last forever. There can be leaks which means there may not be enough fluid in the transmission. Regularly check the fluid level to make sure that there is enough.

• Keep the Cooling System of Your Engine in Good Condition: The cooling system helps prevent transmission fluid that is pumping through your gearbox from overheating. Be sure there is enough coolant in your vehicle and that your cooling system is in good condition.

• Be Careful Shifting Gears: Improperly shifting gears can cause damage to your transmission. This is a common cause of transmission troubles for vehicles with manual transmissions. Be sure to upshift and downshift properly to avoid transmission damage.

• Annual Transmission Inspections: Annual transmission inspections help you to identify any early warning signs before extensive damage is done. This could save you thousands of dollars in transmission repairs.