Heat is the nemesis of both your car’s engine and transmission. The gearbox of a modern Subaru is extremely durable, but as with any other vehicle, overheating can rapidly cause it to fail. This is why using high-quality synthetic transmission fluid is always recommended, along with regular servicing visits to top up or flush your fluid. If your fluid ever stops performing its lubricating and cooling functions, you’ll soon need to visit your local Subaru dealer for transmission repair.
6 Signs Your Subaru Needs a Transmission Repair
Leaking Transmission Fluid
When you pull away from parking, if you notice a pool of reddish-brown liquid on the ground, you might have a transmission fluid leak. Don’t drive far with leaking transmission fluid. Without proper lubrication, the moving parts inside your gearbox can generate enormous friction and quickly overheat and break down.
Leaking transmission fluid isn’t a significant problem if you catch it early on. It’s usually relatively easy for a technician to locate and repair the source of a leak. Most leaks will stem from one of the fluid lines or a cracked or frayed pan gasket, or sometimes from a loose axle seal or the torque pump.
Flush Fluid Every 60,000 Miles at Your Local Subaru Dealer
It’s advisable to check the level of your transmission fluid quite often. You can do so by warming up your engine and then using the dipstick.
Also, once every 60,000 miles, have your transmission fluid flushed out entirely and replaced. This should be every 30,000 miles for cars with a manual shift.
Resistance to Shifting
Any resistance or hesitancy to shift gears should serve as a warning sign of gearbox trouble. Such sticking might be a problem with worn-out gears. It might also be caused by a damaged shift cable or clutch linkage.
Awkward Grinding Noises
In an automatic transmission, grinding sounds shouldn’t be ignored as they might point to a malfunctioning planetary gear system. This complex component is the basis of most automatic gearboxes. Any fault in the planetary gear system can fast become a major repair job.
Whirring and Humming Sounds
Humming or whirring sounds often indicate low transmission fluid. They could also be caused by a worn-down shaft or bearing, a faulty reverse idler, or something else altogether. Have a technician diagnose the problem for you.
Gears Popping Into Neutral
When gears wear down extensively, they can begin to slip. Sometimes, you might find your gears suddenly changing or popping into neutral all on their own. This worrisome issue needs to be repaired right away as, needless to say, it can be very dangerous.
Sudden RPM Surges
When rounded-out gears begin to struggle against each other or struggle to change promptly, the engine will often increase RPMs as it tries to compensate. So an unexpected surge in revving when you’re shifting is almost always a sign of a malfunctioning transmission.
Visit Sunset Hills Subaru today to have your transmission examined by experienced professionals. We’ve been providing great vehicles and customer service to the drivers of Jefferson County, MO for over 40 years
Connect with us
Archives
Categories
