What Causes a Transmission to Slip?

Your internal combustion vehicle’s transmission is a complex device filled with gears. It transfers power from the pistons to the drivetrain, which turns the wheels. When something goes awry with the transmission, it can be an expensive repair to undertake.

One of the first signs of something that could turn into a major problem is transmission slipping. While transmission slipping isn’t necessarily a sign of a failing transmission, sometimes it just means you need to flush and replace your transmission fluid. 

Your car’s transmission is one of the most important machines in your vehicle. Accurately identifying the cause of transmission slipping is critical to keeping your car running at its best. Let’s take a look at the causes of transmission slipping, as well as indicators of a transmission problem. 

Signs Your Transmission Is Slipping

You’ll need to know the signs of a slipping transmission that can appear when you’re driving on Spring Hill roads, or even as your engine idles. 

Be on the lookout for the following red flags: 

• Your internal combustion engine chugs or revs
• You notice weak or slow acceleration 
• Difficulty shifting gears
• Strange noises like grinding or whining 
• Strange burning smell 
• Check engine light comes on and stays on

If the transmission is slipping, your vehicle may feel slow to respond to your acceleration. In fact, the car may not respond at all when you try to speed up. As the gears change, you might hear strange noises. The gears may also change without warning. If any gear slips without warning, schedule a service visitas soon as possible. 

What Causes a Transmission to Slip

A slipping transmission may be the result of one or more of the following problems: 

• Transmission Fluid Needs to Be Changed: Your transmission needs transmission fluid, which is a red-colored hydraulic fluid, to operate at its best to prevent friction in the transmission. So, if your transmission is sluggish, the fluid is the first component you’ll want to check. Fluid that’s dark and opaque might need to be changed for your transmission to work properly.
• Defective Solenoid: The transmission solenoid is an electromagnetic component that controls the transmission fluid’s flow throughout the device. If the solenoid is defective, the transmission may not be receiving enough fluid. Fixing the solenoid will make things work better. 
• Damaged Transmission Bands: Transmission bands link the gears together. If the bands wear out, it may be due to not enough transmission fluid. In any case, the bands will need to be replaced when this happens. However, maintaining the right transmission fluid levels and cleanliness can prevent the brands from getting damaged. That’s why you need to check the transmission fluid first and foremost when you detect transmission slippage. 
• Clutch Issues in a Manual Transmission: Like transmission bands, the clutch relies on fresh transmission fluid to operate properly. Automatic transmissions have a torque converter instead of a main clutch. But if you have a manual transmission, you’ll want to keep an eye on the clutch. 
• Worn Gears: Transmissions don’t last forever. Gears can wear out over time just because they have many moving parts. Transmission fluid is highly important to prolong the life of the gears, and we can’t stress enough about checking the transmission fluid and replacing it within the right interval. 
• Torque Converter Problems: The torque converter changes engine power into torque used by the transmission. In addition to slipping, other issues with the torque converter can include burning, smoking, gears jumping, failing to go into gear, or a complete blowout. 

Choose Buick GMC Brooksville for Expert Transmission Service 

Do you think your transmission is having problems? Don’t hesitate to contact us or call (352) 631-8154 for professional auto service! A simple transmission fix can turn into an expensive, major problem if you leave it unchecked. Meanwhile, browse our service and parts specials before scheduling service with us to save money on your next vehicle maintenance.