You probably know that your vehicle has a transmission, and that it’s important, but do you know why? Let’s talk about it.
Your car’s transmission is what transfers power from your engine to the wheels, propelling you forward. Having a transmission that’s kept clean and in good condition is what is going to give your car maximum reliability and fuel economy. But if you don’t make sure that the transmission is cared for, and it gets worn down, then your vehicle will suffer and it can cause problems down the road.
To keep your transmission running, it relies on transmission fluid. The fluid has two main functions – to cool things down, and lubricate the transmission. Just like your engine, when running the transmission puts off a lot of heat. In fact, it can get up to 150 degrees hotter in your transmission, than inside your engine. That’s where the transmission fluid comes in: to take some of the heat off of the transmission. To keep the transmission cool enough to function, and to prevent lots of wear, transmission fluid needs to be constantly lubricating the system.
In addition to getting hot, the constant movement of the gears inside of your transmission actually causes parts of the gears to wear off. These pieces, however small, get into the transmission fluid increasing friction and wearing down your transmission faster than usual. You’ll also run into the fact that the high temperature inside of the transmission causes the transmission fluid to break down over time, making it much less effective.
This is why you need to make sure that you’re getting transmission flushes regularly, as part of your vehicle’s regular maintenance service. If you don’t flush the fluid, you’ll eventually see a huge dip in performance, before the transmission fails completely. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual will have time intervals recommended for transmission flushes to guide you. We also defer to the industry standard of every 35,000 miles or every two years. There are also considerations that may increase the amount of flushes you need, like dry hot climates and traffic congestion.
The type of transmission fluid you’ll need in your vehicle will vary from car to car, but our technicians will be able to select the right fluid during a transmission flush service. So keep your car moving forward, and your transmission clean and functioning by making sure to get transmission flushes done by Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire regularly.