7 symptoms of a blown transmission
The transmission is the part of your vehicle that helps you to increase or decrease speed smoothly. When a specific gear is selected, the transmission controls the amount of power transmitted to the engine. It doesn't matter whether it's an automatic or manual transmission; they do the same.
What does a transmission do?
The transmission is there to make sure you have enough power when you need it. The principle is similar to the gears of a bicycle. Lower speeds mean more power is produced. Higher speeds allow you to drive at a higher speed.
There are two types of transmissions in a car: manual and automatic. Manual models allow you to change gears yourself. Automatic models use the vehicle to make gear changes for you.
The 7 main signs of poor transmission:
How do you know your transmission is slipping or that you have a transmission failure? Let's review seven of the most common blowing transmission symptoms.
1 - Stain on the garage floor or driveway:
Another way to check for leaks is to put solid paper or cardboard under your car when you park it overnight. If it is stained in the morning, you can see if it is oil or transmission fluid. If possible, also bring paper or cardboard to your mechanic. They can then confirm the leak if in doubt.
2 - Unusual noises:
If a part of your car emits a new type of noise, you should have it checked. The noise from transmission that comes out is serious, but it may be nothing more than a groan or a buzz at first. Go to a mechanic and ask him to check the transmission. If you catch it early enough, it may not be as bad as it could be.
3 - The gears don't respond:
Your speeds should change easily. This is something you shouldn't have to think about, let alone have trouble driving. Unresponsive gears could signal a transmission fluid leak, a serious problem that needs to be addressed quickly.
4 - Burning smell:
If you smell something burning, the transmission fluid may have overheated or you may be short of fluid. It's not the end of the world if you notice it early enough, stop and let the car cool and / or buy a liter of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) at a gas station or auto parts store in proximity and top it off.
Often this is enough to allow you to limp at home or at a repair shop. You should diagnose the problem immediately before a completely blown transmission requires costly reconstruction or replacement.
5 - Gear rectification:
A manual transmission that corrects is easier to notice. You will hear the noise and feel the gears stick. It could simply be a matter of replacing the clutch (which is not that simple but better than the alternative).
An automatic will only emit a perceptible sound - network sound. If you've been driving a manual car for a while, you've probably already grated the gears, so you know the sound. What we are talking about here is network noise that occurs regularly.
6 - Noisy to neutral:
If your car makes funny sounds when you're in neutral, it's time to take a look under the hood. You can often fix this by adding new transmission fluid to make it full. If this continues after you have done so, consult your mechanic to see if more serious transmission damage has occurred.
7 - Check the engine light:
We know how annoying these lights are for car maintenance. They are particularly troublesome if you have a bad month financially. If you don't want things to go wrong, get it checked out earlier.
