Change Your Driving Style To Avoid Transmission Problems
Posted on: 15 January 2016
Transmission repairs can be costly and render your car useless for a period of time. Since your driving style can have a significant impact on the overall quality of your car's transmission, here are three simple changes you can make to extend the life of your transmission in the future.
1. Give your vehicle time to warm up before you begin driving.
One of the easiest changes you can make to your driving style is avoiding a cold start when temperatures begin to drop. Both engine oil and transmission fluids are viscous, and they can become thicker with a reduction in temperature.
Shifting your car into gear before the transmission fluid has adequate time to warm up could result in transmission damage. Try letting your vehicle idle for about a minute before you shift your transmission into drive, then let the vehicle sit another 30 to 60 seconds while in gear to warm up the transmission fluid so that it will properly lubricate your car's transmission.
2. Rely on your brakes to slow your vehicle.
If you drive a car with a manual transmission, it can be tempting to rely on downshifting to slow your vehicle when you are in traffic. Unfortunately, regular downshifting can cause significant damage to your transmission's clutch.
Excessive force is placed on the clutch when a vehicle is downshifting, which can result in the warping of your clutch. Since brake pads cost an average of $150 per axle to repair, they are more affordable to replace than a clutch system that has been damaged by downshifting (which can cost anywhere from $672 to $898).
3. Don't tow a load that is too heavy for your vehicle.
If you put too much strain on your vehicle's transmission by attempting to tow a load that is too heavy, you could cause the transmission to overheat.
Excessive heat in the transmission results in the loss of hydraulic pressure when seals become hardened, and clutch strength is compromised due to a hardening of the glue responsible for securing clutch friction material to the steel backings in your transmission. Staying within recommended load weight for your vehicle can be a simple way to avoid transmission damage.
Keeping your transmission working properly will allow you to avoid costly repairs in the future. Consider making some small changes to your driving style in order to reduce the amount of strain placed on your transmission. For more information, contact Integrity Transmission & Auto Service Center or a similar company.
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