Facts about transmissions

• Your transmission is a complex machine with many parts that must all work together perfectly. To learn more, you can visit HowStuffWorks.com for an excellent article about the inner workings of a transmission.
• Transmissions rarely fail without first presenting some warning signs. One of them is dark transmission fluid. Another is a performance problem. Instead of a smooth, powerful transition from a standing stop to highway speed, there may be slipping or interruptions in acceleration.
• Transmissions will fail when parts grind together because of overheating or failure. In today's cars there maybe an electronic component that controls your automatic transmission which needs replacement or adjustment. A fluid leak can cause malfunctions in operation because of overheating and lack of viscosity for gears to function.
• Most car transmissions are made to last the life of the vehicle if properly maintained and serviced regularly. Most automatic transmissions have a filter that should be replaced, and the fluid changed periodically. Check the owner's manual for service interval, but a good rule of thumb is to change the filter and the fluid every 25,000 miles under normal conditions.