3 "Must-Knows" regarding Transmission Care
Transmission work is our specialty here at Transmission Doctor and Auto Care. The transmission of the vehicle is responsible for taking the power from the engine and delivering it to the differential. This in turn sends power to the wheels and propels the car. All vehicles have transmissions of some type, whether automatic or standard. Today we will discuss 3 "must knows" regarding transmission care, which applies to you as a car owner!
1.Transmission Maintenance and How it Should be Performed
Regular maintenance is most important in maintaining your transmissions longevity. If you are unsure about how often to have your transmission serviced, look at your owner’s manual maintenance schedule or call a reputable automotive repair shop. Servicing the transmission should include the removal of the transmission pan where the filter is located. The filter should be replaced and an inspection of the contents of the pan (i.e. sludge in pan) should be made to determine if current or potential internal failure exists. The transmission fluid should be changed as well. Most transmissions have specific fluid type that must be used, which again may be found in the owner’s manual or at a reputable shop.
2.Indicators of Transmission Failure
Have you ever driven down the road and felt the engine’s RPMs flare up? We call that a “transmission slip”. Slipping transmissions will lead to poor acceleration and overheating of the transmission. Automatic transmissions should have crisp shifts, not too soft, but not too hard with no flare or slip. Another indicator of transmission problem is harsh up shifts in an automatic transmission. This is usually an indicator that the transmissions control system is operating from “limp mode” status. “limp mode” is a safety feature built into the operating system and is caused by the computers’ inability to interpret data from one of the systems sensors (i.e. speed sensor, temperature sensor, throttle position sensor, etc.). There are many sensors. A lot of time what seems like a major transmission problem, can be resolved by replacement of a sensor or a repair of the connection to the sensor.
3.How to Pick a Trusted Shop for Transmission Repair
Who’s going to fix my transmission? That’s a tough question to answer. We believe it starts with a phone call and using your gut instinct to judge the character of the person on the other line. The main question that should be asked is “Do you specialize in transmissions?”. When it comes to transmissions, it is a very specialized field. Most shops that are not experts in the field of transmission repair will want to replace your entire transmission, with no attempt at repair, usually costing you thousands of dollars more than necessary. If a shop starts quoting prices before even looking at your car, beware! Always, before any estimate is given, a reputable shop will want to take a look first.
If you’re located in north central Florida and are looking to have your transmission serviced or repaired, give us a call at Transmission Doctor and Auto Care. We would be happy to help.