The transmission is a critical component of overall vehicle operationand without it you would not be able to drive your car. A transmission allowsyou to move your vehicle forwards and backwards at different speeds. For carowners, transmission failure can be a complete nightmare, costing thousands ofdollars to fix or replace. Nobody knows when or where a transmission will fail,so there is another inconvenience of possibly being stranded in the middle ofnowhere or on your way to an important function. Although transmission failureis not something any car owner wants to hear about, there are warning signsthat may indicate your vehicle is having some kind of transmission problems.Remember, even if your vehicle is experiencing one or more of these warningsigns, it does not necessarily mean it is the transmission. Symptoms of a badtransmission overlap with numerous other common vehicle problems, so it isalways best to take your vehicle in to have it inspected before just jumping toany irrational conclusion. Bringing your vehicle in for an evaluation and possiblycatching a minor problem before it becomes a major issues, might save youthousands of dollars. All that said, below are some of the more common symptomsof a bad transmission:
Leaky Fluid-transmissions require fluid in order to functionand are the lifeblood of the transmission, serving to keep the internal partscool and lubricated. One warning sign of a bad transmission is when yourvehicle begins to leak transmission fluid. If you park on a white surface, suchas a concrete driveway or in a garage, you will be able to tell if you havesuch fluid leakage. If you park on a dirt or grass surface you will need toplace a white cloth or blanket underneath the hood part of your car to findsuch leakage. If you notice any pinkish fluid leaking out, then you will knowthat it is from the transmission. Also any very dark or burned looking fluid isanother sign that the transmission may be having a problem since optimal colorshould be a dark or cherry red. Any fluids leaking from your vehicle are causefor concern and warrant taking your vehicle to get transmission repair at assoon as possible.
Slipping-another warning sign is transmission gear slippage.This is usually one of the more common signs of transmission failure. You willknow if there is a slippage problem if you try to accelerate from a stoppedposition. Vehicles with normal functioning transmissions allow for a smoothacceleration without hesitation, however a vehicle that may be experiencing atransmission problem would slow down this acceleration process and at the sametime your vehicle’s RPM spikes up. A jerking motion when putting the vehicle ingear or accelerating from a stand still would be a sign of gear slippage aswell.
Surging-when driving your car at steady speeds, you shouldnever notice any type of jerking movements. Bad transmissions usually causevehicles to surge or lurch ahead. You might hear the RPM’s have a suddenincrease as well. Again, this issue needs to be solved right away and youshould take your car to a service center as soon as you’re able.
Any Type of Burning Odor-a burning smell can be many things,and this includes your transmission. A burning odor coming from yourtransmission fluid means the fluid has broken down. When this happens,corrosive agents and varnish accumulate throughout the transmission. When thishappens, heat builds up and can ultimately cause complete transmission failure.Transmission overheating can be disastrous, so if you ever smell any kind ofburning odor, stop driving immediately until you have your vehicle checked outby a professional.
Non-existent Transmission Action-transmissions that do notengage no matter what gear you are in can indicate a serious transmissionproblem. There could also be some sort of electronic failure causing your transmissionnot to engage, so best thing to do is have it looked at right away to determinethe extent of the problem. Many repair shops will offer free towing with repairif you’re within a certain distance from their location.
Dashboard Lights-your dashboard is your friend and usually(not all the time) if your vehicle is having a problem a warning light willcome on to alert you. If you notice that your check engine light comes on, takeyour vehicle in for an inspection as soon as possible. Although the checkengine light can be indicative of many things, even something as simple as anelectronic sensor or computer chip malfunction, it can also indicate a possibletransmission problem, so it is always better to be safe than sorry here. Don’talways think the worst case scenario just because you see warning lights comeon in your vehicle. Your vehicle is simply alerting you that an issue needs tobe addressed.
There are many things that can go wrong when driving yourvehicle, so it is always wise to have your vehicle checked on a routine basisand at specific mileage intervals according to your owner’s manual. There areover 300 moving parts in many transmissions and any one of these could be thecause of your problem. A transmission problem is usually the extreme when itcomes to diagnosing different vehicle problems, but it is a problem that no carowner desires to have. As soon as you notice any of the above symptoms or otherabnormalities when driving your vehicle, don’t take chances and have thevehicle checked out. Routine maintenance can be a low cost of way of preventingmajor transmission failure down the road. Although there are no guarantees ofpreventing any kind of possible transmission problems, having knowledge about thesymptoms of a bad transmission may prevent further damage to this vitalcomponent and save you a lot of money in the long run.
Source: carguide.66ghz.com