What Are the Most Common Causes of Transmission Problems?

December 24, 2018 | By Mister Transmission

What Are the Most Common Causes of Transmission Problems?

Mister Transmission offers the best transmission repair services money can buy. Having said that, you still don’t want to bring your vehicle in for a transmission repair if you can avoid it, regardless if you’re bringing it to Mister Transmission. Of course, it would be foolish to think you can drive a vehicle for its whole lifespan and never require a transmission repair. Nevertheless, you want to minimize the number of repairs needed as much as possible. To do that, you need to know the root causes of transmission problems. So…what are they?

Transmission Problems

Transmissions are incredibly intricate and complex, more so than most folks think. This is because, to many people, the transmission is one part of their vehicle: the transmission. But in actuality, the transmission is a series of parts working in concert to deliver the power generated by your engine to your wheels. And when even just one of those parts is not working, that can render your whole transmission ineffective. What this all means is that a lot can go wrong with transmissions. Even the best built transmissions can run into problems because they are inherently complex.

Common Transmission Problems

While it can sometimes be exceedingly tricky to pinpoint the exact problem with a transmission, there are several common transmission problems that we hear about at Mister Transmission all the time. Here are some of these common transmission problems:

  • Hard Gear Shifts
    When you shift gears, you expect the change to occur smoothly. But this is not always the case. Sometimes drivers notice resistance to the gear change. It can be difficult and it is sometimes accompanied by odd clunking and whirring noises. This is not good.
  • Slipping
    Some transmissions have the opposite problem. Sometimes it’s really easy to shift gears. Too easy. So easy in fact that your transmission does it for you. You can be driving along the highway and all of a sudden your transmission slips into neutral. This is definitely not good.
  • Rejected Changes
    Similar to slipping, sometimes a transmission can “reject” the driver’s gear change. For example, you might change into reverse only to have your transmission switch you right back into drive. All of these problems are annoying at best and dangerous at worst.
  • Smells like Burning
    This one is fairly obvious. If ever any part of your vehicle smells like it’s burning, you should get it checked out. Unless you just “burned rubber” out of the parking lot. Which you definitely shouldn’t do, by the way.
  • Fluid Leak
    As you pull out of your driveway, if you see a patch of liquid underneath your vehicle, you have a problem. Do not ignore it.

Transmission Fluid Problems

This last point is important. Not every transmission problem is caused by an issue with your transmission fluid. But there is no transmission problem that cannot be caused or worsened by a transmission fluid problem. If you’re low on transmission fluid, top it up. If your transmission fluid is damaged or burned –smells unpleasant, looks opaque– bring in your vehicle for a fluid change. And if you suspect you have a leak, bring in your vehicle for a transmission re-sealing.

Get In Touch

If you would like to learn more about the causes of and solutions to common transmission problems, please contact us today.

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Customer Reviews
Amazing service at 200 Fuller...
Candace Harris
Amazing service at 200 Fuller Rd. Honest and professional team. Free diagnostics was a nice bonus. 😊
Date: January 21, 2025
Website: Google
I recently brought my BMW...
Nilesh Surti
I recently brought my BMW X3 to Mister Transmission Ajax, and I’m thrilled with the service I received. They quickly diagnosed the issue and presented me with two options: refurbish the transmission or replace it. I chose the more cost-effective option to replace it, and they sourced a used transmission with only 17,000 km from British Columbia. The transmission arrived within 7 business days, and the team wasted no time getting my car in. In just about a day, they replaced the transmission, and my car now drives like new! I’ve been driving it for a week without any issues. The service was fantastic, the cost was very reasonable, and the whole process was smooth and stress-free. I highly recommend taking your vehicle to Mister Transmission Ajax for reliable and professional service.
Date: January 21, 2025
Website: Google
I brought my wife's 2016...
Jordan Moore
I brought my wife's 2016 Nissan Juke in for service. Denise and her team were amazing! Fixed it quick, were completely up front and honest, and very professional! I would highly recommend Whitby Mister Transmission to anyone! Great job guys! And thank-you! Jordan Moore
Date: January 20, 2025
Website: Google
I spoke with Alistair on...
Fred Zumer
I spoke with Alistair on Friday, and he had my vehicle in already for Monday morning. He took his time to explain exactly what needed to be done in terms of diagnosing the vehicle with a scanner, and from this, determine the issues I was having. Once diagnosed, the repairs began. The vehicle runs beautiful now with a complete overhauled transmission. I am very happy with the experience.
Date: January 19, 2025
Website: Google
Gave a reasonable quote over...
Parsa Namsehchi
Gave a reasonable quote over phone, which lots of shops aren’t willing to do anymore!
Date: January 19, 2025
Website: Google
The staff was very friendly...
Gerry St
The staff was very friendly and the service gentleman knew exactly what was wrong with my transmission before he even took my car for the test drive and hooked up the computer to it . After the test drive the results were on point to what he told me in the store at that point I knew that he knew what he was talking about and has been doing this for a long time . Thank you for your time and I will be back in the near future.
Date: January 18, 2025
Website: Google
Helped us diagnose and referred...
Jen Racine
Helped us diagnose and referred us to another shop.
Date: January 18, 2025
Website: Google
Attentive and thorough. Good customer...
Ed Sweet
Attentive and thorough. Good customer service. Fair price
Date: January 17, 2025
Website: Google
Took my VW beetle to...
Shannon Mernickle
Took my VW beetle to get my transmission checked out and they were very prompt and straight forward. I ended up needing a new transmission and they got it done the same day it arrived at the shop. Very great service, I will be going here if I have anymore issues highly recommend
Date: January 17, 2025
Website: Google
I called them in the...
Kevin Van
I called them in the morning they told me to bring van right in for free Diagnosis. I brought the van in they gave me quote I asked for ride home.Three hrs.later the van was fixed and it worked even better than I expected very professional service. Thanks guys
Date: January 17, 2025
Website: Google
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