Transmission Services Services in Columbia, MD

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.

Scheduling a Transmission Flush

A common question from vehicle owners: How often is a transmission flush needed? The short answer: It just depends. Some vehicles require a transmission flush more often than others. You can check your owner’s manual for a general recommendation. Also remember to get your transmission fluid checked on a routine basis, helping you stay on top of any transmission maintenance needs.

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!