Having your transmission fail when your driving is dangerous. Especially if you’re on a road trip in the middle of nowhere, which is pretty standard for people living in the Four Corners region. That’s why it’s essential to get your transmission serviced regularly and take your car to the shop if you feel anything strange in the drivetrain. To help you out, we’ve put together a short guide on maintaining your transmission and how to tell when you need to take it to the shop.
Transmission Maintenance
Here are a few rules of thumb for transmission maintenance.
- On average, you should service and flush your transmission every 50,000 miles.
- Your service interval may be closer to 30,000 miles if you frequently tow a trailer or consistently drive in stop and go traffic.
There are specific models of cars that have a different type of transmission called a CVT. We won’t get into the pro’s and con’s of a CVT here. What you should know is that CVTs have different maintenance intervals and needs based on your manufacturer.
The odds are you don’t have one of these transmissions unless you’re driving a newer Toyota car or hybrid SUV.
3 Signs Your Transmission Needs Service
1 – You Feel Your Gears Slipping Or Sticking
When you hear the term “transmission slipping,” it essentially means that your vehicle is changing gears for no apparent reason. This is the number one sign that your transmission needs work and could be failing.
On the other hand, if you feel like your gears are delaying to shift or “sticking”, it’s a sign that you’re running low on lubricant, which would need to be addressed right away.
2 – You See It Leaking Fluid
If you see a reddish liquid collecting right below your transmission, you have a transmission leak. This could be from a failed gasket or hose and can cause permanent damage if it isn’t addressed immediately.
3 – Your Car Is Emitting Weird Smells Or Noises
As a rule of thumb, any strange smells or noises coming from your car or truck should be looked at immediately. Some signs that these smalls and sounds could be coming from the transmission include
- A burning smell – your transmission could be overheating
- A whining noise when driving – your transmission could have a clogged line or a problem with the torque converter.
- Grinding when driving – this is one of the worst sounds you can hear and means you could have a severe problem with your gear system.
- A gurgling sound – if this sound is coming from your transmission, you have excess air in your transmission line due to low fluid.
Ultimately, be sure to have a multi-point inspection done on your vehicle every time you get your oil changed. This will give you a heads up on most issues that may be arising on your car so you can take care of it before it’s a problem.
