How Your Driving Can Impact Your Car's Transmission
One of the most important features of your car is the transmission, as it automatically shifts gears for you as you drive. Unfortunately, there are things that you can do that put unnecessary wear and tear on this vital piece of equipment. If you want to avoid a costly repair, avoid driving in the following ways that can cause transmission failure.
Rapid Acceleration
If you are the kind of driver that loves to act as if you are driving at the racetrack, it could be putting a huge strain on your car's transmission. Normal cars have transmissions that are not designed to withstand the extreme paces you put your car through. Rapidly accelerating and then slowing down for stop signs and traffic lights will eventually cause a transmission breakdown.
Accelerating rapidly will make your transmission quickly produce heat, after which your car needs rest so it can cool down. If you accelerate quickly, come to a stop, and then rapidly accelerate again, your car's transmission is not getting the rest it needs. This will cause a transmission to overheat.
Overheating is what causes damage to the drivetrain system, causes slippage when shifting gears, and significantly decreases your transmission's lifespan in the process.
Not Allowing Safe Driving Distances
Driving closely behind other vehicles is bad for a couple of reasons. Most importantly, it is a huge safety issue. If you follow very close behind another car, it will result in you having to abruptly brake when that car slows down. If your reaction time is not good enough, you will cause an accident.
The other danger is the risk that these abrupt stops put on your transmission. The main part it affects is the drivetrain, which is the part of your car that transfers power from the transmission to the axles. Hard stops will damage the drivetrain, and eventually lead to transmission failure.
Always give plenty of room for a gradual stop when driving behind another vehicle. Try to give a single car length for every 10 mph you are driving. If you are driving 50 mph, this means you car should be 5 car lengths behind the car in front of you.
Thankfully, these are all driving habits that you can easily change and will make you a much safer driver in the process. By driving in a way that puts less stress on your transmission, you will avoid an expensive repair down the road. For more information, contact a business such as National Transmissions.