5 Tips to Extend the Life of your Transmission

April 1, 2019 | By Mister Transmission

5 Tips to Extend the Life of your Transmission

We tend to take out vehicles for granted. It’s a sin of which many of us are guilty. We only stop to appreciate how complex these machines are –and how much we rely on them– when something goes wrong. And fixing broken vehicles is rarely cheap. The same goes for transmissions. If your transmission ever gets into such a bad state that it has to be overhauled or completely replaced, you are looking at a fairly expensive procedure. You want to avoid that and get the most out of your transmission for as long as you can. Here are five tips to extend the life of your transmission.

  • Check your Fluid

One cannot overstate the importance of transmission fluid to an automatic transmission. For a manual transmission, transmission oil is used, and it is equally as vital. Simply put, your transmission cannot run without transmission fluid. Furthermore, a lack of fluid or poor quality fluid can wreak havoc with your transmission. It can cause a whole host of problems and make other problems even worse. Because of this, checking your transmission fluid regularly is integral to extending the life of your transmission.

So get out your dipstick and check those levels. And while you’re at it, give the fluid an inspection and a good whiff. Damaged transmission fluid will look opaque as opposed the regular clearish red it ought to be. It will also smell bad. Foul smelling and opaque transmission fluid is a sign of problem, so if you discover this, bring your transmission into a mister transmission shop as soon as possible. You should also consider using a synthetic transmission fluid. 

  • Regular Service

But the times when you discover problems should not be the only times you visit a mister transmission shop. Regular service is also key to extending the life of your transmission. Transmission technicians can look inside your transmission and notice things you can’t. That’s why you should bring your transmission in for service about every 30,000 miles or every two years. 

  • Add an External Filter

All transmissions come with a filter. Some of these filters can filter particles very well; others struggle. But adding an external filter is never a bad thing for your transmission. The additional filter can help to trap even more contaminants, which can help to keep the fluid cleaner for longer. 

  • Stay Cool

Overheating is a major problem for transmissions. Your vehicle’s radiator is tasked with cooling everything down. Maintaining the cooling system is important so you should have it checked out regularly at a mister transmission shop; preferably every other year. The maintenance in question includes replacing the antifreeze, checking coolant levels, inspecting for leaks, checking the thermostat, and testing the pressure on the radiator cap. 

  • Be Easy

Don’t drive in such a way as to put a strain on your transmission. Remember that the transmission takes time to warm up, so drive your car easy on a cold start. There are other little things you can do to help, too, like using your emergency brake when parking on an incline (which you should always do anyway) and try not to rest your hand on the gear lever while driving.

Contact us

If you would like to learn more about how to extend the life of your transmission, please contact us.

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I highly recommend Mister Transmission! Jason gave excellent customer service! very satisfied with everything!
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I brought my 2009 Toyota Rav 4 to the pros at MR TRANSMISSION last week before a long road trip. John and Paul were unbelievably kind and professional. Being a woman even in the new politically correct world we live in can still be intimidating when it comes to taking your car in for a service. Unlike my regular mechanic who I won't be going back to, they were proactive and fair. They cleaned up the issue and put a fresh coat of paint on their work . They were informative during the inspection and didn't down play the issue but also didn't tell me to repair anything that didn't need repairing. Also they didn't jump to worst case scenarios. I find it extremely difficult to trust but felt I was being treated more than fair right from the moment I called for my appointment and they treated me the same way throughout. Fast , efficient and affordable to say the least. Amazing team! Thank you 😊 🙏
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Absolute best transmission shop in Southern Ontario. Love these guys! Impeccable service and very fast. They will never jerk you around. Thanks as always!
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Giorgio was able to rectify...
Robin Das
Giorgio was able to rectify a intermittent issue with my Dodge Journey transmission. He also was genuinely concerned that the problem was fixed by following up on the problem. I recommend this location for all transmissions needs. This is the second time I’ve gone to Giorgio for a transmission issue. Previously his shop fixed my Sport Trac transmission. I am very satisfied with this locations expertise on transmission issues. Great job!
Date: March 25, 2024
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Good and fast service!
Aleksey Krasnov
Good and fast service!
Date: March 24, 2024
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I have a very rare...
George Smith
I have a very rare 2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS that I trust very few people to work on. The Stoney Creek location (Dan) went out of their way to not only completely rebuild the transmission but fix other problems along the way thinking outside the box. I highly recommend this place to all.
Date: March 24, 2024
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10/10 DAN IS THE BEST!...
MarkXybel “MX”
10/10 DAN IS THE BEST! He did my transmission fluid change on my Mazda 3 09 Sedan ..was quick and the price is very reasonable I was very happy for the time service and Dan made my appointment really quick. I booked it few weeks ago but got reschedule due to his team was sick and dan give me a quick date and day to reschedule and here it is just got it done on March 22 2024 morning. Very happy with the service DAN IS THE BEST! And his team ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Definitely going to him everytime for all my vehicles regular maintenance 🙌!! Old but Gold Mazda Mark X.
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Good experience. Very humble staff
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Great experience, great staff, thank you
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Sarah M
I'm very impressed with Mr Transmission. I went in yesterday with a leaking Transmission and got my SUV back this morning. Very quick. The repair cost was reasonable as well. Great customer service. My SUV runs great now!
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