There are a number of things that may cause a transmission to fail; overheating, debris in the wrong place, or the natural wear and tear on transmission components, to name a few. However, these factors are not the leading cause of transmission failure. Take it from Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH - the number one cause is neglected maintenance. 

Allowing a transmission to operate incorrectly will inevitably do permanent damage to it, and sooner rather than later. There seems to be a misunderstanding among many people, who assume if a transmission is slipping or acting up, the transmission needs to be replaced. Many people figure hey, it’s on its way out, might as well run it until it blows. This is, however, an expensive misconception. A variety of things can cause a transmission to slip or shift erratically, and they all boil down to maintenance. While most systems on your vehicle have a fairly high tolerance for abuse, transmissions don’t. You can run other fluids a little low, neglect to change out certain parts, let the engine run poorly for thousands of miles, etc., and you may never suffer any serious consequences. A transmission is a far more intricate piece of work, though.

Transmissions fail prematurely for the above listed reasons. If your transmission is low on fluid, it will hesitate before slipping into gear, or shift poorly while you’re driving. If you service it immediately, generally there will be no harm done. If you drive your vehicle in that state, even just for a small amount of time, every time the car slips into a gear it wears out the clutch plates inside your transmission. Once the friction coating is rubbed off, your transmission will cease to engage and your car will go nowhere. At that point it’s time for a rebuild or a new transmission, when five dollars worth of fluid and having a leak fixed could’ve saved you thousands of dollars, the entire transmission, and a lot of time.

A clogged filter can create a similar symptoms, and have the same consequences. The transmission internals are starved of the fluid and fluid pressure they need to operate correctly, positioning your transmission for imminent failure.

Faulty sensors, solenoids, or other parts which can be easily replaced may also damage your transmission if left unattended. When something breaks, especially when it’s related to your transmission, get it fixed as quickly as possible. It’s well worth the effort.

To get the most out of your transmission, trust the professionals at Jim Van Dyke to maintain and monitor your transmission. Our technicians know transmissions, and will be happy to guide you through having yours serviced and maintained. Maintenance is the key to a long lasting transmission...don’t let yours go to waste. Call or drop by today, and let us take care of you!  

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Thank you for visiting Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center in Washington Court House, OH. Count on our automotive repair technicians to keep your car, truck, suv, or van on the roads longer and safer.

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