When the transmission light comes on it is important to pay attention to your vehicle. If your car or truck is still driving properly, it is not the time to panic. We’ll help you determine what is wrong with your transmission, and why the light is on.
A glowing light bulb as a new idea. Transmission light stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Hand touching global network connection and data exchanges on sky sunset background. Technology and telecommunication concept. A simple definition of light transmission is: When light travels through a medium such as glass without being reflected absorbed or scattered. When this happens light energy is not lost and can be considered 100% transmitted. Light traveling through air that reaches a translucent or transparent medium such as water or glass, not only reflects a little, but penetrates the boundary between the air and the medium. Transmission of Light, is Thomas Cleary's translation of the Denkoroku. This remarkable record of the great 13th century Zen master Keizan (second in importance in the Japanese Soto sect of Zen only to Eihei Dogen) is an extremely accessible and instructive text.
Here are a few simple steps that you can do to determine what is going on with your transmission:
Check The Transmission Fluid
While the transmission light being on could mean anything from a sensor being out to a bad torque converter. I always recommend looking in a place that you’ll only need a napkin to check.
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) is one of the most neglected parts of the vehicle. When was the last time that you checked it? If you never have here’s a quick write up on how check automatic transmission fluid. There’s really not much to it at all. Just make sure that you are on a flat surface and have the vehicle up to the proper operating temperature.
Now it’s time to take a look at the transmission fluid color. You can learn a ton from examining it. Most transmission fluid is pink or light red, depending on what you see when you look at that color. A transmission light can come on if dirty fluid has begun to affect the operation of the transmission itself.
If the fluid is really dark or cloudy, it may be time to have the transmission serviced. You can certainly look up how to change your own fluid on YouTube. It’s really not that difficult on most cars. If changing oils a 3/10 in difficulty, than changing transmission fluid is going to be about a 5/10.
If you do end up changing bad fluid, give the transmission light a bit to turn itself back off.
Has Your Vehicle Felt Different?
Though the powers of observation, you can determine a lot about what is going on with your transmission, and why the transmission light might be on in the first place. It’s like eating bad food “the nose knows”. You should know your car enough to know too.
Has the engine felt like it’s been revving faster as you go down the road? That’s a pretty good indication that the transmission is low on fluid. It’s important to know the signs of low transmission fluid.
Transmission Light Definition
If it feels like the engine could be revving ever so faster going down the highway, but the transmission fluid level is just fine, than you could be looking at the torque converter lock being messed up.
Theres’ a second brake light switch that serves to lock the torque converter. It is typically the culprit in situations like this. It’s very easy to change.
Maybe It’s Nothing (Maybe it’s Not)
Your transmission light will come on when the complex set of sensors in the cars computer tells it that something is operating out of spec. Sometimes it’ll give a false positive and trigger the light.
I don’t recommend ignoring it. You don’t want to end up stuck somewhere when the transmission inevitably gives out. At the very least, take the car up to Autozone and have them do a code scan. They can tell you what the car says is wrong. If it’s something like a speed sensor, and the speedometer still works, it’s probably nothing.
What you don’t want to avoid are the signs that your transmission is going out. These signs are clunking, slipping, and otherwise operating in a way that doesn’t feel normal. If that seems to be what is going on with your transmission, get it repaired before your on the side of the highway or you get stuck in limp mode.
Conclusion: Transmission Light
The transmission light can help you fix the problem before the transmission destroys itself. It’s a really great idea to go ahead and have it looked at before the repair bill explodes.
Your vehicle is equipped with many different dashboard warning lights. Some require urgent attention like the check engine light, oil pressure light, tire pressure light or temperature gauge. Others may not be as urgent, but are worth getting checked out by a professional mechanic as soon as possible. Consult your owner’s manual for more information about the specific warning lights in your vehicle.
Transmission Temperature Warning Light
One light that you never want to see illuminated is the transmission temperature gauge warning light. Excessive heat is the enemy of your vehicle’s transmission and is responsible for many transmission problems. If you see this light come on, you should take immediate action. Call Ralph’s Transmission. We’ll tow your vehicle to our shop at no charge. We’ll perform an external inspection and run diagnostics to determine the problem. If transmission repairs are recommended, we’ll give you an estimate and let you decide how you want to proceed.
Different Colors
Most modern vehicles will illuminate the transmission temperature warning light in different colors depending on the severity of the problem. Yellow usually means the issue is less urgent while red will mean it’s very urgent and you should probably get off the road immediately. No matter what color the light is, you will want to get it looked at by a transmission specialist as soon as you can.
Healthy Transmission Temperature
The ideal temperature for your transmission should be about 200 degrees. Even if you are running as few as 20 degrees above that, your transmission will only last about half as long as it should. That’s how much heat can affect your transmission.
Other Warning Signs
Your dashboard warning lights aren’t foolproof. The light may come on in error or it may not come on when it should. If you notice funny smells (especially a sweet burning smell), it could be the sign of excessive heat in your transmission. It’s never a bad idea to check your transmission fluid level somewhat regularly. Just like you can check your oil, there is a separate dipstick under the hood that allows you to check the depth and consistency of your transmission fluid. It should be bright red in color. If it looks/smells burnt or the levels are low, you’ll want to get a standard transmission service as soon as possible.
Transmission Light
Your transmission is one of your vehicle’s most important components, so it’s vital to take care of it and get things looked at by an expert if there are any signs of transmission problems.
Transmission Light Came On Then Off
For all your transmission repair and service needs, count on Modesto’s own Ralph’s Transmission. Call our shop today at 209.526.1909 or schedule an appointment online.