Three Signs You Need Transmission Repair
Your transmission withstands a constant amount of stress and friction, as it is directly connected to the engine and has to change gears constantly as your engine cycles up and down. Just like every other component under the hood, this constant use and stress can eventually cause mechanical problems that negatively affect the performance of your transmission and your entire vehicle by extension. Understanding some of the warning signs of a transmission that is starting to behave erratically can help you figure out when you should head to a mechanic to have your vehicle looked at.
Shifting Issues
The clearest indication that your transmission needs professional attention is if you find that your engine is struggling to shift up or down when you alter your speed. Shifting issues can also take the form of suddenly surging forward or slipping out of gear and slowing down, and there may be long delays between accelerating and actually shifting your gears up. All of these things are a serious concern since they make the speed of your vehicle unpredictable and thus harder to control, greatly increasing the risk of a collision occurring.
Leaking Transmission Fluid
While moisture under your car isn't necessarily a cause for concern, since it is usually condensation, you should watch out for any sort of colored fluid leak. Transmission fluid is orange or red in color, though it can become browner and murkier as it absorbs dirt and grime. If you spot any signs of an orange-like color in the fluid under your vehicle, you likely have a broken hose or leak in your transmission itself, which will need to be replaced—if your transmission completely drains of fluid, it will no longer be able to operate, and your engine will experience excessive wear as well.
Discoloration
Even if there is no leak in your transmission, you should still check the fluid. You can open up the reservoir (check the owner's manual, but it's usually located behind or beside the engine block) and remove the dipstick to check the color of the fluid. As already mentioned, you want your transmission fluid to be orange or red in color: the presence of brown spots or a darker hue points to dirt and other contaminants that have been absorbed by the fluid. These contaminants can quickly gum up the entire transmission and increase the amount of wear and tear it experiences, making further mechanical issues more likely.
For more information, visit a site such as actiontransmissionpros.com.
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