Do you know what the top 5 signs of transmission trouble are?
Browse the FAQ's for answers to these and other popular car care
questions.
1. What is the difference between a Used, Remanufactured and a Rebuilt
Transmission?
Used Transmission Used
components are pulled directly from a vehicle – typically a junkyard vehicle
– and generally not even so much as surface cleaned. There are provisions
for disassembly, internal cleaning or inspection with a used component. Used
or junkyard components may have high mileage and a poor maintenance history
– a failure waiting to happen. Many used or junkyard components come from a
vehicle that was involved in an accident and may have unseen damage.
Rebuilt Transmission To rebuild is
to recondition by cleaning, inspecting and replacing severely worn or broken
parts. Serviceable parts are reused within the manufacturer’s acceptable
wear limits. The quality of rebuilt components varies widely and many come
with only a limited warranty.
Remanufactured Transmission To remanufacture is to
make as close to new as possible. Most wearable parts are automatically
replaced. All core material is closely inspected and checked against
original equipment specifications for correct dimensional tolerances.
Replacement parts are new or requalified. If new, parts are in made in the
same production processes as original equipment. Testing is performed to
manufacturer specifications and original production standards.
Choose for yourself, but know that
DISCOUNT TRANSMISSION will
only provide completely remanufactured transmissions, differentials. You can
drive away from our shop with confidence if you have a DISCOUNT TRANSMISSION
remanufactured component.
2. What are the top 5 signs of transmission trouble?
Trouble Shifting Gears Transmissions are
designed to go into the correct gear every time so hesitating or refusing to
change gears is a sure sign something is wrong. With a manual transmission
you may notice after shifting into a gear that the engine will rev up, but
the car won't move as quickly as the engine is running. A worn out clutch or
more serious transmission problem could be occurring. It's also possible for
the stick shift to pop out of gear and back into neutral if the shift
linkage is out of adjustment.
Automatic transmissions with the
same lack-of-response problem will usually occur while engaging "Park" or
"Drive". The car should shift quickly into either of these modes, but if
your transmission hesitates, then it's likely an issue with the
transmission.
Whining, Clunking, Humming
It's difficult to nail down exactly how your car may sound if there's
transmission trouble, but one thing's pretty certain, you'll probably get a
that-doesn't-sound-right feeling when you hear it. Every car is built
differently, so the sounds they produce can vary greatly, but if you have an
automatic transmission, there's a good chance you may hear a whining,
humming or even a slight buzzing sound.
With manual
transmissions, the sounds will usually come across as a bit more abrupt and
mechanical sounding. If you shift gears and hear a clunking sound, then you
definitely need to have it checked out by a professional. But a clunking
sound from underneath your vehicle may not always point to a transmission
problem. Your constant velocity joints (CV joints), or even your
differential may be the culprit.
The sounds you hear may happen
from time to time at first, but if you neglect the noises, they'll occur
more frequently as time goes on.
Grinding or
Shaking Depending on whether you have a
manual or automatic transmission, your car may respond differently when your transmission isn't
working correctly. With a manual transmission, a common sign of trouble is a
grinding sound or feeling when you shift into a new gear. If you fully engage
the clutch, shift and then hear a grinding sound, you may have a worn clutch or
you may just need to have it adjusted. Or perhaps one or more of your transmission's gear synchronizers, or
synchros, is worn out or damaged. It's possible that the shift linkage may need
to be adjusted as well. Grinding gears can be caused by a number of different
factors.
Check Engine Light The check engine light can be a great early indicator that something is starting
to go wrong with your transmission. The check engine light can come on for any
number of reasons not related to your transmission as well, but don't overlook
this clear warning sign.
In newer cars there are sensors throughout the engine that pick-up
irregularities in the engine and notify the computer that there's something
wrong in a particular area. In the case of transmissions, these sensors can pick
up vibrations and early problems that you may not even be able to feel or see.
If you want to know if your check engine light is telling you about a
transmission problem, you can purchase a diagnostic scan tool that you plug into
your car underneath the driver's side of the instrument panel. The scan tool
will display a code that corresponds to the area of the vehicle causing the
fault. If the code tells you there's a transmission problem, well, that's a good
time to see your mechanic.
But even if your check engine light isn't on, you can still be on the lookout
for transmission problems. On the next page, see what type of movements your car
can make when the transmission requires service.
For automatic transmissions problems, you'll most likely feel the car shimmy
into each gear rather than the typical almost unnoticeable shifts, or the
transmission will make a jarring transition into the next gear. Both are signs
that your transmission needs attention. If you notice anything other than a
smooth transition between gears, then you might need to have your automatic
transmission looked at for adjustments or repair.
Leaking Fluid Leaking transmission fluid is probably one of the
easiest ways to identify that your transmission needs attention. Automatic
transmission fluid is vital to your car's shifting capabilities, so a little
fluid on your driveway can quickly turn into a major problem. Automatic
transmission fluid is bright red, clear and a little sweet-smelling when
everything's working correctly. When you check your automatic transmission
fluid, make sure it's not a dark color and that it doesn't have a burnt
smell. If it is, you'll need to take it to Discount
Transmission and have it replaced. Unlike your car's motor oil, the
transmission doesn't really consume or burn up any fluid during use, so if
you notice you're running low on fluid, then it's definitely leaking out
somewhere.
If you have a manual transmission, checking the fluid
levels may not be as easy as simply lifting the hood and reading a dipstick.
Manual transmission fluid has to be checked right at the transmission case
and usually through the fill plug. Again, if you suspect you're transmission
is losing fluid, bring your vehicle to Discount Transmission to locate the
leak and get it fixed.
