One of the more common problems encountered with automatic transmissions is “delayed engagement” which actually sounds like a polite way of describing a couple who’ve been together for years but aren’t married yet. Ah yes, they’re suffering from delayed engagement.
In automatic gearbox terms, it’s when there is a long delay from the moment you make a gear selection to the moment you feel the transmission engage. This is quite common when the engine is cold, but once it has warmed up the transmission should engage almost immediately, smoothly, with no strong jerking or clunking feeling.
If there is a notable delay of more than 1 second from the time you make your selection to the moment the transmission engages, this suggests a problem with the transmission. It could be as simple as low transmission fluid, or it could be more serious.
You can usually check the transmission fluid level yourself; where this is the case your owner’s manual will give you the correct procedure for your vehicle. It’s very similar to checking the oil, so just find the correct dipstick under the bonnet and make sure the fluid level is between the Min and Max lines.
It’s also essential to use the correct transmission fluid for your make and model, as the wrong fluid can lead to problems with shifting, torque converter clutch (TCC) application, or even cause transmission failure. Once again your owner’s manual should tell you the correct fluid type to use. If you’ve purchased the car as a used vehicle then it’s possible a previous owner used the wrong fluid; draining the old fluid and replacing it is a relatively easy and inexpensive job which could make all the difference to your car.
If transmission fluid is not found to be the cause of the delayed engagement, then the engine management computer will have to be looked at – today’s modern computer controlled transmissions have sensors which are linked to the vehicle’s main control system, and failure of any sensor can confuse the system. In the worst cases a sensor failure can make you think you’ve got a major transmission problem, when in fact the sensor can be replaced relatively cheaply.If the fluid level is low it can be topped up, but it also probably means there’s a leak in the system somewhere which should be investigated.
Don’t suffer from delayed engagement! Triggs offer expert servicing and diagnosis of automatic gearbox and transmission problems in the Brentwood area.