Transmission Repair: Signs of a Bad Transmission
A transmission repair tends to be one of the most daunting repairs for many of our customers. Once a transmission starts to fail, the clock starts ticking. It's important to get it checked out fast, as transmission issues can escalate quickly, affecting connected parts of the engine or leaving you broken down on the side of the road. Luckily, there are a few early symptoms to watch out for.
What are signs of a bad transmission?
A bad transmission is easy to diagnose if you know the signs. The most common are:- Slipping transmission: You might notice it takes a while for the gear to "catch" when you shift into drive or reverse. This delayed reaction, or delayed engagement, is a very early sign that something is wrong.
- Strange smells: You might notice strange smells when you change gears. This often happens when there's a transmission fluid leak and the fluid is burning on surrounding parts of the engine as it heats up.
- Transmission Fluid Leak: If you notice transmission fluid in your driveway, even if it is a small amount, you should get the leak examined and repaired as soon as possible. If left unaddressed, the problem will get worse over time, put your engine under unnecessary stress, and eventually causing your transmission to fail completely.
- Rough shifts: Shifting gears will be noticeably difficult. You might also hear rough grinding or clunking sounds when you change gears.
- Transmission warning light: This one tends to be most obvious. If the warning light comes on the problem is pretty serious.