Clunking, humming or whining sounds are signs of automatic transmission problems. Faulty manual transmissions will also give off loud machinelike sounds that seem to come out of nowhere. A clunking noise when you shift gears is a telltale transmission situation. Have a mechanic look it over.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
With proper maintenance, transmissions can last up to 300,000 miles or more. This includes changing the fluid in your transmission system and regular checkups. However, when you don't keep up with routine maintenance, your transmission might have problems at the 100,000-mile mark or even sooner.
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.
Transmission failure can be caused by slipping, symptomatic noises, lack of fluid due to leaks, overheating, or outside factors that affect the transmission.
Normally when automatic transmissions have damaged gears they progressively get worse. Summary: This is a more serious problem and time is very important. Be sure to get your car to a qualified automatic transmission specialist soon.
If you can go 100,000 miles between transmission repairs –about seven years for the average driver– you should be happy. But that is a very loose guideline. As mentioned before, all transmissions, vehicles, and drivers are different.
Often (though not always) a faulty transmission will trigger an engine diagnostic code and trip the Check Engine Light to let you know. Same goes if your engine overheats because of a bad transmission. Problems with a solenoid, speed sensor, slippage, and more can cause the Check Engine Light to come on.
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.
Transmission repair is ideal for minor fixes. This type of repair can include fixing specific components, in-car repairs, various adjustments, and resealing jobs. Transmission repairs do not require the transmission to be rebuilt completely. This type of repair is not an option for transmissions with extensive damages.
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.
A brand-new transmission costs anything from $1,000 to $7,000+. Therefore, if the current worth of your vehicle ranges from $8,000 to $10,000, replacing the transmission will be worth it. But if your vehicle is under or within the transmission range, it won't make much sense to replace its transmission.
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.
Transmission Warning Light
If this warning light turns on, you should immediately stop your vehicle and turn it off when it's safe to do so. Your transmission could be overheating when there are low transmission fluid levels, worn internal components, and several other reasons.
When the transmission slips, it might feel like the vehicle is slow to respond. Sometimes it doesn't respond at all when you press the gas pedal. The noticeable change in the transmission's performance might be accompanied by a noise or change in pitch as it changes gears.
1. At the top of all auto repair experts lists for causes of problematic transmissions is low transmission fluid. Usually caused by a leak somewhere in the system, low or contaminated fluid makes it nearly impossible for the transmission to automatically shift gears and run smoothly.