How to know if your gearbox is broken?

Your car is one of your most prized possessions but what happens when it starts malfunctioning? In the worst-case scenario, it can leave you stranded on the side of a road while you wait for help to come. Not only this, but it can be costly and time-consuming, too. One of the main culprits of car breakdowns is the gearbox or transmission. This is basically the system that ensures your car’s power and speed are used optimally at different gear levels. And speaking of faulty gearboxes, it’s important to ask how to know if your gearbox is broken.

Symptoms of a broken gearbox

There are some important warning signs to look out for. Here are some of the main gearbox-bearing failure symptoms:

1. The first symptom is that the car is not going into gear – whether you drive a manual or an automatic vehicle. This can be caused by transmission fluids being low or the incorrect ones being used. Alternatively, it may be the result of shift cables or the clutch linkages needing adjusting (for manual cars).
2. Another symptom to look out for is noticing a burning smell inside your car. In this case, the transmission has most likely overheated or the transmission fluid being on the low side, or again, the incorrect one being used.
3. If you hear a gearbox-bearing noise while your car is in neutral, you’ve got another suspect to pinpoint in terms of determining how to know if your gearbox is broken. This can be a result of mechanical wear, worn reverse idler gear, worn bearings or even worn gear teeth.
4. Gear slipping is another symptom to look out for. This can happen when you’ve changed gear and it slips back to neutral. Not only can this be seriously dangerous, but it can make it harder for you to control your car.
5. A dragging clutch is another problem area to pay attention to. This occurs when the driver pushes the clutch pedal but the vehicle fails to disengage the clutch disk from the flywheel.

It’s important not to wait until it’s time for your car’s service to have your gearbox problems checked out. In fact, the sooner you have this done the more safety you can guarantee for you and everyone around you and the more peace of mind you’ll have. A gearbox problem can be small or large. But you should definitely not wait until the last moment to have it checked out by a trained eye. This is why going to a trusted and reliable car service centre will assure you that you won’t get stranded in the future and that you won’t be a risk to others on the road.

Gearbox repairs in Leicester you can rely on

As mentioned above, a faulty gearbox can not only be dangerous but time consuming and expensive if you don’t catch the problem in time. This is why you can rely on professional gearbox repairs in Leicester, like the one we do at The Motor Company PPS Ltd, to take care of your car and give you back your peace of mind.

The gearbox specialist in Leicester will inspect your vehicle thoroughly. They will check for any sign of a gearbox problem and inform you of the situation before proceeding to get to work. Some of these signs may include burning or odd smells, strange noises coming from the gearbox, the appearance of the “check engine” light, improper gear changing due to the gears either not functioning optimally or slipping back to neutral, incorrect transmission fluid being used or too little fluid in the fluid compartment, grinding and shaking, a dragging clutch and ultimately, the car not going into gear when desired.

Once your vehicle’s service is underway to fix your gearbox problems, you can rest assured that your car’s condition will be significantly improved and you will no longer be a danger to yourself and others on the road.

For expertise and complete assurance that your gearbox or transmission will be well taken care of, choose the friendly professionals at our garage for effective and efficient gearbox repairs in Leicester and the surrounding areas.