Chapter 9

Transmission

There are basically four possible symptoms of a faulty or failing transmission. These include a transmission leak, a transmission that will not go into gear or has trouble shifting, some sort of noise coming from the transmission, or a transmission that is slipping while it's in gear.

Let's talk first about leaks. If you see a red fluid under the vehicle then you probably have either a transmission or power steering leak. Have these fluids checked immediately and get fluid added as needed. In addition to serving as a lubricant, the transmission fluid also is necessary for cooling purposes. If the transmission overheats damage will likely occur requiring major repairs. If you do have a leak, simply adding more fluid without repairing the leak is only a short-term solution.

A transmission that will not go into gear or is having trouble shifting is the sign of a malfunction. This could simply be the result of low or damaged transmission fluid. Check the fluid level first and add as necessary. If the fluid is low then you may have a leak as discussed above. If the fluid is damaged, simply changing the fluid may solve a shifting or going into gear problem. If it's not the fluid then there could be a variety of internal or external problems. An external problem may simply require an adjustment, while an internal problem could mean that there is damage to internal components.

A noise coming from the transmission is the sign of a problem because a properly functioning transmission should make very little noise. The noise could be from an external part requiring a simple adjustment or it could be internal, which is likely the sign of a more serious problem.

A transmission should have no trouble staying in gear so slipping is the sign of a problem. An internal problem may simply result from low or damaged fluid so check this first. External problems may simply require a minor adjustment.

Whatever the symptom, you should deal with transmission problems early on to avoid breakdowns as well as additional damage because like most other things a smaller problem will likely get worse if not taken care of.

There are some national transmission chains as well many local specialty transmission shops. Dealers can also make transmission repairs. If the vehicle and transmission are still under warranty make certain whatever shop you choose will honor the warranty. Furthermore, check very closely as to the details of the shop's warranty for any current repairs.