First, locate the transmission dipstick, which can be found under the hood, in the engine compartment. Make sure you are locating the transmission dipstick and not the engine-oil dipstick; the transmission dipstick is usually further back in the engine bay, toward the firewall (the bulkhead at the front of the cabin).
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.
Insert long funnel into automatic transmission fluid dipstick hole. Carefully add automatic transmission fluid in small increments and recheck level each time until fluid level reaches "warm" line. CAUTION: DO NOT OVERFILL OR SPILL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID ON HOT ENGINE PARTS!
When the level of transmission fluid goes down, you will get a warning light on the dashboard. The warning light indicates hotter temperatures than normal of the fluid, and there is a need to get the fluid checked.
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.
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.
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.
So, if you think your transmission, and specifically your vehicle's transmission fluid, may need attention, schedule an appointment at a local Goodyear Auto Service near you to have your vehicle's automatic transmission fluid checked for free.
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.
Technological diagnostics
Like all technology, transmissions have changed a lot in recent years. Today's vehicles come equipped with complex computer systems. And modern diagnostic technology can communicate with your automobile's computer systems to determine your specific transmission problems.
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 you drive manual, most manufacturers will recommend changing your transmission fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. If you have automatic, you can typically boost that range up to 60,000 to 100,000 miles.
How Often Do You Check Your Transmission Fluid? All main fluid levels in your car should be checked about once a month, and it's something you can quickly do after you fuel up at the gas station. This includes checking your transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and engine oil.
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.
Automatic transmissions often fail between 80,000 and 150,000 miles. Manual transmissions can fail even sooner than that, especially when routine maintenance is neglected.
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.
If the price of a new transmission is no more than 40% to 60% of your car's value, then it's probably worth the cost of repair. If your transmission is in good condition, there are benefits to repairing it rather than scrapping it entirely.
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.
Many new vehicles are doing away with the transmission dipstick and easily accessible tubes for adding fluid to your car's transmission. Here is the reason for the change: a vehicle owner can damage a transmission by overfilling or putting the wrong transmission fluid in the car.
Low-quality transmission fluid – or driving without transmission fluid altogether – can cause a number of problems such as transmission failure, gear slipping, a hard time shifting, and a few more issues.
If your transmission fluid gets low enough, the check engine light could pop on. It's important to have this checked out to make sure it doesn't result in any serious damage.