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- Symptoms Without Summary
- Car Leaking Coolant
- AC Isn't Cooling
- AC Blowing Hot Air
- Shaking While Driving
- Overheating AC
- AC Smells Like Vinegar
- Heater Not Working
- Windshield Wipers Don't Work
- Car Leaking Water
- Car Leaking Red Fluid
- Car Battery Leaking
- AC Only Work Sometimes
- Shaking While Idle
- Shaking At High Speeds
- Evap System Leak
- Shaking While Braking At High Speeds
- Shaking When Stopped
- Shaking When Accelerating
- Radiator Leaking
- Pink Fluid Leaking
- Car Leaking Oil
- AC Not Working.
- Car Leaking Gas
- Power Steering Fluid Leak
- Bad Brake Caliper
Hey, Why Is My Car's Transmission Slipping?
If you are short on time and want to fast-track the process to professional help, click Yes
Is Your Car's Transmission Slipping?
The transmission feels like slipping because its fluid level is low. However, in rarer cases, it can be an issue with a worn valve body, a faulty solenoid, a worn clutch, or damage to the transmission module itself.
Whether you drive an automatic or a manual, your vehicle's transmission is critical. If the transmission slips or gets stuck in gear, you lose control of your speed and risk stalling out on the road.
When they work correctly, automatic transmissions shift seamlessly with acceleration or deceleration. However, if you're low on fluid, there is wear on the discs, or if there is some other disturbance, your automatic transmission might get stuck in gear, shift gears at the wrong time, or cause your car to die altogether. All in all, you might end up facing an annoying issue: slipping transmission.
Some transmission problems require simple solutions like a fluid refill or valve replacement. But, regardless of the problem, it's wise to take action. Manual and automatic transmission slipping can worsen as you drive, causing extra damage to the system or putting unnecessary strain on your engine as it cranks through RPMs without generating power.
Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!
- Your vehicle might get stuck in one gear, or you might smell something burning under the hood.</p...read more
Your vehicle might get stuck in one gear, or you might smell something burning under the hood.
Your transmission's valve body diverts transmission oil to different clutch pads and bands. It operates sequentially based on engine load and vehicle speed to get you in the right gear. If the valve gets sticky, gears will be triggered incorrectly, and you'll feel like shifting at an inappropriate time.
- You may also notice fluid leaking from the transmission and hear a whining or humming noise. ...read more
You may also notice fluid leaking from the transmission and hear a whining or humming noise.
If your transmission fluid level gets low, it can't correctly pressurize the transmission bands. Then, air bubbles will enter what should be only-fluid parts. While your transmission gears still shift, you'll notice a delay in engagement, which hampers your vehicle's performance.
- You may also have difficulty changing gears, switching to reverse, or downshifting. Clutc...read more
You may also have difficulty changing gears, switching to reverse, or downshifting.
Clutch packs prevent slipping and wrong gear engagement. The transmission fluid keeps these clean and in the right place. If the fluid breaks down, the discs begin to wear. When the clutch discs get worn, they cannot lock tight enough to avoid slipping, causing the RPMs to flare without transferring torque to the drivetrain.
- Q: Does your vehicle's engine ever die when you come to a stop with the transmission shifter in "drive?"You may also see your transmission light on or feel your vehicle slip gears. Transmission ...read more
You may also see your transmission light on or feel your vehicle slip gears.
Transmission solenoids are directed by electricity to push and pull the valves to shift oil pressure correctly to perform various functions. Unfortunately, damages to this part can end up causing your transmission system to lock up and stop slipping when it's supposed to. When this happens, your car stalls out and dies, just like it would if you didn't engage the clutch on a manual transmission.
- You may also have difficulty getting your vehicle into gear, or it might not move forward once it...read more
You may also have difficulty getting your vehicle into gear, or it might not move forward once it's in gear.
The transmission control module is the brain of the transmission. It monitors engine and driver inputs to determine the correct gear. When the inputs stop making sense or if it malfunctions, the module stays in a single gear or "limp mode" so the vehicle can operate in a simplified way to at least drive to a repair shop at a slow speed.
- You may smell burning or notice a softness in the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal is the m...read more
You may smell burning or notice a softness in the clutch pedal.
The clutch pedal is the mechanical connection between the driver and the transmission. It's attached to a flywheel and contains a clutch plate connecting to the transmission's input shaft. When the clutch is engaged, pressure is applied, linking the transmission shaft to the engine. If the clutch disc is worn, it slips, causing the RPMs to rev faster than the speed.
Find Professional Help
Please select your vehicle's brand and location so we can locate the best professional help for youVehicle Health Inspection Proof
Explore the following typical inspection results that show a potential cause for the symptom and select the one you believe is similar to your vehicle's issue.
Valve body failing
Faulty solenoid
Failing transmission module
Worn clutch
Worn clutch pack
Low transmission fluid from leak
The proof image shows the location of the failing valve body with the transmission pan removed.
A customer dropped off their vehicle after noticing it was downshifting while driving steadily on the freeway. The transmission would then upshift again without any acceleration. The customer pulled over at a safe location and checked the transmission fluid, which was at a reasonable level. They also checked for leaks but didn't find anything.
The technician did not note the customer's concern on the test drive. In addition, the technician didn't see any dashboard warnings.
The technician saw nothing about the customers' concerns during the vehicle health inspection. But, when they did a vehicle code scan, they found a couple of shift solenoid performance codes.
