You depend on your vehicle to get you where you need to go. However, there are certain things that your vehicle needs to stay in working order. For your vehicle to get you anywhere, it needs a working transmission. If the transmission starts having problems, you might not be able to get anywhere. Here are some of the problems you need to be on the lookout for and what you can do to correct them.

Burnt Fluid

When the fluid in your transmission is burnt, that often means that there is something in the fluid contaminating it. Whether it be debris or something else, this unwanted pollutant will end up causing problems with the fluid's ability to cool and lubricate your transmission properly. Another common reason why the fluid is burnt is because you didn't have the right fluid in your vehicle. Burnt fluid has a very odd odor and will appear black or a darker brown in color. You need to get your fluid changed as soon as possible to prevent sludge from forming and your transmission failing.

Strange Noises

When your car starts to jerk, shake or otherwise make strange noises that are unfamiliar to you, it might be an issue with your transmission. The difficult part is trying to figure out exactly what caused the problem. Automatic transmissions will often have problems with being able to shift through the gears properly. The best thing you can do is to have your vehicle inspected before the problem worsens and you end up having to replace your entire transmission.

Shifting Problems

If it feels like the gears are taking too long to switch from one gear to the next, you might have something going on with the transmission that needs to be taken care of right away. Your gears should transition smoothly from one to the next. When you press down on the gas pedal, it shouldn't take more than a second or two for your vehicle to transition to the next gear. Common reasons why your vehicle isn't shifting properly include a bad sensor, dirty, improper or low fluid or a faulty solenoid, triggering the OBD error code to come on.

By ignoring your transmission, you could end up having to replace the entire component. Instead of spending a couple hundred dollars at most, you could find yourself paying close to $1,000 for a rebuilt transmission. Save time and hassles by having your transmission looked at when it starts acting up.

For more information, contact an auto shop like Rolling Bay Automotive.