Since the transmission is such an integral component of your vehicle , you should do your best to take care of it. Avoiding transmission problems in Silver Spring, MD helps extend the life of your transmission and your vehicle as a whole. Your transmission needs clean fluids to keep it cool and efficient, and your transmission mechanic can help if you have any troubles. Knowing what stresses your car or truck will also help you reduce your risk for problems and stay on the road. Continue reading for some quick tips on getting the most out of your transmission.

Change Your Fluids

Unless you change your fluid as necessary, you can expect to run into transmission problems. Transmission fluid keeps the transmission itself from overheating, which is absolutely essential for the functioning of your vehicle. If your transmission overheats, it can’t properly distribute energy from the engine to your wheels. A transmission fluid leak can be disastrous because the more fluid you lose, the hotter the engine will get, which turns into even more transmission fluid being burnt. Check your transmission fluid regularly to keep the fluid fresh and catch leaks while there’s still time to fix them.

See Your Mechanic

No matter how good you are, you’re never too good to see your transmission mechanic. A healthy relationship with your transmission mechanic is good news for your ride. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you should only see your mechanic when something is wrong, and instead schedule regular maintenance checkups to make sure everything is right.

Don’t Ride the Brakes

When you use your clutch, you decide how the transmission will send energy from the engine to the wheels. If you overuse your brakes rather than shifting according to your speed, you could be doing some serious damage to your transmission. Riding the brakes is a common problem for people who drive cars with manual transmissions, which makes it all the more noteworthy. Try not to hit the brakes (or gas pedal) too abruptly so your engine has time to acclimate.

Could your car be having transmission problems ? The signs of a transmission issue are not always as clear as other kinds of car problems you may have. One way to determine if your transmission needs attention is to let your nose be your guide. Certain smells can indicate that your car needs to be evaluated in a transmission repair shop in Rockville, MD.

Transmission fluid can have a sweet smell when it leaks out of your car. If you notice a maple smell as your approach your vehicle, leaked transmission fluid may be the cause. On the other hand, if your transmission fluid is not leaking but rather overheating, you may experience a burning smell. The smell may occur while you are driving, or you may notice it outside of your car after you turn it off. Both of these issues indicate that a transmission specialist should check out your car to see if you need any repairs.

Transmission problems in Silver Spring, MD don’t happen out of anywhere, and they often spring up due to certain driving habits. You can’t expect your transmission to last if you never go in for a tune up and you abuse your vehicle in the way you drive. If your vehicle overheats, you don’t change your fluids, or you drive erratically, you can’t expect your transmission to last for as long as it normally would. Read ahead and take a closer look at some of the top ways to destroy your transmission.

Overheating

It’s best to wait until your engine warms up before you get going on a cold winter morning, but too much heat is bad for your vehicle as well. You never want to work your vehicle so hard that it overheats, so think about the way you drive as well as how frequently you service your car or truck. If your transmission runs hot, take your vehicle to the transmission shop and find out what’s going wrong before it burns out.

Don’t Change Your Fluids

One reason we use transmission fluid is to cool down the transmission itself. Clean and fresh fluid helps you avoid transmission problems by lubricating the system and reducing the amount of friction and heat that it creates. By checking your transmission fluid on a regular basis and changing it when you need to, you can avoid a host of transmission problems in the future. Healthy transmission fluid is typically a bright red hue, and it will start to turn darker and brown when it ages or becomes contaminated. Check your transmission fluid and make sure you’re not running on old, dirty fluid if you want to make your transmission last.

Drive Erratically

Your driving style plays an important role in the longevity of your transmission’s life. If you’re the type of driver that races from light to light, you can’t expect your transmission to last as long as it should. Try to ease into your movements rather than accelerating or braking too much too quickly.

A slipping transmission in Silver Spring, MD can make for a slippery ride, which is not what you want when you’re driving during the winter. Dealing with transmission problems as soon as possible is wise, but you should also know how to keep your vehicle under control when you run into a problem on the road. Watch this video and learn about how to prevent and correct slides when on an icy road.

