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Understanding Automotive Concerns

I have never been someone who loves to deal with car problems, which is why I was really stressed when I came across car trouble. I was left wondering what to do about the situation, so I started working with different places to get to the bottom of the issue. I turned to a professional mechanic for help, and it was really nice to find out that my car didn't have any serious problems. I wanted to start a little website all about understanding and resolving automotive issues, since you never know when they will pop up and cause trouble.

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Understanding Automotive Concerns

Are You Overstressing Your Transmission?

by Sophia Banks

Modern automatic transmissions are robust, but this durability does not mean that it is impossible to overstress them and ultimately cause them to fail. An overworked transmission can "cook" its transmission fluid, reducing its ability to act as a coolant and lubricant. Excess amounts of heat in a transmission can lead to a dangerous feedback cycle where the internal fluid becomes increasingly less effective, causing the transmission to overheat further. Without addressing the underlying cause of the problem and replacing the worn fluid, internal damage to the transmission is inevitable.

While essential maintenance can help to prevent wear and tear on your transmission, certain situations can stress a transmission beyond its limits. Keep an eye out for these two conditions to avoid expensive repairs in the future.

You May Be Over Your Towing Capacity

While you may know your vehicle's rated towing capacity, you may not be aware of how physics can affect it. When you travel uphill, gravity is no longer acting directly perpendicular to your direction of travel. Instead, the force of gravity is now working against you, partially pulling your tow vehicle and trailer backward. Your vehicle's rated towing capacity is the absolute maximum amount of weight that it can tow without causing immediate damage to its components, but this value is not necessarily applicable over steep grades. If you are routinely towing loads close to your limit on 5 or 6% slopes, then you may be unintentionally exceeding your actual towing capacity.

If you see a transmission warning light while towing, the best thing you can do is pull off the road as soon as possible. Continuing to drive with an overstressed transmission is likely to cause severe damage that you may be able to mitigate by allowing your transmission to cool down. If reducing your tow load is not an immediate option, then avoid high speeds and steep grades wherever possible for the rest of your trip.

Your Fluid Level May Be Low

Many vehicles are not equipped with warning sensors to indicate a low transmission fluid level. Your car should not lose transmission fluid under normal circumstances, but slow leaks can result in a steady loss of fluid over time. Slippage, grinding, harsh shifts, or whining can all be an indication that your car's transmission fluid is lower than it should be. If your car has a transmission fluid dipstick, then be sure to check the level as soon as possible when you notice these symptoms. If your transmission fluid is low, your transmission will be stressed beyond its normal operating capacity, and you are likely to cause severe damage over time.

Visit a transmission shop if you notice any problems.

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