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.

image-reviews image-reviews
Customer Reviews
Dan was amazing to work...
Taylor Lavigne
Dan was amazing to work with! He was honest with what repairs needed to be done with no bs, like other shops that had a long list of repairs that didn’t need done. 10/10 recommend
Date: May 25, 2023
Website: Google
Very friendly and professional family...
LAURA CAREY
Very friendly and professional family owned and run business .. was referrred to them by Hyundai to have a key fob made and they were very reasonably priced and accommodating.
Date: May 24, 2023
Website: Google
very professional service and benignant...
Zuguang He
very professional service and benignant people
Date: May 24, 2023
Website: Google
Very knowledgeable, great customer service....
Stephan
Very knowledgeable, great customer service. For transmissions and gearing, no one does it better then mister transmission. Thanks for all your help
Date: May 24, 2023
Website: Google
Was traveling from Ontario to...
Jose Neufeld
Was traveling from Ontario to Alberta and had some trouble with the transmission. He was busy and booked but he took the time to check it out and that is the favor this is a one stop shop amazing service. They did not even charge us anything which was very surprising. I would totally recommend this business 10 out of 10. Very friendly and amazing people They know their stuff totally recommended
Date: May 24, 2023
Website: Google
An unexpected, great experience. My...
Mark Luscher
An unexpected, great experience. My regular mechanic was unable to take my car, and with an axle noise increasing in volume, and a long trip coming in just a few days, I was searching for a reliable place to take my car. I noted that this Mister Transmission is the current incarnation and location for a garage (‘Precision Transmission’) previously recommended by the Automobile Protection Association, so I decided to give them a call. Since an axle is part of the ‘drive train’ they agreed to take the issue on. I brought it in and they went for a 20 minute test drive to hear the noise. (The drive was long because of heavy traffic). Then they switched up some scheduling to make time on their hoist in order to run the car while observing the rotating wheels and drive train. The problem became obvious: a worn left axle — which had been changed only 6 months earlier at my usual garage. Clearly the part has been poor quality or defective. Mister Transmission assured me that I was safe in the short term to continue driving with it, AND they encouraged me to take the back to the mechanic who had done the work originally, for follow up. They would gladly have done the job, but felt it might be in my best interest to have the original mechanic follow up because of the early part failure. I asked them to please charge me for the time and expertise they had provided, but they would not, though I was persistent. I would gladly recommend this business to anyone in need of transmission or drive train service. They are trustworthy and kind, and I am grateful for their help.
Date: May 22, 2023
Website: Google
Honest place. Hard to say...
David Blankenstyn
Honest place. Hard to say in this industry. Keep up the good work
Date: May 22, 2023
Website: Google
Nice transmission service
Yiqun Liang
Nice transmission service
Date: May 21, 2023
Website: Google
Jason and Brad were great,...
Akash Purohit
Jason and Brad were great, and provided me with the updates every time I called to inquire about my car. I know they were working had to rebuild/repair my transmission and the staff was short handed, but overall so far the car is great the service was great. Other than the time frame being far to long it was a pleasant experience with the staff.
Date: May 21, 2023
Website: Google
Great and honest service. Highly...
Khodor Faraj
Great and honest service. Highly recommend
Date: May 21, 2023
Website: Google
Featured Services
Transmission Repair

The evolution of transmissions has made these machines and systems increasingly complex. When transmission repairs are required, determining the cause and cure for what ails can be tricky.

Read More
Transmission Technology

At Mister Transmission we have access to leading-edge diagnostic equipment, enabling us to offer you the fastest and most accurate findings about what’s going on inside your vehicle’s transmission.

Read More
Transmission Maintenance & Service

Just as you have other parts of your car serviced, your transmission needs maintenance to ensure a long life and avoid transmission problems.

Read More
Recent Blogs
4 Key Transmission Services Mister Trans...
If you need your transmission serviced, there’s no better place to go than Mister
Read More
May 23, 2023
What You Should Know About Differential ...
Discover what you need to know about differential service and repair and learn what
Read More
May 16, 2023
Why Do Transmission Clutches Need So Muc...
Learn about the role the clutch plays in the transmission and discover why
Read More
May 9, 2023
Everything You Need To Know About Transm...
Learn about the transmission overhaul, discover what this transmission service
Read More
May 2, 2023
Manual Transmission Repair FAQs
Learn all about manual transmission repair by reading the answers to some of the most
Read More
April 25, 2023
Maintain Your Automatic Transmission wit...
An automatic transmission is vital to modern vehicles, providing a seamless driving
Read More
April 18, 2023
Is CVT Transmission Repair Expensive?
If you’ve recently bought a vehicle with a CVT, or you’re considering buying one,
Read More
March 27, 2023
What Is A Solenoid In A Transmission?
If you’ve been reading about transmissions, how they work, and about common
Read More
March 24, 2023
What To Know If You’re Searching &...
If you’ve been searching, “transmission shop near me” recently, this article
Read More
March 21, 2023
When Do You Need A Transmission Replacem...
Learn about transmission replacements, what they entail, when they’re necessary,
Read More
March 17, 2023