Your car's transmission may go unnoticed until it suddenly develops an issue. If you're not sure what to look out for, these tips can help.

Transmission Issues That Can Affect Your Car

If you're not an expert in cars, you may not know much about your transmission. This post can help you get to know this system a little better and help you identify transmission issues when they come up.

What Is a Car's Transmission?

If you have no idea what's going on in your transmission system, you're not alone. Unless you have an interest in cars, chances are you don't know the details of how all the systems in your car work. While that's totally fine, it does help to have some knowledge about all of the systems in your car so that maintenance is a bit easier. Your car's transmission system is basically in charge of getting the right amount of power from your engine to the wheels. It also performs the work needed to get your car to shift from one gear to another. All the work going on in your transmission system means there's quite a bit of friction and heat being produced. Because of this, your transmission is exposed to some wear and tear even if it's not fully obvious. When issues come up, you may not know what to look out for, making it harder to keep your transmission in good shape. Below are some common signs of transmission issues to help you stay on top of it.

Grinding or Shaking

It probably won't surprise you to hear that shaking, jerking, and grinding sounds are not normal for a car. If you notice these things happen, especially when changing gears, your transmission system may have some issues. Along with these symptoms, you may notice that it takes a bit for your gear shifts to happen and further gear shifts will be more shaky and jarring. This can be hard to ignore, but it's worth reminding you that these types of issues need to be taken care of as soon as possible.

A Burnt Smell

One of the worst smells that can emanate from a car is the smell of something burning. This is never a good sign and should definitely lead to an inspection right away. If the smell is coming from your transmission, it can indicate that your transmission fluid is overheating and needs to be changed. It's important that you get this done as soon as possible because overheating transmission fluid won't be able to keep the system protected. It can lead to added friction, sludge, and corrosion. Be sure you have the right amount of fluid and that you're using the right type. Not checking on this in time can lead to the system breaking down, which isn't cheap to replace. If you need transmission fluid for your car, check out AMSOIL's Signature Series Fuel-Efficient Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid to help your car stay fully protected. To find more products like this, contact AMSOIL Dealer Dwight Smith at (702) 561-3706. You can also browse their full range of AMSOIL Oil products, including products for your next synthetic oil change in Ann Arbor, in their online shop.

Leaking Transmission Fluid

Any sort of leak in your car is a sign that things are not right. In fact, a leak can lead to more serious troubles, so never ignore drops of fluids under your car or a puddle that looks like it was caused by a leak. If your transmission fluid is what's leaking, you'll notice a red, clear fluid that smells a bit sweet building up under your car. If this is accurate, then you may just need to get the leak fixed and then fill up your transmission fluid to the right level. If you think it's transmission fluid that's leaking but it smells burned rather than sweet, this can indicate that your transmission fluid has broken down and needs to be flushed. Be sure you're using the right type of transmission fluid and that it's at the right level.

Slipping out of Gear

When your transmission is working just fine, it will have no trouble staying in gear. In fact, your transmission should never slip out of the gear you shifted to. If your car is slipping out of gear often or even if it happens once, this is something that needs to be checked out by a professional. This inability to hold stay in gear can indicate that there are problems with the links that hold the gears in place. Not only is this bad for your transmission, it can also put you in danger while out on the road.

Synthetic Oil Change in Ann Arbor

Keep your engine well protected with a synthetic oil change in Ann Arbor. Contact AMSOIL Dealer, Dwight Smith at (702) 561-3706 to find all the products you need to keep your car in the best shape!