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Car Maintenance You Shouldn't Try at Home

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Car Maintenance You Shouldn't Try at Home

In a troubled economy, many people look for ways to cut costs by doing household tasks themselves. Some automotive jobs can be done fairly easily at home, particularly if you know something about cars. However, taking on the wrong job on your own will only cost you more time, stress and money in the long run. My name is Jill, and I want to tell you about which car maintenance tasks you can safely tackle on your own and which really do require some help from a pro. I'll break down the needs of a typical car and tell you exactly why you might need to ask for help sometimes.

4 Signs That Your Transmission Needs Repair

8 February 2016
 Categories: Automotive, Blog

The transmission in your car is a complicated system. It relays power from your car's engine to the drive shaft of your vehicle to propel your car or truck into motion. However, over time, the components of a transmission may begin to wear away. This is generally due to the exposure of the system components to the friction  and high heat that is generated by the movement of the parts of the system.

Even if your vehicle is properly maintained, it may still develop a transmission issue eventually. Repairs may be less expensive than a full transmission replacement. Thus, it is important to be able to identify signs that your transmission needs to be repaired before the entire system fails. Here are a few indications that your transmission needs to be serviced by a transmission repair specialist:

Vehicle Hesitation

If your vehicle seems to pause instead of moving quickly and easily into gear, the transmission is usually at fault. The delay that is experienced before the gears of the transmission engage properly, may indicate that the teeth of the gears are wearing away.

Surging Engine

Sometimes, once a car is placed into gear and the accelerator pedal is pressed, instead of moving faster, the engine revs or surges, but the car doesn't move. This is an indication of a transmission problem. For cars with a manual transmission, it may be caused by a failing clutch.

Leaks

If you have noticed that there is a puddle of fluid beneath your car each time it remains in a parked position for an extended period, there may be a transmission problem. Transmission fluid tends to be a bright red hue. In addition, the smell of the fluid is slightly sweet.

You can determine the color of the fluid even if it is puddles on a dark surface by simply touching the fluid with your finger tips and observing its color against your skin. You can also check the fluid level in your car by inserting the dipstick into the transmission fluid reservoir and checking the level that is displayed. If the level is low, it is best not to simply refill the fluid and continue on your way. The car needs to be inspected by a mechanic to determine the location and reason for the leak. Still, adding fluid to an appropriate level can help you make it safely to the automotive repair shop.

New Noises

If your transmission emits a hum or buzz as you drive, the system needs to be checked. For people with a manual transmission, sounds may include clunking noises. 

If you suspect that your transmission needs to be repaired, schedule an appointment with an automotive repair shop in your area as soon as possible. A delay could result in the complete failure of your transmission system. To learn more, contact a company like McCarty's Transmision Service Inc.