Some car problems are simple to diagnose. Whether you take your vehicle in Los Angeles, Ca or a Lombard, IL auto AC service, it’s easy to say “There’s no cool air coming out of the vents. Something’s wrong with the AC.” However, a failing transmission can have many potential symptoms, some of them fairly difficult to identify. If you aren’t careful, you could find yourself stuck out on the highway in dire need of transmission repair!
Today, we’re going to uncover some of the most frequent signs that your vehicle is having trouble with in transmission system. With these details you should be able to avoid an unpleasant situation on the roadway. Let’s get started!
What Does a Transmission Do?
The transmission manages your vehicle’s gear system, changing gears as needed while you accelerate or decelerate on the roadway. In automatic variants, the system activates gear changes without driver input, allowing for convenient shifting that preserves fuel economy by giving you just the right amount of power to travel at your given speed.
Why Do Transmissions Fail?
Unfortunately, transmission failure is a difficult challenge to avoid. What causes a transmission to go out? Some systems fail as a result of poor maintenance, such as a driver forgetting to replace transmission fluid in a timely manner. Low fluid or a clogged fluid filter can have disastrous consequences for your vehicle performance and safety.
Of course, long-term part wear may also produce significant hiccups in your transmissions performance. Have you ever heard the saying “Hurting people hurt people?” Well, damaged parts tend to damage other parts. If your transmission starts to display symptoms of malfunction (more on that later), you need to arrange service as soon as possible.
When to Repair Transmission
So how do you know when to drive down to your local mechanic and arrange repairs? As we’ve mentioned earlier, it’s prudent to arrange service as soon as you start noticing strange behavior from your transmission. This is especially true if you have a specialty vehicle that may demand extra time to source replacement parts.
What Happens When the Transmission Goes Out?
Okay! So we come now to the most important part of our discussion: the warning signs. What are the symptoms of a bad transmission?
- A warning light and/or error code on your dashboard
- Delayed movement when shifting out of park
- The engine activates but doesn’t shift out of park
- Whining noises or scraping noises during shifts
- Signs of leaking red fluid (sometimes brown or dark red)
Many newer car models have advanced self-diagnostic abilities that offer more specific problems. When your vehicle generates an error code, it provides your mechanic with a quick summary of the problem under the hood.
Most likely however, you’ll feel the difference in driving performance if your transmission begins to degrade. Difficulty shifting, slipping gears, and whining noises quickly stand out as you zoom along the highway. While your system may not fail completely in one afternoon, it’s important that you arrange service as soon as you are able.
Transmission Repair or Replace?
This may be a difficult decision, especially as your vehicle grows older and more advanced in mileage. Replacement represents a significantly more expensive choice, but cyclical repair costs quickly add up over time too. If you’re vehicle is relatively new (less than 100,000 miles), swapping the transmission may seem like the obvious solution.
Before you jump at repairs or replacement, try researching your particular vehicle online. Some particular models routinely suffer from early transmission failure. If you are having a difficult time making a decision, take fifteen minutes to talk with your trusted auto repair mechanic and get their opinion. They’ll have inside insight into costing and expected part lifetime.
Transmission Repair vs Rebuild
There is a third option that some transmission repair shops may suggest, especially for luxury vehicles. For most problems, part repair offers a very affordable and lucrative way to resolve part wear. Damaged parts are simply replaced without too much fuss. However, replacing numerous parts in a completely worn down transmission is often way too expensive to be practical.
That’s where system rebuilds come in. The entire transmission system is shipped to the nearest manufacturing center (of your car’s brand) where each part is refurbished by that model’s specialist. This allows car owners to restore the entire system without replacing parts unnecessarily. Of course, this process does take significantly longer. It is usually cheaper than replacement however.
Need Professional Transmission Repair?
A faulty transmission system is a frustrating challenge to face on the roadway. Timely service could make all the difference, saving you from an emergency situation. At Carotech Automotive and Tires, our seasoned mechanics offer convenient, reliable, and cost-effective solutions for your vehicle. To arrange your professional transmission repair in Los Angeles, CA, call our team today at (424) 283-4303!
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