When transmission fluid starts to leak, you need to act fast. Though transmission fluid itself is relatively inexpensive, a car’s transmission system is one of its most complex parts. Operating without the proper amount of fluid can cause damage, and repairs can be extremely expensive. If a replacement is needed, you’ll be looking at a very large bill.
With that in mind, keep an eye out for these common signs of a transmission leak.
Delayed Shifting
You probably already know the transmission system is responsible for shifting, so clearly there’ll be problems here if transmission fluid starts to leak. Without enough fluid, the system can’t maintain enough pressure to make each gear change, so you may start to notice a significant delay when you try selecting the next gear up or down.
Rougher Shifting
When hydraulic pressure drops even further, your vehicle may start to shift erratically whenever you make a shift. Instead of slipping into the new gear smoothly, it may slam in abruptly. This is a vicious cycle since rough shifting can cause further damage to your transmission system.
Slipped Gears
Your transmission system needs plenty of fluid to ensure the friction material covering your clutches and transmission bands are able to securely maintain a gear. When there isn’t enough fluid for this to happen, the car may fall out of one gear and into another. If this is happening, it means excessive wear has occurred.
Burning Smell
As with most automotive fluids, cooling is one of your transmission fluid’s key responsibilities. After all, the transmission system contains a lot of moving parts that need to be properly lubricated to avoid the intense heat build-up associated with metal-on-metal contact. If the transmission starts to overheat, you might notice a burning smell. If you do, pull over as soon as you can.