Preventing slides is a lot safer than correcting them, although both are crucial skills to have. Always check out the forecast before you go out on a winter day or night, and drive slowly when conditions aren’t ideal. If your vehicle starts to slide around, responding quickly is key to avoiding a disaster. Icy roads can be extremely dangerous, so remember to drive with caution.

You need to swing by your transmission shop in Rockville, MD occasionally, or your whole vehicle will pay the price. Without regular manual or automatic transmission service, you’ll run into problems that can run you off the road. Your transmission needs clean fluid to run properly, and it needs the right amount. A bad clutch or problems with your torque converter can also set the stage for transmission disaster and end up wearing out other components of your car. Keep reading and explore the common causes of transmission failure.

Fluid Leaks

Every component of your vehicle needs to communicate and interact with other components. When it comes to the healthy functioning of your transmission, you need the proper fluids. You can take care of your vehicle and prevent transmission problems by making sure you have the right amount of transmission fluids and ensuring that the fluid is clean. Depending on the transmission fluid you use, it might be colorless or bright red. You can tell your fluid is dirty and in need of changing when it takes on a darker brown color. At this point it won’t do a good enough job of cooling down your transmission, which can lead to overheating and a multitude of other problems. Look out for patches of liquid on the surface of your driveway and call your transmission repair pro for help.

Bad Clutch

Your clutch is essentially what you use to control your transmission if you drive a manual vehicle. Unfortunately, the clutch can wear out over time and lead to transmission failure. “Riding the clutch” is somewhat synonymous with aggressive, erratic driving, which is a practice you should always avoid. If you’re worried that your clutch is starting to wear out, see your transmission service professional for a second opinion.

Torque Converter Issues

Without your torque converter, you’d be going nowhere fast. If you want to keep yours in shape, it’s especially important to avoid abusing it. This also comes back to the way you drive your vehicle, as abrupt starts and stops can cause your torque converter to overheat.

When transmission repair in Silver Spring, MD no longer seems like it will get the job done, it’s time to think about a replacement. Transmission replacement isn’t always necessary, but it can make a world of difference if it is. If you pay attention to your vehicle and work with a transmission specialist, then you should know how to tell if you’re in need of a replacement. If the repair bills start adding up, you stop taking care of your vehicle, or your transmission repeatedly overheats, visit the transmission shop to find out if it’s time for a replacement. Read on for more on when to replace a transmission .

Constant Repairs

If you use your transmission long enough, eventually you will probably need to worry about transmission repair. No transmission is perfect, and no driver is either. On the other hand, you shouldn’t be visiting the transmission shop every other week. Transmission problems can pile up, and even if you fix them as soon as you can, older transmissions might just be at the end of their lifespans. Think about how much money you’re spending on transmission repair and ask yourself if it might be more cost-effective to replace the transmission entirely.

Maintenance Droughts

Experienced drivers should know when and how to maintain their vehicles. If you know you haven’t been keeping up with your vehicle maintenance and you start experiencing transmission problems, then you should find out if you’re past the point of repair. Don’t give up before you visit the transmission shop to talk to your mechanic, but keep in mind that a lack of maintenance can give way to serious problems. Eventually, those problems may warrant a transmission replacement.

Overheating and Bad Transmission Fluid

Your transmission might overheat if it’s running low on fluid, but what if it continues to overheat and burn up the clean fluid you just put in? If your transmission continues to overheat and causing you to burn through transmission fluid, then you might need a new one. Older transmissions are particularly

In many ways, your transmission is like the heart of your car. A transmission problem can cause a wealth of problems that affect your whole vehicle, which is why you should be in touch with your transmission shop in Bethesda, MD. If you find that it’s becoming more and more difficult to switch gears or keep your vehicle in a certain gear, then there’s a good chance you’re experiencing transmission problems. The good news is that this doesn’t necessarily mean that your transmission is fried, and you might just need to replace your fluid. See your mechanic if you’re still having problems, and continue reading for a closer look at why your car might not be shifting gears.

