13 Signs Your Transmission Is Failing and What to Do
The last thing anyone wants to experience in their car is a failing transmission. We could suddenly find ourselves stranded at the side of the road, unable to get home and needing to call for help.
Fortunately, transmission failures can be detected. You can also take steps to get the transmission looked at and to avoid a severe failure.
This list contains some of those reasons and what you can do. We hope that these can help you avoid a horrible situation where you are left stuck at the side of a road, waiting for a recovery vehicle to take you home.
Odd Sounds From The Transmission
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox.
One of the most obvious signs that your transmission is about to fail is the noise it makes. There should be no loud or clunking noises, for example, but if they start to happen, then there is clearly a major problem with the transmission.
A gearbox has hundreds of components, so if any one of those begins to fail, noise may well commence. The noises can be different depending on whether it’s manual or automatic, such as clunking or buzzing. If any strange noises start to occur, get the sound diagnosed as quickly as possible.
Leaking Transmission Fluid
Leaking fluid from the transmission is one of the easiest and most recognizable problems to spot on any transmission. The fluid may well leak onto the floor below the vehicle, usually bright red, and this is never a good sign.
A lack of transmission fluid increases friction between components, causing the transmission to overheat. It is best to take your car to a transmission shop to find out what is causing the leak.
Not Going Into Gear
Aside from leaking transmission fluid, if your car or vehicle won’t go into gear, then there is clearly a serious problem. This is one of the worst scenarios for those who worry about breakdowns, as you are stuck on the side of the road with a healthy engine but a broken transmission.
Improper fluid, a poorly positioned shift cable, and various other issues could prevent your car from going into gear. It could also be a case of malfunctioning sensors or a simple failure of the whole gearbox. If this happens, call for help and find out what has gone wrong on Earth.
Ominous Burning Smells
Nobody wants to smell something unusual coming from their transmission. This can be related to a lack of transmission fluid, as a burning smell could be a sign of poor lubrication and a lack of that fluid.
However, other scenarios, such as debris in the clutch and a breakdown of metallic components, can cause these burning smells. If the transmission hasn’t been damaged and you have caught the problem early, you can get it fixed. In some cases, repairing a fluid leak and adding new transmission fluid may be necessary.
A Lack Of Response From The Transmission
This is different from the transmission, which does not shift into gear. If the car hesitates as you change gears or some gears won’t play ball at all, then that is a clear indicator of a massive problem.
This is more noticeable in a manual car, as you will feel the issue as you attempt to change gears. This can also lead to a disconnect between the engine’s revving at whatever RPM it is in and the actual speed you are traveling. This might also be a strong indicator of clutch slip.
Gear Slipping
Slipping gears can pose a severe safety hazard for yourself and those around you. If you need to emergency stop or accelerate quickly, your vehicle could suddenly slip between gears or, worse, into neutral.
This could be a hazardous problem and cause injury to yourself and others. Thankfully, some modern vehicles will cause a car to go into limp or safety mode, which will reduce your speed but allow you to keep moving. The best course of action then is to get home and get your car looked at as soon as possible.
Grinding Or Jerking Sensations
Any grinding, jerking, or shaking sensations from the transmission can be a sign of major issues. And one of the most alarming signs too, as they could send the vibrations right through to the rest of the car. Grinding is more common in manual transmissions, while automatics will feel slight hesitation when gear changes are made.
In really extreme cases, this can lead to the entire vehicle trembling or shaking. The best solution to this problem is to immediately bring it into a repair shop or garage to find out why your car is shaking so violently.
A Dragging Clutch
A dragging or slipping clutch is something you will only experience with a manual transmission. But it’s still something to watch out for, and if the clutch is dragging, it can make it incredibly difficult to change gears.
The issue arises when the clutch disc and flywheel do not disengage when we press on the clutch pedal. The problem may even cause a manual transmission to pop out of gear suddenly. Other telltale signs of this problem are grinding noises during shifting.
Engine Warning Lights
Beyond the obvious transmission issues, there are, of course, the various warning lights that might come on inside your car. While an engine warning light isn’t an immediate indicator of a transmission issue, it could be setting you up for such a problem in the future.
The warning lights respond to various sensors in the car, some of which are in the transmission. These sensors detect unusual vibrations or sensations while you are driving, and more often than not, there is a very good reason for them to come on.
A Noisy Transmission In Neutra
This is an issue that we hope many of you won’t have to suffer from. But it does happen, and a noisy transmission when you are in neutral is far from a good sign. Bumping or shaking sensations can also be felt and heard, and this could be a sign that you need to change your transmission fluid.
However, it could also signify a more serious problem. There could be some severe damage to your transmission, so we advise getting this looked at as soon as possible. It could be all you need to do to save your transmission.
No Power From Your Car
All of the issues above could lead to a lack of power in your car. This could lead to some confusion as well, as a lack of control might lead you to believe it is actually the engine that has an issue and not the car itself. Amending this is crucial, as it could point to some internal transmission issues.
It is important to get this diagnosis to determine if the transmission is acting up. A lack of power could also relate to faulty/dragging brakes, an issue with an onboard computer, or potentially even a throttle cable problem.
Checking Transmission Fluid
One meaningful way to determine if your transmission fluid is causing a problem is to check it. When you check, pay close attention to its color. It should be dyed pink or red so it is easily visible and translucent.
If there is dirt in the fluid, or its color is quite dark, this is a telltale sign of a problem. There is also the possibility of a strong, burnt smell to it, another sign of an issue. Transmission fluid should smell sweet or tart when it is in good health.
Get Your Car Looked At Quickly
If you experience any of the issues we have discussed in this list, the safest thing to do is get the car looked at as soon as possible. You do not want to leave it to the last minute or wait for the vehicle to let you down completely and you get stranded or, worse, get involved in an accident.
You might be able to diagnose some issues, such as the fluid, yourself. But for the majority of them, taking your car to a garage or workshop is the best way forward.
