5 tips to protect your car’s gearbox

The transmission is a very important part of a car because it helps to put all that power down to the road. It makes sure that the right amount of torque and power goes to wheels at a given or all that power could destroy the engine. It is the transmission that helps vary the speed of the vehicle and helps you go faster. Maintaining transmission is important. It costs a lot of money to repair a transmission, and it is a labour-intensive job.

So, your transmission must be in good condition and well maintained. Today we list down some things that you should know about the transmission of your car:

Transmission fluid changes

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If your transmission requires regular maintenance and fluid changes, then it would be written somewhere in the user manual of the car. Always follow the guidelines in the user manual. Just like the engine oil, the transmission fluid also becomes thick and dirty after some period, which reduces the lubrication. Without enough lubrication in the transmission, it will be difficult to change gears, and eventually, the transmission can get stuck, damaged, or even break. 

Launching the car

Launch control systems that come in modern-day cars might be a somewhat effective way to launch the car as smoothly and fastly as possible. But, it still starts the car abruptly and puts a lot of pressure on the clutch because the clutch is released sharply. Without a doubt, this is not good for your vehicle. It might not have an impact on your car at the beginning, but over time, it will. Racing, force downshifts and sudden braking also puts a lot of stress on the transmission equipment. 

Abusive driving

Abusive driving means a lot of things, but in the transmission context, it refers to frequent gear changes. When a person changes gear frequently, the transmission fluid heats up, which means it starts losing its lubricating properties, which can damage the transmission. If you are not driving a 4×4 and you are stuck in a muddy situation, then you should call someone for help instead of changing gears from first to reverse and then again to first. This process is known as rocking, and it can cause severe damage to your transmission. 

No overheating

The all new 1.2-litre 3 cylinder petrol engine will debut on the Freestyle. It puts out class leading power of 96 PS along with 120 Nm of torque. It will be mated to a new 5-speed gearbox.

Every mechanical part is made to sustain and work within specific temperature ranges. After all, everything has its limitations and can work only within them. The transmission is no different; it also has its limits. So, if your car is overheating, then you should not force it to run and cross the limits. If you keep running on an overheated transmission, you can damage the transmission to a stage where it can fail and give up on you. Transmission failure will take a lot of money and time to repair. It is advisable not to force the engine to run on higher RPMs as that does stress out the transmission and engine. 

Keep an eye

You should keep an eye on the temperature of your transmission if your car is equipped with a transmission temperature gauge. If it starts going towards hot then you should park the vehicle and let it cool down and call roadside assistance or the authorised service centre who can help you. You should also maintain the transmission fluids to the optimum level. If your car is not equipped with a transmission fluid gauge then you should ask the mechanic to check the level of transmission fluid whenever you go for a service. You can also follow the user manual as the manufacturer knows the car best and they would know what is best for your car. 

The transmission of a car is as important as its engine. They both are dependent on each other to work efficiently. Many people do take proper care of the engine and service it timely but they do not take the transmission seriously. Transmission takes a lot of strain after the engine so it is important that you take good care of it. If the transmission is damaged then the car would not be able to transfer its power to the ground and your car won’t move. So, it is important that you follow the user manual and do what it says.  

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