How Do You Fix a Slipping Transmission?

By Mister Transmission

Slipping Transmission

A slipping transmission is one of the most common transmission problems drivers report on the road, and if left unchecked, it can also be one of the most costly, most unnerving, and even the most dangerous.

For these reasons, it is critical that you make time for repair services the moment you notice your transmission starting to slip. But how does one fix a slipping transmission?

Read on to learn the basics of transmission slipping and how we fix it, or contact your local Mister Transmission to speak directly with an expertand get a free quote.

What is transmission slipping?

The term “transmission slipping” refers to a situation in which your vehicle slips into a new gear without any input from the driver, or in the case of an automatic transmission, without corresponding to its current speed.

Even if you’ve never experienced a slipping transmission, it’s not hard to imagine just how troubling, discomfiting, and dangerous this can be, especially while traveling at high speeds with other vehicles all around.

My transmission is slipping—is a system failure imminent?

Not necessarily—but you should contact a transmission specialist as soon as possible, and try not to drive until you do.

While not necessarily a sign of oncoming major transmission failure, slipping does indicate that your transmission is in serious need of service and repair. To leave it unchecked is to put both your vehicle and yourself, as well as other drivers and pedestrians, in danger.

Common causes of transmission failure: Manual and automatic

If your manual transmission starts to slip, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with a faulty clutch. Often the problem boils down to wear-and-tear leaving your clutch too thin to do its duty. In the event that the clutch is not to blame, you probably have a leak somewhere. 

Automatic transmissions have clutches, too, and they’re often the culprit when your transmission starts to slip. Automatic transmissions contain clutch plates throughout the transmission as well as in the torque converter which may become worn or burnt from the inadequate transmission fluid. To fix this, you will have to get the clutch plates replaced immediately and also service the fluid.

Low fluid levels are often at the root of problems involving inadvertent or unwanted gear shifts. Low fluid causes overheating and may reduce hydraulic pressure, making it difficult or even impossible to engage gears. If you suspect you have a low level of transmission fluid, you should check your levels as soon as possible if your vehicle is equipped with a transmission dipstick, if your vehicle is not equipped you must have it checked by a specalist. If low levels are detected, check for leaks in the form of reddish liquid pooling or pattering beneath your vehicle. If you detect a leak, adding more fluid won’t be a long-term solution, and you should contact a transmission specialist as soon as possible.

If no leaks are detected, you can add more fluid. In addition to preventing slippage, this will lubricate your vehicle’s mechanical parts, maintain proper fluid pressure, keep the transmission system cool, prevent oxidation, condition the gasket, and prevent any problematic rust formation.

Ineffective transmission bands can also contribute to slippage. Transmission bands can become worn and broken, which can cause transmission slipping as well as engine troubles and worn out gears. Bands are what link the gears in the automatic transmission together. To fix this problem technicians need to replace or adjust the defective band. Transmission slipping can also be affected by worn out gears, solenoid problems, or torque converter issues.

How can I fix and prevent transmission slipping?

We’ve discussed some of the necessary repairs to transmission slipping above, but obviously, the repair needed will vary depending on the cause of the problem.

For low fluid levels, you’ll need to add more fluid to repair the problem. For burnt or damaged fluid, you’ll need to drain the exhausted fluid and replace it with new fluid. For a leak, however, at least part of your transmission will need to be resealed to prevent further slipping and transmission problems.

For other problems such as ones that concern the torque converter or the solenoid, the required transmission repair can be quite complex and will necessitate special equipment, all of which you’ll find at your local Mister Transmission.

Save on transmission service: Fix slipping with Mister Transmission

To learn more about slipping transmission and the required repairs, please do not hesitate to contact us today.

For your convenience, we offer:

And no matter what services are required, you’re guaranteed:

  • Quality transmission slipping repairs—The quality of our repairs is accredited by 58+ years of success stories and over 11,000+ glowing reviews.
  • Complete satisfaction—We stand behind our transmission repair, maintenance, and replacement services with one of Canada’s best warranties.
  • Superior savings—In addition to our great prices, we offer flexible payment plans, create more opportunities bundling discounts with our one-stop shop, and award one lucky customer $1000 worth of transmission repair services every month, so you can keep your transmission in-shape even on a shoestring budget!

To book a free road test and multi-check inspection, you can:

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Customer Reviews
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Craiglan Gushmore
This is the best shop around. Highly knowledgeable and professional technicians. They are specialists with transmissions but also fix everything that I had wrong with my vehicles. Provide effective and efficient maintenance services as well. Highly recommend taking your vehicle here. Honest and reasonable pricing.
Date: September 12, 2023
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Ethan
The only place out of 6 mechanics that would even look at my volkswagen transmission. The people here are super kind and will try their hardest for the best possible results
Date: September 11, 2023
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I did an engine shampoo...
Rakesh Vithalbhai
I did an engine shampoo in my 2000 Bonneville, and 2 days later wasn't able to shift from Park to any other gear such as Drive, Reverse, Neutral. 5 years ago Mister Transmission had rebuilt my transmission, so I took my car there for assessment. My car was promptly looked at by Brian Reid, and was also fixed the next business day. It's just like new again! Thanks, Brian, for your honesty, integrity, and such professional and great service! I would highly recommend Brampton's Mister Transmission to anyone for their car repairs, and more specifically, ask for Brian Reid!
Date: September 10, 2023
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Great experience! Very honest and fair to work with
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Joanna Blachut
I brought my Honda CRV to this location to check what was wrong and Giorgio was able to figure it out. He even called me back to check how was the car. Excellent customer service! Giorgio is a mechanic that I can definitely trust.
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Roger Thiessen
Friendly, and knowledgeable staff. Good experience . Would reccomend to others
Date: September 8, 2023
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Great service They were able...
Tym Swanson
Great service They were able to look at my car, and they determined it was not transmission related. They took the time to arrange the vehicle to get to an other shop where it was repaired. Thanks Jordan and team for being transparent and honest!
Date: September 8, 2023
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Vicky R
Many thanks to Cecil for the flexibility! Our travel couldn’t continue without your kindness and empathy. We were pretty far away from home and you were so welcoming and kind. You done the job pretty fast no matter of the long week-end. The world need more good man like you. A lot of thanks to Fred as well who work pretty hard the transmission of my Promaster. Vicky 💜
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