5 ways to determine that it’s time to call the transmission specialists

A regular transmission service can save you time & money in the long run.

A car’s transmission system, whether manual or automatic, is a critical mechanical component. If there are issues, you need to act fast to avoid an expensive repair later on.

By recognising that there is a problem, and that you need a transmission repair, you could save yourself a whole lot of money by getting it repaired before more damage is done.

There are some obvious signs that there is, or might be, a problem with your transmission. Don’t ignore them.

1. Your car refuses to go into gear

A pretty obvious one, but if you depress the clutch and it won’t slip into gear, there is clearly a problem. This may include low transmission fluid, wrong thickness of the fluid, or your shift cables or clutch linkage are not functioning properly.

Basically, if your gear stick is not working like it should – you have a problem, get it fixed, it won’t fix itself.

2. What is that noise?

Due to the nature of the transmission’s job, when it doesn’t work like it should, it makes a noise. Not a normal noise, but one that gets you thinking; “that’s not good.”

The noise may be a humming, whining, clunking, a low buzzing, or some other weird noise you haven’t heard before. But you’ll hear it, and if you don’t recognise it, get it checked quickly.

3. Slippage

When your gears start changing without your assistance, and for no good reason, you’ve got transmission issues. It’s called slippage and your engine may respond with a complaining whine, or change of pitch. Get it sorted!

4. Burning smell

You might have noticed by now that by relying on your senses, you can often pinpoint problems before they worsen. If the clutch and gearstick feel wrong or you hear funny noises when you change gears, there’s certainly a problem. The same goes for smell, and any burning smell that comes from your car is reason for concern. Transmission fluids help keep your parts lubricated, if the fluids overheat, they can cause a burning smell and result in an eventual breakdown of your transmission system if not treated soon enough. This could be expensive, and it’s avoidable, so pay attention to any burning smells, and get them checked immediately.

 5. Leaking fluids

Transmissions are housed in a sealed unit and should not leak fluid. If you do notice spots on your garage or driveway floor, lay down some cardboard under your car to determine where the leaks are coming from and if they are active or not.

Transmission fluid will be bright red in colour, but can also be dark red or brown. Refilling your transmission fluid should be done to strict factory specifications, so rather get a specialist to do it to make sure you don’t cause more problems than you solve.

In a nutshell, when something seems not quite normal with your transmission, get it checked before it’s too late. Often a minor repair is all that is required, but leave it too late and you will pay for it.