Your transmission experiences more wear than any other part of your car. It takes the power from your engine and transfers it to your wheels via a series of gears. These gears ensure that the right amount of power is transferred to your wheels at any time. Parts of the transmission can wear out, and you’ll need a transmission repair. As your Chrysler dealer, we’d like you to know some of the signs your transmission has a problem.
Transmission Fluid Leak
Transmission fluid circulates through your transmission. This fluid is essential, as it helps to reduce the temperature in the transmission, and it provides the hydraulic power needed to shift the gears. In addition, transmission fluid lubricates all of the transmission parts and provides a friction barrier to prevent damage to the components. These benefits of transmission fluid mean that a transmission leak is a serious problem.
Fluid usually leaks from worn seals, and the seals on the transmission pan are one of the first places we’ll check. Transmission fluid is easy to spot, as it’s bright or dark red and it has a sweet smell. Sometimes a transmission leak will produce black, burnt-smelling liquid. This is an additional problem, as this color fluid means the fluid is burning in the transmission.
Delayed Shifting
An automatic transmission should shift smoothly and quietly, and the same goes for a manual transmission. If there’s a problem with your automatic transmission, one of the signs is a slight hesitation between the shift ordered by the transmission computer and the gear shifting. This hesitation will gradually get longer as the problem progresses.
The situation is slightly different in a manual transmission. When you shift the gear, your RPMs will be much higher than they should be for the gear you’ve chosen. Delayed shifting in both types of transmission also places the engine under strain. The most common cause of this problem is a lack of transmission fluid. Our technicians will check for signs of leaks and then replace the fluid.
Burning Smells From the Transmission
Transmission fluid needs to be changed regularly. The reason for this is the fluid accumulates a wide variety of debris as it passes through your transmission. Some of the debris is created due to friction between the transmission parts or the clutch. This debris builds up in the fluid and slows it down. Additionally, older transmission fluid starts to lose its hear-resistant properties.
The transmission operates at a high temperature, and older fluid can overheat and burn in the heat. Burnt transmission fluid provides no cooling or friction protection in the transmission, and it also can’t provide hydraulic power to shift your gears. This is the cause of the black fluid mentioned above. We will need to flush your transmission before we can refill the fluid.
The majority of transmission problems can be quickly resolved if they’re identified early. If you suspect a transmission problem, call us as soon as you can at Charbonneau Chrysler Center.
Image by Ulrike Mai from Pixabay
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