7 Signs Your Car Needs an Automatic Transmission Service

The transmission is the gearbox of your car. But a lot of people forget just how important a regular automatic transmission service is – and they suddenly remember when they bring it in for an automatic transmission repair!

At Steve Sorensons Mechanical, we always recommend an auto pre purchase inspection. This is because the last thing you want is to buy a second hand car and have to pay for an automatic transmission repair.

So here are 7 signs that your car (or a car you want to buy) needs an automatic transmission service.

1.    Check engine light: Sounds simple but the check engine light goes on for a number of different reasons, and one of them is a problem with your transmission. So an overall check including an automatic transmission service can save you a lot of money down the road.

2.    Slipping gears: In an automatic, if it feels like the gears are changing at the wrong time or too often this can be a serious safety issue. Slipping gears can be a safety issue.

3.    Slow engagement:  When you put your automatic in Drive and hit the gas, if there is a delay in moving - then there could be a problem with your transmission. Avoid a costly automatic transmission repair bill and have a check up soon.

4.    A burnt smell: This could be your transmission fluid. And means that your transmission is overheating and the fluid is getting very hot. Book it in and get it checked.

5.    Leaking fluid: This is one of the easiest problems to notice. Automatic transmission fluid is bright red so spotting a leak is easy. Another sign of a leak is if you need to top-up your transmission frequently.

6.    Jarring transmission changes: In an automatic, the gear changes are very smooth. If you feel anything other than a smooth transmission – get it checked out.

7.    Car does not move: This is another easy one! If you put your car in Drive or Reverse and hit the gas – if the car stays right where it is (you did take the brake off didn’t you?) – then you might just have a problem with the transmission.

So call us for your next auto pre purchase inspection or automatic transmission service or repair on 07 3809 2711, fill in our online enquiry form or drop in for a chat at Unit 1/7 St Jude Court, Browns Plains, QLD 4118.

The Beginner’s Guide to a Car Brake Service

At Steve Sorensen Mechanical, our clients ask us a lot of good questions. But there tends to be three common themes – leaks, weird noises and brakes. And it is the third topic we are going to take a look at today. Specifically – a car brake service or an auto brake service.

A car brake service comes under the umbrella of vehicle maintenance services and can also be part of a good pre purchase inspection.

So let’s talk about the common brake jobs we do here at Sorensen’s:

 Replacing brake pads: This is a quick job and many people try this at home. The problem with just replacing the pads is that this can be only half of the problem. That squealing you hear when you put your foot on the brake can be caused by a combination of worm brake pads and rotors. So just replacing the pads might not fix the problem.

 Replacing brake pads and rotors: The brake pads are seated on the rotors and depending on how worn they are, they may also need to be replaced. But sometimes they are too worn and they just have to be replaced as part of your auto brake service.

If you leave it too long to replace your brakes, then they will eventually fail. Here are 5 signs you need a car brake service:

 Your brake light comes on! But quite often this is only for the front brakes – so if your back brakes are the problem you the break light won’t tell you this.

 You are taking longer to stop than usual.

 Your brake pads are less than 6mm thick – you might need to remove the tyre to see this. Check both the inside and the outside pads for wear.

 At first you will hear a high pitched squeal when you touch the brakes, but as they continue to wear you will hear a grinding sound.

 Your car pulls left or right when driving or braking. This could indicate a problem with the brake system, the tyres or your suspension. Best to have an auto brake service to find out for sure.

So give a call for all your pre purchase inspections and vehicle maintenance services or if you think you need a car brake service.

Please Call us on 07 3809 2711, fill in our online enquiry form or drop in for a chat at Unit 1/7 St Jude Court, Browns Plains, QLD 4118.