01/20/2024
It’s your money…
You can help save your automatic transmission.
When it’s super cold like this realize that just because your engine warms up doesn’t necessarily mean your transmission is warm when you first take off. There are pumps and lines and lots of fluid and it takes a little while for the transmission to reach good operating temperatures. As you begin to roll, take it super easy on the throttle and let the transmission shift slowly out of first and into the next gears. In my opinion, this is especially critical in the first minute of the drive. I’m not suggesting to drive too slowly in traffic, just to take it easy and not “goose” the engine when the vehicle is still cold. Each model has its own shifting characteristics and you can feel if it’s a hard shift. That hard shifting is what I’m suggesting be avoided. In some high mileage vehicles, this hard shift can almost feel like a thud coming from under the vehicle and will tend to do it more under excessive acceleration. While taking it easy in this situation is very important, it’s likely getting critical, and it’s probably time to get it looked at.
In reality, implementing this practice in those first moments of driving in all climates year round can reduce jolts to the transmission and other drive components and extend usable life. Parts are generally considered “cold” until they heat up, no matter what the climate. 
This practice is even more helpful when vehicles get some high miles on them them and are more susceptible to damage in those first seconds of initial acceleration. Also, following the maintenance schedule and having the transmission fluid pumped out and changed along with the transmission filter, every 60,000 miles or so is going to prevent excess wear and is basically like writing a check to yourself. Having the cooling system flushed and refilled with OEM approved coolant on about the same schedule can actually allow the system to warm faster as build up and blockages in the cooling system are virtually eliminated with regular service. Of course, using the best engine oils and having regular oil and filter service will extend your engine’s life as well.
When I run into an owner that has ridiculously high miles on their vehicle I ask them the same question every time; what do they do for maintenance? Without exception every single one of them is all about quality fluids and filters on a regular schedule that exceeds original equipment manufacturers recommendations and they usually admit they drive their vehicle easy.
Parts eventually wear and break, but we can extend the life of them by taking it easy when those parts are cold.
Now when I say take it easy I’m not talking about driving under the limit in the fast lane… that’s another story.
MB
