Transmission Repair - Trust Your Instincts

Sep 26
08:10

2011

Aloysius Aucoin

Aloysius Aucoin

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Linkedin

Often when you take your car into a shop for transmission repair your mechanic might suggest other repairs. Be careful that you don't get into unnecessary expenses. If your gut tells you the deal is unfair, take your car somewhere else.

mediaimage
As a driver,Transmission Repair - Trust Your Instincts Articles you may not be familiar with exactly how everything under the hood works, but you do know how driving a car feels and sounds. If you are having trouble shifting and shifting seems to feel irregular then you most likely have a transmission problem. If you hear a grinding noise specifically when you shift gears, you need immediate transmission repair. It can be understood simply because you're used to driving your own car every day. You know when your instincts are telling you something is wrong.

Transmissions are sensitive systems. When they break down they can cause additional problems to your brakes and your engine. Usually when you catch a problem early, only simple repairs need to be done. If you catch it late, chances are you're going to have to replace it. When this happens, a mechanic may suggest other inspections and repairs and replacements because bad transmissions are known to cause other problems. Be careful when someone approaches you with this because they may be trying to get you to spend more money with their shop. Again, you will have to trust your instincts about them.

Just as you sense differences in shifting, you can also sense of there is something wrong with your engine or your brakes. When a mechanic suggests additional inspections and possible additional repairs, think back to before you brought your car in. Did your brakes act any differently? Did they grind when you hit the breaks to slow down? Do they feel slippery, like they're not doing their job? Chances are the suggestion to have them looked at would be a good idea. If your brakes were working fine, you can decline the offer.

Engine service can ring up a high bill, so be careful to allow even a specialist to suggest this repair lightly, as if it is simple thing. Once they get into it, they could have several suggestions for parts that you really don't need. It might be difficult to recall if your engine was making noises if you were concentrating on something else. If your engine is damaged, after your transmission repair, take it out for a drive. If there are additional problems under the hood, only then should you look into engine service.

Some mechanics will try to convince novice car owners that more work needs to be done. The honest ones will give you an honest answer, so if you trust your mechanic, have them at least perform the diagnostic tests. Otherwise, trust your instincts as a driver. You may not understand the specifics but the feelings and sounds can give you clear alerts when you need service, and when you don't.