Symptoms of a Slipping Transmission

A slipping transmission affects more than how your car drives.

One of the worst things that can happen to your vehicle is a slipped transmission. If your transmission goes out, it can mean thousands of dollars in repair costs. The sooner you realize you are having transmission problems, the better.

High RPMs

Check your RPM (revolutions per minute) gauge. If your RPMs exceed 3,000 to 3,500, then your transmission is probably slipping.

Excessive Coasting

When you are riding in your vehicle and take your foot off the gas, pay attention to how long you coast before the vehicle slows down without you having to hit the breaks. If your vehicle coasts for a long time, then you have a transmission problem.

Delayed Acceleration

If your transmission is slipping, it will feel like your engine has lost much of its power. The engine will rev more than usual, and soon afterwards the acceleration will have a delay.

Reverse Hesitation

Your vehicle may have a slipped transmission if it hesitates before it goes into reverse. This can happen more frequently if the weather is cold.

Slow Downshifts

When downshifting, you will feel the vehicle shifting much slower than usual into the next gear. In some cases this can be followed by a quick spurt of engine speed.