Staying On The Road With Awareness And Information - Signs Of A Failing Transmission

For many vehicle owners, one of the biggest challenges they face is staying ahead of potential mechanical problems before they occur. Keeping yourself aware of warning signs is an important step in keeping your car on the road, but important systems such as your transmission may remain poorly understood. Educating yourself about things to keep your eyes and ears open for is a vital part of responsible ownership.

Below, you'll find a guide to some signs that your vehicle's transmission may be beginning to fail. Acknowledging these issues will help guarantee that you can take steps to prevent them from increasing in seriousness, guaranteeing that you can stay on the road and out of your local repair shop for extended periods.

Delayed Shifting

Most people perceive the function of their transmission most directly when they shift from reverse or park to drive. Your vehicle should respond immediately to these shifts, and if you notice a sluggish response or a delay in changing d irection, it could be a sign of a more serious issue.

When vehicles are sluggish in shifting, it's likely because the transmission gears aren't engaging as smoothly as they should. At the first sign of this hesitation, you should be sure to have your system inspected, as it's possible that a simple fluid top off will return pressure to the system and address the issue.

Fluid Leak

As mentioned above, the fluid contained in your transmission system plays a vital role in guaranteeing that your vehicle shifts smoothly. Transmission fluid introduces pressure to the hydraulic system and is formulated to operate efficiently at very high temperatures, so any loss of fluid may be felt more acutely than other leaks.

If you notice dark red spots forming on the ground beneath your vehicle, it's likely that transmission fluid has begun to leak. Having your fluid hoses patched is an important task that will allow you to avoid the more expensive repairs that can come from a transmission operating without sufficient hydraulic pressure.

Warning Lights

Perhaps the most obvious sign that something is amiss with your transmission is, vexingly, also the most commonly ignored. Dashboard warnings often signal the onset of a serious problem, and yet many drivers have conditioned themselves to ignore these warnings or, at the very least, put them off for extended periods. It's important that you avoid falling into this trap and take steps to address warnings as they occur (with mechanics like Terry's Transmission), and keeping an eye out for a transmission light on your dash can allow you to avoid a potentially serious future issue.