If your vehicle’s transmission is starting to slip, should you have a transmission service to change the transmission fluid and filter?  The answer depends on the age and mileage of your vehicle.  It’s time to seek professional advice about transmission repair.

• Lower Mileage Cars – Generally, for newer vehicles with less than 80,000 miles, it is recommended to have a transmission service every 25,000 miles, including changing the fluid and internal filter.  Regular service can provide longer life expectancy, smoother shifting, and increased performance.  If you maintain your engine early on in the life of your vehicle, you can save yourself a lot of trouble and avoid a costly transmission repair.

• Higher Mileage Cars – For vehicles with high mileage (more than 80,000 miles) that have received regular transmission service as recommended, ask for advice from your qualified auto mechanic if you are experiencing problems such as slipping, hard or erratic shifting, and slow to shift when the engine is cold.  If your vehicle has high mileage and the transmission has not been maintained, your mechanic may not recommend replacing the fluid and filter. The fluid has become dirty and gritty, and is actually providing needed friction for the worn internal parts. The internal components have become dependent on that friction and replacing the filter and the fluid would act to remove it. You might actually do more harm than good by replacing the fluid at this point. For example, putting new clean slick fluid in an older high mileage vehicle could cause slipping.

Some fast lube places perform a transmission service called "flushing," using a machine that acts like a blood transfusion machine. It pumps out the fluid, filters it, and then re-circulates it through the transmission several times until it is clean.  It is possible this way to remove more of the old dirty fluid than the conventional method of removing the transmission pan, draining the fluid and replacing the internal filter, but many auto technicians will strongly advise that the internal filter should also be changed.  Metal and plastic debris become lodged in the filter, causing it to break down and become compacted to the point that it restricts fluid flow.

For regular transmission service, the tried-and-true way of draining the old fluid and replacing the filter is highly recommended. If you have any doubt as to what method would be right for your vehicle, seek the advice of a qualified auto technician.

Need expert advice about transmission service? Contact the ASE Certified Technicians at Precision Automotive today by calling (406) 248-2838, or go on-line to www.pricesprecisionauto.com for more information.  Our Tech-Net professional auto repair shop in Billings, MT, also services vehicle owners in the areas of Shepherd and Laurel, MT.