Once you put your car into gear, the transmission gets to work and prepares your vehicle to move. But if the transmission is not in good shape, your car will not be able to pick up speed or accelerate. Dealing with that kind of car trouble can be stressful, whether driving on a 20 miles-per-hour neighborhood or a busy highway. In such a situation, you would do well to turn on your emergency lights, safely pull over, and call for help.
Most insurers provide road assistance services that may involve receiving mechanical help at the site or towing your car to the nearest repair shop. It helps to ensure that you are covered for road assistance service because emergency car troubles call for urgent help. You can read your insurer’s review, such as the State Farm auto insurance review or CarShield warranty, to learn more about your options.
Getting your car to a repair shop in time can help save your transmission. Knowing that the transmission is having trouble can also help you act before it finally fails. So, how can you tell your car’s transmission is giving out?
Signs That Your Transmission Has a Problem
If you have ever had to fix or replace your transmission, you certainly know how pricey the exercise can cost. Fortunately, you can predict transmission failure so it does not have to catch you off guard.
Here are signs that your transmission has a problem.
- A burning smell — The smell of something burning could mean that your transmission fluid is low, degraded, or dirty. These problems with your car’s transmission fluid can make the engine run extremely hot, emitting a burning smell.
- The car fails to move when put into gear — If your car has trouble shifting or going into gear, it could signal a problem with your transmission regulator or fluid, shifter cable, or shifter. You must have your car checked to rule out transmission issues.
- Missing gears or delays in shifting them — Sometimes, your car may take long to engage gears, signaling problems with your transmission fluid. The fluid could be low because of leaks, pollution, or water inside it. Water can enter your transmission during flooding seasons or water intrusions when driving off-road.
- Clunking, whining, or buzzing sounds — Check your transmission if you hear these or other unfamiliar noises coming from your engine.
- The overdrive light or engine light is on — While these lights often go on when the engine has issues, they can also tell you when your transmission is slipping, overheating, or having several other problems.
- Engine revving high or transmission slipping — This condition can be a result of low transmission fluid.
- Power failure — If your vehicle has no power, your transmission could have internal issues even when your engine is working fine.
- Fluid under your car — If you spot liquid under your car, your transmission fluid could be leaking. The liquid may be red or green, and you may spot it on other surfaces of the car, such as the hot pipe. The fluid leak can be dangerous, and it is best to address it immediately.
For cars with a manual transmission, you may notice:
- Gears rub against each other when shifting, indicating a problem with the transmission fluid.
- Clutch pedal grabbing very high or very low
What Options Do You Have?
When addressing your car’s transmission problems, you have two main options—repair the transmission or replace it. If the cost of replacing your transmission is more than your car’s value, you may opt to buy a new vehicle.
Once your mechanic confirms that your car has transmission problems, you will decide on the next step. You can consider the following options to help you figure out what to do.
Change Your Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid is the liquid that lubricates the moving parts of your car’s transmission. Keeping track of your transmission fluid is crucial in car maintenance, and ignoring it can spell disaster for your drive.
The first step in keeping an eye on your transmission fluid is knowing when to change it. What are your manufacturer’s recommendations on changing the fluid? These guidelines can help determine when and how often you should change the fluid.
Also, because transmission fluid does not burn up like engine oil, you should not be seeing it under your vehicle. If you notice it leaking under your car, you must address it urgently. Similarly, if you catch your transmission fluid running low, you need to check that it is not due to leakage and address the inadequacy.
Rebuild Your Transmission
Rebuilding your transmission means yanking the transmission from your car, dismantling it, and chemically cleaning its parts. It also involves replacing any unreliable transmission parts with new ones and performing necessary electrical repairs.
Once your transmission parts are repaired and updated to enhance performance, your mechanic can re-install them in your car.
Purchase a Remanufactured Transmission
You can also purchase a remanufactured transmission and install it in your vehicle. The remanufactured one is similar to a rebuild. They differ in that the remanufactured transmission is already completed by a team of specialists and ready for use.
You can get a remanufactured transmission from the manufacturers or a credible dealership.
Buy a Secondhand Transmission
Also, you can buy a secondhand transmission from your local car repair shop, a junkyard, or online. It is an inexpensive hands-off alternative, but you will pay the profit margin the dealer puts on the cost of sourcing the transmission unit and labor for fixing it in your car.
Sell Your Car
If the cost of repairing or replacing your transmission is not worth it, you can consider selling your car.
There are car dealers who will buy cars with failed transmissions. However, your vehicle may sell at a discounted price. The selling price will depend on your car’s model, year of make, book value, and mileage.
Last Words
Ensuring that your transmission is working well is key to safety while driving and improving your car’s performance. Now that you know the options available, you can decide whether to repair your transmission or start looking for a new ride.
If you have problems with your transmission or queries about your car’s transmission, visit a car repair shop near you and get the professional help you need.
Good luck!
