Summer Road Trip In The Works? How To Protect Your Transmission For The Long-Haul

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If you're going to be taking a road trip this summer, make sure your transmission is up to the task. The last thing you want is to get stranded on the side of the road due to transmission problems. Unfortunately, that's exactly what can happen when you don't give your transmission the care and attention it needs. To prevent transmission troubles this summer, here are a few suggestions you need to follow.

Start with a Trip to the Service Center

If you're planning a road trip, the first thing you need to do is check your car into the service center. Allowing the mechanics to give your transmission a once-over will help you avoid those roadside emergencies.

Be sure to have the service technicians check the transmission fluid levels, and ensure that the fluid is clean and ready to go. This is particularly important for cars with closed systems that don't include a dipstick for self-checks. With that type of transmission system, the only way to get a good look at the condition of the transmission fluid is by taking your car to a service center.

Avoid Excess Strain on the Transmission

If you're like most people, you load your car down with everything you'll need for those long road trips. When you're packing for a road trip, it can be easy to forget about your cars individual load requirements.

Unfortunately, loading your car up with cargo that exceeds the load limits can lead to overheating and transmission troubles. Before you start packing your car up for the road trip, make sure you keep the load requirements in mind. To protect your transmission and prevent breakdowns, it's best to err on the side of caution by reducing the amount of gear you pack.

Take Things Slow and Steady

If you're in the habit of taking off quickly from stop signs and stop lights, you might want to avoid that during the summer. Your transmission is already heated up. Adding rapid accelerations will only heat things up even more.

Unfortunately, the additional heat caused by rapid accelerations can lead to serious summer transmission troubles. To prevent that, take things slow and steady when you accelerate from a stop.

Make Sure the Fluid is Flowing

If you typically take right off in the morning during the summer, you need to give your car a few minutes to warm up. You might think that your car is warm enough since it's summer, but that's not actually the case.

Engine fluids settle even during the summer, which means it will take a few minutes for your car to be properly lubricated. Letting your car warm up during the summer will ensure that your transmission is protected against heat damage from the moment you leave your driveway.

Before you head out on your road trip, take your car to a transmission repair shop such as Redford Auto Repair to have it inspected so that any potential problems can be dealt with.


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