What’s Involved in a Car Transmission Service?
Just about every car owner understands the benefits of having their car serviced on a regular basis. However, few of us consider that a transmission service might be just as important as a standard service. That’s because your transmission is one of the most expensive components in your car and if it’s ignored and starts to cause trouble, it can be a very costly repair.
For people who service their car every year, it’s easier to remember that their transmission should also be checked at the same time. For other people who service their car irregularly or who depend on their km to dictate when to service their car, their transmission can often be overlooked.
For people who service their car regularly, part of our comprehensive vehicle service inspection involves monitoring the transmission fluid level and quality, so we can advise when specific transmission servicing is required. For other people who service their car irregularly or their transmission can often be overlooked.
How often should you book a transmission service?
Many modern transmissions do not have a specified schedule for transmission servicing, with many quoted as ‘filled for life’. The trouble we find is modern transmissions do still fail, even more so than earlier models and often at much higher expense – so certainly the transmission was filled for its life, but didn’t last the life of the vehicle. It’s a lot to do with the wear and tear on your transmission which creates millions of tiny abrasive metal particles that fall into the transmission oil. While improvements in modern fluids have made advancements, transmission fluid still oxidises, losing vital additive properties through its life and often at an extreme rate if subjected to higher heat such as experienced through stop start urban driving, or towing. This worn, contaminated oil creates havoc with the smooth running and fine tolerances of the transmission and if left for too long can eventually lead to the transmission failing.
It doesn’t matter whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, the same caution about having it checked on an annual basis applies.
Benefits of this type of service
One of the biggest benefits of servicing your transmission on a regular basis is that it prolongs the life of your car. It also helps to improve your car’s fuel economy and reduces the potential for expensive repairs in the future. So if you’re already finding problems with your transmission, it’s time to book it in for a check, ASAP.
Signs of transmission trouble
There are plenty of signs that your transmission needs a service, from slipping between gears, odd timing of gear shifts, shudders, smells or fluid leaks. In other words, if your transmission isn’t changing gears smoothly or it’s making any odd noises, then it needs to be inspected quickly.
Some of the signs that can indicate a problem with your transmission include:
- Weird smells
- Strange sounds
- Delayed shifting
- Leaking fluid
- Non-engaging gears
- Shaking during gear shifts
- Slipping gears
- Check engine light or another warning light is on
If you’re experiencing any of these problems with your car, it’s time to get it checked out!
What’s included in this type of service?
A transmission service at Steven Sorensen Mechanical is tailored to the many different styles of transmission available today:
The differences between a manual, automatic, Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) or Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) call for completely different processes in how they are serviced.
For the traditional automatic transmission, most modern versions of this style have a strainer inbuilt rather than a true filter. For this reason, the older style of servicing where the transmission pan is removed to drain a portion of the fluid and change the ‘filter’, is often not the best way to service a modern transmission. Over ¾ of the fluid in your automatic transmission is held in the valve body and torque converter, not the pan, so by removing the pan you are only changing ¼ of the transmission fluid.
What’s a transmission flush?
A much more effective way of carrying out a full transmission fluid change is by using a transmission flush machine, which you can read about our process here – https://stevesorensenmechanical.com.au/services/automatic-transmission-servicing/
There are certain transmissions and issues where dropping the pan may be a more reasonable way to address that specific transmission, but typically this is when addressing a particular issue, and is not the norm on a modern transmission.
Although sold as an ‘automatic transmission’ to avoid confusion to the public when buying a car, the majority of modern cars are now fitted with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) or Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), and each manufacturers versions of these transmissions have specific manufacturer instructions on how to carry out servicing on that specific model, which we of course follow. Unlike an automatic transmission, CVT’s and DCT’s are examples where flushing would not be the preferred servicing method.
Book a transmission service today!
At Steve Sorensen Mechanical, we offer a fast and efficient transmission service to our clients in Browns Plains. We guarantee all our work and look forward to booking you in for a timely service. Call us on 3809 2711 and book your transmission service today.
