Automatic cars are great because the driver doesn’t have to think about changing gears. However, transmission problems can happen in automatic cars too. And it can be annoying when an automatic gearbox won’t shift into high gear. We will take a look at the causes of Automatic Transmission Is Not Shifting Into High Gear in this article.
If you think your automatic car isn’t going into high gears or isn’t changing right, keep reading to learn why.
A leak in the transmission oil is often to blame when the automatic transmission won’t go into high gear. A broken oil seal is often to blame when there are leaks in an automatic transmission system. If there is a fluid leak, it could be in the cooler, the pan cover, the fluid lines, or the input or output shaft seal.
What does an automatic transmission do?
A manual or automatic engine is built into every car. Some drivers like the feel of a manual car. Also known as a “stick,” but most cars on the road in the US have an automatic gear.
To tell the difference between a manual and an automatic transmission. One must shifted by the driver, while an automatic transmission does it all by itself.
The only thing a driver of an automatic car needs to do is change the gears to Drive, Park, or Neutral. There is a lot going on inside an automatic transmission, even though it sounds pretty simple. Let’s look at the different parts:
- Case for the transmission.
- Changer for torque
- Pump for oil
- Brake band
- Pan with oil
- Set of planetary gears
- Body of the valve
- Pack clutch
- Input and exit shaft
You may not think there is so much to an automatic gear, but there is.
Even though each part is important for the gearbox to work. Drivers only need to know about the torque converter, planetary gear set, and brake bands to understand how automatic cars work.
Converter of Torque
In an automatic gearbox, the driver doesn’t have to press a clutch pedal to change gears, so the torque converter is there.
When the car needs to change gears, the torque converter works to connect and disconnect the engine from the driveline. It moves the car forward with the help of fluid dynamics.
It is possible to leave an automatic car in drive. When you press the stop pedal. The torque transfers from the engine.
This means that when you take your foot off the brake pedal. Torque converter will allow the car to move forward.
Gears for Planets
It’s not the same on the gearset side of an automatic car as it is on a manual car. Automatic cars use Planetary gears. They work by making different gear ratios for different speeds.
An electric device in the transmission controls the planetary gears. This is how the gears in your automatic car change when the car is going a certain speed.
Inside the planetary gear set are stop bands and clutches that help the gears change between the different gear ratios.
Tighten or loosen Brake bands and clutches to stop or move certain gears. The clutches and bands inside the planetary gear set are control by electronics and hydraulics.
To use the automatic gearbox, the driver must put the car in Drive and press the gas pedal. The crankshaft in the engine starts to turn faster when you press down accelerator.
The torque converter gets more and more pressed as the engine turns. When the vehicle starts to move. electronics or hydraulics figure out how fast the engine and car are going and tell the planetary gears to move up and down.
Electronics are often used instead of hydraulics in today’s cars for the automatic system. The transmission fluid in an automatic car provides hydraulic power to move the different parts and keeps the system well-oiled.
It is important to have transmission oil, but if there is a leak, the system will start to break down.
There are signs The automatic transmission won’t go into high gear.
Since you never see an automatic car changing gears. It can be hard to tell if your performance problems are because broken transmission or not.
Should you think that your car’s automatic transmission isn’t moving up properly, here are some signs that it might be:
- It’s easy for the car to move from first to second gear, but it won’t move below third gear.
- It’s hard for the automatic transmission to stay in the right gear because the gears are moving.
- The car will only move when it is in Reverse. When you chose to Drive, the car will not move forward.
If any of these things happen when you’re driving your automatic car, there is definitely a problem with the clutch that needs to be fixed.
When you’re going fast in your car and don’t shift into higher gears, you may feel the car moving. A burning smell coming from the engine could also mean that the transmission system is broken.
‘Emergency mode’ is a feature that many automatic cars have. It is used when the gears aren’t working right or when the transmission won’t work at all.
Reasons Most of the Time an Automatic Transmission Is Not Shifting Into High Gear
You may have noticed that your automatic car isn’t going into higher gears. This could be because of a number of things.
Not Enough Transmission Fluid
If you find that your transmission isn’t shifting right, the first thing you should do is check the level of transmission fluid. In an automatic gearbox, the pressure that moves the parts around is created by the transmission fluid.
The gears won’t shift right when the fluid level is low. Most of the time, leaks in the system cause low transmission oil .
Leaks can be caused by old or damaged oil seals, broken pipe connections, or a vacuum corrector membrane that doesn’t work right.
There could be a slow leak, which is usually caused by parts that are worn out, or a bigger leak that happens all of a sudden and stops the transmission from working.
