What Your Car's Transmission Is Trying to Tell You

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If you find that the noise coming from the back of your car is actually drowning out the heavy metal on your stereo, then you'll want to take investigative action. Seriously though, any type of unusual noise coming from the transmission is a sign of impending failure and you'll want to book some time with your mechanic as soon as possible. What are some of the noises you may worry about?

Whining and Grinding

If you notice a sound that seems to get louder only when you are accelerating it means that the teeth on opposing ends of the differential components are engaging at the wrong angle and pressure. The opposite is true if you happen to notice a whining  or roaring noise when you let off the accelerator. This means that there is not enough contact between the teeth on these items.

Clicking and Knocking

You may notice a distinctive clicking or knocking sound occasionally. This could be traced to the axle shafts which connect the wheels to the differential unit itself. The splines which allow the engagement could be wearing out, or there could be damage to one of the teeth on the differential gears. In either case these components will have to be replaced.

Sometimes, you'll notice a noise only when you're turning. This could be attributed to something as relatively simple as wheel bearings which need to be repacked or replaced. In this case, the bearing on the opposite side to the way you are turning will be the culprit.

A noise during turning could also be an issue within the differential. In this case internal bearings could be to blame as well, but this is more difficult to fix and will require the disassembly of the differential.

How It All Works

The differential is one of the most complex pieces of equipment on the car. A tremendous amount of pressure affects these parts on a constant basis, as drive is converted from the engine into usable proportion at the wheels. The parts within are engineered to very precise tolerances from hard wearing metals. These parts will usually last a long time despite the pressure, but so long as the right type of differential fluid is used. Many motorists omit to check the condition of this fluid for long periods of time and this is a false economy.

Engaging the Mechanic

Make sure that you book your car in for a full auto service to get to the bottom of those strange noises, before any additional damage is caused.

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11 January 2017

Critical Auto Service Tips for Business Travellers

If you drive a lot for business, you probably put a lot of kilometres on your vehicle. Whether you are driving from client to client in the same city or driving across the country, your vehicle needs to be well prepared for the journey. You don't want to miss out on a great opportunity because your car has broken down on the way to the meeting. Hi, my name is Carla, and I've been stranded on the side of the road, desperately trying to reach a client to reschedule. After that experience, however, I decided that I needed to pay more attention to auto service, and recently I decided to create this blog to help others in similar situations. Thanks for reading! I hope my tips help you!