When is the Last Time You Had Your Truck’s Transmission Filter Replaced?

If you can’t remember when you had your last transmission service, you may be due for a check up. Depending on the age, make, model and mileage of your truck, it’s often recommended to get your transmission fluid and filter changed every 30,000 miles—or roughly once a year. Older trucks and those with high total mileages may need this service more often. Newer vehicles may only require this service every 60,000 miles or so. Check your owner’s manual or speak with a local transmission expert for the best recommendations for your truck or SUV.

Here are a few issues to consider when it comes to how soon you should plan your next transmission service:

Proactive Prevention

In the auto repair industry, we call it “preventative maintenance” for a reason. Certain service tasks should be performed regularly based on mileage intervals or time (i.e., once a year, once every six months, etc.). We’re talking about things like oil changes, tire rotations, brake services, and of course, transmission services. Taking care of these preventative maintenance needs can help prevent problems from developing. Minor issues can be caught early or avoided altogether with a proactive approach. Don’t wait for your transmission to start giving you trouble before you do something about it. Get it inspected once a year and serviced as needed. A standard transmission service at Ralph’s Transmission includes replacing the transmission fluid (aka transmission oil), transmission filter and pan gasket.

Driving Habits and Road Conditions

In addition to age and overall mileage, how you drive your truck on a daily basis could impact how often you need to change the transmission filter and fluid. We deal with many heavy duty work trucks, delivery vehicles, recreational vehicles and farm trucks at Ralph’s Transmission. Some of these vehicles get pushed harder than the average passenger car. You may be carrying heavy loads or towing trailers regularly. You may find yourself in a lot of stop-and-go traffic or on rough roads. Perhaps you regularly drive into the mountains. Those steep grades can really put a lot of extra wear and tear on your transmission. Trucks, SUVs and RVs that are driven harder and in tougher conditions will almost always require more frequent transmission servicing.

Signs of Transmission Problems

Sometimes, even the best transmission maintenance activity can’t prevent unexpected things from happening. If you notice anything strange about your transmission, you don’t want to wait. Get your vehicle checked out by a transmission specialist as soon as possible. It may be a simple fluid or filter issue. Or, there may be internal damage that needs to be identified and addressed. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to experience a complete transmission failure. This will lead to a more expensive repair, replacement or rebuild. Here are a few signs of transmission issues you can look out for:

• Sluggish Acceleration
• Slipping Gears
• Not Shifting into Certain Gears
• Not Engaging into Drive or Reverse
• Grinding Gears
• Clunks, Rattles or Vibrations
• Strange Odors (often a sweet burning smell)
• Check Engine Light
• Transmission Warning Light or Computer Messages

If you are in the Central Valley and need a reliable transmission specialist for all your transmission maintenance and repair needs, call Ralph’s Transmission today at 209.526.1909 or schedule your service appointment online.

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