You have to take care of your clutch, or you’re going to have transmission problems in Silver Spring, MD before you know it. See your transmission repair service whenever it looks like a problem might be springing up, and don’t put your clutch under more pressure than you need to. Learn how to shift properly, don’t tow more than your vehicle can handle, and never use your clutch to stop when you’re driving on a hill. If you know you have some bad habits to break and you want to protect your car’s clutch, keep reading.

Bad Shifting

The main difference between a manual and automatic transmission that a driver will notice is the way the vehicle handles. With a manual transmission, you’ll have to shift from gear to gear yourself. If you don’t know how to shift gears properly, you’ll end up with transmission problems. Many drivers fail to wait until the clutch is fully disengaged before they shift to a different gear. Even letting off of your clutch before you’re completely in gear can quickly damage your clutch, as this can cause everything from premature warping of the dampener springs to warping of the disc. Be careful when you shift, and make sure to do it fully to protect your clutch.

Towing and Burnouts

If you picked out a heavy-duty truck specifically because you want to tow your ATVs or dirt bikes to the course every weekend, make sure you have the towing capacity you need for the job. Don’t attempt to tow more than your vehicle is capable of, or you’ll quickly burn out your clutch. Speaking of burnouts, peeling out from a stoplight will also wreak havoc on your clutch. Avoid these two problems to keep yours in shape.

Clutching on a Hill

Using your clutch in place of the brake is typically not a good idea, and if you’re on a hill, it’s even worse. Instead of relying on your clutch, use your emergency brake when you’re stopped on a hill to prevent rollback so you don’t roll or blow out your clutch.

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.

Some common questions that transmission shops in Rockville, MD hear from their customers are about strange smells coming from their car. Have you been picking up on an unpleasant, burning odor when driving your vehicle? If so, then you should not ignore this sign, as it may indicate that you are dealing with a transmission problem.

In these situations, some people choose to schedule a transmission fluid change to address the burning smell. While this strategy may resolve the issue if the problem is low transmission fluid, it will not do much good if there is an issue with the transmission itself. For this reason, if your vehicle is producing a burning smell, then consider bringing it to a transmission specialist to have it evaluated by an expert. By taking care of this issue sooner rather than later, you can help protect your transmission and get rid of that bad smell.

Your car provides you with safe and reliable transportation for all of your daily errands. However, without routine maintenance and correct driving habits, your car could slowly start to lose its efficiency. To avoid transmission problems and other severe mechanical issues, bring your car to a transmission specialist that works in Rockville. By providing your vehicle with regular transmission repair , you can avoid a serious transmission problem that could ultimately make your vehicle unable to drive. Let’s take a look at three habits that could be slowly killing your car.

Neglecting Your Check Engine Light

All modern cars are equipped with computerized sensor systems, which send out trouble codes as soon as mechanical or electronic issues are detected. When your car’s computer sends out a trouble code, your check engine light will be illuminated. If you neglect to bring your car in to the mechanic after your check engine light has turned on, you could run the risk of causing serious damage to the internal parts of your vehicle.

Forgetting to Change Your Fluids

Many of the different systems in your vehicle rely on fluids for their operation. If you forget to change your engine oil, transmission fluid, or brake fluid, you are running the risk of causing catastrophic damage to your car. While certain types of fluids, such as motor oil, need to be changed every few months, other fluids, like transmission fluid, should be flushed and replenished about every 100,000 miles.

Failing to Follow Your Car’s Service Schedule

When you purchase a brand new car, your dealer will provide with tips and information about when to schedule key service appointments for your vehicle. Information about key service milestones may also be found in your car’s owner’s manual. If you fail to follow the service schedule that is required for your car, you may be slowly destroying its performance, efficiency, and overall safety. Following the recommended service milestones is a great way to keep your car running for as long as possible.

When you are operating a vehicle that is equipped with a manual transmission, it is critical to keep some essential driving tips in mind. This video demonstrates the do’s and don’ts of driving a manual transmission . If you tend to rest your hand on the gear shift or keep your foot hovering on the clutch, you may be accidentally causing transmission problems in your car. A shop that offers transmission repair in Bethesda can help to solve any transmission issues that may be affecting your vehicle’s performance.

From rebuilt transmissions to minor repairs, your transmission shop will be equipped to provide you with a complete range of services. If your driving habits have caused transmission problems in your manual vehicle, a team of repair experts will be happy to restore your car’s performance and driving abilities.

If you’re having transmission problems in Rockville, MD, you should head to the transmission repair shop as soon as you can. Transmission problems can be extremely serious, and they can set up dangerous situations if you don’t take care of them in a timely fashion. The last thing you want is to deal with a transmission failure while you’re on the road, but there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening. Low transmission fluid, clogged filters, and problems with the clutch can all contribute to transmission damage, so watch out for these issues. Here is a closer look at the common causes of transmission damage.

