Tricks to help extend the life of your automatic transmission The automatic transmission or automatic transmission is the main driving part of the car. It is also a very expensive part if it needs to be repaired or replaced. Therefore, we would like to recommend 5 ways to preserve your automatic transmission for you. 1. Don't kick down too often. Kickdown is pressing the accelerator pedal deeper than normal to increase speed urgently. Often used in cases of overtaking or avoiding unsafe situations. The gear position will be adjusted down 1-2 beats according to the weight of the foot pressed down. But frequently kicking down will cause the gear set to wear faster than normal. Because the gear set must receive sudden increases in torque frequently. It's best to kick down only when absolutely necessary. In normal driving, it's better to gradually increase your speed. 2. Park on the ramp and use the handbrake to help. Parking on a slope Most people tend to use P gear only to prevent the car from sliding. But the best way is to use the handbrake together. To prevent the gear latch from having to bear too much weight on the vehicle. As for the proper way to park on a slope, After parking, don't put the car in P gear immediately while pressing the brake pedal. Pull the parking brake all the way up and slowly release your foot from the brake pedal to make sure the car doesn't slide. Then slowly push the gear position to P. This will allow the brakes to bear the weight of the car instead. And after starting the car to drive away Release the gear from the P position first (you can put it in R, N, or D, whichever) and then release the handbrake. This will help prevent damage to the gear set. 3. Do not leave the gear in neutral while the vehicle is running. Anyone who is used to driving a manual transmission car before When driving an automatic transmission Never use the method of pushing into neutral and letting the car drift when approaching a red light. Because as soon as you enter the N gear, it will affect the lubrication efficiency. and causing the gear to damage faster. 4. Change gear according to speed. Automatic transmissions have gear positions that allow the driver to adjust the ratios himself. Whether it's the +, – button or position 3, 2, L (varies according to car model), the normal D gear position can cover everyday use. You should not change the gear to a different position frequently unless necessary unless you want to accelerate overtaking or use braking force from the engine. 5. Don't neglect changing the gear oil. Transmission oil is the key to lubricating and protecting the transmission. When used for a long time, it will deteriorate. There may be debris remaining in the transmission oil pan. This is caused by friction over a long period of time. Therefore, the transmission oil should be changed according to the schedule specified in the manual. 6. Take the car for service at the service center as scheduled. So that our gears and cars can be checked to work at their full potential. and help check for abnormalities from use in more detail than normal care Information from toyotathajean.co.th