What sound does a gearbox make when the gears grind?
2 Answers
When gears in a gearbox grind, there is a harsh metal-on-metal sound. Below is relevant information about gear grinding in transmissions: Principle of gear grinding: During the operation of a transmission, friction between gears can lead to grinding. Over time, the gear crowns may wear into rounded edges, resulting in incomplete engagement after shifting. This makes the transmission prone to gear disengagement during operation. Objects prone to gear grinding: Under normal driving conditions, automatic transmissions generally do not experience gear grinding. This phenomenon mostly occurs in manual transmissions. The primary reason is that without synchronizers inside the transmission, gear grinding is likely to occur during operation.
Last time when I was driving, after the transmission gears grinded, the sound was particularly awful, just like metal scraping against each other with a creaking noise. It sounded like someone was smashing things inside the car, especially noticeable during acceleration or gear shifts. Every time I stepped on the gas, I could hear a cracking sound, as if the gears were breaking apart, and there were occasional strange clicking noises popping up. The whole car would vibrate along with it, and the steering felt off, making the drive extremely uncomfortable. This is definitely a gear issue, such as severe wear or loose bearings, and ignoring it poses a high risk of the transmission completely failing. I immediately pulled over to check and found that the oil was leaking. I suggest that as soon as you hear such strange noises, don’t delay—go to a repair shop immediately. Safety first, don’t cut corners and ruin your car.
