Your transmission is arguably the most important part of any vehicle, and taking care of it can extend the life of your vehicle.
How can you tell if you are having automatic transmission problems that need to be taken care of?
By using your senses to listen to your transmission.
There are a number of different issues that can happen inside and outside your transmission, and they all make sounds, feel certain ways, or make specific smells. Luckily, we are transmission experts here at Pro-Tech Transmissions, so we’ve put together a guide to help you sense transmission issues.
It’s important to realize that automatic transmission problems are never a guaranteed fix.
The truth is, there is never a real answer to an automatic transmission problem until the transmission is opened up. The sounds and feelings of transmission issues can be similar, but the actual issue could go from a solenoid swap to a full rebuild in the blink of an eye.
The only way to truly diagnose a transmission issue is to schedule an appointment with a transmission expert.
This is not a DIY blog, but there are a few DIY tips for you to take into account. The more info you give us, the easier the job gets, so here we go!
Transmission Whine
Transmission whines can be a simple filter swap, or they could be the end of days for your transmission.
These transmission whine sounds can be caused by a clogged filter or low fluid. If the filter gets too clogged, it will start to whine while it attempts to pass the fluid through the filter.
If you are hearing a whine, contact us for an appointment, asap.
Another reason an automatic transmission whine has to do with the alignment of gears. Most people think automatic transmissions are just special gears floating in magic liquid, but they are really just a planetary ring design setup. That means there is a center gear, a stationary outer ring gear, and a few extra gears between them to hold it all together. Needless to say, an automatic transmission is a very precise piece of machinery, and a whine signals something is off. If even one of the gears in the setup isn’t performing as it should, it could lead to a total transmission failure.
If your car only whines in gear but doesn’t whine in neutral or park, you may have a bad torque converter. A torque converter serves the same purpose for an automatic transmission as a clutch does for a manual. The converter pressurized the fluid in the transmission and helps it change gear. If there is no pressure, the gears will have issues shifting.
Transmission Clunks
Transmission clunks aren’t good for your transmission, and they should be a major red flag.
That is if you haven’t caused the clunk yourself.
Here’s how to avoid that clunk on start-up:
- When you park, put your vehicle in neutral.
- Engage your emergency brake (yes, that one that you almost never use!).
- Now that the emergency brake is set and holding the vehicle’s weight, put your car in gear or park.
This simple procedure will take the weight off of your gears and any clunking that was happening as you moved in and out of gear on startup.
This works for any type of transmissions.
If your clunking sound happens when you are driving, we focus on a few different areas like the transmission mounts and low or bad transmission fluid. Clunks can also be from faulty speed sensors that aren’t getting your transmission gears up to the speeds it needs to shift properly, or spinning them too fast.
Harsh Shifts
Harsh shifts are really annoying. They make you bounce, shake, wiggle, and jump when you engage your gears.
Luckily, there is really one major cause for an issue like this.
Those harsh shifts are most likely the result of a faulty transmission control module (TCM) or electrical problems such as bad solenoid or wiring. The TCM works with various other parts of the cars to provide the best shifts for your automatic transmission based on the data sent to it. It’s what lets you rev your automatic all the way to redline with your foot down or shift at 3k RPM when you leave the red light.
If your TCM isn’t working, your transmission won’t know what’s going on. The result is harsh or strange timing on shifts.
We can help get your TCM shifting smoothly. Contact us now for an appointment.
Do You Smell Something Burning?
If you are ever driving down the road and smell a burnt smell, it’s not you, it may be your transmission overheating. If your transmission fluid gives off that burnt smell, it could be a number of different issues from temp sensors to bad or low fluid.
Schedule an appointment as soon as you smell burning oil to prevent further damage to your transmission.
The longer it goes, the worse it gets for your transmissions and your wallet.
Take Care of your Transmission Problems with Pro-Tech Transmissions
Whether it’s automatic or CVT or sequential, your automatic transmission needs to be properly aligned to shift like a champ. Any of these signs should be a red flag that your transmission is in need of some major help. It’s important to attack these automatic transmission problems head-on as quickly as possible to keep your vehicle on the road.
Lucky for you, you’re already reading a blog from the best transmission repair shop in Edmonton. Pro-Tech Transmissions is here to service your transmission from top to bottom.
Having an automatic transmission problem?
Schedule an appointment with Pro-Tech Transmissions for any transmission repair in Edmonton and the surrounding area.
My car has been making a whining noise, and I’m not sure what it is. I didn’t realize that this kind of noise could be coming from my gearbox! It might be a good idea for me to get a professional to help me out with this! That seems like a great way to ensure that it gets fixed up correctly.