Transmission Services Services in Willimantic, CT

An Overview of Transmission Maintenance

Every car has a transmission—most of them automatic, some manual—and all of them do basically the same thing: The job of the vehicle transmission is to regulate the amount of power that goes to your wheels, always relative to the speed at which you’re traveling. The transmission actively shifts gears, much like on a multi-speed bike. Of course, there are some key distinctions between automatic and manual transmission, but what’s the same across every vehicle is that attending to regular transmission maintenance is vitally important.

Understanding Your Transmission Repair Needs

How much power does your engine need to generate? That’s a question you don’t have to think about, because your automatic transmission does it for you. That’s ultimately what a vehicle’s transmission is all about—regulating the power from the engine to match the current speed, ensuring optimal performance. Of course, this involves some wear and tear—as well as depletion of transmission fluid—so transmission maintenance is a must. But what should vehicle owners know about their transmission, and about the urgency of regular transmission repair?

How Often Should Your Car Get a Transmission Service?

As for how often you need transmission service, it just depends on the kind of car you’re driving. With some vehicles, it’s every 30,000 miles. The best practice is to simply check transmission fluid whenever you do your other routine vehicle maintenance. Meineke’s service technicians can tell you if you do for transmission repair or for a transmission flush.

How Transmission Fluid Works

Transmission fluid serves a pretty simple purpose: It lubricates your gears. Thus, as they shift, the wear and tear they take on is minimal. Transmission fluid extends the lifespan of your transmission considerably, which is what makes it so important to schedule a regular transmission fluid check, and to replace your transmission fluid when it becomes too dirty.

How to Know When It’s Time for Transmission Maintenance

The question is, when do you know it’s time to schedule some transmission maintenance? Well, it’s good to check transmission fluid levels regularly—perhaps when you bring your car in for an oil change or tire rotation, once or twice a year. You should also schedule transmission repair if you notice any problems shifting gears, such as strange noises during the gear shift process.

How Frequently is Transmission Maintenance Needed?

Some auto manufacturers recommend that you get a transmission flush every 30,000 miles. For other cars, it’s just once every 100,000 miles. You can check your owner’s manual for a general estimate, but really what we recommend is just asking a Meineke service professional to check transmission fluid levels every time you get an oil change or tire rotation. Just make it part of your preventative maintenance routine, and stay on top of all your transmission maintenance requirements!