Whether you drive a standard or automatic transmission, your vehicle relies on several vital fluids to operate properly—including transmission, brake, and steering fluid. But factors such as temperature fluctuation and daily wear can compromise seals and crack hoses, resulting in leaks that can drain away these essential fluids, often without you even knowing it.

A slow transmission fluid leak, if undetected, can rob your vehicle of the viscosity needed to shift gears smoothly. Attempting to operate your vehicle with low, dry, or compromised transmission fluid can cause significant damage to your vehicle’s transmission and could result in a very expensive repair bill.

The auto supply marketplace offers a wide range of “stop leak” products for your cars systems. But are these quick fixes safe? Can they damage your vehicle or make it more difficult to service? Let’s take a look.

Transmission Sealers, Pros & Cons

In your transmission, today’s stop-leak products work using an additive that causes the seals in your vehicle’s transmission to swell. While this may stop the leak for now, it does not address any of the underlying problems (such as wear and fatigue) that caused the leak initially.

All Transmission Seals Are Not Alike

A one-size-fits-all solution is rarely the best fix for any complex problem, but unfortunately transmission sealants can’t discriminate between damaged and healthy seals, so when the product is released in your vehicle’s transmission, it swells all seals equally, whether they’re compromised or not. This can cause damage to competent seals and can result in more leaks, requiring replacement of all your transmission’s seals.

Quick Fixes Don’t Address Old Damage

Although a transmission sealant may get you to your next destination, it won’t address any of the root problems compromising the effectiveness of your transmission.  Compromised or worn parts, weak seals, and punctured lines can still rob your car of efficiency and end up causing a costly transmission rebuild or replacement in the future. Even swollen seals are not restored by quick fixes, and cracks or brittleness can still cause them to fail.

Quick Sealants are Only a Temporary Solution

While a stop-leak sealant might get you to your destination, it is NOT a substitute for regular transmission maintenance and upkeep. And the solutions provided are temporary. If you’re relying on a stop-leak product as a long-term solution for your transmission issues, you may be letting yourself in for both a disappointment and a large repair bill. Stop-leak products are not intended to substitute for transmission maintenance, and won’t address any of your transmission’s underlying issues.

Regular Transmission Service is the Answer

To keep your car or truck running like it should, without compromising efficiency, it’s essential to keep up with regular transmission checkups and maintenance. For manual transmissions, a checkup is recommended every 30-60k miles, and for automatics, every 60–100k miles. An experienced transmission technician can assess your vehicle’s transmission, replace the fluid, inspect it for wear, and suggest lasting repairs that won’t break your budget.

At Main Line Transmissions, we’ve built our business one satisfied customer at a time, by providing only top quality transmission service. Whether you need a transmission checkup or repair, our technicians are eager to help. Don’t wait for your transmission to slip, shift hard, or show signs of wear. Bring your vehicle in now for a transmission checkup!