Your transmission may last as long as you own your vehicle, but there are signs that your transmission needs work that should not be ignored. If the warning light on your dashboard lights up, it's important that you don't drive your vehicle to get your transmission checked. It's possible that you are out of fluid, and you don't want to destroy your transmission by driving the vehicle. If your vehicle is rough to drive, or you can't get your car into gear easily, it's time to get your transmission checked to see what is going on with your vehicle. 

Problems With Driving the Vehicle

If your vehicle is rough to handle, or won't change gears easily, this is usually caused by a transmission issue. Your transmission is responsible for bringing power from your engine to your wheels, and controls what gear your vehicle is in. If your vehicle is making a jerking motion while driving, or won't get up to speed, the transmission probably needs to be serviced.

You Find a Leak

You have a number of fluids within your vehicle, but transmission fluid is the only one that is pink or red in color. If you discover red fluid leaking beneath your car, you will need to have the transmission fluid level checked to see what is going on. Don't drive a vehicle with leaking fluid, because this can damage the transmission further.

You Can't Pick Up Speed

Holes in your exhaust system are a common reason that your vehicle won't get up to speed, but another issue is problems with your transmission. If your vehicle is slow to accelerate, this is time to bring your car in for an inspection to determine what is happening.

Your Vehicle Experiences Delayed Engagement

If you try to put your vehicle into gear, and it doesn't go right away, this is called delayed engagement. This can be obvious when your vehicle doesn't go for a second or more. You can also have slightly delayed engagement, which will get worse as the issue progresses. Delayed engagement is a clear indicator of transmission problems.

Don't let suspected transmission issues go for long with your vehicle. If you drive around with a transmission that is leaking fluid, you will eventually destroy your transmission completely. Pay attention to dashboard warning lights, and always bring your vehicle in for service if your transmission dashboard light turns on.