6 Tips For Taking Care of Your Automatic Transmission

What are tips for taking care of your automatic transmission? 

1. Check Your Transmission Fluid Regularly
2. Be Mindful When Changing Gears During Your Drive
3. Have Your Car’s Transmission Assessed 
4. Do Not Tow Heavy Loads
5. Avoid Driving on Your Spare Tire
6. Warm Up Your Car Before the Drive

Your car’s transmission is among the most important automotive parts. It’s responsible for transferring the engine’s power to the driveshaft, and this can only be done with the help of the automatic transmission fluid (ATF). 

This article gives some of the most important tips for taking care of your automatic transmission. This is vital information that every driver should know before driving off every day. Keep reading to learn more!

Check Your Transmission Fluid Regularly

The most important maintenance tip for you to remember is to check your transmission fluids regularly. It’s quite simple to do, but if you’re not familiar with the process, you can always consult your vehicle’s manual. 

For most vehicles, the transmission fluid can be checked with the car running. There are other cars where it will need to be put in park. Car manuals may also recommend that you check the ATF with the car at operating temperature.  

Just like the car’s engine oil,  all vehicles’ automatic transmission comes with a dipstick. This is used to check the ATF level. It comes with a circular handle colored white, yellow, or orange. On the stick, there are markings at the end to indicate the proper fluid level depending on the temperature of the transmission. 

Pull out your car’s dipstick to check the ATF fluid level. If the fluid level is running low, prioritize replenishing it. 

Aside from the fluid levels, check the color of the ATF fluid. Bright red or pink fluid with a sweet smell is a sign of fresh ATF. However, if it is dark in color and smells like burnt coal, it’s a sign that your transmission needs to be flushed. 

Be Mindful When Changing Gears During Your Drive

Driving with manual transmission means that you can shift gears when needed. This is not the case for automatic transmission. 

Switching gears while driving can induce strain on your car’s transmission. It can lead to premature transmission breakdown and damage to your car’s gearbox. If done often, it can lead to serious problems for your vehicle. 

While driving, make sure your car is at a full stop before you shift gears. That means you need to stop your car completely when shifting from Park to Drive and vice-versa. This takes care of your car’s transmission and prevents it from wear and tear. 

Have Your Car’s Transmission Assessed 

Skipping on your car’s regular maintenance is a big mistake. During these inspections, specialists can check on your car’s transmissions that need to be addressed. They can also check the ATF’s fluid level, color, and smell if you missed out on checking this regularly. 

Car manufacturers always recommend draining and changing a vehicle’s ATF every 50,000 kilometers. This also counts for cars with ATF in good condition. Changing the fluid ensures that your drives will be smoother and more reliable even with the mileage rising. 

Do Not Tow Heavy Loads

Not all vehicles are made to tow heavy loads, This leads to early transmission failure, and it can end up putting severe stress on your engine. These two car parts come hand-in-hand since the transmission sends the engine power to be able to drive the wheels. 

If you end up towing heavy loads on your car, this can cause your car to overheat faster. This leads to ATF burning and damaging the transmission. It can happen more often while towing on inclined roads and in hot temperatures. 

Avoid Driving on Your Spare Tire

The spare tires in cars are not always full-sized. They often come in a compact variety to make fixing flat tires quick and easy. Drivers should take note that compact tires need to be switched to their full size later on because they are not ideal for long-distance drives. 

With one tire in a different size, your vehicle’s alignment can get ruined. This will overwork your transmission when you drive for a long period of time. 

Warm Up Your Car Before the Drive

Many drivers are guilty of hopping into the driver’s seat, starting the engine, and zooming away. This habit should immediately be stopped because it’s not healthy for cars equipped with an automatic transmission. 

Before driving off, all the vital fluids of your car should be sufficiently warm. So, allow your car to warm up for a few minutes before driving off. It’s also good to take it easy on your gas pedals for the first few minutes. This will get the engine warm enough for the car’s eclectic control unit to run as well. 

Key Takeaway

Those were some time tips for taking care of your automatic transmission! Incorporate these into your daily driving routine to make sure your vehicle is performing at its best every time you hit the road. 

The transmission is just one component among your car’s other metal-stamped parts. At Roberts AIPMC, we offer high-quality, tested, and reliable automotive parts as well as OEM auto parts. Contact us here so we can provide you with the technical services that you need!