No matter how well-maintained and powerful your car’s engine is, without a healthy transmission, all that power won’t reach the wheels. Your transmission is one of the most important parts of any car and should be cared for as such. If you experience symptoms of a faltering transmission, as outlined below, head to your local Kia dealership for transmission service before a more serious fault develops.
9 Signs Your Kia Needs a Transmission Service
Sticking Gears
If your gears refuse to shift one day, you have a potentially serious problem on your hands. Hopefully, your transmission fluid is low, and topping it up will resolve matters. If not, a faulty solenoid or clutch plate might be to blame, or something else altogether.
Delayed Shifting
When planetary gear systems are worn down, the gears can become slow to engage. This causes delayed shifting: a few-second pause before you feel the new gear lock into place, often accompanied by high engine revving.
Slipping Gears
Low transmission fluid, gears with worn teeth, or a malfunctioning solenoid can sometimes cause slipping gears. Here, your gears might shift unexpectedly and inappropriately for your current speed. Your acceleration could be slowed and erratic.
Grinding Gears
Several internal transmission issues can cause grinding noises. This might include worn-out synchronizers, a bad torque converter, or low fluid.
Whining Sounds
Automatic transmissions may emit a whining sound when the fluid is low. Whining could also result from worn gears or bearings, or a fault with the pump, filter, or torque converter.
Strange Vibrations
Whenever you shift gears, an enormous amount of power is being shifted beneath you. While ordinarily smooth and silent, shifting gears can start to generate strong vibrations if a fault develops and the engine’s power isn’t properly transmitted.
Low Transmission Fluid
Most gearbox-related faults result from low transmission fluid, which tends to wear down gradually over time. This is why it’s so important to have your transmission fluid periodically flushed and refreshed.
Burned Transmission Fluid
When a fault develops or the transmission fluid is low, friction shoots up inside the system, generating excess heat. This heat burns the fluid, which you may smell in the cabin above.
Leaking Transmission Fluid
Transmission fluid lines can occasionally spring a leak, as can the transmission pan, pan gasket, pump, or drain plug. If your fluid leaks, you’ll experience many of the problems outlined in this article. You may also find a red fluid dripping from the undercarriage.
How Often To Visit Your Kia Dealership for Gearbox Servicing
Almost all modern cars use automatic transmissions, which only need to be serviced every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. However, keep a close eye out for the aforementioned symptoms of trouble. Premature wear can occasionally occur in any vehicle.
Visit Team Kia in Johnstown, PA, today to have your transmission fully serviced by friendly, seasoned technicians. We offer terrific cars, financing deals, maintenance services, and customer care.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.