Giving small time and small amount for your vehicle to go on a Preventive Maintenance will prevent you to spend in high amount of repair and encumbrance. The Automatic Transmission is one of the most expensive and precious to repair. To maintain your Automatic Transmission in good condition, prevent repair and high expenses, here are some dos and don’ts in using and maintaining an Automatic Transmission.
1.Wait for your vehicle to fully STOP before you put your shifting lever to “DRIVE or REVERSE”.
– Make sure that your vehicle is on full STOP before changing gears “DRIVE or REVERSE”. Breakdown of spare parts inside the transmission is the result.
2.Put your shifting lever to NEUTRAL when you’re in stationary.
– When you’re in a stop light (traffic light) or stuck in traffic, make it a habit to put your shifting lever to NEUTRAL position. It will lessen the pressure of the spare parts inside the transmission and it helps to put your automatic transmission life longer.
3. Check your Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Level regularly.
– Checking the fluid level of your automatic transmission is in every 5,000 km or every 3 months, which ever come first. It is recommended to regularly check the fluid level because your automatic transmission life and performance depends on it.
- Changing of your Automatic Transmission Fluid.
– Every 20,000 km or every 12 months, which ever come first, changing of fluid to your automatic transmission. Every 50,000 km or every 24 months, which ever come first is recommended by some car dealers, it is much better to change your automatic transmission fluid every 20,000 km or every 12 months, which ever come first. Your automatic transmission is one of the busiest part of you’re your vehicle. The kind of intense activity that takes place inside the transmission takes its toll on the fluid, depleting it of its additives that were intended to protect the components inside the transmission.
5. Install an external automatic transmission filter.
– An external automatic transmission filter filters even the smallest metal wear particles that will contaminate your automatic transmission fluid, which will minimize the rate of wear inside the transmission. Change your external automatic transmission filter every 10,000 km or every 6 months, which ever come first.
6. Change your internal automatic transmission filter.
– Change your internal automatic transmission filter every 40,000 km or 24 months, which ever come first (every 2nd change of ATF). The external filter captures the majority of the particulate contaminants, the internal filter takes much longer to fill up with these contaminants, that’s why change your internal automatic transmission filter every 40,000 km or every 24 months, which ever come first.
7. Use high-quality automatic transmission fluid/additives.
– Using a high-quality of automatic transmission fluid/additives reduces friction and wear inside the transmission. It prolongs the life and improves performance of your automatic transmission, it also avoids expensive repair cost.
8. Consult an automatic transmission specialist.
– Let a legitimate automatic transmission specialist inspect your vehicle every 40,000 km or 24 months, which ever come first. To ensure that your automatic transmission is in good running condition and to prevent major repair on your automatic transmission.
9. Regular Preventive Maintenance
– Religiously performing Preventive Maintenance on your vehicle is the key to avoid major repair of your automatic transmission. It is much cheaper than letting your vehicle on repair.