The moving parts of the transmission won’t be able to work right when the fluid is leaking, which can cause problems changing gears.
Friction Clutch Damage
It may be hard to shift if the friction clutches inside the automatic transmission get damaged or run out. Some antifreeze can damage the friction gears if it gets into the automatic transmission.
The friction clutch can wear out when coolant and transmission oil are mixed together.
Bad sensors
The transmission speed sensors tell the engine control module (PCM) of a car what to do. The input sensor checks the speed of the transmission’s input, and the output sensor checks the speed of the transmission’s output.
With these two measurements you can correctly keep an eye on the transmission’s speed. And make sure the right gear ratios and gears usage.
The Powertrain Control Module of the car won’t be able to properly tell which gear the transmission should be in if any of these sensors stop working.
If the PCM can’t match the gear the car should be using to the gear it is using, the check engine light will come on.
If the PCM isn’t getting and analyzing correct info, the transmission won’t work right, and your car might not be able to shift to higher gears.
Not Tight Throttle Cables
The throttle wires decide where the accelerator pedal goes, and if the connection isn’t tight, it can mess up the transmission.
The throttle cables are thin metal wires. If they lose tension or the link breaks, the transmission won’t work right when you press on the gas pedal.
You might not be able to get into higher gears with an automatic transmission. If the throttle cables are broken. You will also notice that the gears don’t shift as quickly as they should. If any of the wires are broken, the transmission will not work at all.
How to Fix Problems With Automatic Transmission Shifting
A mechanic can figure out what’s wrong with your transmission. To get the error numbers from the car’s PCM, they might need to use an OBD scanner.
In order to fix something, a mechanic must first figure out what the trouble is.
The following fixes can help you get the transmission to shift easily into higher gears again, though, if you can figure out what’s wrong.
Put in more transmission fluid.
If there isn’t enough transmission fluid, the automatic gearbox won’t be able to find the right gear. You need to find the source of the leak before you add more transmission oil.
If the leak is caused by seals, O-rings, or gaskets that are worn out. You will need to replace them before you add more fluid.
Change the friction clutch.
If you know that the gearbox problems are caused by a worn-out friction clutch, you can’t fix them.
You will need to install a new friction clutch. If the old one is so rusted and broken that it is affecting how well the transmission works.
Put in new sensors.
If the speed sensors in the transmission break, the transmission will not work properly, and you might not be able to shift into higher gears. As soon as you know the sensors are the issue, you will need to change them.
Tighten up any loose connections.
This could be because of loose connections on the throttle wires or somewhere else in the transmission system. Tightening these connections need to make the transmission shift easily.
You should only try to fix this kind of thing if you know what you’re doing. A repair may charge for their time, but it’s very unlikely that they will do any more damage than is necessary to fix the transmission problems.
In order to avoid transmission problems in the future, always make sure that you have enough transmission oil and that the fluid you use is of good quality.
Make sure you only use the Neutral setting when you have to. Using it too often can cause moving issues. Also, pulling heavy things can damage transmissions, so keep that in mind if you want to buy an automatic car.
FAQs
How do I fix an automatic transmission that won’t change gears?
A mechanic can figure out what’s wrong with your automatic car’s transmission if it won’t shift. Fluid leaks and broken seals in the gearbox system are common reasons why the car won’t shift.
In what way does an automatic transmission refuse to shift?
All the moving parts in the transmission system are sure to do their jobs properly by the hydraulic pressure that transmission fluid creates.
There could be a leak in the transmission oil, a broken valve body, or a clogged filter if the car won’t shift gears. If the torque converter doesn’t work right, the transmission won’t be able to shift into gear, and the car won’t be able to move.
What does it cost to get a new transmission solenoid?
It depends on where you get the work done. And what kind of car you have how much it costs to replace the transmission switch. A new gearbox solenoid, on the other hand, usually costs between $200 and $500.
What could go wrong with an automatic transmission?
Auto transmissions can break down for a lot of different reasons. Using the wrong oil for your car. forgetting to engage the parking brake when in Park mode. And speeding up or slowing down without signaling are the most common ways that transmissions gets a damage.
Conclusion
If you are moving and the automatic transmission won’t go into high gear, it’s most likely because the fluid level is too low.
Too little fluid in the transmission can happen if there are leaks or if you forget to add more as part of normal maintenance on your car.
Besides not being able to shift into high gears, other common transmission issues are shifting too quickly or too slowly, or the transmission not working at all, which stops the car from moving.
