Transmission Services

Causes and Symptoms of Transmission Failure

As unfortunate as it is, transmissions are going to fail occasionally. The number one cause is the transmission didn't receive the proper service at scheduled intervals. Behind that, towing or hauling weights above the recommended limit puts excess strain on a transmission, as does driving in rough terrain. Stop and go traffic is unavoidable, but is eventually harder on the transmission than highway driving. A final consideration is there are moving metal gears and rubberized gaskets inside a transmission, they can and will grind down and pollute the transmission fluid. That is expected to happen, that's why there is a maintenance schedule for flushing transmission fluid before debris prevents it from working as intended.

The Worst-Case Scenario

The worst case of transmission failure is the reverse gear won't work when you're parked front end first in a parking spot at the grocery store. Or perhaps, the vehicle gets stuck in second gear while driving. The reality is, that's not going to happen unless you ignore symptoms and problems until the transmission gets to that point. You'll notice the transmission struggling to change gears, or perhaps the actual gear shifter becomes difficult to manage, long before a complete failure. As always, correcting a problem when it first presents itself is going to be easier and much less expensive than waiting for further damage to occur.