Don’t Forget To Check Your Transmission Fluid}

Don’t Forget to Check Your Transmission Fluid

by

Levi Quinn

The transmission of your car is one of the most important parts of the entire vehicle. It is one of those parts that are more complicated than it sounds, actually containing in and of itself more than one part, and if something goes wrong with the transmission the entire car becomes useless. It does a lot of the unseen work. If you like analogies, the transmission in your car is a lot like the offensive line in a football team it may not get the headlines, but the moment it fails to do its job is the moment that the team ceases to work. Keeping the transmission ticking over is one of the absolute essentials in vehicle maintenance and, fortunately, your part in this need never extend beyond simple maintenance.

The transmission in your car relies heavily on its fluid supply, as with most parts of the vehicle. Depending on how old your car is, the transmission fluid should be checked twice a year at the least but there is no reason not to do it more often. There are many reasons to prioritize the transmission fluid in your car, not least of which is the fact that a low fluid level can lead to your car shifting gear poorly and putting excessive pressure on the engine. On an automatic transmission this is all the more important as the driver cannot take temporary remedial action by eliminating unnecessary gear changes. Additionally, a low level of transmission fluid can cause the transmission itself to become damaged and this can be one of the most costly repairs you can have done to your vehicle.

To check the transmission fluid, you should have the car parked on a level parking surface. This will ensure that the reading you get is accurate. You should also check while the engine is relatively warm as this increases the accuracy of the reading. You can find out the location of the transmission fluid dipstick by looking in the owners manual. This will also tell you whether the engine should be running. Wearing safety goggles and brandishing a flashlight, look around for the dipstick and remove it. Wipe it clean, then replace it and remove it again. This will give you a more accurate reading you should ensure that the level is at the point on the dipstick marked WARM.

If the fluid level is not high enough, then you need to add transmission fluid. The bottle containing the fluid should come with a long-necked funnel which allows you to add fluid a little bit at a time so as not to flood the reservoir (and cause further problems). Replace the dipstick then wait for a few moments. Pull the dipstick out, read it and wipe it down, and then replace it again. After a few minutes, pull it out and replace it again. This will allow you to ascertain if there is a deeper problem. Most of the time, you will not, but it is worth making sure.

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Don’t Forget to Check Your Transmission Fluid }