Transmission Services Services in Greenfield, MA

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.

How Often Should You Get a Transmission Flush?

It’s important to take your vehicle to Meineke whenever you notice problems with the transmission. As for how often you should have a transmission flush, that depends on the vehicle; some manufacturers recommend getting a transmission flush every 30,000 miles or so, others every 100,000. You can check in your owner’s manual, but what we really recommend is just having your transmission fluid looked at when you take your vehicle in for routine maintenance, like a tire rotation or oil change.

How Does Your Vehicle Transmission Work?

The transmission is one of the most important systems in your vehicle, yet many drivers don’t quite understand how it works. Essentially, the transmission regulates the amount of power your engine sends to the wheels, relative to the speed you’re going—ensuring an optimal performance. To accomplish this, your transmission needs transmission fluid, which lubricates your gears and prevents wear and tear. Additionally, vehicle owners should be aware of the need for routine transmission maintenance—and in particular, transmission fluid inspection and replacement. You can have this done at Meineke in Greenfield MA, and we recommend making it part of your routine preventative maintenance schedule.

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.

Why Check Transmission Fluid?

Transmission fluid is a critical part of your transmission, serving in one key capacity: It keeps your gears lubricated, and safeguards them against wear and tear. In other words, it extends the lifespan of your transmission system. As the transmission fluid becomes dirty, though, it doesn’t lubricate nearly as well, which is why you’ll eventually need to schedule a transmission flush.

Where Does Transmission Fluid Go Wrong?

The reason you need to have your transmission serviced on a regular basis is simple: The fluid gets dirty, and loses its lubricating power. From there, the wear and tear done to your gears can be major—and if you don’t get it checked out quickly, it could snowball into an even bigger problem down the road. The urgency of transmission maintenance cannot be overstated!