What Is The Lifespan Of A Gearbox?

The gearbox of your car is normally made to last the life of your car! However, it can happen that problems arise and in this case you will have to go quickly to a mechanic. Before you go there, here is everything you need to know about the lifespan of your gearbox!

What is the average lifespan of a gearbox?

Your gearbox has an exemplary lifespan, it is one of the most robust parts of your vehicle. Designed to last “for life” (that of the car, in any case), it will accompany you without worries beyond 300,000 km.

To achieve this, you only have 2 things to do. Nothing too complicated: drive, taking care to shift gears as smoothly as possible while depressing the clutch pedal fully, and a> as soon as necessary. drain the gearbox

For a manual gearbox, it is recommended to do an initial oil change after 100,000 km. Thereafter, you will need to perform an oil change every 50,000 km or at least once every 5 years .

For an automatic transmission, the frequency varies from one manufacturer to another: it can be every 25,000 or 50,000 kilometers . Refer to your maintenance booklet to obtain recommendations from your manufacturer.

When should you change your gearbox?

Above all, draining the gearbox has nothing to do with draining the engine, although in each case it or question of an oil change. The gearbox must be drained if the oil is used or insufficient.

To know when it is time to drain your gearbox, pay attention to the following signs:

• The gears become difficult to shift when cold, when hot, and/or the gears creak when changing gear. This means that the oil is used.
• The gears jump without intervention on your part, which can be dangerous and destabilizing: the oil is insufficient, probably due to of a leak.
• The reaction time to cold start increases on an automatic transmission, which can mean used or insufficient oil.
• There areoil leaks under your vehicle, at the level of the manual gearbox.
• You feel jerking when starting or accelerating using an automatic transmission.

Good to know: although not exhaustive, these symptoms often indicate an urgent need to drain the gearbox. To avoid this, remember to change your gearbox on time!

How can I increase the lifespan of my gearbox?

To improve the (already long) lifespan of the gearbox and transmission system, you can adopt simple reflexes , but effective:

• Check the level of the various fluids regularly, especially the oil, and do not wait until it is too late to drain the gearbox.
• Do not waste time and react immediately if you hear an unusual noise when you change gear. This also counts for a suspicious smell, a warning light on the dashboard or an anomaly with the gear lever. The longer you wait, the more risks you take!
• Never force the gearbox. This may seem obvious, but one wrong move can have serious repercussions, particularly in the long run.

The lifespan of your gearbox is important. But, it also depends on how you use it, so be careful! If it has been more than a year since you last changed your gearbox, make an appointment without further delay at a local mechanic.