Automatic transmissions feature discs responsible for shifting gears and locking them in place. Transmission repairs become necessary if these gears start slipping out of their locked positions due to age or damage, such as from low fluid levels. Fortunately, there are warning signs that will point you toward a repair shop. Here's what to be on the lookout for.

How to Tell if Your Transmission Is Slipping

1. Fluid Stains

Transmission fluid looks bright red and has a sweet smell when it’s fresh. It eventually turns brown and black as it accumulates contaminants, such as road dust and metal shards. If there’s a leak, the gears, discs, and other moving parts won't receive sufficient lubrication, and they'll eventually burn up without transmission repair services. 

Leaks typically occur at the o-ring on the transmission fluid dipstick that holds the stick in place or from a worn gasket on the auto part’s pan. The pan holds transmission fluid when the car is not in use and starts leaking if its gasket wears out. 

2. Rotten or Burning Odors

A transmission's internal mechanisms will get hot if there's a lack of lubrication resulting from issues like leaking fluid or a defective solenoid. The solenoid is the electro-hydraulic valve that regulates transmission fluid dispersion. Without sufficient lubrication, slipping transmission gears and discs create burning odors. You might also smell rotten odors because the fluid has started leaking onto the exhaust pipe.  

3. Delayed Acceleration

When discs and gears fail to engage correctly from excessive wear, the vehicle will not accelerate immediately when you hit the gas pedal. Instead, the car’s transmission will respond slowly or not at all depending on the degree of wear. Delayed acceleration issues become more apparent in frigid temperatures because frozen gears don't move into place efficiently.

4. High RPM

Most vehicle engines revolve between 700 and 1,000 times per minute when the transmission functions normally. If the revolutions per minute, or RPM, increase, the transmission has probably started slipping. Increased RPM numbers, such as 3,000 revolutions or more, mean the engine is working overtime in an attempt to make the vehicle run. 

Schedule transmission repairs with Brown’s Transmission & Full Service Auto Repair to fix slipping issues before they worsen. The auto repair shop has served the Licking County, OH, area since 1959 with personal and commercial vehicle maintenance solutions. Call (740) 522-4459 today to make an appointment or learn more about transmission repair services online. Like the Facebook page for additional auto maintenance tips.