Car problems are just a part of life. Although it would be nice to have a well working car for years, it is inevitable that even the best cars will end up having some sort of problem eventually. One thing that you should always be on the lookout for is transmission problems. The transmission is one of the most expensive things to fix, which is why it is best if you can catch it early so that you can prepare for the replacement or transmission repair, and hopefully avoid major problems with the car. Here are a couple signs that your transmission is failing.

1. There Is A Grinding Noise When You Shift

One of the earliest things you will notice is a grinding noise when you shift gears. Since the transmission is primarily responsible for helping the gears shift from one gear to the next, if it is starting to fail, you will notice that it is working extra hard to do this. You might hear an actually grinding sound as you shift, or it could just be a delayed sound when you shift from one gear.

A great way to test this is to turn off all sounds in the car then shift the car between neutral, reverse and drive, listen closely to see if there is any noise. If there is, you may want to take it to a mechanic.

2. The Gears Are Delayed

A sign that your transmission is even more in danger is if the gears are actually delayed. As you shift from one gear to the next it should be immediate. There should be no lag time between each gear. If you have to shift a couple times to get the car to take the gear shift, then you have a problem. This will be most obvious as you shift from park to reverse or into drive.

3. There Is Pink Fluid Leaking From The Car

Lastly, you should be on the lookout for fluid leaking. Generally a car shouldn't have any fluid leaking from it. If the fluid is pink then you know that your transmission is starting to give. Until the transmission is actually gone, you should keep replacing the fluid. The transmission needs to be well lubricated or it will give out sooner. Just keep transmission fluid in your car and check the levels every time you fill with gas, maybe even more, to ensure that you have plenty of fluid.

By knowing what to look for you with your transmission you can catch the problem early on.