Taking care of your transmission involves far more than maintenance. While maintenance is an important part of the equation, how you drive your vehicle has a lot to do with the condition of your transmission. With routine maintenance and proper driving habits, you can avoid malfunctions and extend the life of your transmission.
Failing to Inflate Tires
Tires play a very important role, even when it comes to your transmission. When your tires are properly inflated, they take some of the load off of your transmission when it comes to helping your vehicle move. However, when your tires are underinflated, the transmission has to work harder to keep the vehicle in motion. While this doesn't cause a specific malfunction with the transmission, it does significantly increase wear, especially if your tires are always underinflated. Always check your tire pressure.
Regularly Speeding
If you speed, you are pretty much guaranteed a speeding citation and a bill for costly transmission repairs. Think of it this way: the faster you drive, the harder your transmission has to work to keep your vehicle moving at such high speeds. As always, the more stress you put on your transmission, the greater the risk of a malfunction. Save yourself some undue stress by slowing down and avoiding driving too fast.
Exceeding Towing Capacity
Towing carelessly increases wear on your transmission and can ultimately lead to a complete failure. Don't exceed your vehicle's gross vehicle weight, or GVW. When you exceed your vehicle's towing capacity this can cause your transmission to overheat. An overheating transmission is your worst enemy, as this issue can cause transmission slipping, clutch burning, and even complete failure. Don't let the size of your vehicle serve as your guide when determining how much weight you can tow. Always refer to your manufacturer's guidelines.
Poor Shifting Habits
If you're in a rush to get to work or some other place, take your time. Shifting between gears without pause won't just fail to get you to your destination sooner, it will also damage your transmission. When changing gears, such as from reverse to drive, always bring your vehicle to a complete stop first. When you fail to drive in this manner, you put extra stress on your transmission that only increases the likelihood of a malfunction.
Each time you get behind the wheel, keeping your transmission in good condition should always be at the forefront of your mind. For more information, talk to professionals like Performance Parts Classic Chevrolet.
Share14 July 2016
There are so many things that can go wrong with a vehicle at any given time. Being on a tight budget limits me to the type of cars that I can afford to buy, and many times the ones that I buy require some work to get them running before I can drive them. What parts should you check when buying a car? What parts can easily be replaced without spending too much money? My blog will show you all sorts of things about buying a car in need of repair. It is my hope that you will learn what is worth buying and what should be left on the lot.
