The majority of gearbox trouble is caused by issues with the transmission fluid. If you keep your fluid properly topped up and have it regularly inspected, you're unlikely to experience the following problems. But sometimes transmissions begin to fail for other reasons too. If you notice any of the following six signs of trouble, visit your local Ford dealer right away for transmission repair in Johnstown, NY. Your Engine's Revving While Shifting Gears When a transmission begins to overheat or loses lubrication due to aging fluid, you'll start to hear loud revving at unusual moments, such as when you're shifting gears. The engine will also rev unusually loudly when you step on the gas, often while failing to accelerate properly. You're Struggling to Shift Gears With gearbox problems, you might find it difficult to shift gears. Strange grinding sounds will come from below and your gears might sometimes refuse to change at all. If you drive a manual shift vehicle, your stick might become momentarily stuck. These are all surefire signs of transmission trouble. Your Gears Change By Themselves The most dangerous indication of gearbox issues is when your car suddenly decides to change gears while you're on the road. It might even slip into neutral, causing all kinds of potential driving problems. Your Clutch Isn't Working Clutch failure is another scary sign of transmission trouble. If the two clutch plates can no longer engage or disengage properly due to insufficient fluid or some other problem, then you'll lose control of your gears entirely, and perhaps even your vehicle. You Spot Leaking Transmission Fluid When you pull away from parking, you might notice a pool of reddish liquid on the ground. This points to a transmission fluid leak. Without enough fluid, your gearbox will rapidly break down unless you promptly have the leak fixed by a technician. Your Check Engine Light Comes On Fortunately, all modern Fords have extremely effective computerized monitoring systems. When a gearbox problem starts to arise, these monitors almost always detect it and warn you long before it develops into something more serious and costly to fix. How Often to Change Fluid at Your Ford Dealer Keep your transmission healthy and avoid all these problems by visiting your local dealership periodically for fluid inspections. You'll usually need to have your transmission fluid replaced every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on how strenuous your regular driving conditions are. Modern Ford models require specialist transmission fluid so it's safest to have a qualified technician refresh your fluid for you. Visit Brown's Ford of Johnstown today to have your transmission checked or repaired by experienced professionals. We're the Mohawk Valley's premier dealer for Ford vehicles and our courteous, knowledgeable staff are dedicated to providing exceptional customer service. Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
