Technically, your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s main computer chip turns on the check engine light, but a sensor in the transmission can send an error code to the chip that will cause it to turn on the light. An illuminated CEL is just one sign that your transmission is going bad. Here are other signs.
Slips Into Neutral
It can be frightening if the transmission slips into Neutral by itself because your vehicle will lose power. You will start to slow down even though the engine’s RPMs will increase substantially. In some cases, the transmission may go back into gear by itself. In other cases, you may be stuck in Neutral.
Can’t Shift Gears
Another thing that can be frightening is a transmission that will not shift gears. In other words, the transmission will be stuck in first and refuse to shift beyond that gear. It can also get stuck in the middle of the gear cycle and refuse to shift higher up or downshift. The transmission needs repair work.
Is Unresponsive
The transmission also needs repair work if it is unresponsive. In other words, you will put the transmission into gear but it will remain in Neutral or Park. You will literally be stranded because you cannot operate your automobile because the transmission will refuse to respond to the gear shift.
Is Leaking Fluid
If your transmission is overdue for service, it may start leaking transmission fluid. The transmission should be serviced every 30,000 miles. This gives us an opportunity to check the seals and gaskets to make sure they are forming tight seals in the transmission system. Otherwise, you may end up with a leak.
Is Overheating
If you do end up with the transmission fluid leak, this can overheat the transmission. Part of what the transmission fluid does is draw the heat away from the moving parts. Consequently, you may start to smell burning odors coming from underneath your automobile while you are driving the vehicle.
Is Making Noise
The transmission can also let you know that it is having problems by making noise. The most common sounds a faulty transmission will make our clunking, squealing, grinding, and humming. The latter sound is most commonly heard when the transmission is in Neutral and you are idling.
Finally, your transmission may shift the gears so roughly that your vehicle shakes or vibrates at each year shift. If this is the case, or if you are having any of the problems discussed above, we recommend that you drive straight to our auto service shop.