Vehicles encounter automatic transmission problems usually on the basis of one or two particular factors. These are abuse and low fluid levels. Of course, one factor is capable of influencing the other, in that low fluid levels may be caused by abuse or may in turn reduce the amount of abuse that an automatic transmission can endure without failing.
Abuse is also most frequently caused by two factors. In the case of abuse, these factors are teenagers and weather. Teenagers are known to perform the maneuver known as the “neutral drop”, which is a situation where the shifter is placed in the neutral position and the engine revved up. At that point, the transmission is abruptly shifted into Drive and the vehicle takes off in a cloud of burning rubber. It also takes off in a cloud of burning clutch packs.
Weather produces situations where the vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow and the operator attempts to escape by rocking the car back and forth through the process of rapidly shifting back and forth between Drive and Reverse. Weather also contributes to overheating, particularly when a transmission is burdened with an exceptionally heavy load. Towing a heavy trailer or boat by a vehicle not designed for such an increased tonnage counts as abuse.
Low fluid levels are the absolute killer app of automatic transmission problems. Without sufficient lubricant circulating in the transmission, the various clutch packs that comprise the heart of the system run dry and burn up even under normal operating conditions. As can be imagined from the list of abuse factors, abuse of a transmission with a low fluid level is doubly harmful. Likewise, automatic transmissions depend on hydraulic pressure to activate their various valves and switches that shift the transmission into different gears. Low fluid level means that these shifts may not execute properly, if at all.
Low fluid level is actually not that easy to recognize without the proper tools or a lifetime of experience in burning up transmissions. Unlike engine oil dipsticks, transmission dipsticks CANNOT be checked when the vehicle is not running. When the vehicle is running, however, the fluid reservoir at the bottom of the transmission is constantly fluctuating and throwing off frothy bubbles that disguise the true fluid level to those who have not had a lot of practice in reading the transmission tea leaves.
Transmission leaks, however minor, will eventually kill a transmission because topping off the fluid level is such an uncertain process. This leads to several observations on how to avoid transmission problems:
• If an automatic transmission starts to leak, it needs to be fixed immediately or else it will eventually cause the unit to fail through low fluid levels.
• A transmission needs its filter changed just like the engine does. Particularly after an episode of abuse, the transmission can fill up with small particles of metal and clutch material that clog the filter and thus cause the transmission to overheat and die even if the fluid level is correct.
• Avoid the temptation of frantically rocking yourself out of a mudhole. Call a tow truck. It will be cheaper in most cases.
• Buy your children their own cars.
• A transmission needs its filter changed just like the engine does. Particularly after an episode of abuse, the transmission can fill up with small particles of metal and clutch material that clog the filter and thus cause the transmission to overheat and die even if the fluid level is correct.
• Avoid the temptation of frantically rocking yourself out of a mudhole. Call a tow truck. It will be cheaper in most cases.
• Buy your children their own cars.
With these factors in mind, most automatic transmission problems can be avoided. Here is one final word just in case repairs are ever needed. Major National Transmission Shop Franchise Operations. No. Drive by a local high performance shop and ask them who builds their transmissions.
