Need a Transmission Fluid Change?

When it comes to your transmission fluid change, there’s a lot of moving parts. Plus, there are oil changes, servicing your brakes, tire rotations, wheel balancing, and more! Having your transmission fluid change is an important part of your routine car care that you don’t want to miss out on. That’s why Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help break it down for you and guide you.

What is Transmission Fluid? 

For starters, a transmission fluid change does different things for your N Charlotte Toyota. However, it depends if you drive an automatic or manual ride. 

  • Manual car transmission fluid lubricates bearings and metal parts inside the gearbox. What does this do? Well, it prevents the auto parts from grinding down on each other while they move. And, the fluid absorbs the excess heat.
  • Automatic car transmission fluid lubricates the moving parts that deal with shifting gears and provides hydraulic pressure and friction to keep everything moving properly.

Next, we’re going to go over why it’s important to have this Charlotte Toyota transmission fluid change.

Why is a Routine Transmission Fluid Change Necessary? 

We get it. Some people think a transmission fluid change might not be at the top of their list to get done. I mean, there are a TON of things to service on your N Charlotte Toyota. However, heat is actually a pretty big problem when it comes to car transmissions. If you don’t keep up with this service, then it can wear auto parts out and shorten your lifespan. That’s why this auto service is super critical.

That’s why having a transmission fluid change is a must on your list. If it’s not changed regularly, then your ride will stutter and your auto parts will start to wear out and overheat. If you don’t then this will be a super costly auto repair that you want to avoid.

Plus, if you’re constantly in heavy traffic (lots of stop-and-go driving), or if you have to tow heavy loads, then this will be even harder on your transmission. This is why it’s important and super necessary to have this service at Toyota of N Charlotte.

Charlotte Toyota technician

All About Scheduling a Fluid Change 

So, what about scheduling a transmission fluid change? You should be already scheduling these at Toyota of N Charlotte. However, if you’re still weary about it, then we’ll break it down for you.

  • Usually, you’ll need to schedule a transmission fluid change between 30,000-100,000 miles. Why, you ask? You should do this because, like car oil in your ride, transmission fluid can get dirty and drop to a super low level if left unchecked.
  • Also, there is another thing that’s called a lifetime fluid when we’re talking about newer cars. Sound too good to be true? It’s supposedly correct! But, at Toyota of N Charlotte, we still recommend having this fluid checked and changing it if needed at 100,000 miles for maximum performance.

Next, we’re going to get into how to check transmission fluid!

How to Check Transmission Fluid 

So, you’re a DIY type of soul. Toyota of N Charlotte has some tips for you when dealing with an old or a new car.

Old cars with an automatic transmission have a transmission dipstick. If you’re not sure where to find this, you can refer to your owner’s manual to check it out. You can check the fluid just like you would with your car oil. First, you’ll want to turn the engine on, let it warm up, pull out the dipstick, and check out the color.

  • The fluid should be vivid red or pink.
  • Dark fluid means that it might be bad or needs to be changed.
  • Make sure that it doesn’t have any debris or metal shavings.
  • If your fluid is foamy, then this means that there’s too much fluid in the reservoir and you should remove some.
  • However, if the fluid is too low, then you should schedule an auto service to add more or have the fluid changed.

New cars with the lifetime fluid don’t usually have a dipstick. Shocker, we know! So, how do you check this fluid? You can’t! You’ll have to stop by Toyota of N Charlotte to make sure everything is in great shape.

Charlotte Toyota auto service

Transmission Fluid Flushes vs. Changes 

Also, another aspect you might want to consider is whether to get a transmission fluid change or flush. Let’s go over what the differences are!

  • Fluid changes doesn’t exactly mean what the name states. This doesn’t mean your fluid is getting replaced. Only a third or half of the fluid will be swapped out at a time. Plus, some fluid still stays in the torque, converter, and other parts of your ride.
  • A fluid flush is very true to its name. This flushes all of the fluid from the system. But, this isn’t always a good thing to do. This could result in dislodging debris in the system and cause clogs. Plus, it could blow out older seals that would be perfectly fine.

Stop by Toyota of N Charlotte! 

If you want to change transmission fluid in your car, then stop by Toyota of N Charlotte! We’re located at 13429 Statesville Road. Take exit 23 off I-77 in Huntersville.