7 Warning Signs You Need A Transmission Repair

Your vehicle’s transmission is one of the most complicated parts and can be costly to fix. Regular service and fluid changes are necessary to help maintain your vehicle’s transmission regardless if it is manual or automatic.There are many warning signs that indicate your transmission may be failing so if you are experiencing one of these warning signs please schedule a service appointment for your transmission as soon as possible before the damage gets worse.

Here are 7 warning signs of a failing transmission to be on the lookout for.  

1)Slipping Gears
Healthy transmissions keep your car in one gear until you decide to change the gear. When your transmission “slips”, it may show an RPM of 3500+ or take a long time to coast. Additionally, your vehicle may seem to delay accelerating when you press on the gas, which is an indication that it is not transmitting enough power to the engine’s internal combustion part.Transmission slips could also result from broken or worn out bands.

2)Noises in Neutral
If you suspect your transmission needs attention, trying putting your car in neutral and listening for unusual whining, groaning or ticking noises. Wear and tear on parts such as bearings or gear teeth often cause noises that indicate a failing transmission.

3)Leaking Transmission Fluid
Causes of transmission fluids leaks include loose pans,improperly tightened bolts or unsecured drain plugs,cracked pan gaskets and damaged toque converters or fluid lines. Constantly replacing lost transmission fluid isn’t the answer to correcting these problems, either.Getting the leak repaired so that fluid levels remain steady will dramatically extend the life of your vehicle.

4)Your Vehicle Won’t Go Into Gear
Low transmission fluid may prevent your car from engaging the drive or reverse gear,which indicates a leak probably exists somewhere in the lines.For cars with manual transmissions, it could be a sign of a worn clutch plate if the vehicle manages to engage and creep a little bit forward.Regardless of whether it is a minor fix,automobiles that don’t slide easily into gear require immediate attention by a professional mechanic.

5)Check Engine Light
This one seems obvious,but the “check engine” or “service engine soon” light often goes ignored.The sensors in the car’s engine might pick up on unusual activity from the transmission you can’t detect.Don’t delay on getting your car serviced when the check engine light pops up.Failing to address a problem with your transmission early on could mean disaster.

6)You Can Smell Fluid Burning
Extremely hot transmission fluid has a distinct,acrid smell that does not smell like burning oil but more like burning rubber. Burning transmission fluid indicates a leak that is dripping onto hot engine parts or seriously dirty fluid that needs drained and replaced with new transmission fluid.Running your car with old, contaminated transmission fluid is just as harmful to the engine and transmission as never changing the oil.

7)Car Shakes When the Gears Shift (for both manual and automatic transmissions)
Normally functioning transmissions keep your ride smooth during gear shifts. Automatic transmissions that shift hard, jerk or shake during a shift change may mean your transmission fluid needs changed or fluid level is low. In manual transmission vehicles, abnormal gear shifts could indicate damaged gear synchros, worn clutches or other, more severe issues.

Credits: aceautoutah.com/