Transmission Services

Transmission Fluid Exchange, Replacement, and more

Cars, trucks, SUVs, and hybrid vehicles- we all have a love-hate relationship with our wheels. No matter what you use to get around, you love what it does for you- and you hate it when it breaks down. While there’s always car maintenance to keep us on our toes, some things tend to last so long they catch us off guard when they fail. Two great examples are transmission fluid, and the transmission itself.

Transmission Fluid

In many, if not most, vehicles- the transmission fluid can go indefinitely without ever being changed. However, sometimes something can go wrong, leading to a leak or impurities entering your transmission fluid. Also, some manufacturers actually indicate in the owner’s manuals that transmission fluid does occasionally need to be changed. Whatever the case, all transmission fluid will degrade naturally over time. Even if your fluid outlasts the useful life of your vehicle, degraded transmission fluid will decrease the overall performance and value of your car. The average recommended transmission fluid replacement schedule is every 75,000 miles.

Replacing Your Transmission

Now, what about your transmission? This is another item that can seem to last forever. Mid-range-priced family vans seem to have the worst track record for transmission problems. This is because they tend to be as heavy as a work truck, but are equipped with transmissions designed for smaller vehicles. Not a good combination. In smaller cars, a transmission will often seem to last forever- just like the fluid. Of course, this will vary from model to model. The best rule of thumb is to have your transmission inspected every 80,000 to 90,000 miles.