Is it safe to drive with the transmission temperature light on?
Auto repair

Is it safe to drive with the transmission temperature light on?

09.11.2022 /

Most people don't know much about vehicle transmissions, and really, why would they? All you want to do is get in your car and drive, confident that you can get from point A to point B safely. Having said…

Most people don't know much about vehicle transmissions, and really, why would they? All you want to do is get in your car and drive confident that you can safely get from point A to point B.

Having said that, you should be able to recognize the signs that your transmission may be failing. The most obvious sign is that the transmission temperature light has come on. And what does it mean? It's just that your gearbox is overheating. And heat is without a doubt the worst enemy of your car's transmission. In fact, heat is the cause of more transmission failures than anything else.

Here are a few facts to know about gearbox temperature:

  • The ideal temperature for your gearbox is 200 degrees. For every 20 degrees past 200, your transmission's life is halved. In other words, if you reach 2 degrees, you can expect half the normal life of your transmission. At 220 degrees your transmission will last about 240/1 of the time it should. And if you get to 4 degrees, you drop to 260/1 of normal life.

  • Hot gears release an odor. Ideally, if your transmission is overheating, the transmission temperature light will come on. But be aware that signal lights are not infallible, so if you smell anything out of the ordinary (usually a sweet smell), stop. You need to let your transmission cool down.

  • Checking the transmission fluid can help you determine if your transmission is overheating. Transmission fluid is not like engine oil - it does not burn under normal conditions. If the fluid level has dropped, then there is a high probability that something is wrong. And if the liquid is dark, you are almost certainly overheating.

Needless to say, you want to catch transmission problems as early as possible to prevent further problems. So don't rely solely on the transmission temperature warning light, but don't neglect it either. If this is happening, it happened for a reason. While you can probably drive safely to your next destination, you want to have your transmission system checked right away to prevent further problems and ensure your vehicle performs optimally.

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