Maintaining Your Transmission

Thanks to the intricate symbiotic nature of a car’s main components, where no system acts wholly on its own without one or more parts influencing it and other parts being influenced by it, it is difficult to specify which system is the most important in achieving the ultimate goal of the vehicle: to take its passengers from Point A to Point B. Certainly, one could argue that the fuel system is the most important because without it the engine wouldn’t work, or that the exhaust system is the most important because without it the car would explode, or that the hydraulic system is the most important because without it the car wouldn’t be able to use its fluids. That being said, without the transmission system—even if all the other systems were working perfectly—the car would be stopped in its tracks.

What Does The Transmission Do?

Transmission issues are more common than one might think and are seen often at our West Jordan car repair shop. By knowing exactly what your transmission system does, and how, you will be able to better identify the issues that bring you to see us at Master Muffler. For starters, the transmission’s main job is to control the amount of power that the engine sends to the wheels.

• In the case of a manual transmission, by pressing down on the clutch you break the connection between the engine and the transmission which allows them to come together and fit in the groove of a new gear. This new gear then controls how much torque is being sent to the front and rear axles of the car’s tires.
• For an automatic transmission, a sensor tracks whenever you accelerate or decelerate and adjusts the torque on its own without any direct input from the driver.

If this system fails for any reason, the car would experience difficulty ramping up in speed or even moving from a stopped position altogether.

Knowing It’s Time For a Car Repair

You will obviously recognize that it’s time to visit our West Jordan car repair center if your car begins to fail in noticeable ways, though you might not recognize immediately that it is the transmission. Here are a few ways to know that your transmission is having some troubles and that it’s time to come to your nearest Master Muffler.

• You don’t feel your car turning over to new gears
• You hear strange noises coming from the engine when the car is in neutral
• You smell something burning
• You see a pool of red fluid leaking from the bottom of your car
• Your check engine light turns on
• Your car doesn’t respond when switching gears out of Park

While each of these issues can be dangerous if they occur on the road, you should pay particular attention to any burning smells coming from the engine of your car—this could be oil or transmission fluid burning. Often, the transmission will experience troubles if you have neglected to change your fluids in the last 30,000 miles or so, you allow your engine to overheat often, or you have a lead foot on the pedals (that is to say, you sprint from light to light and then slam on your brakes).

Over time, general wear and tear will occur on all your car parts, but the transmission is particularly important to monitor as it will affect your gas mileage and the health of your fluid system. The car repair professions at our West Jordan Master Muffler will ensure that your vehicle remains roadworthy for as long as you have it.