If you and your older model car have visited a local car repair shop recently, they may have recommended you have a transmission flush on your car. If you’re not familiar with the term, you may be wondering if you’re being taken for a ride. To set your mind at ease, no, a transmission flush in St. Louis is not a scam, but rather an important maintenance step manufacturers suggest every 90-100,000 miles.
Cars are made to last much longer than cars of old, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to take proper care of them. One step car owners should take is transmission flushes, or ATF. Experts suggest drivers have flushes every 2 years or 30,000, if you’re trying to push your car to make 200,000 miles or more. This is more than most dealers suggest, but most dealers aren’t trying to push their cars to the limit, either.
If your car is getting up there in miles, a tip to try before having an ATF is to take your transmission dipstick out and take a deep breath, smelling the scent of the transmission. If you smell an acrid burnt smell, it may be too late to have a transmission flush. Having a flush could actually be a bad idea and could hasten the end of your transmission by discharging the build up currently keeping everything connected. If this is actually your case scenario, you might be better off driving your car until the transmission simply gives out and then have it rebuilt. However, if the fluid smells all right and is still showing signs of its pink color, it is a good idea to go ahead with the flush as intended.
As you are driving your car, if you hear a grinding noise coming from your car, stop the car in your driveway and leave the engine running to check the transmission fluid level. Check the fluid color, looking for a bright red coloring, noting that its not brown or black. Dark brown or black coloring indicates the presence of grime or sludge. If the coloring is bad or the levels are significantly low, your car is probably in need of a flush.
