Automatic transmissions sure make driving easy, but these units can experience problems. It’s a good idea to have your automatic transmission maintained every 30,000 miles. This ensures that the transmission fluid is always clean and fresh and that there aren’t any other problems going on with the transmission. Urb’s Garage lists common signs of transmission problems below. If you experience any of these things, bring your vehicle to one of our auto service shops in Kentucky.
Check Engine Light
Because the transmission doesn’t have a dashboard warning light dedicated to it, your vehicle’s engine control unit will turn on the check engine light if the transmission sends an error code to indicate there’s a problem. Don’t ignore your check engine light. Something is wrong.
Fluid Leaks
Sometimes, transmission problems manifest themselves in leaks. You may have transmission fluid leaking from the transmission pan, the seals, the pan gasket, the transmission hoses, or the torque converter. Leaks need to be fixed as soon as possible to avoid low transmission fluid levels.
Gear Issues
Low transmission fluid levels can cause problems for the automatic transmission when it needs to change gears. Worn down internal mechanisms can also cause problems. You may not be able to get your automatic transmission to go into gear, it may not shift through the gear cycle, or it may slip out of gear.
Grinding Sounds
If you hear grinding sounds as the transmission shifts gears, you either have low transmission fluid in the unit or a problem with the gears themselves. Your transmission should never grind or clunk into gear. You shouldn’t hear squealing or screeching, either.
Hot Odors
If the transmission has little to no transmission fluid in it, it will overheat. You will smell hot chemical odors coming from underneath your automobile. Anytime your vehicle smells hot, it could be unsafe to drive, so pull over right away and call for a tow truck.
Humming Sounds
Another sign that your automatic transmission is going bad is humming when the vehicle is in neutral. When your automobile is in neutral, you will hear the engine idling and that is it. If you hear humming noises, something is going on with the transmission.
Shaking/Vibration
Finally, all automatic transmission gear shifts should be smooth. If your vehicle shakes or vibrates as the transmission shifts through the cycle, there’s something wrong with your transmission.
Urb’s Garage has an auto shop in Burlington, KY, and an auto shop in Erlanger, KY. Either one of these shops is staffed with transmission experts. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
