In my previous post, you learned why delayed gear engagement occurs in your transmission, its causes and some possible fixes.
And in this post, I will discuss why automotive transmissions overheats, give you some warning signs and possible causes. And of course, I’ll also give my own recommendations on how you can avoid and fix an overheating transmission.
So if this is something you are interested in, or having trouble with, then this post is perfectly for you! Please read on!
What is an Overheating Transmission?
As its term suggest, overheating transmission is a case of having high transmission temperature beyond its normal operating temperature. It’s like having an overheating engine, but in this case, the transmission is the one that is being baked due to high heat.
Almost all automobiles have transmission and modern vehicles have transmission temperature sensors which monitors the temperature of the transmission fluid. Like most sensors in a car, the temperature sensor of your transmission is designed to warn you if the fluid goes beyond the operating temperature.
And if your car does goes to this limp mode issue, then you better know what to do because driving your vehicle with an overheating transmission will definitely damage your transmission and will also affect other components in your vehicle. So it is better to play safe when you have this issue.
So what are the causes of transmission overheating? And are there noticeable signs that we should know to avoid further transmission problems? Read on to find out more.
How to Tell if Your Transmission is Overheating?
Again, engines are not the only component in your car that overheats, transmission do overheat too! So what are the signs that you should be aware of with regards to this issue?
Transmission Warning Light
See the image above? That sign is the first thing that will pop up on your gauge cluster once overheating transmission occurs.
As said above, transmissions have temperature sensors that detects the condition of the transmission fluid. If your fluid becomes hot beyond the normal value indicated by the ECU, then this warning sign will tell you that your transmission is overheating.
Burning Smell
Another thing that can give you signs of overheating transmission is a burning smell.
Burned transmission fluid can give foul smell during and after driving your car. And that foul odor can be smelled inside the cabin so you’ll basically learn soon enough that your car has an issue.
Delayed Gear Engagement
Another sign is delayed or irresponsive gear engagement. As mentioned in my previous post, your transmission should be perfectly lubricated to keep a smooth and responsive gear shifts.
However, if your transmission doesn’t respond as quick as usual, then your fluid is likely overheating already.
Transmission Fluid Leak
A good sign for overheating transmission is fluid leakage. So in the morning, take a look under your car and see if there are any transmission spots from drips. A good condition fluid should be light red in color, while burned or bad fluid are black and brown respectively.
Your transmission fluid helps lubricate all the metal moving parts inside your transmission housing. And once your fluid overheats, it can’t lubricate these parts as usual. The intense heat will cause gaskets and sealants to wore out prematurely which results to leaks.
Engine is also Overheating
Your transmission and engine works hand-in-hand so if one breaks down, then the other will follow.
How? Well, your car’s motor and transmission are both highly depend on its cooling system which helps maintain both component’s temperature at normal operating level.
Any single issue in your cooling system such as coolant leak or circulation issue due to bad radiator, will affect both the engine and transmission temperature. Why? Because both components are being cooled down by the coolant inside the radiator.
Some are being cooled by air-cooled coolers or radiators but most automatic transmissions have their fluids pass through the radiator for cooling purposes.
So if your radiator has issues or your cooling system has leaks, then your car will most likely have both transmission and engine overheating issues.
Causes of Overheating Transmission
There are several reasons why transmission overheats and most of them are caused by owners neglecting proper and regular transmission maintenance.
Here are some of the most common reasons why transmissions overheat:
- Driving habits (driving with heavy loads, fast acceleration, etc.)
- High heat/humid weather
- Extreme uphill and traffic driving conditions
- Having too much transmission fluid
- Having low transmission fluid
- Burnt transmission fluid due to lack of maintenance
- Engine overheating issues
- Internal transmission component damage
What to Do and Not to Do When Your Tranny Overheats
Once you see the first sign of your transmission overheating (or just any transmission problems), it is important that you have it checked by a transmission specialist mechanic.
These mechanics know how to diagnose and solve any transmission problems and they can even do that without pulling down your transmission and see the actual state of your tranny’s internal components.
However, if there is a burning smell or the transmission warning light suddenly turns on while you are driving, then it is important to pull off to the side of the road as soon as possible and wait for your engine and transmission to cool down.
Once everything is okay and running, you can proceed to your destination with modest driving of course. However, it is best if you just towed your car to an auto shop to avoid any further damage to your car.
Another important thing is to always follow your tranny’s maintenance task as scheduled by your car’s manual, especially with regards to transmission maintenance.
Have a specialist mechanic flush or change your transmission fluid and replace the filter so every components in your tranny can have clean fresh fluid for better lubrication.
As mentioned above, it is not advisable to carry so much loads when driving in long distances. This is so much true in trucks and SUV’s that have roof racks, rear racks or trailers at the back. Driving at the limit of your transmission capacity will inevitably lead to overheating transmission.
You may also want to install an auxiliary oil cooler for your transmission. This extra oil coolers help cool transmission fluid especially if you are on a long road trip. Ask your local mechanic on how to install an aftermarket oil cooler for your transmission.
Summary
No one wants to experience the inconvenience of having an overheating transmission. Good thing is that, we can easily avoid this issue by always paying attention to our driving practices and following our vehicle’s maintenance schedules.
If you think your car has an overheating transmission issue, then you can always go back and read this post for your car fixing needs!
