A car has different types of fluid that maintain its smooth and efficient operation. They all need adequate checking and replacing, from the radiator to the transmission fluid, to keep your car in top shape. Hence to help you through this confusing fluid dynamic, this article will focus on the transmission fluid and all you need to know.
What Is Transmission Fluid & Its Purpose?
Transmission fluid, as its name suggests, is the fluid that ensures all transmission aspects of your car are seamless for optimum performance. Therefore, transmission fluid is essentially the backbone of your car's transmission since it lubricates the metal parts and bearings of a car's gearbox. It is helpful in areas such as valve operation, torque converter, brake band, and gear lubrication to keep all the systems running.
Transmission fluid also facilitates the hydraulic pressure and friction for working internal parts. However, to accomplish this, you must meet two critical aspects. For starters, the transmission fluid levels in your car should be good. Secondly, the quality of your transmission fluid must be appropriate.
Therefore, if you are driving with low quality or quantity of transmission fluid or both, you are speeding wear and tear of components in the transmission, resulting in shortening the lifespan of these systems.
When to Change Your Transmission Fluid
Unfortunately, the question of how often you should change your car's transmission fluid is more complex than having a date scheduled on your calendar. It depends on factors such as what car you drive, the type of transmission fluid in your vehicle, how long you drive, where you drive, and so much more. However, in a rough estimate, you should change your transmission fluid every 50 000 – 100,000 km for automatic transmission and 50,000 – 90,000 km for manual transmissions. According to experts, this should be about every two years.
Although it might be hard to nail down a specific pattern, your car's maintenance schedule can significantly help. For example, some car types indicate on their maintenance schedules when the vehicle should get a transmission fluid change in terms of distance covered. However, if the transmission fluid change is not mentioned in the maintenance schedule, you should contact Central Import Automotive for help.
Bottom Line
Taking care of both the quality and quantity of your car's transmission fluid is essential to the operation of your vehicle and, most notably, the life span of all its transmission parts. Therefore, it is crucial to figure out when your car needs a change of this fluid to avoid damaging the parts. If you need transmission service, we invite you to bring your vehicle to our Toronto auto repair shop today!