Automatic Transmission Vehicle Maintenance and Tips (Part 1)

Automatic Transmission Vehicle Maintenance and Tips (Part 1)

In the following article we are going to discuss how to take care of your automatic vehicle, so that you can make sure you get the most out of it for as long as possible, and that you do not need to pay extreme bills for repairs.

There are a few things that you should not be doing if you own and drive an automatic transmission vehicle. Along with those, we will talk about tips and tricks to keep your car in the best possible condition for as long as possible. Note that doing the following things will prolong the lifespan of the vehicle’s parts, but they are not a method of skipping regular maintenance services that need to be done to your car. In fact, my first advice is to make sure that you take in your vehicle to a specialist for regular check-ups (better to pay a little sum of money for preventative measures, than to pay a lot of money for a huge repair).

First things first: Do NOT rev your engine before switching gears, no matter how much you want to do it and how cool it sounds. Revving the engine gives the transmission a massive shock that leads to more friction between the internal components, which causes damage to the parts of the engine.

If you are headed down a slope, do not slide the vehicle down in Neutral. This is a habit, which doesn’t let you accelerate the car, it only slows it down, cutting the oil supply, which in turn leads to the transmission not getting the proper lubrication for smooth operation. All of this can result in significant wear and damage. Be smart and let go of this habit, so that you can save yourself some costly repairs, that will not justify the fuel savings you get from doing it.

You’re at a red light and you are keeping your vehicle in Neutral, aren’t you? Don’t! I know that you are trying to save fuel and to protect the driveline from wear, but the loss is minimal if you push the brakes by keeping the gearbox in Drive mode, and the actual damage is being done when switching into and out of Neutral mode. The damage you do is actually more costly, because doing it wears out the drive shaft quickly.

Warm up your engine before driving off, especially during the winter months.  Why exclusively during the winter? Because when the weather is cold the oil in your vehicle thickens and it moves slower. After starting the car give it a few moments to warm up, let the fuel run into the transmission and all of its parts, otherwise if you drive off at high speed from the very beginning, it may lead to severe internal damage.

Also, make sure to bring in your vehicle to a mechanic for regular transmission maintenance, when it is due, if you are unsure of when that is, consult your owner's manual, say that the minimum is once per year.

All in all, try to follow the advice above and it will save you on some unnecessary, expensive repairs. (to be continued in Part 2 of Automatic Transmission Vehicle Maintenance and Tips)