Struggling to shift into a different gear is a common symptom of a transmission problem. It’s your clutch’s job to disengage and reengage your transmission, but it can’t do that if it’s jammed. A jammed clutch will give you trouble when you try to switch gears, and it may also cause your vehicle to shake a significant amount. The transmission itself won’t work properly if it doesn’t have enough transmission fluid due to the lack of lubrication, so replace your fluid and see your mechanic.

If you’re like most people, you want your vehicle to last as long as possible. Even if you move onto another car or truck, it’s easier to sell your current vehicle if it’s in good shape. Too many drivers make needless mistakes that cause transmission problems in Rockville, MD that could have been avoided. Driving recklessly, leaving your fluids for too long, and forgetting to take care of repairs can quickly lead to transmission issues. Here is a look at some driver mistakes that can damage your vehicle.

Driving Recklessly

You’ve always been taught to keep an eye out for potentially dangerous drivers on the road, but it’s just as important not to become the reckless driver you were warned about. Some people drive recklessly without even realizing it, so you should be cognizant that you’re obeying the rules of the road and not putting yourself or anyone else in danger. Driving recklessly increases your risk of damaging your own car, other cars, and even public or private property. It won’t do your vehicle any favors, and it might lead to transmission problems. Move with the flow of traffic and never drive while distracted or under the influence.

Failing to Check Fluids

When you run out of gas on the highway, your car will break down and you’ll have to pull over. Gasoline isn’t the only fluid that you need to keep track of. You also need to check and change the fluids in your engine and transmission. It’s easy to change transmission fluid, but many people forget to do it on a regular basis. Your owner’s manual will tell you how frequently to check your fluid. A dark color means that your fluid is old and dirty and should be changed to avoid transmission problems.

Letting Problems Slide

Your vehicle might be trusty, but you need to give it some help if you want it to stay reliable. If a lack of fluid has caused problems in your transmission, talk to your mechanic to see what needs to be repaired. Don’t wait to fix transmission issues, because they’ll only get worse while you do.

Engine braking refers to taking your foot off the throttle while you’re in gear. If you’re wondering what you can do to avoid engine and manual transmission problems in Rockville, MD , then watch this video to learn whether it’s bad to engine brake in a manual transmission.

Engine braking works by creating a vacuum between the throttle valve and the engine which causes the car to slow down. As it turns out, it is fine to engine brake with a manual transmission and allow the engine to slow the vehicle down. On the other hand, it is not recommended for you to slow your car down by using the shock of downshifting or putting the car into a lower gear and then slipping the clutch.

Did you know that low transmission fluid can be a surefire recipe for transmission problems ? To help protect your vehicle from damage and yourself from needing transmission repair in Rockville, MD, read on to learn some of the symptoms of low transmission fluid.

The Gears Won’t Shift

When there isn’t enough clean transmission fluid in your transmission, this can make changing gears difficult or even impossible. Also, it’s not uncommon for a transmission that is low on transmission fluid to not engage and seem to be stuck in neutral. If you’re dealing with this problem, then don’t delay and have this transmission problem checked as soon as possible.

The Transmission Slips

On the other hand, if the vehicle does make a gear change but then transitions out of that gear without any help from you, then you may be dealing with transmission slipping. This issue can be a sign of low transmission fluid and should be addressed right away to help prevent damage.

The Gears Shift Too Slowly

Do you find that a few seconds pass between the time you shift gears and when the vehicle does? If so, then low transmission fluid may be to blame, as a lack of fluid pressure can cause a delay in gear change.

The Gears Shift Too Quickly

Conversely, if your car is shifting gears in what feels like a sudden manner, then this may also mean that the transmission fluid is too low. Because gear change in automatic transmissions relies on proper fluid pressure, low transmission fluid can result in gear changes that are abrupt instead of smooth.

The Transmission Is Hot

One purpose of transmission fluid is to help keep the transmission cool. When there is too little transmission fluid, this can lead to friction that causes the transmission to overheat when in use. If your vehicle has a temperature gauge for its transmission and indicates that the transmission is running hot, then it’s a good idea to get your transmission fluid levels checked.