Transmission Troubleshooting

Your transmission is the one piece of equipment that is multi faceted.  It controls everything from shifting your car from gear to gear, to controlling how fast you are going. While you may never change out a transmission or spend time learning how it works, there are some tips to help you with transmission troubleshooting, and knowing when its time to call in a mechanic.

While there are many pieces that make up a standard automatic transmission system, all transmissions have a few basic parts.

• The bell housing, or metal case that sits underneath your car
• The gears
• The transmission fluid
• A filter to keep the transmission operating properly

You’ll usually notice a problem with your transmission in one of two ways. Either your car will simply stop, or it starts running roughly. These two problems are generally caused by:

• Low fluid level, which causes your car to shift poorly, and can eventually lead to transmission damage.
• A leak within the system. This is usually easy to spot as transmission fluid has a red tint.
• A clogged filter, limiting the cars performance.

Because of the many parts associated with a transmission, and the specialized tools you’ll need for troubleshooting and fixing, it’s usually left up to a professional. A professional understands what can be causing the problem, and can usually spot the problem quickly. They will test a variety of things before moving on to a rebuild or replacement.