There are few vehicle parts more important than your auto transmission. As the team at Car Care Clinic at Gateway Transmissions in Oak Harbor, WA, notes, without this vital component, your vehicle wouldn’t even be able to move! As such, you should keep up on regularly scheduled maintenance to make sure it works perfectly every time you start your engine.

Here are three common auto transmission problems that you should be aware of: 

• Sluggish Response: A common automatic transmission issue occurs when your vehicle seems sluggish when shifting gear or refuses to shift altogether. While an unresponsive transmission may be a simple sensor problem, it can sometimes be caused by other issues. When the car is slipping, or revving up without going anywhere, low transmission fluid levels could be to blame.
• Burnt Odors: A burning smell is never good, and sometimes, your transmission fluid is at fault. A burning smell usually occurs when transmission fluid levels are too low or the transmission has been slipping. This problem is often resolved by flushing the transmission fluid or checking for a leak—and while this may seem like a minor issue, failure to fix it could cause your automatic transmission to break down entirely.
• Unusual Noises: Your transmission won’t try to hide the fact that something is wrong—it will usually try to warn you by producing unusual noises, such as a distinctive clunk when you shift gears or a strange humming or bumping noise while in neutral. There can be several root causes behind these unusual noises, but these unexpected sounds should always be investigated by a transmission expert.

Whether you need help with your auto transmission or car batteries, the team at Car Care Clinic at Gateway Transmissions can get your vehicle running like new again! To learn more about their tuneups or to set up an appointment, visit them online or call (360) 679-0700.