We have said it before, and we will say it again and again; a car’s transmission is one of the most critical components of the vehicle. For most drivers, the transmission isn’t even something they think about. While they know they should get an oil change, have working wipers, ensure their tires are inflated properly, and other basic vehicle maintenance items, many vehicle owners tend to neglect their transmission. One critical maintenance item that many people miss, but it can extend the lifespan of their vehicle, is a transmission flush. We are going to review if a transmission flush is necessary and how often you should have a transmission flush on your vehicle.
What is a Transmission Flush?
Before diving into how often you should have a transmission flush, let’s cover the basics. What is a transmission flush? Your transmission relies on transmission fluid to lubricate the moving parts inside your transmission. This slippery liquid is optimized for the special requirements of your vehicle, such as valve operation, brake band friction, torque converter, and gear lubrication.
Like all automobile fluids, transmission fluid degrades and breaks down over time. Due to the heat generated in a transmission, the fluid loses its lubricating abilities, causing your transmission to work harder and hotter, and be more likely to fail. Old transmission fluid can also become contaminated with worn bits of transmission that can cause issues to your vehicle.
A transmission flush is a procedure to remove old transmission fluid, sludge, and grime from a vehicle’s transmission and replace it with fresh fluid. A transmission flush helps maximize the lifespan and performance of your transmission. With a transmission fluid change, only about 50% (maybe less) of your transmission fluid is replaced. With a transmission flush, 100% of your transmission fluid is replaced.
Transmission flushes are designed to prevent transmission issues and keep your vehicle operating as it should. This process involves cleaning out the old, worn fluid from your system, and replacing it with fresh transmission fluid to keep your vehicle healthy.
How Often Should You Have a Transmission Flush?
Do you really need a transmission flush? Your owner’s manual may say you don’t; however, in our experience, we have found that it can be the difference from a working transmission and one that needs replaced. Depending on what the manufacturer recommends, you may need to get a transmission flush every 30,000 miles or two years. In some cases, your owner’s manual may suggest waiting until your car reaches 100,000 miles.
How often you should have a transmission flush really depends on how often you drive and your driving conditions. Your best bet is to check your manual and consult with our technicians. They can guide you to the right decision, which takes frequent stop-and-go action, hard accelerations, and using a trailer, into consideration. Every vehicle and driver is different, so it can be hard to give a set amount of time for when a transmission flush is needed.
What we can say for sure is that transmission flushes are important because they reduce or eliminate debris or contaminants that appear in the transmission over time, ultimately leading to lower wear and tear on the engine and other vehicle components.
A transmission flush helps maximize the lifespan and performance of your transmission. Transmissions are complicated and expensive, so avoiding issues with them by taking preventative steps, is always a good thing.
Transmission Experts In Phoenix
If you are wondering how often you should have a transmission flush, ask the experts at Advanced Transmissions & Emissions. Advanced Transmissions & Emissions are Phoenix transmission experts.
We aim to make transmission repair services more accessible and cheaper for our customers. Transmissions are expensive and vital components in any vehicle. A failing transmission is never a good thing. We have years of experience repairing transmissions at cheaper rates than you will find elsewhere.
Transmissions are complicated, but we understand them. Our expertise allows us to locate the source of the problem to make only the needed repairs. That’s how we save our customers so much money. Visit our Phoenix, AZ shop for transmission repair.
