The transmission in your car is made up of various electronic and hydraulic components that work together to keep your car moving. When it malfunctions, you may hear loud clanging noises, notice that your RPM's are consistently higher than usual and start to have problems shifting from gear to gear. Here are some reasons that your transmission may be having problems.

Low Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid works to keep your entire transmission lubricated so that it doesn't overheat because of friction caused by all the moving parts. When the level of fluid is low, the transmission won't be able to work properly. Many times, a low fluid level is caused by a leak.

How do you know if you have low levels of transmission fluid? One easy way to check is to wait for your car to be cool down completely, then locate the transmission under the hood and pull out the fluid dipstick. There is a visible line that the fluid should meet; if you are having a problem, you'll be able to see that the level of fluid is below the line.

Another way to know that you're having a problem with low transmission fluid is to look at your driveway, or anywhere your car has been for a while, before driving away from that spot. If you see a wet patch of red liquid, you know that you have a leak.   

Worn or Damaged Transmission Bands

Transmission bands are metal bands that surround the transmission and keep the gears in your transmission together. When the bands are worn, damaged or broken, the transmission gears themselves may start to wear down and prematurely fail, potentially causing a major problem for you.

To determine whether there is a problem with the transmission bands, simply give them a tug when the car is not powered up. They should not budge. If you can pull them away from the transmission, they may simply need to be tightened, but look for signs of rust and other damage to get an idea of whether they need to be replaced. If so, have a good mechanic put new ones on.

Now that you know some of the reasons that you might be having trouble with your transmission, take your car to be seen by a professional like B G & S Transmissions to assess the situation. Should you need transmission repair, it is important to get it taken care of as soon as possible.