The transmission is an extremely important part of your vehicle. This component multiplies the engine torque and translates it into usable power that turns the wheels at various gear ratios to allow a full range of speeds. Unfortunately, transmissions often get neglected and owners may ignore some of the warning signs of an issue.
In Replacing an entire transmission is often much more costly than catching a problem upfront and dealing with it immediately, so it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the warning signs of a failing transmission. Doing this will also keep you from being stranded if the transmission does fail. Also, even if the transmission is not the problem, these warning signs can point to other serious issues.
The key warning signs of a failing transmission include:
1. Leaking fluid
Your vehicle needs transmission fluid to operate properly. This fluid lubricates the components of the transmission to reduce friction and prevent overheating while also serving a hydraulic function. If the fluid leaks, the transmission will eventually overheat, which will cause a quick breakdown if not addressed.
Automatic transmission fluid has a characteristic red color. However, the fluid may appear dark brown or black if it gets burnt. Unfortunately, burnt fluid is a sign of a serious internal failure. If the fluid is still red, there may be a simple fix, such as changing a gasket.
2. Hesitation
Your vehicle should accelerate as soon as you put pressure on the accelerator. If you notice a hesitation or even an outright failure to shift, you likely have a transmission problem. Issues with shifting can be mechanical, electric, or hydraulic, so you should have an expert diagnose it.
For automatic vehicles, this hesitation most often occurs when moving from park to drive. With manual vehicles, you will notice slipping, which means the vehicle does not accelerate as much as you would expect given the revving of the engine.
3. Burning smell
While leaking fluid is a bad sign, it is possible that the fluid is burning in the transmission with no visible leakage. This burning often occurs due to sludge, metallic pollution, and clutch debris in the fluid. Transmission fluid needs to be flushed or replaced periodically to prevent buildup of these materials.
Burning transmission fluid has a distinctive acrid smell that is similar to burning rubber. You may even notice some smoke coming from the engine bay when the fluid gets especially hot. Burnt fluid is not effective, so it is important to address this problem quickly.
4. Jerking
A vehicle that jerks or shakes may be having transmission problems. Often, hesitation comes before jerking, but you may not notice the former. The jerking sensation will take place primarily during gear shifts. In a manual transmission, you may hear a grinding sound.
While other issues could be causing the shaking motion, the transmission is definitely on the differential. Regardless of the cause, it is an issue that should be addressed by a professional as quickly as possible. If you do not get the problem diagnosed, you may end up causing further damage to the engine.
5. Weird noise
Vehicles can make a lot of strange noises depending on the underlying problem. For transmission failures, the noise is most commonly described as buzzing, humming, whining, or clunking. Transmissions have hundreds of parts and even a single bad bearing can cause an odd noise. However, it is important to note that this sound eventually precedes transmission failure.
Automatic transmissions tend to have buzzing, whining, or humming noises when they start to fail, whereas manual ones will have harsh, mechanical sounds. These noises can be caused by any engine part, but keep the fact that it could be the transmission in mind.
6. Engine light
Your vehicle has an algorithm to trigger the check engine light for a variety of potential issues. Among these issues are transmission problems. If the warning light comes on, assume there is a valid reason for it. The light triggers when sensors return an abnormal value and is often one of the earliest diagnostic signs.
When the light comes on, have it checked by a mechanic to see what triggered it. The vehicle’s computer will return a diagnostic code that will tell you exactly what the issue is. Often, the problem can be addressed quickly and cheaply at this stage compared to down the line when a total failure has occurred.
7. Surging
One of the most troubling signs of a transmission problem is surging. While you are on the highway, you may notice your vehicle suddenly picks up some speed even though you have not provided any fuel. This often happens when your transmission fluid is dirty and sometimes before the point of burning.
Thus, if you notice surging, it is a good idea to get the system flushed and replace the filter. Otherwise, you may be dealing with a much more serious problem and need to replace the entire transmission.