TROUBLESHOOTING BASIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

Given proper maintenance and care, the automatic transmission will provide many miles of trouble-free operation. Most minor problems can be traced to fluid level; maintaining the proper fluid level will avoid these problems. Keeping alert to changes in the operation of the transmission (different shifting patterns, abnormal sounds, fluid leakage) can prevent small problems from becoming large ones.

The Problem	Is Caused By	What Needs to be Done


Fluid leakage	Defective pan gasket	Have transmission checked
	Loose filler tube	Have transmission checked
	Loose extension housing to transmission case	Have transmission checked
	Converter housing area leakage	Have transmission checked professionally

Fluid flows out the oil filler tube	High fluid level	Have transmission checked professionally
	Breather vent clogged	Have transmission checked professionally
	Clogged oil filter or screen	Have transmission checked professionally
	Internal fluid leakage	Have transmission checked professionally

Transmission overheats (this is usually accompanied by a strong burned odor to the fluid)	Low fluid level	Have transmission checked professionally
	Fluid cooler lines clogged	Have transmission checked professionally
	Heavy pulling or hauling with insufficient cooling	Have transmission checked professionally
	Faulty oil pump, internal slippage	Have transmission checked professionally

Buzzing or whining noise	Low fluid level	Have transmission checked professionally
	Defective torque converter, scored gears	Have transmission checked professionally

No forward or reverse gears or slippage in one or more gears	Low fluid level	Have transmission checked professionally
	Defective vacuum or linkage controls, internal clutch or band failure	Have transmission checked professionally

Delayed or erratic shift	Low fluid level	Have transmission checked professionally
	Broken vacuum lines	Have transmission checked professionally
	Internal malfunction	Have transmission checked professionally