The short answer to this question is no, you should not drive with a bad transmission. Sometimes, life happens, and you have to keep driving your vehicle even though you know that it needs to be serviced.
To put it briefly, no you should never drive your vehicle if you believe there to be an issue with your transmission in any case. Once a transmission starts slipping it needs to immediately be repaired. Every time you drive it after you feel your transmission slip, it is a risk.
Without service and maintenance, some transmissions can fail in as little as 100,000 miles. If you drive around 10-15,000 miles a year, your transmission could be down for the count in seven years! With care and service, transmissions can last 300,000 miles or more.
Short answer: no! The only thing you should do if you think you have a faulty transmission is go for a quick jaunt to your local mechanic. If you have a bad transmission it's only a matter of time before your vehicle literally won't be able to drive anywhere.
It's good that you're asking this question, though, because driving with a bad transmission will cause damage to the engine if left unaddressed! If your transmission is failing, you may already be experiencing shifting issues like slipping and loud mechanical sounds that are difficult to discern.
It's labor intensive and cost prohibitive. Luckily, transmission failure doesn't usually happen without warning. There are several warning signs that your transmission's going out.
Replacements can range from $1,800 to $3,400. Depending on the repair shop and technicians, labor charges can range from $500 to $1,200. Here's a quick overview of the average transmission replacement cost: Remanufactured transmission – $1,300 to $3,400.
If the sound resembles humming, buzzing, or clunking, you may be experiencing transmission failure. Bad automatic transmissions may emit humming, buzzing, or whining noises while manual transmissions have harsher “clunking” sounds.
Typically, when your transmission begins to fail you may start to notice some form of difficulty when changing gears. Occasionally you may hear or feel a clunk noise when you shift gear. Another sign of a rough shifting is difficulty in accelerating to the speed for the gear that it is in.
"Transmission problems can lead to a range of issues such as overheating, slipping gears, and holding on to a gear for too long," says John Ibbotson, Consumer Reports' chief mechanic. "Ultimately, minor concerns can lead to catastrophic failure, leaving the car undrivable.
Rebuilding a transmission can save you a lot of money over the short-term, while keeping car payments out of your monthly budget. For many, rebuilding their transmission is worth the initial cost. Rebuilding a transmission may cost you twenty-five hundred dollars or more, which is a significant chunk of change.
Transmission failure can be caused by slipping, symptomatic noises, lack of fluid due to leaks, overheating, or outside factors that affect the transmission.
What is the fix for a slipping transmission? It's simple. Just pop the hood of your vehicle, locate the transmission switch, and change the setting from “SLIP” to “STABLE” . . . If only it were that easy.
One of the easiest ways to fix and prevent a slipping transmission is to monitor the transmission fluid level. Once a month, open the hood and check the fluid level with the engine running. If low, top it off with the recommended transmission fluid mentioned in the owner's manual.
If you hear buzzing, humming, or clunking you need to have the transmission looked at. If you don't, you risk causing further damage. Another clunking is when the car goes to shift from one gear to another. Instead of a smooth shift, the transmission just clunks, thuds, or drops into the next gear.
If the gear shift in your car is difficult to get into gears, causes grinding noises, or just won't move at all, the transmission is dying or has died. An automatic transmission should shift smoothly and noiselessly, so vibrations, changes in performance, or strange sounds, are all indicators of transmission trouble.
Grinding, Jerking, or Shaking
Shaking and jerking are good indicators of transmission trouble. Gear grinding is a common symptom in manual transmission vehicles. Automatic transmission failure often begins with some hesitation during gears shifting. Some might describe this a “slipping,” as well.
If your transmission is in good condition, there are benefits to repairing it rather than scrapping it entirely. There's less environmental impact because it cuts down on the amount of metal thrown away. You'll also save on the cost of buying, registering, and insuring a new car.
Even if you plan on buying a new car anyways, a transmission replacement will help you get a much better resale value. Drivers might find free transmission replacement from a manufacturer's warranty or your insurance coverage.
A transmission replace is the most expensive option when fixing your transmission. In many cases you will hear this referred to as “re-manufactured.” Basically, the manufacturer will replace parts that have gone bad with modified parts. This is an option if the transmission is too damaged to even consider a rebuild.
Transmission Repairs
Often with a transmission repair, you are only fixing one specific part of the transmission. This repair can take place without having to rebuild the entire transmission. This option typically costs less than a rebuild or a replacement.
Another way to look for transmission problems is to hold down the brake pedal with one foot while stepping on the gas pedal with the other foot so you can rev up the engine. Make sure the parking brake is on during this time, and don't rev the car for longer than a few seconds.
Low transmission fluid, clogged filters, and problems with the clutch can all contribute to transmission damage, so watch out for these issues. Here is a closer look at the common causes of transmission damage. Transmission fluid keeps your transmission lubricated, which allows it to do its job without issues.
Yes, transmission problems can cause your check engine light to come on. Your automobile's main computer, the engine control module (ECM), talks with system sensors to make sure everything is okay. If the transmission sensors report a problem, the ECM will turn on the check engine light.