Your transmission is responsible for translating the undirected power of your engine into a usable form. A complex system of gears in the transmission allows your engine to provide the right amount of power to move your car at your desired speed. Although the transmission is very strong, it contains hundreds of parts and any of these can suffer damage. If you need a transmission repair, your local Chevrolet dealer in Fairfax, VA can help you.
Noisy in Neutral
If you suspect there’s a problem with your transmission, you can test it by shifting the transmission into neutral and listening. If your transmission is operating correctly, it won’t make any sound. A transmission that’s experiencing problems will make a metallic clanging noise. You’ll also hear this strange noise if listen carefully when your car is moving. In this case, the faster you drive, the louder the sound will be.
The two main causes of this are a low level of transmission fluid or old transmission fluid. The transmission fluid lubricates the various parts in your transmission and provides hydraulic power to make gear shifting easier. Low transmission fluid will usually mean a leak, and our technicians will check for that. Old transmission fluid has absorbed contamination like rust particles, metal flecks, and outer detritus, and the contaminated fluid causes the sounds.
Slipping Gears
Your transmission should stay in gear until either your transmission computer shifts it, or if you’re driving a manual, you shift it. When your gears slip, the gear may shift as your computer moves it, and then it slips back to its previous position. The gear may also spontaneously shift to another gear. With a manual transmission, the gear can suddenly move into neutral. Any of these situations are dangerous, as they can cause an accident.
In the above cases, the main culprits are a transmission fluid leak or old transmission fluid. Your transmission is a closed system, and fluid isn’t consumed as the transmission works. If you have a fluid leak, this will reduce the hydraulic power needed to shift gears. The lack of fluid will also make gear shifting rougher as gears will grind against one another. Old transmission fluid loses its hydraulic properties, making gear shifting difficult.
Transmision Fluid Leak
Transmission fluid serves numerous functions. It lubricates the transmission’s components and provides a friction barrier between them. This barrier prevents gears and other parts from damaging each other. The fluid, as we’ve seen, provides the hydraulic power to make gear shifting easier. This fluid also helps to reduce the temperature in the transmission.
A fluid leak can lead to your transmission overheating. Before it does this, you’ll notice more noise from the transmission, including grinding sounds from the gears. A worn transmission pan gasket is one of the most common places the fluid can leak out.
Schedule a service appointment with Jim McKay Chevrolet’s Service Department if your new or pre-owned vehicle’s transmission is struggling and our highly-trained technicians will find and fix the problem.
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