Top 5 Signs You May Have Transmission Trouble

A Worn-Out Clutch Becomes Less Effective at Staying in Gear

Over time, your clutch is going to wear out no matter how well you take care of it. As it wears out, it will be less able to easily slide into a new gear and then keep your car in the correct gear. The more worn your clutch becomes, the more it will affect the drivability of your car, so it’s best to get your transmission checked out sooner rather than later once you start to notice these symptoms.

Any Sound When Changing Gears Should Be Noted

If, however, you hear a grinding sound specifically when changing gears, it’s a strong indicator of transmission trouble. This is because the parts meant to easily slide into place when changing gears are not quite fitting as they should anymore, causing them to grind against one another.

If Your Transmission is Overheating, Your Engine Likely Is Too

Take a look at your dashboard. Is your engine temperature running a bit high? That could add to the theory of an overheating transmission causing the burning smell. Because your car’s transmission and engine work so closely together, when one overheats, the other is also likely to follow suit.

Leaking Fluid Under Your Car

You may be used to looking for engine oil or coolant leaks under your car, but it’s also possible those drips are from a transmission fluid leak. Depending on where you park, it can be pretty tricky to figure out what type of leak you’re dealing with just from looking. And regardless of which type of leak you have, you’ll have to bring your car to a professional technican to have it diagnosed, since the source of leaks can be tricky to find.

Pay Attention to its Color and Smell

It’s possible you can get some idea of which fluid or oil is leaking from looking at it.

If it’s a reddish-brown color and smells sweet or tart, that could point to transmission fluid or power steering fluid over engine oil. Transmission fluid will also typically be a bright pink or red color rather than yellow, orange , green, brown, or black. In fact, if the transmission fluid looks dark brown or black and also smells burnt, you’re likely also looking at an internal problem with wear and transmission overheating.  A green, yellow or orange color fluid that smells sweet typically points to an engine coolant leak and can cause serious damage to your engine.   There are other fluids that show clear in color and feel oily that you should also pay close attention to such as brake fluid, but a clear water fluid leak under the center of your vehicle or near the front passenger footwell is probably only air conditioning condensation and nothing to worry about.

Your Check Engine Light Comes On

In any case, your dashboard warning lights are great indicators of car problems that need to be handled. While the problem triggering your Check Engine Light is occasionally one that can be put off, more often it’s a potentially serious car repair that should be taken care of sooner rather than later. When in doubt, bring your car to a mechanic to have the codes checked, along with any necessary further diagnosis.