Your car's transmission is one of the most important parts of what keeps your vehicle running. Due to their intense use, transmissions experience more wear and tear over time than other car parts. Their issues are frequent and can develop into serious problems unless you check your car periodically and maintain it regularly.

How do transmissions work?

Transmissions control the output of power from the engine to the drive wheel. Engine parts operate at very high speeds during motion and need to be slowed down for starting, stopping or slower travel. The transmission reduces the engine's speed. The transmission is made of many moving parts which require fluid to be kept at proper working temperatures. Usually, transmission issues can be reduced to two categories: part damage or fluid problems.

Signs of transmission problems

Diagnosing your car yourself might seem like a daunting task, but being on the lookout for transmission trouble might save you a lot of further hassles.

What are the signs of transmission damage? Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

1. Not going into gear (in the case of manual transmissions). It can occur when going from a stop to first gear, or anywhere up and down the other gears. Common causes relate to the lack of transmission fluid or its viscosity, misalignment of shift cables or issues with the clutch linkage.
2. Burning smell. The transmission requires fluid to keep its many moving parts properly lubricated. While the transmission works, there is a lot of friction and heat produced, so the fluid is also necessary to keep it cool so the parts don't burn up. If you smell something burning, it might be your transmission eroding itself because of lack of transmission fluid.
3. Noises while in neutral gear. This happens due to lack of transmission fluid or because of mechanical parts' wear and tear.
4. Noises in general. If you hear grinding, whining, clunking, humming or shaking, then parts of transmission might be faulty or misaligned.
5. Gear slipping/popping out and going back to neutral. This is among the most dangerous of transmission issues, and you should get it checked immediately, else you risk an accident and poor car control.
6. Dragging clutch (usually accompanied by noise). This leads to the clutch disk not being disengaged from the flywheel when you push in the clutch pedal. Usually caused by too much slack in the pedal.
7. Leaking fluid. As mentioned above, transmission fluid is very important to keep the unit running properly. If it's leaking, you need to fix it as soon as possible.
8. Lack of response. In the case of manual transmissions, the engine will rev up, but the car will lag. Automatic transmission manifest by issues shifting from other modes to "Park" or "Drive". Usually the change should be quick, but if it lags, it's a sign of a transmission issue.

Be safe, fix your transmission

Noises, unpleasant smells, leakages and lag should be your first signals to identify a faulty transmission. Not being able to shift into gears when you want to, gear jumping, and other symptoms may cause you to have an accident due to poor car control.

For more information, contact a business like Auto Torque.