Transmission fluid is the lifeblood of any vehicle. It is what keeps your vehicle’s components running smoothly. An absence of adequate transmission fluid in your vehicle can cause serious implications for your car’s internal components like wear and tear if the mechanical parts go beyond repair. If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, the damage can be even worse as the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) also acts as an antifreeze preventing your car engine from overheating. Low transmission fluid levels must not be taken lightly and must be addressed immediately. But how does one detect a low level of transmission fluid? Here are a few symptoms:
Trouble when shifting gears
Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission vehicle, dirt or gunk in the transmission fluid is one of the main reasons for a sluggish response from the transmission. Dirty oil in the gearbox will result in a slow and delayed response from the gear shifting. Moreover, low levels of transmission fluid will make changing gears very difficult. It is important that your gear fluid remains free from any kind of dirt residue so that it can freely flow inside the parts without any snag.
Erratic shifts of gear
Another symptom of low transmission fluid is the erratic shifting of gears that makes the gear respond to changes too soon or too late. In addition, if you hear an accompanying banging sound every time you change the gear, you can easily conclude that your transmission fluid levels are inadequate. Typically, in any vehicle, the hydraulic pressure has to be to the point for the gears to work smoothly to change in automatic transmission. In the case of low fluid levels, the gear shift timing will be greatly disturbed.
Surging transmission
If you notice that your car happens to surge forward before falling back during normal driving, it may be due to low transmission fluid.
Delay in gear engagement
Usually, this symptom is pretty easy to notice. If your vehicle displays delayed response when you try to shift it to ‘Drive’ or ‘Reverse’ mode, it could be due to low fluid levels. Lower fluid levels result in lower pressure on the vehicle’s transmission. This can cause a significant delay in the gear change. Even a response time of two or three seconds after you have changed gears can be an indication of low fluid levels.
Slipping gears
Lower fluid levels can also result in frequent slipping of gears. It is usually when the gear fails to stay in the mode you selected. Although the most apparent cause of this is low fluid levels, you must also check if there is any residue buildup that impedes the fluid to flow freely, especially if your fluid levels are normal.
When you face symptoms of low transmission fluid, make sure to turn off your vehicle immediately and blow off the steam. Once the temperature is back to normal, drive down to Alberta Drive-Line Rebuilders Ltd., Alberta’s most reliable and trustworthy shop for transmission repair and rebuild.