Another one in our series of posts about what to look out for as the early warning signs of clutch and transmission trouble. If you notice any of these signs, give A1 Clutches a call to have your vehicle checked.
The first in our list is:
- Slipping transmission
You are driving along, without changing gear or engaging the clutch you notice the revs rise and then fall back again. You feel a nnoticeable ‘jump’ when the gear engages again, and then the car goes back to behaving normally. This is a sign your clutch is wearing thin, and absolutely merits attention. This can also be noticeable if your car feels underpowered all of a sudden – as if it is struggling to get going – again this could be down to your transmission slipping.
- Rough gear shifts
Now while we might not all be blessed with the greatest driving ability, with most of us being guilty of the odd ‘rough’ gear change, it should be noticeable when it is happening more than usual. At first the gears will just feel a bit different, like they are resisting changing as easily as they should, and sometimes you can feel or hear a noticeable thud when you change gear. Left unattended to your car may eventually refuse to change gear, which is a pretty unworkable situation! Again you may notice your car struggles getting up to speed, but whether it is this symptom you spot or the rough changes – get it checked out.
- Delayed gear shifts – or high revs at gear shifting
Related to point one, the delayed gear shift is actually most likely down to a slipping clutch – you change gear, release the clutch and it seems like there is a delay with the revs rising and then dropping as the gear engages. You change from first to second and you notice that because of the delay in changing the speed drops, making your car less efficient also.
- Fluid leak
Like any system your transmission relies on lubricant to keep things running smoothly. Unlike your engine oil, the transmission fluid is not burned up, nor can it escape – unless it is past a seal or gasket that has failed. In which case, your transmission will become noticeably less efficient. If you notice spots on your drive or in your garage, get your transmission checked for these leaks.
- The dreaded ‘Check Engine’ light
The check engine warning light can be an indicator of SO many issues with your vehicle, many are serious, some less so- but it should never be ignored. If you notice your Check Engine light illuminating in conjunction with any of these points listed above then give us a call and arrange a visit to have your vehicle checked thoroughly. The Check Engine light could be your saviour, saving you lots of money by diagnosing and fixing the problem early.
So there you have it – some more top tips from A1 Clutches, giving you advice on how to spot issues early on and what to do if you do spot anything untoward with your vehicle. While we hope your motoring is smooth and trouble free, if it isn’t give us a call – we will always be happy to help.