5 of the Most Common Transmission Problems

April 25, 2018 | By Mister Transmission

Most Common Transmission Problems

Are you worried that there is something wrong with your transmission? Are you worried that something might happen to your transmission? It’s not always easy to tell when your transmission is acting up. With some parts of your vehicle, a problem can be plain to see, but with the transmission? This is not always so. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Here are five of the most common transmission problems.

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We begin our list of the top five most common transmission problems with one of the easiest ones to notice. When you shift gears in your vehicle, you expect your vehicle to, you know, shift gears. But sadly, this does not always happen. From the moment you put the key in the ignition and shift from park into drive, your vehicle should immediately go into the correct gear. For automatic transmissions, there is sometimes a delay before you feel the gear engage when trying to shift gears. This is usually a transmission problem.

What’s that smell?

Unless you’re sitting by a crackling campfire or fireplace, the smell of burning is rarely a good thing. And so too is this true for transmissions. If you smell burning coming from your transmission, you have a problem. This is often caused by low quality or quantity of transmission fluid. When transmission fluid breaks down, this causes increased friction the transmission will overheat.

Noise in neutral

Vehicles make noise. That’s what they do. When your vehicle is in neutral, however, it shouldn’t be making too much noise. If your transmission makes a great deal of noise while in neutral, you could have an issue. Luckily, this common problem can often be resolved by topping up or changing your transmission fluid.

Dragging Clutch

A manual transmission is more likely to experience a dragging clutch. If the clutch disk doesn’t disengage the flywheel when the clutch pedal is pressed, your clutch is dragging. The clutch still spins with the engine, though, and this makes it much more difficult (and sometimes impossible) to change gears. A dragging clutch will also often make a grinding noise when you try to change gears.

Obviously, you don’t want to experience any of these five most common transmission problems. But, luckily, a dragging clutch is often one of the more inexpensive transmission problems to get repaired. Frequently, the cause of a dragging clutch is an overabundance of slack in the clutch pedal. When there is too much slack, the linkage between the clutch disk and pedal it can’t pull  the clutch disk away from the flywheel.

Low fluid

As mentioned before, transmission fluid is vital to the health of your transmission. That is why whenever you see a patch of transmission fluid on the pavement where your car just was, you need to get that leak repaired right away. You should routinely check your transmission fluid levels to make sure you have enough fluid there. Furthermore, you must make sure that your fluid is still of good quality. Discoloured or malodorous transmission fluid is damaged transmission fluid. 

Mister Transmission

If you have been experiencing one (or more) of these dreaded five most common transmission problems, or any other transmission problems for that matter, please do not hesitate to contact us today.

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Excellent experience. My car was throwing transmissions codes and the mechanic shop recommended Mister Transmission for a specialist to look at. These guys know what they are doing. They knew right off the bat the possible issues and were able to recommend my next steps. Turns out my transmission wasn't causing issues, but it was more of a engine problem. Thanks again for for all your guys help! Cutest worker Pepsi was on duty and she did a great job of entertaining me. Highly recommend to check these guys out if your car is having tranny issues/codes!
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I had an outstanding experience here. From start to finish, the team was professional, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable. They quickly diagnosed an issue with my truck and offered a clear, honest explanation of what needed to be done. The repair was completed efficiently, and the price was very fair. I also appreciated their transparency throughout the process and how they kept me updated on the progress. It's rare to find such trustworthy mechanics, and I’ll definitely be returning for all my future car needs. Highly recommend!
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Great experience. They didn’t charge me for diagnostics- other mechanic shops I’ve been to in red deer will charge around $150 so simply scan your vehicle so that was very positive. Good guys, would recommend
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Juan Andres
I had an excellent experience with Giorgio! He took the time to explain some issues with my car's transmission and motor mounts. He went above and beyond to help me—without charging me a dime. His honesty, knowledge, and willingness to assist were truly impressive. It’s rare to find someone so dedicated and kind in the automotive industry. I highly recommend him to anyone in need of expert advice and great service.
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Alexander Sousa
Customer service was exceptional, especially the free diagnosis. Alistair was excellent and very knowledgeable at explaining my transmission issue in detail and providing a breakdown of the problem for my vehicle in specific. Transmissions are an unfortunate expensive repair, but I was pleased with the results and my vehicle’s improved performance. My vehicle ended up being a two day fix. I highly recommend visiting Mister Transmission in Burlington instead of taking your vehicle to a dealership that will double the cost of a minor repair, just to have thicker pocket change.
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I found myself on a road trip with a low rear Differential oil level. I stopped in and asked if they could take a look before heading home. Not only did they get me in between other work and fill the differential but didn't even charge me for there help. That's old time service Thank you. I will repay this kindness to someone in need.
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Had a wonderful experience with mark and his team. They explained everything throughly providing great customer service and an honest company
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