Your car’s transmission is one of the most critical aspects of the entire vehicle. The transmission regulates the power that goes to your car’s wheels that in turn makes it drive at any given speed. It’s not dissimilar to the gear shift of a multi-speed bicycle, and many of the same problems that affect a bike’s gear shift can affect a car’s transmission, just on a much bigger scale.
It’s vital that you maintain your transmission properly and stay on the lookout for any signs that you might need transmission repair. By catching problems early, you could end up saving yourself a ton of money on costly repairs or even a full replacement.
Common Transmission Problems
Shifting is Rough & Bumpy
Your automatic transmission vehicle should be able to change gears so smoothly that you barely even notice when it happens. If you notice that your car’s gear shifting is rough, bumpy, or results in a noticeable noise, that’s a sign that your transmission isn’t working correctly. Or, if your car seems to be having an unusually hard time accelerating to the speed you want, your transmission may be the cause.
Gear Slipping
Gear slipping, or transmission slipping, refers to a phenomenon when your vehicle seems to be changing gears for no discernable reason. You might notice that it’s having trouble accelerating like it usually does or that your engine has sudden sound changes as you’re driving. The basic rule of thumb for vehicle care is that if something feels, sounds, or looks off, you should get it checked out by a professional immediately.
Leaking Fluids
Your transmission fluid should never leak or spill out from your engine. It’s always a good idea to check your driveway or parking spot after you pull away to see if there are any stains or pools of liquid left behind. Transmission fluid will appear in either a shade or red or brown. If you do notice evidence of a leak, don’t simply refill the fluid and call it a day. Transmission fluid leaks could indicate a bigger problem, so you should get your car check out by a transmission repair professional as soon as possible.
Delayed Start
Delayed start, or delayed engagement, occurs when you shift your car out of “park” and into “drive,” and it doesn’t start to move forward immediately. If there’s a significant pause where your car is in “drive” but is still stationary, this could signal a problem with your transmission.
Warning Light Appears
While your “check engine” warning light could signal a wide range of problems, if it appears on your dashboard, you should take your car into a professional service as soon as possible for a checkup. While you’re there, make sure they check the transmission to see if it’s working properly. Aarrow Transmission offers affordable auto repair in Glen Allen so that you always have somewhere to turn for reliable, trustworthy transmission repair services.
Repair Costs
The cost of transmission repair depends entirely on what the issue is. In some cases, you might only need a small part replaced, which will usually cost somewhere between $100-$300. If it turns out your need a full transmission replacement, you could be spending around $2,000-$3,000 on the entire job. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to recognize signs of transmission problems so that you can hopefully catch them early and avoid a costly full replacement.
Why Trust Aarrow Transmission
Aarrow Transmission proudly offers affordable auto repair in Glen Allen, VA. We’ve been helping our neighbors solve their car problems since 1985, and our team knows how to handle every type of car. We pride ourselves in providing honest, expert services to everyone who walks through our doors and always looking for the best, most affordable solution to your car troubles. Our priority is always the customer experience, and we make sure that you’re satisfied with Aarrow Transmission’s work from start to finish.
One of the biggest parts of being a responsible car owner is knowing when it’s time to service your car. If you ignore small issues, they’re almost certainly going to get worse and worse until they cause a major problem, a breakdown, or lead to expensive repairs. You should always be proactive about getting your car serviced. Aarrow Automotive are the experts you can trust and start a relationship with for affordable auto service in Midlothian, VA. Once you have your go-to experts on-call, all you have to do is know what the warning signs are and bring your car in for a checkup as soon as you notice any issues.
What is your car trying to tell you
- Pay Attention to Warning Lights
This is probably the most obvious sign that something’s wrong with your car. Your vehicle has a set of warning lights that will light up on your dashboard when something goes awry. Every car is different, but your warning lights will alert you to things like low tire pressure, burnt out lights, or even engine failure. As soon as one of these lights comes on, call your affordable auto service in Midlothian and schedule an appointment as soon as you can.
- Review Your Owner’s Manual
Reading your owner’s manual can help you figure out if there’s actually something weird going on with your car or if that’s par for the course for that particular make and model. It can also help you get familiar with all the warning lights in your car and what they mean, so that if one comes on, you know immediately what you need to check, and you’re not distracted by trying to figure out what that weird symbol on your dashboard means.
- Don’t Ignore Frequent Stalling
Your car should essentially never stall out while you’re driving it. Of course, for stick shift cars, some stalling is normal, especially if you’re new to using a manual shift car. However, if your car is stalling at an intersection or while you’re accelerating often, that’s not a good sign. Stalling while driving can be extremely dangerous, so if it happens even once, it’s time to get your car looked at.
- Reduced Gas Mileage
Pay attention to how often you’re filling up your gas tank. If all of a sudden, you find yourself having to fill up more often than usual, that could indicate a problem with your vehicle that needs attention. It could be just a simple tune-up fixes the issue or something more serious. It’s also important that you know what your car’s normal gas mileage is so that you can recognize when its efficiency decreases.
- Vibrations and Strange Noises
Vibrations are normal if you’re driving on a particularly rough or uneven road, but otherwise, your car shouldn’t be vibrating heavily. If you feel sudden vibrations when you reach a certain speed or when you’re stopped at a red light, you need to get your car checked ASAP. It could be a problem with your tires or something more serious. Similarly, if you notice any unusual noises, don’t ignore it and hope it goes away. Strange noises could indicate a problem with your brakes, transmission, and more, and you need to address them immediately.
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