Back to all

Transmission Care in Oswego, Illinois

July 10, 2022

Do you have any plans around Oswego, Illinois, for the weekend? Maybe you and some friends are taking the boat up to the lake. Maybe you'll be having a lot of fun water skiing and doing a little fishing.

You got the boat all ready. It's all gassed up. You packed lots of snacks and the cooler's stocked – ready to go.

How about your tow vehicle? It has plenty of gas and you've even vacuumed it out, but is your auto maintenance up to date?

Stop and think. You'll have some heavy traffic on your way out of town. Hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and you may have hot weather. And all the time you're going to be towing around a lot of extra weight.

That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission. Your transmission's going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal. What's a fun little blast to the lake for you is really severe duty for your transmission.

It's important that you have enough transmission fluid. If you're running low, the transmission will run too hot and won't have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing.

And if it's time for a transmission service, you really should have it done at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Oswego before your trip. Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time. Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, you need to have it serviced on schedule to make sure it runs efficiently.

Automatic transmissions contain a maze of passages that the fluid has to pass through to keep them shifting smoothly. If you neglect transmission service, the passages can get clogged up and you start to have problems. Neglect your transmission for too long and it can fail. Believe us – you don't want to pay for a major transmission repair.

You know, most of us in Oswego, Illinois, do a lot of our driving under severe conditions. Towing or hauling a big load is obvious, but there are lots of other things that constitute severe driving conditions. Things like short trips or driving in very hot or very cold weather. Also, dusty roads, city driving around Oswego, and basically any driving that's not at highway speeds or under ideal conditions is severe driving. We all need to think about whether or not we need to follow the severe service schedule.

So, consider going in for a full service oil change before you leave for the lake to make sure everything has been looked at. Ask for a trip inspection while you're at it. Your Oswego, Illinois, service technician at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Oswego can check your belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape.

Don't forget the sunscreen. And to thank your Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Oswego service technician, how about bringing him back a nice trout?

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Oswego
1555 US Highway 34
Oswego, Illinois 60543
630-898-6220

More articles from Tuffy Oswego

Take Charge! (Battery Testing)

May 19, 2024

OK, so you probably take your vehicle's battery for granted. Turn the key or push a button and it starts right up. During times of warmer weather, you probably think your battery can take it easy. But it may surprise you to learn that hot weather can be much harder on a vehicle's battery than ... More

Heat and your Tires (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)

May 12, 2024

With hotter weather and brutal heat waves becoming more common, the pressure in your vehicle's tires goes up. After all, heat causes air to expand, and the air in your tires follows the laws of physics. Overinflated tires can reduce your vehicle's traction, cause a hard, punishing ride and make ... More

Shifty Letters PRNDL (Transmission)

May 5, 2024

You probably figured out those shifty letters. They're what you see on your automatic transmission shifter and stand for Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Low. Your automatic transmission is one of the great automotive inventions; here are some ways you can keep yours working well. Maintain you... More