Why is my Transmission Slipping?

Diagnosing A Common Problem for Transmissions

Signs that my transmission is slipping

Has this been happening to you? You’re driving along as normal and suddenly your car pops into neutral. Or it slips in and out of gear. Maybe you’re in the midst of passing someone, but while your engine revs you don’t speed up. This is a pretty clear sign that your transmission is slipping. A slipping transmission is when power from your vehicle’s engine is not being relayed to your wheels.

Some other signs of a transmission slipping problem:

• High RPM, over 3500
• Acceleration delays
• It won’t go into reverse gear
• Burnt or unusual smells
• Check engine light comes on
• Difficulty shifting gears
• Strange noises

How bad of a problem is a slipping transmission?

A slipping transmission should not be ignored. Not having complete and consistent control over the power and speed of your vehicle is a danger. You could be at risk of having a vehicle accident if you can’t be complete control over what your vehicle does.

It also is a sign that there is something wrong that, if left ignored, will become a bigger and most expensive problem to fix. A transmission that doesn’t work sometimes can quickly become a transmission that doesn’t work at all. Putting your transmission to work despite it showing problems like slipping means you are taxing the components of your transmission, stress and pressure that could cause those parts or your entire transmission to fail.

What can cause a transmission to slip?

Low Fluid Levels / Transmission Fluid Leak
Once you notice you have a slipping problem, check your fluid levels and replace if it’s low. Allowing the fluid to get too low could cause serious and expensive problems like your transmission completely locking up.

Problems with your Clutch
If you drive a manual transmission vehicle, the issue might be with your clutch, and getting it repaired is what will fix it from slipping.

Burnt Fluid
You may find that your transmission fluid is black when you go to check your levels, or perhaps you smell something like burnt toast. An overheating transmission may be causing your fluids to burn and can also be causing other problems. You’ll need to get a transmission diagnostic test done to determine what’s causing the transmission to overheat.

Old or Broken Transmission Bands
These bands are what holds the gears together. Over time, your vehicle’s transmission bands can be become worn or even break and if so, will need to be replaced. Contact us for transmission band adjustment work.

Worn-out Gears
Do you have an older transmission? Does your vehicle have high mileage?It could just be getting old and its parts are getting worn out. The normal wear-and-tear your vehicle experiences over time could be the reason why your transmission is slipping.

Solenoid Problems
Your solenoid controls the fluid flow throughout your transmission. If it is broken or damaged, it can cause your transmission to slip.

Torque Converter Problems
The torque helps to ensure the power from your engine is getting transferred to the transmission so if there is any problem with it, you may notice your transmission slipping. If your engine is stalling often, that is a sign that you might have torque converter issues.

Bottom line: you need to get your transmission tested. To really know what the problem is, you need to have your vehicle undergo diagnostic testing. Here at Mastertech Transmissions Inc. in Wichita, we provide free diagnostic testing to make sure we accurately diagnose exactly what sort of transmission problem you are having.

How to Fix a Slipping Problem

You might be wondering if you can fix the problem yourself. There are times when drivers are able to deal with a slipping transmission on their own. If the problem is something as simple as being low on transmission fluid, then you may be able to fill that yourself.

But if the problem is worse, or the reason why you are low on fluid is because of some other major problem, you will need to have that looked at by professionals. Mastertech Transmission Inc. are specialists in transmission repair. In fact, that’s all we do. Not only that, we can provide you with answers to your transmission problem at no cost to you with our free diagnostic check. You can also count on us to handle whatever transmission service you need.

How to Prevent your Transmission from Slipping

It all comes down to proper vehicle maintenance. Performing regular checks on your vehicle, including checking the transmission fluid often, can help you avoid issues before they become problems.

Ignoring minor transmission issues can quickly cause very big problems. You could end up with a complete transmission failure. When in doubt, contact us at our transmission shop in Wichita and we’ll check it out.