Four Ways You Are Ruining Your Transmission

Automotive Blog

Most car owners know that regular maintenance for their vehicles is extremely important to keep their vehicles in shape. However, many car owners also make common mistakes when it comes to the upkeep of their vehicles either because of lack of knowledge or pure laziness. Whatever the case, it's important that you understand what these common mistakes are, especially when it comes to preventing damage to one of the more expensive components that makes up your vehicle: the transmission. Here are four ways you just might be causing more damage to your transmission than you realize: 

1. No Service: Many car owners forget to service their transmission simply because it's not visible and problems are other so small that they aren't noticeable until it's such a large problem that is requires the replacement of your transmission. If you aren't regularly servicing your transmission, contaminants are going to build up inside of it that are going to slowly cause significant damage. You should be getting your transmission at least every five years or more often if you drive more regularly and if you drive in more stressful road conditions. 
2. Driving on Low Transmission Fluid: If you are running on low transmission fluid, you are causing serious damage. This means that the components inside of your vehicle are not being properly lubricated, which can cause your vehicle to easily overheat. When your transmission overheats, it's at this point that you are going to need to replace it, but only after you become stuck on the side of the road because you can't drive your vehicle once the transmission has overheated. 
3. Using the Wrong Transmission Fluid: While you want to have enough transmission fluid, you don't want the wrong kind. Check your owner's manual to determine what kind of transmission fluid you need. If you have the wrong kind of additives, for example, it can cause more harm than good to your transmission because certain additives can actually corrode the components that make up the transmission. 
4. Ignoring the Small Problems: While many small problems with the transmission go unnoticed until it's too late, there are some small signs that could indicate a small problem with your transmission. It's important to take your vehicle in for service right away if you notice strange noises when you change gears, a dark red fluid leaking from your vehicle, or gear slipping. 

When you know some of the ways you could be damaging your transmission, you can be sure that you know what to do to avoid it. 

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6 November 2017