An automatic transmission is the most complex and one of the most expensive to repair components of your vehicle. It has to do a lot of work and it doesn’t require as many regular services as your engine. This is probably one of the reasons the transmission often gets neglected. Everybody knows that engine oil must be changed regularly for the engine to last, but what about the transmission? An automatic transmission depends on the transmission fluidto do all the work: the transmission fluid transfers the hydraulic pressure to shift the gears, it lubricates all the moving parts and cools down the transmission. The transmission fluid lasts longer than engine oil, but it still deteriorates over time and under load and high temperature. For this reason, keeping your transmission fluid clean and at the proper level is vital. It’s also important to use only the proper type of the transmission fluid.

If you will be putting more driving stress than normal on your vehicle, it’s important to have your car inspected and serviced to prevent the transmission from overheating. However, completely flushing and replenishing your transmission fluid requires a specially-designed machine.