Your car is essentially part of your family. It has character and you may have even given it a name. And what other inanimate object would give a name to? Probably not your freezer or washing machine. Your car feels like its part of the family because it plays such a supportive role in helping you go about your day-to-day life. You've built a routine and your car is the vessel that delivers you through it. You drop the kids off at school, then it's off to the office, then the grocery store, and finally back home, before starting it all over again the next morning. And its easy to forget that, as you go about your business each day, your car is incurring wear and slowly breaking down. Your vehicle is a collection of myriad moving parts, intricately fitting together to do their job.
The incredible stresses that these parts are put through eventually cause enough damage that breaking points are reached. Even the most finely-crafted automobiles will break down eventually. One of the systems that will inevitably need repair is the transmission. The important thing is that you're able to recognize the symptoms of a problem when they first arise, so that you can potentially address the problem before it blows up into a wildly expensive nightmare. There are several signs that you could be having transmission trouble. Here are four of them:
Burning smell
If a smoky stench is emanating from under your hood, it could mean a number of different issues. One possibility is that your engine is burning transmission fluid. In this case, your transmission fluid would be running too hot, making it difficult for it to perform its basic job and ultimately adding stress to your car's performance. One thing you can do to help determine if this might be the problem is check your fluid levels.
Leakage
If you're noticing an artificial fluid on the ground below where you usually park, this could mean a transmission fluid leak. While an oil leak is generally the first suspicion when it comes to fluid leaks, if the fluid is a reddish or brownish fluid it could be transmission fluid. Again, to help determine if this is the issue, you can check your fluid levels. But remember, if you choose to do the refilling yourself, overfilling poses its own set of issues.
Stalling
If you're just sitting there, waiting for the light to change, and all of the sudden your car stalls out, this could mean a number of things. One possibility is that you're transmission lines are faulty. If this is the case, you'll want to be sure to get into the shop as quickly as possible to prevent the problem from worsening.
Gear slippage
If you're just cruising along and you pop out of gear, this is a classic sign of a transmission issue. In this case, you need to get to the shop immediately.
If you're considering getting into the shop for transmission work, be sure you get in touch with an industry professional. In the Chico area, the experts to contact are at Boradori Automotive. Let Boradori keep you feeling safe out on the road.