Transmission Services in Englewood, NJ 07631-4104

What Makes Transmission Fluid Necessary?

Your transmission system itself works a bit like a bike. When pedaling a multi-speed bike in a low gear, it’s easy to get acceleration, but hard to work up much speed. By shifting into a higher gear—once the bike is on level ground and moving at a decent clip—higher speed can be achieved. That’s essentially the same function that transmission serves within a car—regulating the power relative to speed. And that requires the use of transmission fluid, which serves a critical function—lubricating your gears and minimizing the effect of daily wear and tear. All of this points to a basic point about vehicle maintenance: You should have transmission fluid inspection—and yes, transmission flush—as part of your regular preventative maintenance schedule.

When is it Time to Have Transmission Repair Done?

Transmission fluid will eventually get dirty and lose its lubricating power—which makes it necessary to get a regular transmission flush. Additionally, you should take your car in for transmission maintenance any time you detect problems—such as grinding or whining sounds when the vehicle shifts gears. Difficulty changing gears, or frequently slipping out of gear, should also be taken as a warning sign. This is when you need to schedule transmission service ASAP.

How Often Do You Need a Transmission Flush?

As for how often you need a transmission flush, it just depends on the kind of car you’re driving. 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’re do for transmission repair or for a transmission flush.

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.

When to Worry About Transmission Repair

There are a few warning signs that it’s time for a transmission maintenance appointment. If you notice that your car seems to have a hard time shifting gears—if there is a jostling, or a grinding noise—that’s a dead giveaway. The car slipping out of gear, or changing gears at random times, is another one. And any whining noise you heard could point to a transmission issue. That means it’s time to take your car to Meineke in Englewood NJ for maintenance!