The Best Ways to Destroy Your Transmission

Tags:Transmission Basics

Bad habits are hard to break but just being aware of some of the ways you can avoid destroying your transmission can help immensely down the road.

The automatic transmission is a very important module of your vehicle. It allows your vehicle to cruise at highway speed without blowing up the motor. It multiplies the torque of your engine to aid in propelling the weight of your vehicle. It makes driving in traffic less stressful as it eliminates the clutch and shifts itself. While vital to the proper operation of your vehicle, many people take their automatic transmission for granted. Even worse, they contribute to its failure via bad habits. Let’s take a look at some of the bad habits that can destroy your transmission, presented in a tongue-in-cheek manner to help emphasize their significance.

1. Overheat your vehicle as often as possible.

Most automatic transmissions are designed to operate at a maximum temperature of 200 degrees. For every 20 degrees you go above this limit, you risk cutting the expected lifespan of the transmission by a factor of two. To put that in a better perspective, by the time your transmission reaches 300 degrees its life span will be reduced to 1/32nd of what is considered normal. You should also note that at temperature as low as 240 degrees your organic oil based transmission fluid can turn to varnish, leaving it unable to properly lubricate the moving parts inside your transmission.

2. Maintain improper fluid levels.

Letting the transmission run out of fluid or operating it with a low fluid level is a guaranteed way to have a transmission breakdown. The fluid keeps the transmission's internal components cool and lubricated. When the fluid level becomes low or runs completely out, the internal parts begin to grind and overheat which leads to failure.

3. Never change the fluid.

Another way to kill your transmission is failing to change the fluid according to the schedule in your automobile's owner's manual. Like the oil in your automobile's engine, transmission fluid becomes dirty and eventually needs changing. Failure to change the fluid can lead to the seals and gaskets, as well as internal transmission components, beginning to overheat and break down.

4. Use the incorrect fluid type.

Adding the wrong type of transmission fluid can kill it. Manual and automatic transmissions use different fluids (see ‘Choosing the Right Transmission Fluid'). These fluids cannot be mixed with other fluids or added on a temporary basis to "just get by."

5. Drag race from light to light.

This causes the torque converter to produce a lot of heat. If you don’t give the transmission a chance to cool down between jack-rabbit starts, it will overheat quickly. We know what happens to a transmission when it overheats. Unless your vehicle was specifically designed for this purpose, it cannot sustain that form of abuse. You run the risk of damaging all driveline components.

6. Always stop abruptly.

Like fast starts, sudden stops can damage drivetrain components like engine and transmission mounts. These can lead to transmission damage. After any sudden emergency stop, it would be wise to have your mounts checked.

7. Leave the shift lever in park without the parking brake on.

If another vehicle were to even tap yours at the front or back while you’re parked, it could cause the parking pawl to break leaving your vehicle to roll down the street unattended.

8. Downshift to “brake” at traffic lights.

A forced downshift at high engine RPM is sure to cause excessive wear on transmission friction components (clutches and bands).

9. Place the shift lever in drive or reverse when engine is at “fast idle”.

This can cause abrupt transmission engagement leading to early failure of clutches, bands, gear sets, driveline components and engine or transmission mountings.

10. Use your shift lever instead of your brake.

Before reversing direction your car must be at a complete stop. Using the transmission to stop the vehicle will lead to premature transmission failure.

11. Start driving before the engine warms up.

For your transmission to perform properly, the fluid must be at operating temperature. (Give it a few minutes and it will give you better and longer service).

12. Tow your vehicle with the drive wheels on the ground, and/or tow over the factory recommended limit.

Rear wheel drive vehicles must be towed with the rear wheels off the ground. Front wheel drive with the front wheels in the air. All wheel or full time four-wheel drive vehicles should be flat towed (all four wheels off the ground) Not sure? Check your owner’s manual. Also, every vehicle comes from the factory with a recommended maximum towing limit. Unfortunately, few owners obey it. The bands and clutches can start slipping. This causes them to wear out very quickly. It also results in the transmission getting pumped full of debris as they start failing. Improper towing can cause serious damage!

13. Play transmission “doctor”.

Over the counter additives that are supposed to stop leaks or make the transmission shift better many times contain chemicals that may cause worn seals to swell. This can interfere with the function of these operating rubber parts and lead to severe damage.

14. Abuse the drivetrain.

By being stuck in sand, snow, mud or another substance, rocking will cause excessive heat which can burn out a transmission in a very short period of time. Instead, dig it out or have it towed. Both are less expensive than the damage you may cause by quick shifting between Reverse and Drive over and over again.

Driving in stop-and-go traffic for an extended period of time; idling the vehicle too long; driving off-road; or using your automobile as a snowplow will also kill your transmission. The engine and transmission is working, but nothing is happening because the wheels cannot move. This leads to the fluid in the transmission overheating and its internal components failing.

Avoiding these bad habits can do wonders for your transmission, not to mention your wallet!
http://www.mistertransmission.com/best-ways-to-destroy-your-transmission

Guilty of 1,2,4,14 though number 2 is overfilling which i believe is another cause of transmission failure.I lost 2 transmission within a year due to these abuses.

I take it

Very educative

No 14 though. A lot of people are culprits. Kai, saw one guy seriously revving a Honda accord that got stuck in a ditch. I'm sure he's hunting for a new gearbox by now.

Plz what are the Do's and Donts to ensure longevity of a manual tranny

Nice one!

Ok

Am guilty of number 3 but now I know. Thanks o. P for this insightful post

OK. I will remember that when I buy my first car.. For now enjoying trecking. [not trecking for GEJ or Buhari o]

The bad roads in this side of the world wi phuck up your car more than this 10x.

Okay.

okayy

hmm mm

make I buy land here first

We just de drive..

Thanks for the information its very educative

I just don't know why but I prefer manual transmission. All the cars I have ever owned were and are manual transmissions.

Good points...

thanks

This wat we all knw, bring something dat will benefit many people, in fact most people here didn't have a bike not to talk of car.

I'll save this post. I'm buying a car soon. Thanks in advance op.

ok

Thanks op

@hopegrace201 you are a scammer. lie, lie thief pls people don'y fall mugu mtn doesn't do such promo. I once fell mugu and 400naira mtn airtime gone just like that.

Its better not to even drive the car at all sef

It was persistent gear issue that killed my last car.

After spending and respending so much money to fix it without luck, I decided to sell it.

Got 300k gear system twice within 3 months, both packed up within few days of use.

hopegrace201:
,,

thunder dey wait to fire u

Greetings all,

Please, what's the cost of 13 pin Gear Box for Toyota Camry 2006 Model?

Thanks

I don spoil my auto gear box recently because of careless driving and not knowing the basics thanks