The most important two parts of your vehicle are the engine and the transmission. While people certainly love to have their conversations focused on engines, the transmission doesn’t get the same love.
The transmission is a vital part of your vehicle and you should pay attention to it if it starts to go wrong. If I can catch a small issue with the transmission, I can often prevent it from developing into something large and save you a ton of money.
So, what does it look like to look for, and what would I expect the expense of replacing a transmission is? I’ll cover all of that and more, right here. first we will have a fast look at the things to watch for.
What does an Automatic Transmission Do?
Your transmission is the power delivery unit in your vehicle. Your engine produces the power, but your vehicle won’t move an inch until your transmission delivers the power to the wheels.
Your transmission contains tons of gears, each fulfilling a different function. The different gears provide optimized power delivery for low-speed driving, fast acceleration, and optimally connecting power to your wheels for optimal fuel efficiency.
Your vehicle’s automatic transmission does this in multiple ways, but relies heavily upon the sensors feeding accurate information to the TCM. That’s why, if the sensor fails, it is important to replace the sensor as soon as the failure is detected.
If the sensor continues to fail, you may be damaging your transmission and will end up spending a lot of money for repairs.
Automatic Transmission Location
Your automatic transmission is located at the back of your engine. The precise location within your vehicle will depend on where the engine is located in your vehicle.
Most engines have their serpentine belts (which correlates with the front of the engine) facing the front of the vehicle, but some vehicles position the engine sideways.
In such cases, you can often find the transmission further to the front of your vehicle. However, assuming it is a traditional mounted engine, the transmission is generally next to the middle of your vehicle in relation to the driveline.
Symptoms Of A Bad Automatic Transmission
If the transmission is performing poorly, the symptoms range from shifting issues to no movement when in Drive or Reverse. Banging and clunking sounds (or chattering) during gear shifts are often a sign that the transmission is worn out.
Here is a more detailed breakdown list of signs of a bad or failing automatic transmission:
#1. Odd Noises When Shifting.
This is the most recognizable sign of a failing transmission. When you hear lots of banging and clunking sounds when the gears shift, you know something is wrong. Those sounds usually indicate that something isn’t right because something is moving in your transmission that shouldn’t be.
This issue could also be indicative of a timing issue with your transmission, but either way, it’s still a concern. If the bang is present, you can use an additive, but your transmission needs to have a fluid change or rebuild before you completely fry it.
#2. Rough Shifting.
You shouldn’t feel anything when an automatic transmission goes into another gear.
So, if you feel a clunk, a jerk, or any unnatural movement when your transmission shifts into gear, then that is a warning sign of an underlying issue that needs to be investigated.
#3. Leaking Fluids.
If you see a puddle of red liquid under your car, you might have a transmission leak. You’re unlikely to need a new transmission, but you need to have it fixed quickly or you might cause bigger issues.
#4. Burning Smells.
Whether you smell a fire or something burning, that doesn’t bode well. If there is a burning smell from the transmission, that is worse. When something smells like it’s burning inside of your transmission, something IS burning inside your transmission.
You might be able to salvage the situation with a transmission service/flushing, but after that, it means an issue with rebuilding or a new transmission.
#5. Trouble Getting into and out of Gear.
The transmission’s job is to get you in and out of the gear you require, if you feel your transmission struggling to get in and out of gear during normal operation, that indicates a bigger problem.
#6. Check Engine Light.
It’s called a check engine light, but on most makes, it also monitors other components, including the transmission. If you get a code and it’s targeting the transmission – problem.
Some cars actually have a separate light for the transmission.
#7. Slipping Gears.
A slipping transmission is extremely common. If your transmission is slipping into another gear and then back into the gear, you’re in, that’s problematic.
#8. Unresponsive/Loss of Performance.
When your transmission is not operating the way, it should, it may disable some gear functionality or resort to basic functionality. If this happens, performance is not going to be the same.
If you notice that your vehicle is not accelerating as it should, or it won’t accelerate past a certain speed, this may indicate a problem with your transmission.
Automatic Transmission Replacement Cost
The average price of a new transmission can range from $200 to $6000. This can be expensive, but in most cases there will probably not be a need to replace the whole transmission. You will most likely just need a rebuild, even if there is extensive repair.
An average cost for a transmission rebuild is about $2500, which is not inexpensive, but cheaper than a cost of a new transmission.
If you catch an issue early enough, you could get away with repairs such as a transmission position sensor replacement or a flush of the transmission fluid. Those repairs would be around $300 and $150, so not very expensive in the grand scheme of things.
Again, pricing will depend on the vehicle you are driving as well as the shop you take your vehicle to. If you use aftermarket parts, you can typically expect to pay less than if you use an OEM part.
Finally, keep in mind that a dealership will generally be more expensive than the local repair shop. While you would typically be taking your vehicle to a dealership, you will typically have ASE certified mechanics that are thoroughly experienced with your make and model of vehicle.