Ways You Can Destroy Your Vehicle’s Transmission

How Your Transmission Works

It’s probably accurate to say that nearly every driver knows that a transmission is necessary to vehicle function and usability. What some may not understand, however, is why it’s needed and how it works. A vehicle’s engine produces the power to operate the automobile. As it works, the engine can only turn so many revolutions per minute (rpm) without self-destructing. This area on the tachometer (the instrument that measures the rpm) that indicates the danger zone is called the redline. (The engine is said to be redlining.) Once the engine is pushed beyond that point, it may explode. The transmission allows the power to move to the wheels. By using different gears, the transmission can change the gear ratio (relationship between the engine and the vehicle’s drive wheels) so that the auto doesn’t redline. This is related to speed (slower vs. faster). The gear selected needs to be close to the optimal rpm band where the car is operating at its best below the known redline. In a manual vehicle, the driver chooses the gear. In an automatic, the transmission does the work instead. More recently, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) uses bands that widen and narrow to keep the vehicle as close as possible to the optimal performance area at all times. For a deeper dive into related information and reliable transmission repair, count on the ASE certified technicians at AutoStream Car Care Center in Annapolis, Maryland.

Driver-Induced Problems

Now that you know how important your transmission is to your engine’s health, it may be helpful to recognize the driver’s role in transmission damage. (Note: Some issues are the result of age and wear, not driving habits.) First, a transmission will last longer if you drive sensibly. People who streak from stoplight to stoplight overtax both their transmissions and brakes. Although your car may get through one incident unscathed, repeated occurrences add up. Also, allowing the transmission to overheat (again, especially repeatedly) causes premature damage. If you smell a burning odor, realize that this could be one of the potential culprits. Have your transmission checked to be sure the fluid isn’t burning (which is more likely to happen if the fluid is old or the wrong type). Finally, be sure to change the transmission fluid as recommended. This will help prevent it from degrading to the point of burning.

Trusted Transmission Repair

Transmission health is too important to your vehicle to be ignored. Problems don’t go away on their own and actually worsen over time. Therefore, if you would like a little more information about transmissions, want to get a fluid change, or need something fixed, count on the trusted transmission repair experts at AutoStream Car Care Center.