Rough-Shifting Transmission

How to Fix a Rough-Shifting Transmission

Having a rough-shifting transmission can be hard on your nerves. It’s not just the jerk and bang of each gear shift that’s nerve-racking; it’s the thought of how much it’s going to cost if your transmission needs to be overhauled or replaced.

Let’s put your mind to rest. In most cases, having a transmission that shifts hard (or one that slips gears) is not the end of the world—or even the end of the transmission. It’s not necessarily a hard thing to fix, as long as you do take action and don’t let the problem become worse.

What Causes Hard Shifting?

First, to clarify, we’re talking about rough shifting or slippage in an automatic transmission. If you’re experiencing rough shifting with a manual transmission, you probably either have a bad clutch or are trying to teach your teenager how to drive.

In an automatic, the transmission fluid is the key. If your automatic transmission is shifting roughly, shifting late, or slipping (engine revving without the car accelerating), it often means that it’s low on transmission fluid. And that’s certainly an easy problem to diagnose: just check the transmission dipstick and see if the oil is low.

Of course, if it is low, that means you have another problem: your transmission is leaking oil.

Even if it’s not low, having old or discolored transmission fluid can also cause rough shifting or slipping.

If it’s not the fluid, possible culprits for hard shifting include faulty speed sensors, a clogged or leaking vacuum line, or a defective solenoid.

Fixing Rough Transmissions

If it’s a mechanical part (such as a solenoid or sensor) causing the problem, you’ll probably need to go to a mechanic. They can (hopefully) diagnose the problem and replace the faulty part.

If the transmission fluid is the problem, things get a lot easier (and less expensive). All you have to do is add a bottle of Transmission Treatment & Leak Stopper. It’s specially designed to smooth rough shifting. As you might guess from the “leak stopper” part, Tranny Honey stops transmission leaks, so low fluid levels should no longer be a problem. It also cleans moving parts, fights against corrosion, and conditions old transmission fluid so that it works properly. Considering that it costs just a few bucks, and can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in future transmission repairs, it’s definitely worth a try.

We know you might not want to be Googling “Tranny Honey,” so here’s a list of places you can buy it.

Transmission Treatment with Leak Stopper