Dave's Auto Repair

Let’s suppose you’re going to take some friends out on the boat for some water skiing on a beautiful Rohnert Park area lake. Of course, you get the boat ready, but what about your tow vehicle?

Think about it – heavy Rohnert Park traffic, hilly California terrain. Maybe some dirt roads – and it’s going to be pretty hot. And all the time you’ll be towing several thousand extra pounds around Rohnert Park roads. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal.

Rohnert Park drivers need to make sure they have enough transmission fluid. If it runs low, the transmission will run hotter and won’t have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing. Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time. Whether your Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, Chevy, Mazda, Subaru has an automatic or manual transmission, you need to have it serviced on schedule at Dave’s Auto Repair to make sure it runs efficiently.

Neglect your Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, Chevy, Mazda, Subaru transmission for too long, and it can fail. You really don’t want to pay for a major transmission repair even with the reasonable rates at Dave’s Auto Repair.

Before you leave your Rohnert Park home and head to the lake, bring your vehicle in to Dave’s Auto Repair for a trip inspection. Your Dave’s Auto Repair service technician will check your fluids, belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape. Now, don’t forget the sunscreen.

Give us a call.

Automatic transmissions have gotten more sophisticated in recent years for Petaluma car owners. Take the number of gears for starters: The base is four speeds, five is very common. Many manufacturers are using six speeds and several have seven or even eight speeds. As you can imagine, this means more parts in your Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, Chevy, Mazda, Subaru’s transmission.

Today’s transmissions are computer controlled. Some high end transmissions have two or three computers. Our experienced technicians at Dave’s Auto Repair in Petaluma receive ongoing training on transmission service and repair.

Rohnert Park, Novato, and Penngrove car owners trust that transmissions are engineered to last. But California motorists need to understand that they are also engineered to tighter tolerances. If a portion of the transmission is starved for lubrication, it can lead to failure.

This can happen with not enough fluid. And, if the transmission fluid gets dirty or sludgy, small passages in the transmission can get clogged, then the lubricant is blocked and can’t get to all the parts to protect them, so they wear out prematurely.

Most newer vehicles in Petaluma, Novato, and Penngrove require special transmission fluids – at Dave’s Auto Repair we can make sure you get the type your manufacturer recommends.

As you can imagine, repairing one of these new transmissions can be quite costly at most Petaluma auto repair shops. That’s why manufacturers have a schedule for how often Petaluma drivers should change the fluid and what type of fluid to use.

To schedule an appointment or learn more about your car’s transmission, call Dave’s Auto Repair at 707.763.8365.

Dave’s Auto Repair
1911 Bodega Avenue
Petaluma, California zip code 94952

The following Transmission video is presented by Dave’s Auto Repair:

The following Transmission animation is presented by Dave’s Auto Repair:

Let’s talk about your transmission.

Transmissions are heavy duty pieces of equipment that are designed to last a long time for most Rohnert Park drivers. But like any other machine, they’ll eventually wear out and need repair. So let’s focus on what you can do to push that day off as far as possible.

The first thing you can do is to make sure your Rohnert Park transmission always has enough fluid. Transmission fluid cools and lubricates the transmission. When there’s not enough fluid, the transmission will run hotter and wear out sooner.

The transmission fluid also provides the pressure needed to transfer power from the engine to the transmission. Not enough fluid, and your transmission won’t shift properly.

Your Rohnert Park service center will check your transmission fluid level with a full service oil change and top it off if needed. If you see any transmission fluid on the driveway – it’s a reddish color – have us inspect it for a leak. A gasket, hose or seal could be leaking and may need to be repaired.

The next thing you can do to prolong the life of your Rohnert Park transmission is to replace your transmission fluid on schedule. As you can imagine, all those gears grinding on each other result in lots of little bits of metal in the fluid. The more there is, the faster the transmission parts will wear out.

Transmission fluid also contains detergents and other additives to protect your transmission. These additives are depleted over time, so old fluid doesn’t protect as well as new fluid. Your owner’s manual or Rohnert Park service advisor will have a recommendation for when you should have a transmission service.

If your transmission isn’t shifting as smoothly as it should, or if you suspect a transmission leak, let Dave’s Auto Repair take a look at it. And ask if it’s time for a transmission service. Regular maintenance and taking care of small leaks right away will help your transmission last as long as possible.

At Dave’s Auto Repair in Petaluma CA we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Call us from Rohnert Park at 707.763.8365. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.