Honda Transmission Service
Common Signs and Symptoms of a Damaged Transmission
Fluid Leak
A fluid leak is an early warning sign that, if heeded, can mean avoiding a major problem. A damaged line or gasket can result in drops or puddles under your vehicle. Since maintaining the correct fluid level is crucial to the proper operation of your transmission, it is important to bring your vehicle in for service as soon as you notice a fluid leak.
Park to Drive Delay
Although you probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it, you have a pretty good sense of how quickly your vehicle shifts from Park to Drive, and a delay or hesitation of even a fraction of a second would be noticeable in most cases. This is good, because this kind of delay is an indicator of a transmission problem, and one that could rapidly get worse if it isn’t addressed. You might even notice the engine starting to run rough or even stall when shifted into Drive.
Gear Slip
This is generally what will happen next if you don’t address a Park to Drive delay quickly. You’ll notice the transmission having difficulty shifting gears, and shifts happen later than they are supposed to while accelerating or decelerating. If the problem persists, you will notice the transmission “hunting” for the correct gear, shifting back and forth, even while maintaining a constant speed.
Clutch Slip
While we’ve mostly focused on automatic transmissions here, since they’re more common and more complex, manual transmissions aren’t immune to problems. Normal wear and tear will eventually wear down the friction material on the clutch, which will cause it to slip. This will be very noticeable while accelerating and should be addressed immediately, as it can very quickly make the vehicle undrivable.
Transmission Services
Routine Transmission Fluid Changes
Transmission fluid not only facilitates the hydraulic functions of the transmission, but also protects the components from heat and dirt. But being subjected to heat and dirt will eventually break the fluid down, so Honda sets fixed intervals for routine fluid changes. Our techs will drain the fluid from the pan, change the filter, and fill it back up with fresh fluid.
Transmission Fluid Flush
With some transmission issues, a look at the transmission fluid can be helpful for diagnostics. With a fluid flush, specialized equipment is used to force the old fluid out by introducing pressurized clean fluid. This allows the tech to check the old fluid for signs of transmission damage while simultaneously cleaning out all of the old fluid. A regular fluid change usually leaves behind about 30% of the old fluid, which is fine under normal circumstances, but if for some reason it all needs to be replaced, a transmission flush is how that’s done.
Transmission Reseal
When you catch a leak early enough, a transmission reseal is how it’s dealt with. All of the external seals and gaskets are replaced and upgraded, and then the transmission is rechecked to make certain that the leak has stopped, and that no additional damage was caused.
Transmission Replacement
Although modern transmissions are extremely reliable, sometimes a problem occurs that can’t be repaired, and the transmission has to be replaced. Our team of Honda experts will inspect and diagnose the problem, and advise you on whether it will need to be replaced. Should it be necessary, we will replace the transmission and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Why Have Your Transmission Serviced at Germain Honda of College Hills
A transmission is a complicated piece of machinery, and you want it serviced by professionals, Honda experts that know your vehicle inside and out. Our team uses genuine Honda parts and our state-of-the-art facility has the specialized tools and diagnostic equipment needed to make sure your vehicle is serviced correctly.