TRANSMISSIONS: If your car has air conditioning, it is a good idea to have the freon recharged once a year. Maintenance of the automatic transmission involves changing the fluid and filter at proper intervals. Also, be sure to check for leaks around the transmission itself. If you're having any transmission problems, first make sure that the fluid level is full and clean. If so, you'll need to refer the car to your automatic transmission specialist for further diagnosis. To maintain your manual transmission you'll need to drain and replace the transmission fluid at the recommended intervals. Also, take care and check for leaks around the transmission itself. The only other thing you'll need to do to maintain your manual transmission is to adjust the free play in the clutch periodically. Symptoms of a faulty manual transmission usually include an intense grinding noise as you're driving the car. If you feel any slipping as you drive, it's generally a worn clutch which will need to be replaced. Replacing the clutch involves having the throw out bearing, pressure plate and clutch disk replaced. Many late model cars employ a gear shift system that connects directly to the transmission and requires no linkage adjustment or maintenance. Also, some cars have a self adjusting clutch mechanisms and no clutch adjustment is necessary.
