Maintaining Your Chevy’s Transmission: Service Guidelines

The transmission is very complex and contains numerous components that must work together to deliver engine power to the wheels. As your Chevy dealership, we want you to know some of the signs that you need to visit us for Chevy transmission maintenance.

Signs You Need Chevy Transmission Maintenance at Your Chevy Dealership

Illuminated Check Engine Light

The transmission doesn’t have a warning light to signal that something is wrong. This is because any issue affecting the transmission will also impact the engine. The engine and transmission are connected by the torque converter and work together to move your Chevy. The engine produces energy, and the transmission directs this energy to the wheels so they move at the required speed.

Slow gear shifting and other possible transmission issues force the engine to work harder to try and compensate. This additional effort causes strain on the engine, and sensors throughout the engine register this. The sensors inform your computer. If the computer can’t correct the problem, it logs it with an error code and illuminates the check engine light. We use an OBD II scanner to read the logged computer codes to identify the issue and repair it.

Humming, Buzzing, and Whining

These strange sounds are all signs your transmission is in trouble. A healthy transmission shifts gears almost silently according to the transmission computer’s instructions. If something goes wrong, you may hear a very slight buzzing or humming just on the edges of hearing. As time passes, these sounds become louder and could become a high-pitched whining noise.

These noises can be caused by several issues, including damaged bearings, dirty or low transmission fluid, damaged gears, or a worn torque converter. The most common cause, and the quickest and easiest to fix, is low or dirty transmission fluid. Our technicians will need to check your transmission to find and repair the problem.

Burning Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid is heat-resistant, and it helps to control the temperature inside the transmission, which can easily reach 220 °F. It continually circulates to cool the hot components, and it also provides the vital hydraulic power that allows the gears to shift easily and quickly on demand. As time passes, this fluid becomes slow and thick due to the accumulation of dirt and other debris collected inside the transmission.

Slow-moving transmission fluid is less effective at controlling the transmission’s temperature. In addition, older fluid loses its heat resistance, which can cause it to overheat and burn. If you smell burning rubber, this fluid could be overheating. We fix this problem by draining the old fluid and flushing the transmission. Once the transmission is clean, we refill it with fresh fluid.

Don’t risk transmission damage. Contact us today at Service Chevrolet in Lafayette, LA.

Tags: Chevrolet Service
Posted in Car Maintenance Tips, Service Chevrolet Cadillac Service | No Comments »