Your vehicle holds many fluids, and transmission fluid is one of them. This fluid acts as a lubricant for your transmission system. Similar to engine oil, the transmission fluid requires changing to maintain your transmission components.
Transmission fluid breaks down and degrades over time. How often you service your transmission fluid depends on various factors. Your vehicle’s make, model, and age have something to do with it. Another thing to consider is whether you have an automatic or manual transmission. Automatic transmissions don’t require fluid flushes as often as manual transmissions. Lastly, how you handle and drive your vehicle will also affect the quality of the transmission fluid. For example, constant stop-and-go driving can accelerate the wear and tear of the transmission fluid. Frequent hauling of heavy items can also make your transmission fluid wear down faster.
How to Tell If Your Transmission Fluid Needs Changing
One of the obvious ways to tell whether your transmission fluid is to check it. Some cars have dipsticks, making the fluid easier to inspect. However, you can also look for signs on how your vehicle behaves.
- Color - When your transmission fluid looks super dark, it is a sign that it is no longer effective.
- Smell - If the fluid no longer smells sweet and has an odor or burnt scent to it, it is safe to assume that you need to change the fluid.
- Consistency - When your transmission has dirt, debris, or other contaminants in it, it’s time to change it.
- Driving behavior - If your transmission is slipping or struggling to change gears, your transmission is in trouble. Gear changes should be smooth and quiet when you have clean transmission fluid.
Bring your vehicle to 515 Motorsport, where experts can check your transmission fluid. If you require a transmission fluid, please give us a call or schedule an appointment online with us today.