Prevention is the best medicine to avoid a transmission rebuild. M&M Car Care Center is a full-service auto shop in Lake Station, Indiana, and we’d be happy to ensure your automatic or manual transmission is always operating as it should be. It’s a good idea to have the transmission serviced every 30,000 miles, but this is a general rule of thumb. Check your owner’s manual for the exact service schedule, or bring your vehicle to us right away if you notice any of the following four signs.
1. Burning Smells
When your transmission fluid gets too hot, it will smell like burning plastic. Naturally, the overheated fluid is also overheating your vehicle’s transmission. At the first whiff, pull over and turn off your vehicle. This might seem a bit drastic, but it’s never a good idea to drive an automobile that smells hot. If we catch the cause of the overheating fluid in time, we might not need to rebuild your transmission.
2. Fluid Leaks
If you see red or brown fluid spots on your garage floor, your transmission could be leaking. The spots will be located toward the center of your automobile. Depending on the source of the leak, a transmission rebuild may be in order. Hopefully, the transmission fluid is only leaking out of a worn seal. This said, low transmission fluid for an extended period will damage the internal mechanisms.
3. Loud Noises
Sometimes, changing the transmission fluid can stop any strange noises coming from the transmission. Usually, you will clunking or grinding noises as the transmission shifts gears. You might also hear humming or whining sounds when your vehicle is in neutral. As with the fluid leak, the sooner you get the source of the noise fixed the greater the chances you won’t need a transmission rebuild.
4. Shifting Trouble
You’ve probably noticed that the above three signs definitely signal trouble but might be fixed without a transmission rebuild. Unfortunately, you won’t be so lucky with this sign. If your vehicle fights you when you put it into gear, will not shift through the gear cycle, or keeps slipping out of gear, you’ve got serious transmission problems that will likely require significant repair or a complete transmission rebuild.
Time is of the essence, so call M&M Car Care Center in Lake Station, IN, right away. We will inspect your automatic or manual transmission to determine whether we can fix it or must rebuild it. Don’t panic. We’ll keep you in the loop and only make repairs you authorize.