Can a Car Crash Damage the Transmission?

[AubreyMarie]

A car crash can damage the transmission. Although cars have bumpers as buffers, when certain external factors such as the angle and speed of impact are met, the transmission can be damaged. Transmission: A device that changes the speed ratio and direction of motion. It is used in automobiles, tractors, ships, machine tools, and various machines to alter the torque, speed, and direction of motion from the driving shaft to the driven shaft under different working conditions. A gear-driven transmission generally consists of a housing and several gears. In automobiles, the transmission is usually located at the rear of the engine. The following situations can lead to transmission failure: Oil leakage: Oil seeping from the transmission housing or oil pan can be caused by aging seals leading to poor sealing or manufacturing defects resulting in porous housings. Engine stalling when shifting into gear: Shifting into D or R and the engine stalling may be due to a damaged lock-up solenoid valve or a stuck lock-up control valve. Incorrect input/output signals from the transmission or issues with components or wiring can also cause this, sometimes due to communication problems between the transmission computer and other system computers. No response when shifting into gear: Shifting into D or R and releasing the brake without the vehicle moving is often caused by damage to the input shaft or reverse clutch, or failure of the D/R brake. Harsh shifting into D/R, jerking during driving, or rough gear shifts while driving are common symptoms of automatic transmission issues, possibly due to dirty transmission fluid causing valve body sticking.

[DeMaximus]

Last time I got rear-ended while driving, the entire rear end of my car was dented. When it was towed to the repair shop, they found the transmission was actually damaged. The mechanic said that when a rear-wheel-drive car gets hit, the driveshaft gets pushed backward, directly cracking the transmission housing. Later, I spent over 20,000 yuan to replace the transmission—it was heartbreaking. Side collisions can also damage the transmission. Last time, my neighbor's car got sideswiped by a bus, and the chassis deformation pulled on the transmission mount. Anyway, after a collision, don’t just look at the surface damage—check the chassis and drivetrain system, especially if there’s gear-shifting issues or unusual noises, get it inspected immediately.

[DelJanelle]

When a car is hit, the transmission is indeed at risk of damage. In cases I've encountered, frontal collisions often cause engine displacement, which can damage the transmission connection points. Side impacts may deform the suspension, indirectly affecting the gear alignment of the transmission. However, since the transmission is relatively centrally located, minor scrapes are less likely to directly harm it. The extent of damage depends on the impact force, angle, and vehicle model, with rear-wheel-drive cars being more prone to issues due to their driveshaft structure. For safety, it's best to conduct a thorough inspection of the drivetrain after an accident.

[StCassandra]

A car crash can indeed affect the transmission. A severe frontal collision may cause the engine to shift backward, compressing the transmission housing, especially in automatic transmission models which are more sensitive. In rear-wheel-drive vehicles, a rear-end collision can cause the driveshaft to thrust forward, impacting the tail end of the transmission. However, minor side scrapes have less impact. Once, a friend of mine was involved in a high-speed rear-end collision. The surface damage appeared to be just a cracked bumper, but after driving for a week, they discovered transmission oil leakage, which turned out to be very expensive to repair. It's advisable to have the chassis inspected at a repair shop after an accident, even if the vehicle seems drivable.