Transmission Fluid
Mercedes Porsche Mechanic | Midtown Auto Repair | Sacramento
P. 916.382.7700
In most cars there are six essential fluids. Those being: engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and transmission fluid. What does transmission fluid do and how often it needs to be changed.
According to CARFAX, it lubricates and cools the transmission whether you have a manual or an automatic transmission. In automatic cars, transmission fluid provides hydraulic pressure which helps the transmission change gears. Shifting gears in any car is a strenuous task and this lubricant is what allows a vehicle to shift with ease without wearing down its parts.
The good thing about this lubricant is that it does not need to be changed nearly as much as the other fluids in your car. Changing the transmission fluid used to be part of routine maintenance, usually every 50,000 miles. But now newer cars only need this lubricant changed every 150,000 miles or so. In some cars, it will never have to be changed. Of course, the frequency depends on the make and model but most car owners will only have to change once or twice.
If you are unsure if your transmission fluid needs to be changed there are some signs that you can look for. If your transmission is shifting sluggishly or slipping out of gears those are things that could mean fresh fluid is needed. Sometimes as the fluid ages, it can collect tiny metal shavings from the moving parts and gunk that has built up inside. Enough of this debris could pile up and would call for an instant change. If you do end up needing to change this lubricant it is relatively inexpensive and can be done within a day.
All six fluids are important and should be checked regularly during routine maintenance appointments but the good thing is that it is an easy check for mechanics and most of the time a change will not be necessary.
For more information please feel free to reach out to your car experts here at Midtown Autoworks.