No truck owner wants to hear that their transmission has gone out. Replacing them can be very expensive, not to mention the time that you’re down a vehicle while it’s being repaired. To avoid making a bad situation worse, watch for these indicators that your transmission may need to be serviced.
- Trouble shifting gears – If you’ve noticed that your gears are shifting smoothly as you accelerate and decelerate, you may want to have the transmission checked. This could be a sign of low transmission fluid or that the shift cables need to be adjusted.
- Slipping gears – It’s pretty scary to have your truck change gears all by itself, but this can happen when a transmission is on its way out. With a manual transmission, a telltale sign of trouble is if the stick pops into neutral on its accord.
- Gear hesitation – A transmission in good working order will quickly shift into the correct gear, whether it’s an automatic or manual. However, if you notice a lack of response or a delay in your truck getting into gear, it could be sign of transmission trouble.
- Leaking fluid – If you notice transmission fluid on the ground under your truck, you’ve got a problem. Transmission fluid is supposed to stay in the transmission, and it should be bright red, clear and have a sort of sweet smell. If it’s dark or cloudy, smells burnt, and is winding up on the ground, you need to have the transmission serviced.
- Noises when you’re in neutral – If you’re hearing strange sounds while you’re in neutral, this may be due to an issue with the transmission fluid. It may need to be filled or replaced. Another possibility is a damaged reverse idler gear or bearings.
- Other sounds to be concerned about – With automatic transmissions, a big indicator of trouble is if you hear a whining or buzzing sound. Manual transmissions that aren’t functioning properly will make more abrupt, mechanical sounds. If you hear anything irregular, take your truck in for servicing before the problem gets worse.