Your transmission is one of the most expensive parts to replace on your vehicle. When your transmission goes out, your vehicle is pretty much worthless until your transmission is fixed. That is why it is helpful to know what type of behavior is harmful to your transmission.
#1 Not Keeping Your Fluids Full
One of the easiest ways you can harm your vehicle's transmission is by not taking care of the fluid in your vehicle. When your transmission fluid gets low, your transmission doesn't have the fluid to keep all of the internal parts well-lubricated as well as cool. When the fluid levels get too low, the parts inside of your transmission start to grind on one another, damaging the internal parts of your transmission. Your transmission will also overheat easily when your transmission fluid is low.
#2 Not Flushing Your Transmission
It is not enough to keep the fluid full in your transmission. You also need to flush your transmission every few years. Over time, contaminants get into your transmission fluid, which is not good for the internal parts of your transmission. Don't just top off your transmission fluid, make sure that every few years you drain and flush your transmission fluid. This will help protect your transmission's internal components.
#3 Failing to Let Your Engine Warm Up
Next, it is smart to let your engine warm-up before you hit the streets, even in the summertime. Give your vehicle a few minutes for the transmission fluid to warm-up before you get on the road. If you don't have a few minutes to let your vehicle warm-up, keep it at low speeds for the first few minutes that you drive before you hit on the gas and get up to freeway speeds. This will give the transmission fluid in your vehicle time to warm up and start flowing and protecting your transmission.
#4 Letting Your Vehicle Overheat Frequently
Overheating even once is not good for your vehicle. Every time you allow your vehicle to go over the maximum temperature that your transmission is designed to handle, you are reducing the lifespan of your transmission. If you want to protect your transmission, you will never let it overheat. If your vehicle overheats, you should pull over and wait for it to cool off. Be aware that this could take a few hours. However, it is worth it to allow your vehicle to cool off as driving with a hot transmission can be extremely costly as well as unsafe.
Make sure that you keep your transmission full of fluids and flush the fluids every few years. Let your engine warm-up before you hit the road, and if your vehicle ever overheats, stop driving and let your vehicle cool off. If your transmission does need major repairs, used auto and salvaged parts are a great way to save money on this expensive repair.
For more information, contact a company like U Pull & Pay.