The customer authorized additional diagnostics, and the technician test-drove the vehicle with a vehicle-specific scanner hooked up. The technician monitored the shifting commands and the vehicle's gear and observed the vehicle jumping gears.
The technician verified that the vehicle's transmission control module no longer commanded the gear shift. Instead, the unregulated pressure was causing the gears to change, proving that the valve body was internally leaking and, therefore, defective. The technician recommended replacing the valve body.
1/6
The proof image shows the location of the failing solenoid with the transmission pan removed.
A customer dropped off their vehicle, citing concerns that it would sometimes stall at stop lights. Then, they would put the car in park, turn off the key, start it again, and the vehicle would drive fine. Although this has only happened a few times, they wanted to have the car looked at to see if there was a problem with the fuel pump or if they needed a tune-up.
On the test drive, the technician experienced the engine stalling at a stop and noted that it was still in gear. The technician also saw that the check engine light was on.
During the vehicle health inspection, the technician did not notice anything about the customers' concerns. The technician did a vehicle code scan and found a code indicating a torque converter clutch circuit malfunction.
The customer authorized additional diagnostics, and the technician used a dedicated vehicle-specific scanner. Next, the technician performed an extra test drive with the throttle plate closed to turn off the torque converter lockup. The technician found that the torque converter was not commanded to be locked up at times, but the transmission torque converter stayed locked up based on live data.
The technician then drove the vehicle into the service bay, put the car on a lift, and inspected the continuity of the wiring harness. An ohm test showed the torque converter solenoid was locked up and found all other tests were within manufacturer specifications. The technician recommended replacing the torque converter lockup solenoid and retesting the vehicle.
2/6
The proof image shows a TCM that was removed from the valve body.
A customer dropped off their vehicle after it could only reach 45 mph on the freeway. They said that when this happened, the check engine light came on.
On the test drive, the technician verified that the vehicle was stuck in 3rd gear and in "limp mode." They also confirmed that the check engine light was on.
The technician noticed nothing about the customers' concerns during the vehicle health inspection.
The technician performed a vehicle code scan, found codes for a transmission control system malfunction, and lost communication with TCM (transmission control module).
The customer authorized additional diagnostics, and the technician cleared the codes, which came back immediately. The technician then pinned out at the transmission, with the power and ground going to the transmission control module. They found all the powers had battery voltage, and the grounds were reasonable.
The technician recommended the replacement of the transmission control module.
3/6
The proof image shows how worn the clutch disc has become. This makes the clutch slip on the pressure plate, causing groves to form.
A customer dropped off their vehicle, concerned that when they pressed on the gas pedal hard, the RPMs would flare up as if they had the clutch pedal down. The customer also said they smell a powerful burning odor when this happens.
On the test drive, the technician noted that under high torque loads, the clutch was slipping. The technician also stated that the clutch pedal had zero free travel.
In addition, during the vehicle health inspection, the technician noticed a lot of black debris around the bell housing connection area.
The customer authorized additional diagnostics, and the technician saw a significant amount of clutch material down in the bell housing when they looked through the inspection hole. The technician then got authorization to pull the transmission to inspect the clutch disc, pressure plate, and flywheel. The technician found that the clutch disc was worn down to the rivets and had scored the pressure plate.
The technician recommended resurfacing the flywheel and replacing the clutch and the pressure plate with a new kit.
4/6
The proof image shows the transmission pan with clutch material at the bottom. A common scene in manual transmission vehicles.
A customer dropped off their vehicle after they felt like it was stuck in third gear. They were driving at 50 mph, and when they accelerated, they felt the RPMs rev without adding power, almost like the vehicle was in neutral. The customer said they had a habit of shifting roughly, and when they were gentler with the throttle, they didn't have this problem. They also stated that the check engine light had been on for about a month.
On the test drive, the technician noted that the transmission was slipping in third gear and that the check engine light was on. They also noticed strange noises when the gear was slipping.
During the vehicle health inspection, the technician noted that the transmission fluid smelled burnt and was dark colored. So the technician did a vehicle code scan and found a code indicating that the automatic shift adaptive was at its learned limit.
The customer authorized additional diagnostics, and the technician took the vehicle on another test drive to verify that the pressures and solenoid were commanding the transmission to stay in third gear even when it was slipping. The technician confirmed that the third gear was falling on the drive.
The technician then dropped the transmission pan and found significant amounts of clutch material in the bottom of the pan. The technician recommended replacing the transmission and the transmission oil coolers. They also recommended flushing the transmission lines.
5/6
The proof image shows the transmission pan gasket leaking, causing fluid to be low and the transmission to operate incorrectly.
A customer dropped off the vehicle after having difficulty getting it into gear when they put it in "drive." They reported that they almost had to accelerate it a bit to engage the gear. They also noticed some fluid leaking under the car and wanted the technician to look at that too.
On the test drive, the technician noted a delay in engagement when they put the transmission into gear. They also noted slight engine flaring when the vehicle was shifting.
During the vehicle health inspection, the technician noted that the transmission fluid was deficient. After raising the vehicle on the lift, they said there was a lot of oil leaking from the transmission pan gasket.
The technician recommended replacing the transmission pan gasket and the filter in the transmission pan. After replacing the transmission pan gasket and filter, the vehicle was topped off and taken for a test drive. The transmission fluid leaks were fixed, thus proving that the low transmission fluid was the cause of the delayed engagement.
6/6Typical Fixes to Address the Cause(s)
The following chapters bases themselves on experiences from our auto repair shop; we'll describe related problems' causes and fixes.
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Vehicle Symptoms
Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing
