6 Common Transmission Problems

December 13, 2018 | By Mister Transmission

6 Common Transmission Problems

There are two eternal truths about transmissions: they are important and they are complicated. The transmission is what allows your vehicle to move. It transfers power from the engine to the tires. No transmission means no movement. However, this is not a simple process. We think of the transmission as one entity. “The transmission”. But a transmission is actually a whole set of different components working in tandem to transfer power to your axles. If just one component is malfunctioning, that can screw up the whole operation.

This is why transmission problems are as frequent as they are. With such an intricate and complex set of components, a lot can go wrong. A lot can go wrong with tires, too. They are the only part of your vehicle that touches the road, after all (hopefully). But tires are simple. They either need to be inflated, sealed, or changed. They’re important, but simple. The transmission on the other hand? It can be quite difficult to diagnose transmission problems. Here are six of the most common transmission problems that you might encounter.

  • Do you Hear What I Hear?

Transmissions require that we pay attention to them. This is not something that comes naturally to many of us. For many of us, a vehicle is a tool to get from Point A to Point B. We don’t always pay attention to the process. But we should. And if we listen closely, our transmission might be trying to tell us something.

Whining, whirring, humming, and clunking noises are all signs that something is amiss. Especially if you hear these noises in neutral. An optimal transmission won’t make much noise that you could hear above an internal combustion engine. Even if you can’t feel any problems with your transmission, such odd noises could be portents of trouble to come.

  • Grinding and Shaking

Sometimes the noises mentioned above are accompanied by tactile sensations. If you can feel your transmission grind and shake when you change gears, you have a problem. Gear shifts should be smooth and seamless. Grinding and shaking are symptoms of a transmission problem.

  • Smells like Burning

There are only two instances in which you would smell a burning odour coming from your vehicle: 1) when you’ve just “burned rubber” and peeled out of a parking lot. And 2) when something has gone badly awry within your vehicle. Since you are, of course, a responsible driver, you would never do Number 1, so the cause must be the latter. A burning smell coming from your transmission is a problem indeed.

  • Gear Change won’t Engage

    If you shift your car into drive, you expect your car to shift into drive. If that doesn’t happen, you have a transmission problem.

  • Gear Slippage

    Your vehicle can “slip” out of gear. Usually into neutral and usually after a gear change, though not always. Not only is this a transmission problem, it is a big danger to both your safety and that of other drivers and pedestrians.

  • Fluid Leak

    Transmission fluid is the lifeblood of a transmission. Insufficient levels of transmission fluid are a very common cause of transmission problems. If you see patches of reddish liquid underneath your vehicle after you park, you have a leak and that’s a big transmission problem.

Contact us

If you have experienced any of the above transmission problems, please contact Mister Transmission today.

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Customer Reviews
Excellent service. Brian and other...
Navjot Kaur
Excellent service. Brian and other team members were very helpful. They gave honest advice for my vehicle and I can’t thank them enough for saving my thousands of dollars on repair.
Date: March 16, 2024
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Amazing customer service! Super friendly!...
Cynicalest T
Amazing customer service! Super friendly! Family owned by mark and son both awesome people!
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Mark and his staff are...
Ryan Rose
Mark and his staff are the BEST!!! Kind, knowledgeable, transparent. Will gladly take any and all of my future business to him and his exceptional team.
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Excellent help! Chris had his...
Steve Vandevelde
Excellent help! Chris had his guys test and inspect my transmission for free. Knowing that I preferred to save money by doing as much as possible myself, they gave me all sorts of advice, laying out the pros and cons for my choice. I trust these guys. I recommend this shop.
Date: March 15, 2024
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Jamie and the staff went...
DARIN GEAKE
Jamie and the staff went above and beyond to help me get my car fixed. I have a Subaru that was having issues and they spent a lot of time making sure everything was done correctly. Even though they did extra work and got extra parts to make it work, he stuck to his original quote (which btw was almost half of what I was quoted by a different shop). I would recommend Mr. Transmission to anyone!!!
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Thank you for the great...
Linda Jones
Thank you for the great service we received at Mister Transmission in Barrie. It was exceptional. They made sure the vehicle was at 100% before they let us pick it up. I would recommend them to anyone that needs transmission repairs. All the employees were pleasant and made you feel important. If you had any questions they answered them right away. Great job everyone. Ted and Linda Jones.
Date: March 14, 2024
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Daniel Zwiercan
I needed an expensive repair but the folks at Mister Transmission helped me save money where I could and did a great job. Thank you.
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Dale Allen
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Got my car back fast , amazing staff. Thanks Mr transmission!!
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