3 Warning Signs That Your Vehicle’s Transmission is Failing

Saturday, February 16th, 2019

What are the signs of transmission failure?

Your transmission is, without a doubt, one of the most important systems in your vehicle; unfortunately, it also one of the most misunderstood. Your vehicle’s transmission system is responsible for the transfer of power from the engine to the drive axle, which in turn converts that power into the torque necessary to rotate your wheels. Simply put, without a transmission system to convert the potential energy that is produced by your engine into useable kinetic energy, your vehicle isn’t going anywhere! In this blog post we will discuss the three tell-tale signs that your vehicle’s transmission is on the verge of failing.

Problems Shifting Gears

Your vehicle’s transmission system is what allows your vehicle to shift gears; as such, if you feel that your vehicle isn’t shifting gears as smoothly as it used to, then chances are your transmission system needs to be serviced. In some cases, the deterioration of your transmission’s ability to shift gears efficiently and properly can be quite obvious, some of the less than subtle indications of shifting issues are:

Unexplained shifting of gears
A jerking feeling when shifting between gears
Falling out of gear while driving
A clunking or thud-like sound when shifting gears
Vehicle vibrates or shudders when attempting to change gears

Burning Smell

Burning or extremely hot transmission fluid has a very distinct, rather unpleasant odor, similar to that of burning rubber. Transmission fluid is responsible for keeping all the moving components of your transmission system lubricated, and prevents the gears from overheating as a result of excessive friction. Even if you have never seen any pools of leaking fluid underneath your vehicle, if you notice such a hot, burning smell it is often a sign of a leak somewhere in the transmission system that is allowing transmission fluid to drip onto the hot engine or exhaust, or that it may be a sign that your transmission has an internal problem.

Leaking Transmission Fluid

Your vehicle’s transmission is a completely sealed system and should never be leaking fluid. If you’ve noticed unexplained stains in your garage or on your driveway, the best thing to do is to place a piece of cardboard underneath your vehicle to determine exactly what kind of fluid is leaking.

Transmission fluids can vary in color; typically, they range from bright to dark red. However, transmission fluid can also appear dark brown, or even black, due to consistent exposure to extremely high temperatures. Regardless the color of fluid leaking from your vehicle, any active transmission fluid leak is a serious issue that needs to be evaluated by an experienced mechanic as soon as possible.

If your car, truck or commercial fleet vehicle has been exhibiting any of the above symptoms, it’s imperative to bring it into an auto repair shop as soon as possible to prevent any further damage (or even a catastrophic failure) to your vehicle.

At AAMCO of Bonita Springs, our team of expert automotive technicians have years of experience servicing and rebuilding both automatic and manual transmissions. We take pride in getting the job done right, the first time around; and strive to make your experience with us as pleasant as possible by consistently providing the most reliable automotive repair services available, at affordable prices, to get you back on the road quickly.
Contact us today! (239) 992-2626