An automatic transmission is an extremely complicated piece of machinery. It uses hydraulic pressure to turn your engines power into the rotational energy that turns your drive wheels. But what causes an automatic transmission to fail? Glad you asked…
What Transmission Do I Have?
Low transmission fluid
Hydraulic fluid, a.k.a. transmission fluid, is the life blood of your gearbox. Not only does it lubricate all of the moving parts, but it can also be pressurized to make those moving parts move. Heat removal however, is perhaps the number one job of your transmission fluid. As it passes over all of those moving parts, the ATF absorbs all of the heat created by that movement and releases it in a special cooling chamber in the radiator.
So as you can see, transmission fluid has a lot of very important roles to play. If there isn’t enough transmission fluid inside of your gearbox, then lots of bad things can start to happen. For example, all of the excess heat buildup can severely damage the transmission seals, clutches, the valve body and gears. Plus, low transmission fluid can lead to slipping and delayed gear engagement as well.
Not servicing your transmission
Like your engine, your transmission oil and filter needs to be changed at least once a year or every 12,000 miles. If you ask nearly any mechanic what causes an automatic transmission fail, failing to have a transmission service performed would likely be their number one answer. The chemical composition of transmission fluid can break down as the mileage increases. That’s why it goes from an opaque pink color, to a rusty brown or black. As this mileage metamorphosis happens, the transmission filter will also get clogged with contaminants, and can even cause slipping and failed gear engagement. But most of all, failure to get a transmission service performed can lead to the same sort of catastrophic failures as running your transmission with low fluid.
Ignoring transmission problems
What Transmission Do I Have?
This is perhaps the number one thing that causes automatic transmissions to fail. If you have a transmission leak, or an unusual grinding or shaking sensation coming from the transmission. You should stop driving the vehicle immediately and seek the help of a qualified mechanic. The longer you ignore a transmission problem, the bigger it’s going to get. It’s also going to get a lot more expensive. So do yourself a favor and just park the car and call an Uber.
