Top 10 reasons why your transmission may be failing
Explanation of what a transmission line is, and the conditions under which it exists. Uses lumped element model to derive differential equations and manipulates the equations to get telegraph equations. Uses solutions to telegraph equations to get characteristic impedance and propagation constant and looks at matched and unmatched load cases. Find the best Transmission Shops near you on Yelp - see all Transmission Shops open now. Explore other popular Automotive near you from over 7 million businesses with over 142 million reviews and opinions from Yelpers.
You know your vehicle. So when it starts acting differently, you take notice. Are you currently hearing strange sounds or is there a peculiar smell coming from your vehicle? Is it handling differently than normal on the road? The most important thing is properly diagnosing the root cause of your vehicle's issue. Below are the tops reasons or signs that you may require transmission repair:
The top signs why your transmission may be failing:
AAMCO is the most trusted name in transmission repair and has been for over 50 years. What sets us apart is our comprehensive diagnostic approach, along with the knowledge and expertise to pinpoint the root of your transmission issue. You may be experiencing a problem with your transmission if your vehicle is exhibiting any of the following symptoms below:
- Transmission won’t engage or stay in gear
If when you put your vehicle into gear and it won’t move, this may be a problem with low transmission fluid due to a leak, the shifter, shifter cable, or it could even be a problem in the valve body of your automatic transmission. Newer vehicles depend on the computer to tell the transmission when to go into gear based on your selection and you may need to have the computer system checked for trouble codes. - Shifts are delayed or missing gears
If your transmission takes a while to go into gear, you may have a low transmission fluid condition because of a leak or contamination due to lack of maintenance or even water intrusion during off road or flooding conditions. While this may not sound serious, but this can also create an overheating condition that can damage internal transmission parts. Other possibilities could be an engine related problem that will cause the computer to not allow the transmission to shift into higher gears. - Transmission slipping or engine is revving high
This condition can also be caused by low transmission fluid, contamination due to lack of maintenance or water intrusion, or internal wear and tear on the transmission parts inside the transmission. A high revving engine is a typical sign that you have worn clutches or other parts inside the transmission going bad. Read more about common causes and signs for a slipping transmission. - Transmission fluid is leaking
A red fluid under the vehicle is a sign that you probably have a transmission fluid leak from one of the cooler lines, a gasket or a seal. This is not only bad for the transmission but is also dangerous if the fluid leaks on a hot pipe or other surface. Check your dipstick for proper fluid level and condition. Note: not all transmission fluid is red and not all levels can be verified with a dipstick method, but require specials tools. - If there’s a burning smell
A burning smell is typically caused by a fluid leak or in some cases by low fluid causing a burning clutch smell. If you catch the fluid leak quickly you might be able to save the transmission from damage. Check your transmission dipstick as per the manufacturer’s direction for level and condition. - If there is buzzing, clunking, humming noise
A buzzing, clicking, humming, roaring noise from inside the transmission is usually a symptom of a bad bearing, planetary gears damage, or other internal problem. A buzzing could also come from a bad internal sealing surface, a seal, or low transmission fluid due to a leak. - Car has no power
If the vehicle has no or little power and the engine is running correctly, this could be from internal transmission problems, brakes that are dragging due to a faulty caliper or brake hose, or your computer in the vehicle is limiting power because of a problem it has detected in order to protect the engine. Have the vehicle checked for trouble codes to isolate the problem. - Check Engine Light or Over Drive Light is on
A check engine light is not dedicated to the engine only. A check engine light can also tell you that you have problems with the transmission including overheating, solenoid problems, speed sensors, slipping transmission and many other problems. Have the trouble codes retrieved to see what systems and circuits are indicating a problem. While not all sensor related codes mean the sensor is bad or will repair the issue, it will give you a starting point for the concern.
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Manual Transmissions:
Although not as common, many drivers still choose to drive manual transmission vehicles (also known as manual shift, stick shift cars)
- Gears are grinding when shifting
When your manual transmission grinds when shifting gears that is typically a condition related to the clutch not releasing, the shift synchronizer rings inside the transmission itself worn or broken, or a shifter wear or adjustment problem. Transmission oil/fluid that is low, dirty or the wrong fluid can also cause this problem in manual transmissions. - The clutch pedal grabs very low or very high
A clutch pedal that engages very low is typically a problem with the linkage or hydraulic system that operates the clutch. A simple adjustment or bleeding might solve this if there are no hydraulic leaks. A clutch pedal that grabs very high could be an adjustment, or more likely a worn clutch disc and pressure plate.
