Transmission fluid plays a major role in acting as a hydraulic fluid and lubricating transmission parts. Sometimes the transmission system overheats, which causes its oil also to overheat. In some cases, the liquid heats the boiling point, which could cause transmission failure.
You need to understand how to cool transmission fluid and stop transmission failure from happening. Before you can do that, you need to know what could cause an issue like this and what to do when it comes up.
How to Cool Transmission Fluid?
Overheating transmission fluid is a key cause of car failure and can happen to any vehicle. You need to know how transmission fluid cooling can be done. It is why we have taken the time to give you a detailed guide to cool your overheated transmission fluid.
There are a few ways to solve a transmission fluid overheating issue; however, when you first notice the problem, do the following.
1. Stop driving the vehicle and park in a safe spot for a few minutes to cool down the transmission running hot.
2. Observe the vehicle properly and take note of what driving condition your car was in when it happened. Also, take note of the condition of the road, noises coming from the car, and other notable signs or factors that could initiate the problem.
3. Start your journey after the vehicle has properly cooled down.
If the issue arises again after the transmission system has adequately cooled down, you may need to take further steps.
Another way to cool down the vehicle transmission fast is to refill your vehicle with transmission fluid. Sometimes the reason your transmission fluid is getting overheated is that it is low due to transmission fluid leaking. Transmission fluid is a hydraulic fluid and also serves as a lubricant. When it is low, its transmission parts build up friction creating an enormous amount of heat that heats the remaining fluids.
Below is how to cool down transmission fluid fastby refilling it with more oil.
1. Park your vehicle in a safe spot and activate the emergency brake.
2. Open the hood and find the transmission fluid dipstick.
3. Remove the dipstick and place a funnel in the opening.
4. Add fluid into the opening and ensure you do not add too much to prevent overfilling.
5. Once you are done, place the dipstick back into position.
You must know this method can only work if the cause of the fluid overheating is due to low transmission fluid.
What Causes Transmission Fluid to Get Hot?
A few factors could cause the transmission fluid to get overheated. Some of the elements may include the following.
1. Low transmission oil
One of the significant causes of overheated transmission fluid is low fluid. One of the functions of the transmission fluid is to provide lubrication for moving parts of the transmission system. When the oil is low or coolant mixed with transmission fluid, friction and wear will increase in these moving parts causing heat to build up and heating the transmission fluid.
2. Towing over the vehicle’s capacity
Every car comes with its towing capacity. Towing above your vehicle’s capacity comes with its consequence, including transmission overheating, which heats the fluid.
Check your vehicle’s towing capacity before going ahead to tow anything. You can check the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), and Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR). You can find all these in your vehicle’s manual.
3. Hot weather
Another major cause of transmission fluid overheating is the weather condition. When the weather condition in which you are driving is too high, it could cause the transmission system to overheat. Once the transmission system overheats, its fluid will also do the same. The fluid will reach boiling point when it hits 600°F.
4. Faulty transmission system
A faulty transmission system with a slow response can cause the transmission fluid to overheat. When the transmission of your vehicle suddenly becomes slow when shifting gears, a good idea is to stop driving and get it fixed. It shows that a part or parts of the system is bad.
When you continue to drive your vehicle with a failing transmission system, it puts a lot of pressure on other parts of the transmission, which causes them to overheat while struggling to function.
5. Damaged Transmission Shift Solenoid
The solenoid works when the module sends an electric signal, which gives the device an exact amount of transmission fluid to be released. The solenoid regulates the fluids that flow through the transmission system. Once the solenoid is bad, you find that the transmission fluid not circulating or there is an improper flow.
How Long Does It Take Transmission Fluid To Cool Down?
It will take the transmission system about 30 minutes to cool down; once it is cool, the fluid will also cool down. When your vehicle’s transmission fluid is overheating, you first need to park your car and switch off the engine.
Once you can switch off the engine, the transmission system cools down because it is no longer working. The transmission system takes about 30 minutes to reach a reasonable temperature. Now you decide to wait for it to cool down completely, or you can continue driving.
Preventive Ways to Transmission Fluid Overheating?
It is better to prevent your transmission fluid from overheating than to cope with the issues that come with it. There are several ways to prevent transmission fluid overheating, and they start with tackling probable causes.
Below are some of the ways to prevent transmission fluid overheating.
1. Ensure the transmission fluid is always filled to the required capacity. You should always check the transmission fluid using its dipstick and refill it if needed.
2. You can make use of a transmission fluid cooler. It is suitable for people driving in hot weather conditions and ensures that the transmission system stays at a reasonable temperature regardless of the temperature outside.
3. You should periodically take your vehicle for regular maintenance and flushing with professionals.
4. Always try to observe transmission issues by paying attention to symptoms like problems in shifting gears, noise, and more.
5. Avoid towing above the recommended capacity of your vehicle.
Once you can observe these preventive measures, the chances of having a transmission fluid overheating will drop drastically.
Conclusion
Close to 90% of catastrophic car problems like transmission failure could have been prevented if the owner had paid little attention to overheating issues. The transmission system is prone to overheating, and by paying attention to signs and carrying out preventive measures, problems like this could be avoided.