Is your car making a rumbling noise? Do you not get enough power when you press on the gas pedal? Then you need to hop — or rather, drive — on down to the auto service shop. It's okay if you do not know what is wrong with your car, because that is the auto mechanic's job to figure out. They can take a look, run a few tests, and figure out what's going on. Then, they'll give you an estimate for the repairs. Your car will feel like a whole new machine once it's all fixed up! Learn more about that process as you read the articles we've curated here.
How To Tell When Your Vehicle's Transmission Is Failing
If you are not familiar with cars, it can be difficult to tell when you have a problem that is worth taking your car in to be repaired. Here are some tips to self diagnose a transmission that is problematic.
Transmission Slipping
An automatic transmission is designed to do all of the gear shifting for you. Unfortunately, a transmission that is failing will struggle to do this very important job. You'll notice transmission slipping when you need to change speeds quickly and the vehicle drops down in gears unexpectedly. The RPM gauge is going to instantly shoot up, and you'll notice that your vehicle won't go any faster. It is possible that the vehicle will then suddenly switch gears and you'll start gaining speed. This is most noticeable on the freeway, since first gear is going to keep your vehicle around 30 MPH. You may not even notice the vehicle slipping gears if you mainly stick to side streets and rarely go above that speed.
Engine Revving After A Complete Stop
You may notice an odd behavior when you start accelerating after a complete stop. As you give the vehicle gas, the engine may rev a lot while the vehicle doesn't move. Then the car suddenly takes off. This is a problem that with the transmission that can be caused by a variety of reasons. You may have a clogged oil pump, a bad torque converter, or a transmission fluid leak.
Delayed Gear Engaging
Ever notice that your car is a bit delayed when changing gears, such as when you're backing out of your driveway and going from reverse to drive? This is a problem that is related to your transmission, since the transmission is not switching gears as intended. Your vehicle should be quick to respond when switching between reverse and drive, and it should not hesitate when doing so.
Erratic Shifting
Do you feel like your vehicle is jerking when driving down the road at a consistent speed? This is a problem known as erratic gear shifting, and it is related to the transmission. Erratic gear shifting can be due to a bad oil pump or governor, but it can also be due to something as simple as low transmission fluid. It is worth having the transmission inspected to repair any leak in the system.
Do you have another issue that you think is related to the transmission? Have your car inspected to get to the bottom of the problem. Contact a transmission repair service for more information.