Transmission Service for Automatic Vehicles

FREMONT — The transmission is an important part of any car, but if you own an automatic vehicle, you need to be particularly diligent about ongoing maintenance. Ideally, you should have your transmission serviced every 30,000 miles. During the service, a professional will drain and refill the transmission fluid, replace the filter, and install a new gasket.

Rather than stay on top of ongoing maintenance, many car owners will simply have their transmissions flushed on occasion. However, few people realize that flushing a transmission can actually cause problems, especially with a vehicle that has more than 80,000 miles. Since flushing a transmission forcefully removes any trace of the old fluid, when the new fluid is introduced, it cleans the valve body so well that the worn-out parts inside can start to leak and lose pressure. In contrast, when you skip the flush and simply drain the fluid, some residue from the old fluid remains, which makes it less of a shock when the new fluid is introduced.

Paying for this service every 30,000 miles can add up, but when you consider that the price of a new transmission is $6,000, it’s plain to see its value as a long-term investment. By being diligent about maintenance, your transmission may indeed last for the lifetime of your vehicle.