Here’s a good article on using transmission fluid color to help determine what is going on in the transmission. Transmission fluid that is worn out can cause harsh gear shifts and damage the synchros and clutches.Ĭhecking your fluid can tell you a whole lot about what is going on inside of the transmission. Now it’s time to see if the fluid itself may be causing your vehicle to shift too hard. That is an obvious sign there is something wrong. Look under where you park the vehicle and check to see if there is any fluid down there. It is possible for some transmissions to shift harder when they are low, but not too low, even if it is not slipping at all. When it finally does grab, it can feel like a harder shift. More often than not, low fluid will cause a transmission to slip, which creates softer shifts. That’s because automatic transmission fluid is a hydraulic fluid that transfers the energy from the engine to the rear wheels. Here is a list of practical things that most people can do when their transmission is shifting too hard.Ī transmission with fluid that’s low, will not operate normally.
Transmission Shifting Hard Diagnosis: Ford Explorer If your Ford Explorer has a hard shifting transmission is not only can be uncomfortable to drive, it can be a sign of some serious problems. One of the most common automatic transmission problems is shifting hard.
