Top 10 Signs of Transmission Trouble
Not sure if you’re having transmission issues? Transmission trouble can show many different signs and symptoms, so it can be hard to pinpoint what the trouble might be.
If you have any of the following common symptoms, you should get your transmission examined by our of our professionals.
1) Refuses to go into gear
Your car may refuse to go into first gear from a stop, or at any point up and down the assorted gears. Common causes include low transmission fluid, wrong viscosity (thickness) of fluid, or required adjusting of the shift cables or clutch linkage.
2) Burning smell
A burning smell might be may your transmission overheating and burning transmission fluid.
3) Noises occurring (even in neutral)
Although noises when shifting gears is usually a sign of transmission issues, sometimes noises heard even when the vehicle is in neutral could indicate transmission trouble.
4) Gears slipping while driving
If the vehicle slips gears unexpectedly when driving, definitely come to see us as soon as possible.
5) “Dragging Clutch”
If you find your are unable to switch gears when driving, you might have a dragging clutch (the clutch is still spinning along with the engine). You may hear a grinding noise every time you try to switch gears.
6) Leaking fluid
Transmission fluid doesn’t get consumed in the same way as other driving fluids do. If you notice you’re running low on fluid, then it’s definitely leaking out somewhere. Checking the fluid levels of a manual transmission vehicle is not as simple as popping the hood – may sure you get it done by a professional who’s familiar with your vehicle.
7) Check engine light is lit
The check engine light is designed to alert you that something is wrong with your engine. Although it’s not always a transmission issue, it’s an easy way to tell if you should have your vehicle inspected for trouble.
8) Grinding or shaking
A common sign of trouble is a grinding sound or feeling when you shift into a new gear. Grinding gears can be caused by a number of different factors. For automatic transmissions, you might feel the car shimmy into each gear, or there might be a jerk or jarring sensation when the gear changes.
9) Whining, clunking and humming
Although the sounds transmission trouble makes will vary with each car, you’ll probably get a “that-doesn’t-sound-right” feeling when you hear it. Some common descriptions of automatic transmission trouble are whining, humming or even a slight buzzing sound. Manual transmissions sometimes sound like a more abrupt and mechanical sounding. If you hear ANY weird noises when changing gears, come in to see one of our staff immediately.
10) Lack of response
If your transmission doesn’t respond to an attempt to change gears, definitely come in to get it checked. In an automatic transmission, you may notice the shift out of ‘Park’ takes a bit longer to engage than normal.
Experiencing transmission trouble?
Contact our professionals for a free assessment.
