Your automatic transmission is skipping gears in the gear cycle because it needs to be repaired. The automatic transmission is made up of hundreds of parts that work together to shift your vehicle into the proper gears so you don’t have to worry about it. If the transmission is skipping gears, it is malfunctioning. J&S Auto Repair advises that skipping gears is just one sign of an automatic transmission that is in trouble. Here are the other signs.
Other Gear Problems
The automatic transmission may also slip out of gear while you are driving if it needs to be repaired. You will know that it has slipped out of gear because your vehicle will suddenly be in neutral. Your RPMs will increase significantly and you will lose power and forward motion.
Burning and Hot Odors
Burning and hot odors coming from the transmission indicate that it is overheating. One of the things that will cause a transmission to run too hot is low transmission fluid. If it has been over 30,000 miles since your last fluid change, your vehicle is overdue for this service.
Leaking Fluid
Leaking transmission fluid will leave red or brown spots on your garage floor. Spots will be closer to the center of your automobile than the front of it. Leaking transmission fluid will lower the fluid levels in the transmission and cause the transmission to overheat.
Strange Noises
Your transmission is also in trouble if it is humming while it is in neutral. If it grinds or squeals when it changes gears, this, too, is a sign that the transmission is going bad. The only noise you should hear when your transmission shifts gears is the difference in your engine’s RPMs.
Strange Shaking
Strange shaking or vibration when the transmission shifts gears indicates that there is a problem with the transmission fluid or the gears themselves. There could also be a problem with your drivetrain. The gear shifts should be smooth with the exception of the change in RPMs.
Unresponsiveness
Your transmission is severely damaged if it is not responding at all. In other words, you may not be able to get the transmission to go into gear or move the gear stick at all.
Check Engine Light
Finally, transmission problems usually turn on the check engine warning light. This is your vehicle’s way of letting you know there’s a problem that you otherwise might not notice.
Call J&S Auto Repair in Warwick, RI, today if your automobile is experiencing transmission problems.
