Whether you drive a manual or automatic transmission or a car, truck, crossover, SUV, or van, you cannot afford to ignore transmission problems. Fountain City Auto Clinic warns that the longer you wait to have your car’s transmission inspected when it is acting up the more damage you will cause. How can you tell if your transmission is going bad? Look for the following signs listed below.
There’s a Transmission Fluid Leak
Any time you find red fluid under your car near the center, even if it’s a few drops, this is a bad sign. This means that your transmission is leaking fluid out of the system. Common places from where transmission fluid leaks include the pan, pan gasket, seals, hoses, and torque converter.
The Car Is Having Trouble Shifting Gears
When the transmission is working perfectly, you might not hear or feel it at all. Your car simply responds at the right time. With transmission issues, however, the car may not find the right gear when it needs to. You might hear clunking or grinding sounds as the transmission struggles to shift into the next gear.
You Feel the Gears Slipping or Hesitating
Gear slipping is a different problem from trouble shifting gears. When the gears slip, they slip out of gear back into neutral. Your RPMs will increase significantly as a result. You will also lose power. Another sign of transmission problems is hesitation going into gear or shifting between gears.
There Are Noises Coming from the Transmission
Aside from noises when during gear shifts, you might also start to hear whining or humming sounds coming from the transmission. If you hear strange sounds when in neutral or anytime while you’re driving, your transmission is likely suffering and needs to be serviced as soon as possible.
The Car Won’t Go Into Gear
A sign of serious trouble is when your vehicle will not go into gear. It doesn’t matter whether you drive an automatic or manual transmission; it should always go into gear when you put it in gear. If it refuses, you’ve got a problem brewing in the transmission.
The Check Engine Light Is On
Another sign of a transmission going bad is the check engine light. If this light illuminates on the dashboard, and you notice any of the other signs listed above, you can reasonably conclude you’re your transmission has a problem that needs attention.
Fountain City Auto Clinic in Knoxville, TN, would be happy to check your car’s transmission if you believe it is going bad. Call us today to schedule an appointment so we can get you in and out of our shop as quickly as possible. We know you value your time.