How to Check Automatic Transmission before Buying Used Car in Ontario
Automatic transmission is very commonplace and is known to be one of the most reliable units in a car. But it still remains to be the most vulnerable. If you have already decided to buy Ontario used car, check the automatic transmission in it first. We will tell you how to do it. Such simple steps may save you time and money.
I will start with explaining why checking automatic transmission in a used car is so important.
Modern technology is more complex than ever before. People usually use it without knowing how it works. Wearing one detail of hundreds will firstly affect the clarity of work and even stop in all used car functions. This could be also applied to an automatic transmission. If at least one high-precision piston stalls, transmission will go out of the order. The automatic gearbox is highly sensitive to the possible overheating of transmission oil. Towing a heavy load in deep snow for half an hour is enough to burn the box. The same failure may also happen if you use the wrong type of oil or poor quality oil.
In the oil sump you can find a magnet for the metal powder attraction. It will be covered with a thick layer of metallic coating after having a hundred thousand + miles on it. If you test the magnet in a manual gearbox, not in automatic, after the same mileage it will be perfectly clean. Important note – transmission rarely works perfectly for a long time after repair. You will never know if a mechanic, which did this repair, was qualified or not. Ask the seller or owner whether the automatic transmission was in repair. If you got the positive answer, look for another car to buy. To prevent unexpected surprises check the history of used car in Ontario as much as possible. Don’t purchase the car that was used as a rental or rehabilitated after an accident. Using the machine for transporting the trailer also significantly affects the extra wear of an automatic transmission. So be careful if you see a hitch on the car.
After questioning and observing the seller let’s see what is inside in transmission.
Testing starts with the checking of an oil level and condition of this oil. It is carried out while operating at idle speed. Put transmission in the «Park» position. Stretch and rub transmission probe with a clean cloth. Then insert it back and pull it out again. Overview the oil carefully. After wiping the probe with white paper there must remain clean and clear trace with no metal particles and flakes of foreign origin on it. The new oil is red, but after usage it changes color and becomes brown, after much use it can be black. The oil should not smell burnt.
If you find dark oil, metal particles or a burnt smell, this is the sign that something is not right, you may need to search for another car. In many modern cars, however, oil probes are absent. In this case checking the oil level is possible only in specialized mechanic centers.
The next step you should go through is checking the transmission when the car is use, test drive it. I will tell you how to do this in the second part of our guide “How to check automation transmission status in used cars”. Those tips will help you to make a final decision when buying an Ontario used car.
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