7 Common Transmission Problems

May 10, 2021 | By Mister Transmission

7 Common Transmission Problems

We all want to avoid transmission problems. To do that, it helps to know what some of the most common are and what can cause them. Here are seven common transmission problems.

1. Transmission Won’t Shift Gears

You really need to be able to shift gears when driving your vehicle and when you can’t, it’s pretty annoying and sometimes frightening. Sometimes your gearshift just won’t go where you’re trying to put it, sometimes it reverts back to its initial position after you’ve shifted, and sometimes you can shift it, but you’re met with considerable resistance or there’s a delay. The culprit here could be a lack of transmission fluid, which, as we will see, is always a usual suspect.

2. Transmission Grinds Or Shakes

If your transmission is making a grinding noise or if you can feel it take time to wriggle into correct gear instead of making a smooth transition, you have a transmission problem. It will likely worsen so that the next time you shift gears you experience more shaking. Your clutch may need to be adjusted or replaced.

3. Transmission Slips

Sometimes transmission slip out of gear. This usually happens when you have just shifted gears and then it slips back to neutral. This can be a very dangerous transmission problem. It can be caused by any number of issues. One common cause is that the link that holds the gears is worn out or broken.

4. Weird Noises

Weird noises can accompany any common transmission problem. If you find yourself thinking, “That’s odd, I’ve never heard that sound before”, do not ignore it! Manual transmissions often make clunking noises while automatic transmissions might whirr, whine, or hum.

5. Transmission Leaks

All the problems on this list could be caused by a lack of transmission fluid (or transmission oil for manual transmissions). If you see patches of reddish liquid underneath your vehicle after you’ve parked for a while, you have a leak that needs to be sealed pronto.

6. Dragging Clutch (Manual Transmissions)

In manual transmissions, the clutch disk can fail to disengage the flywheel. The clutch will still spin with the engine which can make it impossible to change gears.

7. Something Is Burning!

Overheating is a constant worry for transmissions. Burning smells are not to be ignored. As with all these issues, you should have your transmission inspected as soon as possible.

Mister Transmission

Mister Transmission can diagnose and fix all of these common transmission problems and many more. If you think you have a common transmission problem, please contact us. We also have a comprehensive COVID-19 policy to keep everybody safe.

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