If your vehicle’s transmission is starting to slip, is it time for a transmission service to change the fluid and filter? The answer to this question depends on the age and mileage of your vehicle. It’s a good idea to get some professional advice about transmission repair.
Lower Mileage Cars – For vehicles with less than 80,000 miles, a regular transmission service is typically recommended every 25,000 miles, which consists of changing the fluid and internal filter. Regular transmission service will provide longer life expectancy, smoother shifting, and increased performance of your engine. You can save yourself a lot of frustration if you maintain the transmission early on in the life of your vehicle, avoiding a costly transmission repair down the road.
Higher Mileage Cars – For vehicles with more than 80,000 miles that have received regular service as recommended and you are experiencing problems such as slipping, hard or erratic shifting, or slow to shift with a cold engine, ask for advice from a qualified auto shop. If your vehicle has high mileage and the motor has not been maintained, your auto mechanic may not recommend replacing the fluid and filter. The fluid has become dirty and gritty, and is actually providing needed friction for the worn internal parts. Replacing the filter and the fluid would remove this friction that the internal components have become dependent on. You might actually do more harm than good by replacing the fluid at this point. Putting clean slick fluid in a high mileage vehicle could cause the transmission to start slipping.
Some auto shops perform a transmission repair called "flushing," using a machine that acts like a blood transfusion machine. It pumps out the fluid, filters it, and then re-circulates it until it is clean. There are mixed opinions about this type of transmission repair. Although it is possible to remove more of the old dirty fluid this way, many auto technicians will strongly recommend the conventional method of removing the transmission pan, draining the fluid and replacing the internal filter. Metal and plastic debris become lodged in the filter, causing it to break down and become compacted to the point that it restricts fluid flow.
If you have any doubt as to what method of transmission service would be right for your vehicle, seek the advice of a qualified auto mechanic.
Need expert advice about transmission service? Contact our expert ASE-Certified Technicians today at our Elk River auto center by calling (763) 441-2889. Our auto shop in Elk River MN, also proudly serves residents in the areas of Zimmerman, MN, and Otsego, Minnesota.
If your vehicle’s transmission is starting to slip, is it time for a transmission service to change the fluid and filter? The answer to this question depends on the age and mileage of your vehicle. It’s a good idea to get some professional advice about transmission repair.
Lower Mileage Cars – For vehicles with less than 80,000 miles, a regular transmission service is typically recommended every 25,000 miles, which consists of changing the fluid and internal filter. Regular transmission service will provide longer life expectancy, smoother shifting, and increased performance of your engine. You can save yourself a lot of frustration if you maintain the transmission early on in the life of your vehicle, avoiding a costly transmission repair down the road.
Higher Mileage Cars – For vehicles with more than 80,000 miles that have received regular service as recommended and you are experiencing problems such as slipping, hard or erratic shifting, or slow to shift with a cold engine, ask for advice from a qualified auto shop. If your vehicle has high mileage and the motor has not been maintained, your auto mechanic may not recommend replacing the fluid and filter. The fluid has become dirty and gritty, and is actually providing needed friction for the worn internal parts. Replacing the filter and the fluid would remove this friction that the internal components have become dependent on. You might actually do more harm than good by replacing the fluid at this point. Putting clean slick fluid in a high mileage vehicle could cause the transmission to start slipping.
Some auto shops perform a transmission repair called "flushing," using a machine that acts like a blood transfusion machine. It pumps out the fluid, filters it, and then re-circulates it until it is clean. There are mixed opinions about this type of transmission repair. Although it is possible to remove more of the old dirty fluid this way, many auto technicians will strongly recommend the conventional method of removing the transmission pan, draining the fluid and replacing the internal filter. Metal and plastic debris become lodged in the filter, causing it to break down and become compacted to the point that it restricts fluid flow.
If you have any doubt as to what method of transmission service would be right for your vehicle, seek the advice of a qualified auto mechanic.
Need expert advice about transmission service? Contact our expert ASE-Certified Technicians today at our Elk River auto center by calling (763) 441-2889. Our auto shop in Elk River MN, also proudly serves residents in the areas of Zimmerman, MN, and Otsego, Minnesota.
