You may not like to think that your car's transmission is in need of repair, as most fixes can be very expensive. However, not all problems with the gears or the shifter lever of your car are as involved and expensive as you might assume. You also want to consider that getting transmission problems fixed at the first sign of trouble can mean avoiding more extensive repairs down the road. Note the following troubleshooting tips so you can get your car to a mechanic as soon as you notice any of these problems.
1. The car won't shift out of park
In some cases, this isn't a problem with the transmission at all. Most cars require that you have your foot on the brake before it will shift out of park, and if the chain that connects the brake pedal to the shifter breaks, your car may not shift into any other gear. If the car cannot sense that your foot is on the brake, it may not allow you to shift it into any other gear.
2. The car idles and then suddenly jumps into gear
If you take your car out of park and put it into drive or reverse, and it simply idles and then suddenly jumps into gear, often this means your car needs transmission fluid. This fluid allows the chains and gears to move smoothly and when there isn't enough fluid to accomplish this, the car jumps when in gear.
Rather than simply filling the reservoir tank with fluid, it's good to have your car checked for a leak in the transmission fluid. Regular top-offs of this fluid with your oil changes should be enough to keep it at working levels, so if there isn't enough for your car to function, this may signal a leak in the transmission system.
3. Clunking sound or burning smell when putting the car into gear
As with your car being idle when you put it into gear, a clunking sound as well as a lurching forward or backward can also signal a leak in your car's transmission system. There may also be chains that are breaking down in the car's transmission; if they're rusted, your car won't easily change gears and will instead clunk.
Without enough transmission fluid, the parts of this system are not as lubricated and will run hotter than they should. In turn, you may notice a burning smell when you put your car into gear. Ignoring this can mean corrosion of these parts and early wear and tear.
If you determine there is an issue with your car's transmission, talk with someone at a business like Precision Automatic Transmissions to learn what needs to be done to fix it.