Lack of Fluid

Transmission fluid keeps your transmission lubricated, which allows it to do its job without issues. However, a leak or similar transmission problem will drain the fluid. A lack of transmission fluid means that the transmission won’t be properly lubricated, which in turn means that too much friction will be created. Remember to keep an eye out for puddles in your driveway, and look at your parking spot when you pull away. If there are puddles of red liquid, you might be leaking transmission fluid. Dirty fluid can also cause transmission problems, so be sure to change your fluid on a regular basis.

Clogged Filter

Did you know that there is a filter for your transmission fluid? Without it, it would be difficult to keep your fluid clean, which would contribute to transmission problems. When the filter is clogged, not enough fluid will be able to pass through it. Your transmission might overheat or completely shut down, both of which can be extremely problematic. In addition to having to pull off of the road, you’ll have to seek transmission repair to get your vehicle running again.

Clutch Problems

When you have a manual transmission, you need to understand your clutch. If your clutch is jammed, your vehicle might shake and you may have difficulty switching between gears. Go to a professional immediately if you have this kind of transmission problem, and look out for strange smells and sounds.

The better you maintain your car or truck, the longer it will last. There are many systems that work together for your vehicle to function, and it’s your job to take care of them. Transmission problems in Silver Spring can be particularly inconvenient, and they can even put you and other drivers in danger. That’s why you should work with your automatic transmission service to maintain your vehicle. Keep an eye on your fluids, seek repair whenever it’s necessary, and check in with your mechanic occasionally. Continue reading to learn about the essentials of vehicle maintenance.

Checking Your Fluids

For your transmission to work, it needs fluid. Not just any fluid will work, however, and old, contaminated fluid can quickly cause transmission problems. You can tell what kind of shape your transmission fluid is in by looking at it. Fresh, clean transmission fluid should be a bright red hue. Dirty, contaminated transmission fluid, on the other hand, might be more of a brown. If you check your fluids and notice that your transmission fluid is on the brown side, talk to your transmission repair shop to see if you have a problem.

Undergoing Repairs

There is no reason to wait to fix a transmission problem, as this will only allow the issue to become more severe. If you want to make sure your car stays on the road, you should fix any transmission problems as soon as you notice the signs. Even if you’re not sure if your transmission is the problem, you should visit the transmission repair shop to get a professional opinion. Then you and your mechanic can decide how you should proceed.

Seeing the Mechanic

You won’t always notice a transmission problem right away, so you should see your mechanic on a regular basis. Your transmission service professional will know exactly what to look for, and he or she might pick up on signs that you miss. Catching problems early will give you the upper hand and allow you to take care of them before they develop.

While automatic transmissions have become the standard for most new cars, many drivers still prefer their manual transmission vehicles. In order to avoid common manual transmission problems, it is important to bring your car in to a transmission repair shop in Rockville. A transmission specialist will have the tools and knowledge needed to figure out the precise transmission problems that are affecting the performance of your stick shift. If you are wondering how to keep your manual car on the road, here is a look at some troubleshooting tips for manual transmissions.

Slipping Clutch

Many of the most common manual transmission problems originate in the clutch. If you have started to notice that your manual transmission has trouble moving between gears, even if you have fully depressed the clutch pedal, you may be dealing with a slipping clutch. A slipping clutch can also cause the engine to rev as you are attempting to shift between gears. In order to repair a slipping clutch, a full clutch replacement may be necessary.

Sticking Gear Shift

When a manual transmission is functioning properly, its gear shifter should slide effortlessly between gears. If you have started to notice that you really have to yank or push the shifter in order to shift to the appropriate gear, this could indicate that one of the internal components in your clutch has worn out. Problems in the gears themselves can also result in a very sticky gear shift. Once you have had your gears repaired, your stick shift will be returned to normal functioning.

Fluid Leaks

Manual transmissions need regular fluid changes in order to remain in peak operating condition. A transmission fluid leak could cause your transmission parts to wear down quickly and create grinding noises or burning smells. It is possible to diagnose a transmission fluid leak by looking for pools of red fluid in your car’s parking spot. You can also use your transmission’s dipstick to inspect the current level of your transmission fluid. Typically, you will need to change your manual transmission fluid every 45,000 miles.

In order to prevent transmission problems in your manual vehicle, it is a terrific idea to learn a bit about the basics of how manual transmissions work. In this video from Engineering Explained, you will learn the dos and don’ts of operating a manual transmission. To keep excess pressure away from your gear selector fork, you will want to take your hand off of the stick shift as soon as you are done shifting. A transmission shop in Silver Spring can provide you with more transmission maintenance tips.