Your VW transmission is composed of hundreds of moving parts, many of which depend on friction to work effectively. Add to this a high temperature caused by the constant motion of these parts, and this explains why your transmission needs regular maintenance to keep it working perfectly. As your VW dealer, we’d like you to know some of the signs that you need to come in for a transmission service.
3 Signs You Need a Transmission Service at Your VW Dealer
Noises in Neutral
When your transmission is operating correctly, your gears will shift smoothly and silently. If you suspect that you have a transmission problem, you can test this by shifting your transmission into neutral and listening. When your engine is running but your transmission is in neutral, there should be no sounds as your car isn’t in gear.
If you hear sounds, the most likely cause is a problem with the torque converter. The torque converter is the section of the transmission that connects to your engine. It uses fluid to transfer the power of your engine to the gears in the transmission that will allow your car to move. Our technicians will check the converter, and fix the problem.
Burning Smells
No one likes the smell of burning, particularly if it’s coming from your car. If the smell is similar to burning rubber, there’s likely a problem with your transmission fluid. Transmission fluid serves several purposes, to control the heat in the transmission, to prevent friction between the various moving parts, and to provide hydraulic power to move the gears.
Transmission fluid is changed according to a fixed schedule outlined in your car manual. The reason for changing the fluid is that older fluid becomes less able to fulfill the demands on it. It also loses its heat-resistant properties. Old transmission fluid can overheat in the transmission and start to burn. Burning transmission fluid smells like burning rubber, and it’s a sign that our technicians need to check your transmission.
Transmission Fluid Leak
Transmission fluid is essential for your transmission to operate. Without it, the gears won’t have the power to shift on-demand, and the various components will suffer friction damage. Your transmission will also rapidly overheat without it. These factors make it essential to repair a transmission leak right away. Transmission fluid is normally bright or dark red, which helps to make a leak easier to spot.
If you suspect that you have a fluid leak, you can test for this by placing a large piece of clean cardboard underneath your car overnight. You can further test this by starting the engine but leaving the transmission in park. Finally, keep your foot on the brake and shift into drive. If there is any fluid on the cardboard after any of these tests, note when the leak started and call our service department right away.
If you have any transmission problems, our highly-trained technicians can repair them for you. Call our service department at Crain Volkswagen of Fayetteville.
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