The fluid in your car’s transmission should be replaced every 30,000 miles. Over time, the assembly’s friction creates an enormous amount of internal heat. That causes the fluid to oxidize and lose its ability to lubricate the moving parts. Eventually, the lack of lubrication will cause the operational temperature to rise further, leading to varnish, cracked seals, and a loss in pressure. If your transmission fails, you can expect a hefty repair bill.

Below, I’ll quickly take you through the steps involved with changing your car’s transmission fluid and filter (it’s recommended that you do both at the same time). You can pay a mechanic to do the job, but you’ll save time and money by doing it yourself.

Draining The Fluid

If your car has an automatic transmission, it will also have a service pan that contains both the fluid and the filter. On the pan’s underside, there will normally a plug. Remove it and drain the fluid into a catch container. If the pan does not have a plug, you can drain the fluid when you remove the entire pan.

Removing The Transmission Pan

After completely draining the fluid, you’ll need to remove the pan. Look for bolts around the pan’s perimeter that are securing it in position, and remove them. Before removing the last two bolts, place your hand on the pan’s underside to hold it. Then, remove the remaining bolts.

Cleaning The Pan

After you have removed the pan, place it on a flat surface. Clean out the remaining fluid and look for small residual metal particles. There will usually be some, but an excessive amount can eventually cause problems within your tranny. Clean the pan as thoroughly as possible. Then, place a new gasket (included inside transmission service kits available at auto supply stores) along the rim of the pan.

Replace The Transmission Filter

In most cases, the filter will be housed inside the pan. Occasionally, you’ll find it secured with bolts to the front of the tranny. Remove it and replace the corresponding seal. It’s critical that the seal is in good condition in order to prevent fluid leaks. Replace the filter and reinstall the pan. As with the filter seal, make sure the gasket along the rim of the pan will prevent leaks.

Replenish The Fluid

At this point, your work under your vehicle is complete. Lift the hood and replenish the fluid level in the appropriate reservoir. Then, turn your car on and allow the engine to idle for two or three minutes. Check the fluid level again and add more, if necessary.

That’s it. You’ve successfully serviced your vehicle’s transmission. It’s a good idea to check the fluid level after a few days. Also, check the ground directly underneath the assembly to make sure that a badly positioned seal or gasket isn’t causing leaks.

Your car or truck is a complex mechanical system, which needs maintenance at regular intervals. You probably check under the hood on a regular basis. But looking under your car is a different matter. That’s where the transmission is located.

It is a connecting shaft which transmits the power or motion of your car’s engine to the wheels in the front or back depending on whether your vehicle has front wheel drive or rear wheel drive.

Car transmissions can be manual or automatic in nature and your maintenance can vary depending on that. Typically, an automobile with manual transmission will require less maintenance whereas the one with automatic type transmission needs to be checked periodically.

Manual transmission equipped cars or trucks come with an assembly known as a clutch, which is used for shifting gears. It may need replacements once in a while depending on use. Automatic transmissions are far more complex in nature and need to be maintained under the watchful eye of trained mechanics, making it a potentially costly affair.

Whether manual or automatic, transmissions in cars and trucks cannot work without fluids or oils. These fluids keep them running smoothly and free of friction. This fluid needs to be changed periodically and that is determined by factors like usage, miles covered, and the make of your car or truck.

Most vehicle manufacturers recommend a particular type of transmission fluid due to their specialized needs, so stick with them to keep your vehicles running smoothly. Refer to the manufacturer’s manual to familiarize yourself with the specific needs of your car. Cars with automatic transmission also will need a filter change along with fluid change, which increases your costs a little.

As far as your car’s transmission is concerned, since it is out of your sight, in all probability you will never see if anything is wrong with it. Even though you cannot readily see under your car, you can hear the problems. If it makes odd noises while shifting gears, then there is something wrong with it.

Visual clues can be in the form of leak spots under your parked car. If you happen to see or hear any of the above mentioned things, get your car immediately checked. Smelly and cloudy oil needs to be changed immediately. Noise in your transmission may signal a more serious problem. If detected and repaired early, it may save you lot of money.

If your car’s transmission needs to undergo repair, it might mean minor repairs or a complete overhaul. Minor problems such as faulty sensors, defective solenoid packs and misplaced throttle cables can be taken care of immediately and inexpensively. External seals, which prevent the fluid from leaking, can be replaced without much difficulty. However, front seal replacement means removing the entire assembly and increased costs for you.

The most expensive repair is of course a complete overhaul of your transmission. When that happens the whole transmission system needs to be disassembled to find the faults and make the necessary repairs. The whole exercise can be less time consuming and expensive if you can find a replaceable transmission assembly.

Whether or not your transmission repair goes smoothly will depend on your car make and model as well as the skill and experience of the mechanic doing the work. Just remember, all of these problems can be avoided if you maintain your car in an efficient manner.