What're the best tests you can do to gauge how healthy a transmission is / how long it'll last, aside from literally taking it out of the car and disassembling it?
For example, you can check the fluid to see how cloudy / dark it is. You can drive it to see how well it shifts / if it lags.
What is the suite of tests like this you can do to gauge how how healthy the transmission is / how long it'll last?
Also, how accurate of an indicator are these tests? Knowing the results, how confident can you be that the transmission will ultimately last a long time?
My car has 161000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Some of the tests that could be performed to determine if a transmission is in good condition would be to first check the fluid level as you mentioned. If the fluid level is low or the condition of the fluid is sub par, I would recommend having the fluid changed. After checking the fluid, driving the vehicle with a variance of engine speeds will also help to determine if the vehicle’s transmission is performing properly. Other than these two tests, you can also check the vehicle with an OBD2 scanner to determine if any check engine light codes are present. Many times the trouble codes for the transmission will also cause the check engine light to be illuminated. If you would like to have your transmission inspected consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to inspect your transmission for you.
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