What Causes Transmission Failure?
2 Answers
Here are the specific causes of transmission failure: 1. Blockage formation: Due to excessively high transmission oil temperature, stubborn dirt and impurities accumulate inside the transmission, forming blockages that hinder the movement of solenoid valves. This prevents proper oil pressure regulation, resulting in transmission jerking. 2. Wear occurrence: Under prolonged high-temperature conditions, the anti-wear and lubricating properties of transmission oil deteriorate, causing wear or severe wear on transmission components such as bearings and gears, or damage to gear sides. 3. Hardening and aging: Excessive transmission temperature leads to the hardening and aging of rubber sealing materials, causing leaks due to poor sealing. This ultimately results in reduced hydraulic pressure and, in severe cases, transmission damage.
I've been driving for over 20 years and often encounter transmission issues. With manual transmissions, it's usually clutch wear or incomplete disengagement—the pedal feels soft and gears won't engage. For automatics, the most common problem is overdue transmission fluid changes. When the fluid ages and thickens, pump pressure drops, causing rough shifting, and accumulated metal debris can damage the valve body. Electronic failures also frequently cause trouble—like erratic gear shifts when the control module malfunctions, or false alarms from dirty sensors. Worn synchronizer gears produce obvious grinding noises, while long-distance driving or overload-induced overheating accelerates seal deterioration. I'd advise everyone to watch for early symptoms like slow shifting or unusual noises, and check the fluid immediately—don't wait for complete failure, as repairs get expensive. Regular maintenance with fluid changes every 50,000 km is crucial.
