When you engage your transmission, you will expect the gears to shift like they normally should. However, if you try to shift gears and the RPM is very high or it takes a long time for your vehicle to coast, there is something wrong with your transmission and it might be slipping. Under these circumstances, you'll want to have your car looked at by a transmission repair technician.

Driving with a Slipping Transmission Is Dangerous

The engine speed and transmission speed need to be correlated. You might press down on the gas and the RPM might rise higher than you expect, but your car might not go faster. This can make it dangerous to operate your vehicle because it won't accelerate and you may have a difficult time changing lanes or maneuvering out of the way of another driver who is driving recklessly.

The Transmission Fluid Might Be Low

If the transmission is slipping, the solution will depend on the root cause. If your transmission is slipping because your transmission is running low on transmission fluid, simply replacing the fluid would be enough to solve the problem in most cases. However, one exception is if there is a leak in your transmission. Then, the repairs would be more expensive, and simply adding more transmission fluid wouldn't work because the fluid would simply leak out.

The Fluid MIght Be Burnt

Burnt transmission fluid can also cause the transmission to start slipping. Your transmission repair technician will need to find out why your transmission fluid is burnt so that you can fix the underlying problem. It could be burnt because the transmission is overheating. If the transmission fluid is black, this could be due to worn-out parts in your transmission.

Certain Parts Might Wear Out

Several components of your transmission can wear out and cause it to start slipping. The shift solenoids might not be opening and closing properly. This will interfere with the ability of your transmission to engage gears.

The Torque Converter Might Be Defective

While a manual transmission has a clutch, the torque converter serves as the clutch for automatic transmissions. If your torque converter is defective, your transmission might start slipping because the torque converter is not building up enough pressure.

A transmission is a very complex part of your car. It's also important and a defective transmission will prevent you from safely operating your vehicle. Rather than repairing the transmission yourself, it's best to take it to a local transmission repair shop.

For more information about transmission repair, talk with a mechanic.