Is it Safe to Drive a Car with a Slipping Transmission?

If your automatic transmission is giving you “the slip,” it could mean real trouble.

You see one or more of the signs:  Your car isn’t shifting from one gear to the next, it’s lurching forward uncontrollably, or it’s stuck in a gear.  And an even worse case scenario—your “check engine” light’s coming on, and your car smells hot.   It’s past time to see what the problem is.

Slipping transmission = driving dangerously

At the first sign of trouble, you’d be wise to head right for a mechanic.  But sometimes that’s not immediately possible.  So how long can you drive on borrowed time?

Not for very long.  Here’s why:  A slipping transmission can abruptly cause an unexpected gear change, resulting in loss of control your car.  It’s an accident waiting to happen if it slips at an inopportune time, especially at high speeds or on a highway, so you need to get off the road.

And, if you keep driving with a compromised transmission, you can burn it out, which might be avoided if it’s a just matter of low or dirty fluid.  Another potentially easy fix is to replace one or more of the transmission components, such as a gasket, because they can wear out over time.  Either way, the longer you drive with slipping gears, the greater chance you’re facing a complete transmission replacement—and that’s a costly proposition. 

How to Prevent Your Transmission from Slipping?

The best line of defense against a slipping transmission is regular maintenance.  Keeping your transmission fluid clean and up to level is a must.  And when slippage first appears, a flush, refill, and filter change solve your problem.

If you’ve been faithful about keeping your transmission clean but your car still starts slipping, then it’s probably a mechanical problem; normal wear-and-tear and high mileage over the long haul can simply take their toll on even the best of parts.  And when that time comes, be sure to choose highest-quality replacements.

Only the Best for Your Vehicle

Sun Transmissions can set you up with anything you need for your automatic transmission or power steering system. 

We also invite you to browse our blog, where you will find all kinds of useful information about your transmission, its operation and spare parts, such as transmission control system malfunction, and much more.

We have a wide variety of products, from automatic transmission clutch to power steering pump kit, automatic transmission connector and more. And we’re happy to ship to you wherever you are in the U.S. Give us a shout today!