A healthy transmission keeps things running smoothly under the hood–literally. Your transmission controls the way that your vehicle shifts gears, and a faulty automatic transmission can cause your car to hesitate, slip gears, or shift less smoothly.
The experts at our Peoria service center can always spot a faulty transmission, but they also know that these symptoms can be caused by low or burned out transmission fluid. So, how do you tell the difference?
Start by checking your transmission fluid! While the car is warm, pull out the transmission dipstick and dab the fluid onto your finger. It should be pink or red in color, and feel smooth when you rub it between your fingers; if it’s a dirty brown color or feels gritty, your fluid needs to be flushed and replaced. Give it a quick sniff, as well, to see if it smells burned; this is another symptom of fluid that needs to be replaced.
If the fluid seems good to go, then wipe off the dipstick, replace it, and pull it out again. This time, check if the fluid is between the minimum and maximum marks. It’s important to wipe and replace the dipstick, as sloshing around when the engine is running can give you a false reading. If it’s low, use a funnel to add more until it’s full. Be sure to add the right fluid, and add it gradually as not to overfill it.
The Importance of Flushing Your Transmission at Our Peoria Service Center
Topping off the transmission at home is easy, as long as you check the manual and are careful to use the proper fluid. Replacing the fluid when it’s worn out, though, is much trickier. At home, you can only remove the pan and drain a small portion of the fluid. At our Peoria vehicle maintenance center, though, we can drain the fluid completely and flush the system to remove any particulates that could contaminate new fluid.
If your fluid is due to be changed, or if your vehicle just isn’t shifting as smoothly as it ought to be, then it’s time to have your transmission checked by a professional. Be sure to contact the experts at Lunde’s Peoria Volkswagen to schedule a visit by calling (602) 714-3968 today.
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