When your car has an automatic transmission, you may be curious as to what happens when the auto shifts into a higher gear.
If you are like most people, you hold your breath when the transfer case clicks into place and the wheels turn. This is beautiful and nerve-wracking at the same time!
The movement of the transmission creates a corresponding movement of the gears. When there is more gear rotation, there is more pressure on the shift lever to change gears.
This pressure can happen inside of you as a driver, or to take advantage of a different gear when driving on highways. There are several reasons why your automatic does not move into another gear.
Contents:
Throttle position sensor
When your automatic transmission is in the low gear position, the throttle position sensor will not be able to detect enough movement at the throttle blade. This can result in a stuck or closed engine case!
This happens when the car is driving, but not when you are driving. The car has to be shifted into a higher gear to start it working!
If this happens, you can usually just shift it into a higher gear and it will work fine. Just make sure that your wheels are free to move freely before trying this!
Some cars have a problem with their Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). If this is your car, you may need to replace it. In that case, you would need to get your car back in drive and shift it in and out several times to install it.
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Gear selector linkage
A problem can happen when you try to shift into a lower gear, or enter a higher gear. This can happen when you have theSPONSOREDorsolvedtheproblem.
The Automatic Transmission Won’t Go Into Gear Can Be Occasional, Sometimes Every Few Months Or Yearly Change Of Gears. When It Happens, You Have To Re-apply The Break In Procedure To Get Another Try At Changing Averages.
It Can Happen When You Are Changing The Oil Or Grease As Well.
Gear selector slot alignment
This can be a scary thing to diagnose and fix, so take your time to do it properly.
When the transmission is in gear, the gear selector MUST be in the center position. If it is not, then when you push down on the gear shift Knuckle, it will move into another position.
When one of these transmission models are installed in a vehicle, the alignment of the gears must be done prior to installing the transmission in place of the engine. This can be done using a small piece of wood or something similar.
If this step is not done, then when the transmission goes into place, one will have to push down again and re-align by moving either end of the gear away from each other.
Torque converter lockup clutch
A torque converter lockup clutch can happen for a number of reasons. The most common reason it occurs is when the driver hits the gas pedal and the vehicle stops, but the transmission does not shift into park or out of park.
This happens when the vehicle has a heavy load on it and the weight moves the axle back into park position. The agency that makes sure this doesn’t happen is called a torque converter lockup prevention system (TCLP).
This system monitors pressure in the torque converter and if it drops below specified levels, it prevents movement until you release it. Many vehicles have TCLP’s these days as newer technologies make them less likely to break down.
If your transmission doesn’t go into gear whenever you put a foot on the accelerator or brake, then look into fixing this problem.
Electrical issues
Electrical issues are common for all of these, and they can ruin your day if not handled correctly.
The first electrical issue you should know about is a bad battery. When the charge in the battery is low, it will not hold a charge and/or transmit electricity.
This can be dangerous if it goes into gear without being charged or when it needs to be charged because it is dead.
The second issue is a bad alternator. The alternator keeps the generator running when you need it to, but if it does not hold a charge for a long time, you may have problems.
If this happens to you, you may need to go out and buy another one! Luckily, there are plenty of places that sell them online or in your area.
Fluid leak
If a automatic transmission is not working properly, then you can check the fluid level. The fluid level should be enough to cover the outer gear ring and inner gear ring.
If it is not, then there may be a small amount of fluid inside the transmission. This may cause the transmission to stop moving or shift improperly. To check if this happens, try shifting into park or shut off position and see if it moves easily. If so, then it is fine!
Generally, auto transmissions require oil to be working and flowing inside it to function properly. If this oil is getting old or you are going through it quickly, then you should consider buying a automatic transmission change kit. These contain new oil and grease for your automatic transmission as well as a new sealant to keep it in place.
Transmission oil level low
When your BMW automatic transmission goes into gear, the rest of the car moves. The gear teeth have to mesh with the other gears to move.
If the transmission oil level is low, then the gears must push forward to operate. This allows for proper operating of the transmission and proper shifting.
When this happens, it needs to be drained and replaced. A professional can do this for a low oil level so that it does not wear out the Transmission when in use.
To check the oil level, take off one wheel and put another on. If it looks dry or no oil seems to be moving, then it is too low.
Transmission oil quality poor
A large percentage of people who own this transmission have some kind of complaint about it. Some have noticed a slight loud noise when its shifts into second or back out of park. These sounds are referred to as shift noise.
The shift noise is due to the fact that the transmission has a difficult time changing gears. This happens sometimes as a result of an oil quality issue.
When it needs you to go, first you have to put enough oil in the transmission to make it move, then you can shift it! To help keep your automatic Transmission running smooth, you should check the oil quality regularly.
Using a special tool, you can test whether or not the oil is clean. If it is not, then you must get some new ones and change them every now and then.