What Is the Problem If My Transmission Is Slipping in Higher RPMs?

A bad torque convertor is likely why the car slips at high rpms.

The automatic transmission of an automobile is a sensitive system that can be easily damaged by incorrect transmission fluid, excessive use, and wear and tear. One of the common problems is slipping gears when the engine is running at high revolutions per minute (rpms).

Transmission Basics

The transmission system of an automobile shifts gears as the car accelerates. A manual transmission uses a clutch, which is shifted by hand, but an automatic transmission uses a torque converter to shift gears in place of the clutch. If the car slips at higher rpm, is it likely caused by the torque converter.

Torque Convertor

The torque converter transfers the power from the rotations of the motor into the gear reduction. For example, as the motor's revolutions per minute gets higher, the torque converter takes that energy and uses it to change the gear of the automobile.

Slipping Gears

As the torque converter ages or is shifted excessively it can begin to slip gears. As revolutions per minute become faster, the torque converter is unable to convert that energy to change gears. It isn't able to switch gears until the rpms are lowered. This requires the replacement of the torque converter.

References

• Family Car.com: Transmission
• Autoshop101.com: Automatic Transmission Basics
• Edmunds.com: Automatic Transmissions: What Makes Them Work