Most people remember they need to change their motor oil on a regular basis. However, most people are unaware they must change their transmission fluid completely. This is not done very often. On average, most cars should have a complete transmission flush every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
A flush of the transmission is not the same as a transmission fluid change which you may have done during a regular tune-up. With a fluid change, a little more than half of the total fluid is being changed.
Even though a fluid change doesn’t change all the fluid, it is still important. Once the pan is removed, about half of the fluid is removed. Then we can get to the filter or screen, which we can change or clean as appropriate. During this transmission service, we can then check the fluid to make sure the amount of metal shavings don’t point to excessive wear or any other signs of problems.
With a transmission flush, special equipment is used to completely empty the transmission of the old fluid.
A transmission flush is one of those things that will extend the life of your transmission and your car. The benefits of a transmission flush are:
Cleaning out the sludge, grime, and varnish
Removes dirty oxidized transmission fluid
Improves shifting and reduces heat
Prevents future issues
Improves engine efficiency
A transmission fluid flush is not meant to fix a problem with your car. Instead, it is a preventative measure that is meant to be performed regularly based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. As a matter of fact, if you have trouble with your transmission, it is recommended that you do not flush the fluid. The force required to remove the fluid can cause debris to get lodged in the gears and cause serious problems.
Since a flush can cause issues, if you have an older car that you bought and do not know the full maintenance history, you should probably avoid flushing the transmission.
If your transmission is not shifting smoothly, you should get it checked out. Bring your car down to the garage, and we’ll let you know what we think the best course of action is.
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