Transmission slipping is never a good sign. It can come in the form of random gear changes, jerky gear shifts, or slow response when accelerating. In addition to being an inconvenience, it can interfere with your ability to drive and it poses a serious safety risk. It likely means that there is something wrong with your transmission, which is one of the most complicated and expensive vehicle components to fix. To get to the bottom of the issue and resolve it before additional damage occurs, take a look at these common reasons why your transmission slips.
Low or Contaminated Transmission Fluid
One of the most common causes of a slipping transmission is low or contaminated transmission fluid. Fortunately, this cause is also one of the easiest to resolve.
Transmission fluid serves numerous important purposes for the successful operation of a transmission. In addition to lubricating moving parts, it also helps engage gears, prevent overheating, and condition gaskets.
Without an ample amount of clean transmission fluid, your vehicle will face numerous malfunctions—such as transmission slipping. You must check your transmission fluid regularly and refill or replace it when necessary.
Solenoid Problems
Transmission slipping is a common symptom of a bad transmission solenoid. Solenoids are a critical component of automatic transmissions. Essentially, they are electro-hydraulic valves responsible for controlling the flow of transmission fluid by opening and closing based on currents from the transmission control unit. If the solenoids malfunction or become damaged, the transmission will not have the amount of transmission fluid it needs to operate, and it may begin to slip.
Worn Gear
Another common reason why your transmission slips is due to worn-out gears. Over time, it is normal for the gears in one’s vehicle to wear down. If you don’t replace or refill your transmission fluid regularly, you will likely experience worn gears sooner rather than later.
When the sets of teeth on gears wear down, they can’t link together and engage the gears properly. As a result, your transmission’s gears may begin to slip in and out of sync.
