We all know how important the transmission fluid is for automatic transmissions, making it important to know when it needs to be changed. Transmission fluid works in three ways; it’s a hydraulic fluid, a lubricant and a coolant. Just like any of the fluids in your car, transmission fluid has a shelf life and will breakdown over time from heat, use and contaminants. If it doesn’t get changed it can cause problems with your transmission and you may experience shifting problems, slipping and overheating.
Should I Change Transmission Fluid After 100k Miles?
If you were to google or ask around about the length of time that should go between changing the transmission fluid you would get different answers. You may get advice to do it every 100,000 or 150,000 miles but that seems like an awfully long time! With most drivers putting 12,000 to 15,000 miles on their cars every year it would be 6 ½ – 8 ½ years before you change your transmission fluid and even longer if you went up to 150,000 miles. Can you imagine what it would look like if you waited that long?! It makes more sense to have the transmission fluid changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, or once every 2 to 4 years. Making sure you do this will ensure that your transmission will run with clean fluid instead of dirty fluid which will allow your transmission to last longer and work more efficiently. Doing it regularly will make things easier on your transmission and your wallet will thank you too.
Reasons to Change Transmission Fluid More Often
There are factors that may require you to change it more frequently. These include heavy towing, lots of stop and go driving, snow plowing or if you live where it gets really hot in the summer. When your car is driven in under these circumstances, the temperature that the transmission works at is much higher than normal and means it will degrade faster and it’s recommended to change the transmission fluid every 15,000 miles. You can go by the suggested mileage intervals but if you’re unsure you can get a pretty good idea as to whether or not it needs to be changed simply by looking at it. Check your transmission fluid monthly. Look at the quality of the fluid. Transmission fluid that is healthy will be red and a little darker than that if it has aged, this is normal. If the fluid is brown or black in color or it smells burnt, it needs to be changed. Look for contaminants that may be floating in the fluid like specks of metal, dirt or debris. This is an indication that the fluid needs to be changed as well as the filter.
Transmission Services in Irving, Richardson, Garland, Mesquite, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Balch Springs & Dallas, Texas
Most times when you get an oil change the fluids in your car will be checked. Keep track of fluid changes to prevent repairs to your car that could have been avoided. If you take care of the transmission fluid in your car you will have a longer lasting transmission and extra money in your wallet. Contact Gomez Transmissions to change your transmission fluid and have you back on the road in no time! Give us a call today!
