Replacing an automatic transmission, can be more expensive than replacing the entire car. However, long before the transmission problems have reached the point of no return, it will show you signs that it is in trouble. If you are aware of what these signs are, and what they could signify, then you have a chance at catching the transmission problems before it is too late to do anything except replace the transmission, or the car. Repairing potential issues, is much less inexpensive then replacing because of the issues.
Pay Attention to the Hints from Your Car. When people get sick, we understand that our bodies are trying to tell us that something is wrong. And so we either go to the doctor, or to the drug store to get medicine for ourselves. If our noses start running, or we start coughing or sneezing, if we start to feel sluggish, or run down, we know that we are sick. By the time we start running a fever, we realize that we really need to see a doctor. The same thought process could and should be applied to our cars. The examples listed below, are the hints that we are given by our car when it is trying to tell us that it needs to see a car doctor, the mechanic.
Tell Tale Hints Of Transmission Trouble. Take a look underneath your car, if you see any wet spots or stains on the ground, then something is leaking. Any sort of leak is a sign that something not good is going on, but if the stain is red in color, then the leak is most likely coming from your transmission. If it is only a few drops, then you have some time before you should have it checked, it is not urgent right now, but it could become a major problem.
Even if you have not noticed a leak under the car, if you do notice that your fluid levels have dropped, then by all means, check them. The transmission fluid should be a translucent red color, if it has a cloudy or muddy color, or has a burnt smell to it, that means that the fluid needs to be changed.
If you feel vibrations when you are shifting gears, or if the car seems to stutter and drag through a gear shift, this is a clear sign of trouble. The problem could be something minor, like you are low on fluid, or it could be more serious, like damaged transmission cables.
Your transmission should be able to run smoothly and in relative silence. Any sort of whiny or grinding noise that seems to be coming from under the floorboards, is a severe cause for concern. This could indicate that there is a problem with the gears, or with the valves.
An overheating transmission is the worst hint that you can encounter, because at this point, it means that your car has already shown you all the other hints, and you either missed them completely, or did not know what they meant. Overheating is a clear sign of quite a few potential problems. From a solenoid that is damaged, to a restriction in the oil cooler. The only option left to you by the time this occurs, is to take your car in to be serviced.
Debt is rising and there seems to be little chance of effectively stopping it from slowing down, never mind about decreasing. And in most cases, consumers have turned toward so-called ‘debt consolidation’ companies, more recently known as ‘debt settlement’ or ‘debt negotiation’ companies. But the truth is that most of these companies exhibit the same predatory characteristics as those who advertised themselves under the banner of ‘debt consolidation’ companies before the spate of bad publicity and legal actions against them. And the simple reason for this is that they are one and the same, having only adjusted their names and supposed ‘affiliations’ as time wore on and more and more people fell into debt.
Getting Deeper Into Debt
A report by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) indicated that these new ‘lenders’ often drive their clients deeper into debt and reclaim amounts owned by securing collateral, most commonly cars, against these loans. The tragedy of the situation is that there is a fair percentage of individuals who have already faced foreclosures on their homes and subsequently need money to pay off other debts such as credit cards, most of whom apply for these car title loans. More often than not, these loans are for amounts that represent a mere fraction of the car’s worth and have an annual interest rate sometimes of up to 300%. And, to top it all off, title lenders require a duplicate set of keys before they hand over the cash.
This has of course triggered a reaction from bodies such as the CFA, urging states to tighten laws on these predatory title lenders making the practice illegal. But there is still a long way to go as states seem lax about closing those loopholes used by title lenders to exploit those suffering hardships and to reject legislation that would make the trade legal.
Learning from the Past
There is, in retrospect, a moral to be gleamed from the situation, one that will more than likely force consumers and those who lend money to finance their lifestyles and expenditures to re-evaluate their approach to finances. It is often one only learnt from experience which states that debt, regardless of what kind, is not a good thing. But for some that kind of advice might be just a little too late, which means that the best course of action now is on how to differentiate between the good and the bad.
Well, one way is to contact the local consumer protection agency directly as many of these predatory debt consolidation agencies state like affiliations on their advertising material as well as on the Internet. Another authority on the matter is the Better Business Buro (BBB) who’ll be able to advise on legitimate and reduced-risk businesses that offer consumer credit counseling services. These businesses usually operate at a reduced fee and offer free seminars on debt management and budgeting.
Both Juble & Remy Na are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Juble has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cars, south beach diet and Cars. Know The Signs Of A Transmission Going Bad. Juble's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Remy Na has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pregnancy Problems, Debts Loans and Family. Mint is a modern, powerful, easy and secure Web–based solution for management. For your free. Remy Na's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.