Transmission symptoms
Pick what your vehicle is doing to see what it usually means, how urgent it is, and what to tell the shop. When in doubt, call before you drive it far.
Call (775) 829-1333
Closed now. Opens Monday at 7:30 am.
Symptom checker
Pick what it is doing
1. What is it doing?
2. Can you still drive it?
- Slipping (engine revs, car does not speed up)
- Hard, harsh or late shifts
- Delay when shifting into Drive or Reverse
- Whining, grinding or clunking
- Red or brown fluid under the car
- Burning smell
- Check engine light or a P07xx code
- Won't go into gear
- Transmission overheating or a temperature warning
- Shudder or vibration at steady speed
- Limp mode or stuck in one gear
- 4WD noise or 4WD not engaging
- Clutch slipping, grabbing or hard to press
General information, not a diagnosis. Only a look at the vehicle tells what it needs; call (775) 829-1333.
Symptoms 13
Transmission slippingA transmission is slipping when the engine revs up but the vehicle does not speed up to match, or it seems to drop out of gear for a moment.Hard, harsh or late shiftingHard shifting is an automatic that bangs, jerks or thumps when it changes gears.Delay when shifting into Drive or ReverseDelayed engagement is a noticeable pause between moving the shifter into Drive or Reverse and feeling the vehicle take hold, often ending in a thud.Whining, grinding or clunkingA transmission whining noise is usually a hum that rises and falls with engine speed and often comes from the fluid pump or from gears running short of fluid.Transmission fluid leak (red or brown fluid)A transmission fluid leak shows up as red, pink or brown oily fluid on the ground, usually near the front or middle of the vehicle.Burning smellA burning smell from a car can come from overheated transmission fluid, fluid leaking onto hot exhaust parts, or a slipping clutch in a manual.Check engine light and transmission codes (P0700-P07xx)A P0700 code, or any code from P0700 to P0799, means the computer found a fault it ties to the transmission.Won't go into gearA car that won't go into gear either refuses the shifter, lets the engine rev with no motion, or selects a gear on the dial and does nothing.Transmission overheatingTransmission overheating means the fluid has run hotter than the transmission was built to handle, most often from towing, long climbs.Shudder or vibration (torque converter)Torque converter shudder is a vibration, much like driving over rumble strips.Limp mode / stuck in one gearLimp mode is a protective setting in which the computer holds the transmission in one gear, often second or third.4WD noise or 4WD not engaging (transfer case)Transfer case noise or a four-wheel-drive system that will not engage usually comes from low or worn fluid, a stretched chain.Clutch slipping, grabbing or hard to pressA clutch is slipping when the engine speeds up but the vehicle barely does, and grabbing when it bites suddenly or shakes as you let the pedal out.
A transmission rarely fails without warning. Slipping, late or harsh shifts, a delay before it engages, new noises, a red puddle or a burning smell are the usual signs. The checker above gives a quick answer; each symptom has its own page with the common causes and what the mechanic will check.
Three urgency levels
- Drive in during shop hours: it still drives normally most of the time; call first.
- Call before you drive it far: short, gentle trips only until a mechanic hears what it is doing.
- Do not drive it, plan a tow: driving can turn a smaller repair into a bigger one.