Look at it this way... You've made it to this site because you are, at the very least, considering the possibility of attempting to fix one, right? Well, keep reading and give me a chance to convince you that you should.
Ok, If you don't know what a 10mm socket or feeler guage is maybe this level of repair isn't for you. But, if you have the ability and tools to safely remove the transmission from the vehicle and get it onto a workbench, you definitely have an excellent chance to successfully take apart, repair and reassemble an automatic transmission. Many, like the GM 4L60E, Ford AODE/4R70W, Chrysler 46RE and others are really not that complicated inside. In other words, if you can change out a water pump, do your own brake work and take a transmission out, you can do surgery on them. Really! You won’t need an engineering degree or a lot of unusual tools. Don’t let the word “automatic” intimidate you. If you can work on other areas of a car or truck, you’ve got the mechanical aptitude to handle an automatic transmission. All you need now is good instruction and a source of parts – Transmission Bench has you covered!
It's Not Hard!
Consider the General Motors 4L60E transmission. It’s designed to be repaired by an ordinary average person with little training and only a few unique tools. You may think I’m oversimplifying, but it’s actually true! Think about a transmission technician at the local Chevrolet dealer; he’s a regular person like you. He learned 4L60E transmission repair from training videos and a few manuals in just a few hours. You can too! Yep, GM wanted it that way! They kept it as simple as possible to work on. In addition to many other applications, this transmission is used in their truck and SUV type vehicles. Sales depend in part on keeping a decent reputation in the drivetrain repair department. In other words, GM understood that these vehicles would be driven for many hundreds of thousands of miles under tough conditions making transmission repairs inevitable. The transmission had better be easy to remove and as simple as possible to fix. Parts cost should be reasonable too. Trust me, this is a great, all around, repair friendly transmission. And, like the GM 4L60E, the Ford AODE/ 4R70W/ 4R70E transmissions as well as Chrysler Corporation models like the 42RE, 46RE, 47RE and others are not difficult to work on. YOU can fix them!
Save $$Thousands! Learn A Skill!
Is your situation similar....
You might be the guy with a Chevy 1500 pickup missing 3rd gear. An estimate at the local transmission shop is $2500.00. Ouch! You just don't have that kind of money right now. It's either fix it yourself or walk! You think to yourself, 'Hmm... could I fix it myself?' And then, 'well....maybe, after all, I HAVE successfully repaired other areas under the hood. I'm comfortable working on an engine. Ive replaced a radiator and a starter. As a matter of fact, I'm actually comfortable working on just about anything on a vehicle as long as I have access to repair information. I know I can get the transmission out, but could I go INSIDE the transmission and fix it?'
Perhaps you already work on automobiles professionally but pass up this slightly more complicated yet financially more rewarding work. Like the person in the above example, you’re not quite sure about working on an automatic transmission. You’re intimidated. They seem complicated. You want to learn a new skill, one that pays well, but you‘ve heard horror stories. The negative voice in your head says, “No way! I’ve seen the pictures of the valve body. It looks like an impossible to understand rat maze!” or maybe you think…” Those little balls will fall out, springs will fly everywhere and it’ll never be right again!!”
Maybe you're a type of hobbyist. Let's say you're a sportsman drag racer. You build your own engines and love it. In fact, you do all the work on the car- except the transmission. Wouldn't it be nice to know how to rebuild or repair your own transmission! Think of the fast turnaround and money you could save! It's a shame you can do just about all of the work yourself, yet never quite get the nerve to venture into the transmission.
Are you the person building a hot rod in your spare time? Maybe it's a long term personal project and you want the satisfaction of building everything yourself but think assembling a transmission is over your head. Like the racer, building an engine is no problem, but an automatic transmission? You really want to do it yourself which, incidentally, is the whole point of your project, but you can't help thinking: 'maybe I should farm the transmission out'.
Are your circumstances similar? Do you WANT to fix an automatic transmission? If the answer is YES!, here's how...
Finally! Great Instructional Video AND Parts In One Place
Transmission Bench is THE one stop source for the very best video instruction and highest quality parts! Begin by watching the teardown and reassembly lessons of your transmission model on the video page and decide if this level of vehicle repair is for you. There’s no obligation, donations are welcome and help production costs, but they are FREE to anyone wanting to learn this skill. The overall mission of the videos is to teach anyone, even someone without prior transmission experience, how to easily disassemble, recognize common problems and reassemble an automatic transmission. When you’re ready, you can take your own transmission apart while following along with the instructor at a comfortable pace. After that, you can shop for a rebuilding kit and other parts on our store page. In a few days, after your parts arrive, you’ll follow the reassembly lessons and rebuild your transmission to like new condition.
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