More people choose the convenience and ease of driving an automatic transmission vehicle today, instead of opting for a manual transmission. In fact, only about 10 percent of American adults own manual cars. If you drive a stick shift with a clutch, your vehicle actually requires slightly different care and attention than for an automatic car, truck or SUV.
Many people who drive cars with clutches do so because they enjoy improved car handling. They benefit from higher fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs, too.
To keep your manual transmission vehicle from giving you headaches, consider some of their special problems…
Slipping Clutch
A manual transmission clutch transfers power from the engine to the transmission, itself. In other words, this key part enables you to shift gears. If it slips, you notice the engine revving but no movement. Signs like this point to a worn clutch or its pedal requiring adjustment by your mechanic.
Clutches, like other car parts, break down. They wear out from use or misuse, just like tires and brakes. If you feel your floor pedal not working as it should, you risk safety problems. To fix it, your auto technician can replace the clutch and its flywheel, disc, pressure plate and bearing by removing the transmission. For most vehicles with a manual transmission, the clutch needs replacement every 100,000 miles or so.
Gear Shifting Problems
If you experience problems shifting gears, you need to take your vehicle to your Winston-Salem, NC auto repair shop. Not being able to smoothly shift gears often indicates you need the clutch replaced. It can mean your vehicle has worn or damaged transmission parts. It can also indicate your car has electrical problems. Other possibilities include having the wrong transmission fluid in your car or a bad gear.
Sticking Clutch
Auto technicians see many clutches that stick to the floor and do not come back up as they should. Usually, it means the master or slave cylinder has leakage at the external seal. To fix this part, you need air bled from the system and parts replaced. If this is your car’s problem, it does not require removal of the transmission.
Leaking or Dirty Transmission Fluid
Manual transmission fluid requires changing, just like automatic transmission fluid. Without doing so, you risk breakdown of internal components. Most vehicles need this fluid change at between 45,000 and 65,000 miles on the odometer. You can find your manufacturer’s recommendations in your vehicle owner’s manual.
Transmission fluid helps prevent hydraulic failure. Fluid leaks often occur in components of a manual transmission clutch, such as in the hydraulic lines and the master and slave cylinder. When you take your vehicle in for routine oil changes, you should also have the auto repair tech check your transmission fluid levels.
Effects of Abusive Driving
Your car is a machine that requires care like any other machine with many working parts. To keep it in its best shape and operating as it should, you must take care of it. Part of taking good care of a manual transmission vehicle is driving it properly. Never start driving in second or third gear to reduce having to shift. Skipping gears abuses the clutch.
Another common abusive practice is riding your clutch pedal. Always ensure your foot comes off of this pedal at traffic lights by first placing the gear in neutral. Keeping your foot on it wears this critical part down very quickly.
Check Your Manual Transmission Health Today
To properly maintain your manual transmission and ensure it works as it should, bring your car into Cloverdale Auto in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Our auto repair technicians check fluid levels, perform diagnostic service and repair these parts as they break down. To schedule your visit call 336-331-3448 today.