Your transmission is vital to the operation of your vehicle; it can also be expensive to replace if it breaks down. That is why it is essential to understand what you can do to avoid a potential transmission breakdown.

1. Check Your Transmission Fluid

You are going to want to check your transmission fluid. This includes the fluid level, color, and smell every time you change the oil. Every other year, you should flush the transmission fluid in your vehicle.

2. Use the Right Fluid

When you add transmission fluid to your vehicle, make sure you are using precisely the right kind for your vehicle. There are different types of transmission fluid. As such, be sure you have the right fluid on hand.

3. Be Careful With Weight

When you are using your car daily, you need to be careful about what you carry around in your vehicle. Carrying around too much weight can stress out your suspension and your transmission. Be careful about the weight you have your car carry, and if you tow anything, don't ever exceed your towing limit.

If you town things frequently, you will want to have your mechanic install an auxiliary cooler. An auxiliary cooler will keep your transmission from overheating when towing, which can save you from damaging the transmission.

4. Warm Things Up

When it is extremely cold outside, let your vehicle warm up before you start driving. You don't have to wait long but be sure to give your vehicle about thirty seconds to a minute to get started before you start driving. Once you do start driving, take it easy for the first few minutes until your vehicle is fully warmed up.

5. Don't Rock When Stuck

If your vehicle ever gets stuck somewhere, such as on a snowy bank or a muddy road, you are not going to want to rock your vehicle between gears. Rocking your vehicle should be avoided as much as possible, and if you have to use this technique to get unstuck, be gentle and wait for the wheels to stop moving before you change gears.

6. Use the Emergency Brake

Your emergency brake is not just there for an emergency. In fact, it can also be useful when you are parking on an incline. When you park on an incline, you should always engage the emergency brake. This will reduce stress on your transmission when parking on a slope.

7. Take Care of Issues Right Away

If you ever think your transmission is not working correctly, you will want to get to the repair shop right away and get your transmission inspected. If you act as soon as you notice something is wrong, you may be able to fix the issue when it is small and affordable. Driving around on a bad transmission can get expensive, which is why you shouldn't delay getting assistance if your vehicle doesn't feel like it is shifting correctly.