Most people, when they hear about a transmission flush, ask what they are and who needs one. Flushing your transmission essentially consists of removing all of your transmission fluid and replacing it with new fluid. It’s an oil change for your transmission. Oil changes are recommended every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Typically, flushing your transmission is only needed every 30,000 miles or so. Here are some signs you might need one:
Strange Sounds
Much like a horror movie, most problems with your car begin with unexplained sounds. Many people want to ignore strange sounds, especially if they aren’t experiencing any driving problems; however, that’s a horrible idea. A strange noise is typically an indication that something will be going poorly in the future. You should get your car in to see a specialist as soon as possible.
The Daily Grind
If you feel your transmission grinding gears, you definitely have a serious problem. That means something has gone wrong with the lubrication of your transmission. It likely means dirt or sludge has contaminated your transmission fluid. You need to flush it out so your gears can shift smoothly again. It could also mean that your fluid levels are just low. Either way, you should take your car in for a flush.
Shifty Situation
Obviously, most transmission problems manifest as problems in shifting gears. When the temperature drops and you’re having trouble shifting gears, you need a transmission flush in Minneapolis. That cold weather has a way of exacerbating just about every problem you could have. You can typically tell if it’s a gear problem or a fluid problem by shifting through the gears. This is obviously easier to do with a manual but can be done either way. If you’re having trouble in every gear, you probably just need a transmission flush.
Slipping Away
If you keep slipping gears, you need a flush. Gears slip because of a lack of hydraulic pressure in the system. That can happen due to low fluid levels or blockages due to dirty fluid.
Sudden Surge
Dirt and contamination in your transmission fluid can also cause your car to surge inexplicably. This is a sign that your dirty transmission is not allowing for sufficient flow of transmission fluid. That means your fluid is not flowing consistently, so your transmission is not delivering power consistently.
Temporary Delay
The final sign of a transmission problem is a delay in your car movement or sluggishness. If you press the gas and your car stalls for a few seconds, you probably have some kind of transmission problem.
If you’re having any of these problems, you need to get to a specialist immediately. Any one of these problems can quickly turn into a much bigger problem.
