Here are some tips on how to care for your transmission:
- If you notice any gear slippage or strange noises, bring your car in for a diagnosis.
- Don’t change from drive to reverse while your vehicle is still moving.
- Don’t drag race your vehicle. This puts strain on your transmission.
- Don’t drive on spare or mismatched tires for long periods of time.
- Check the vehicle’s cooling system regularly. Heat is the main culprit for transmission failure. Make sure you come to a complete stop before moving into park or reverse.
- Check your automatic transmission fluid every 1000 miles for colour, level and smell. Have the transmission fluid checked when you have the oil changed. A low level or dark or burnt-smelling transmission fluid is not good.
- Don’t rock a vehicle back and forth if it’s stuck. It can cause your transmission to operate at a high temperature and fail.
- Don’t haul heavy loads. Heavy loads can also cause overheating of the transmission.
