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By Lawrence Reaves

Your car’s transmission should last for over 100,000 miles. It’s not uncommon for this assembly to last much longer – often, twice as long. Unfortunately, many drivers unwittingly shorten the life of their transmissions by allowing them to slowly fall into disrepair. Unless you’re actively checking for problems, you’re unlikely to detect them. Eventually, your tranny will begin to experience difficulty changing gears, or finding the right ones. This is the gradual descent toward the assembly’s failure.

Replacing your transmission can cost up to $3,500, depending on the make and model of your car, and whether you purchase a high-quality rebuilt assembly. Even a used replacement can cost up to $2,000. For this reason, invest the time to periodically check for problems. When they form, have them fixed.

In this article, we’ll provide a few helpful tips for making sure your vehicle’s transmission stays in topnotch condition. If you do nothing more than the following, you’ll prolong the assembly’s life and postpone expensive repair bills.

Check For Indications Of Fluid Leakage

The transmission is a closed system. Hence, the fluid level should remain constant. However, the seals can deteriorate and the gaskets can lose their integrity over time. When either occurs, leaks can form.

The problem with leaks is that your transmission depends on fluid for lubrication of its moving parts and heat transfer away from the assembly. If the level declines too far, the moving parts in your tranny will create excess friction. This leads to internal damage, which is expensive to repair. Make a point of checking the ground underneath the assembly for signs of fluid leaks. If you notice a few drops, replenish the level and have a mechanic find and fix the source of the leak.

Look For Signs Of Declining Quality In The Fluid

Transmission fluid begins to degrade from constant circulation over tens of thousands of miles. This is the reason it needs to be changed periodically. You should also check its condition on a regular basis to ensure it doesn’t degrade prematurely.

Start your engine and let it idle for a few minutes. Then, pull out the dipstick and inspect the fluid’s color and consistency. If it is in good condition, the fluid will have a clear reddish tint to it. It will also appear thick, but slightly runny, and be devoid of metal filings. If it smells as if it is burning, or appears dark or opaque, it needs to be changed.

Note Any Changes In The Assembly’s Behavior

While driving, you should barely notice your transmission shifting gears. The process should be smooth and seamless. There should be no hesitation while the assembly searches for the right gears to engage. Nor should there be any lurching or hard shifting when the gears change.

Pay attention to these, and other, strange behaviors, including whining, whirring, or vibrating near the pedals. Each is a sign that something is wrong with your tranny, and needs to be resolved. If you have the problem addressed soon enough, your mechanic may be able to fix it without completely dismantling the assembly.

Change The Fluid Periodically

From the above discussion, it’s obvious the level and condition of the fluid in your transmission is critical to the life of the assembly. As noted earlier, it needs to be changed periodically. Look in your owner’s manual for the automaker’s recommended service interval. It can range from 20,000 to 60,000 miles, though most auto technicians will suggest having it drained and replaced every 30,000 miles.

This is a job you can easily perform on your own with a few tools. While it takes time and effort (along with a bit of patience), changing the fluid will prolong your tranny’s life and improve its performance.

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