After driving a long distance we pull off the interstate and stop for fuel.  Resuming our trip, the transmission makes a hard shift and sticks in second gear.  Many fears may come to mind such as, what’s happening, can I make it home and how much is this going to cost? 

Manufacturers build vehicles with water resistance in mind. They can operate in a variety of wet conditions, such as heavy rain. Driving through standing water is another matter. It is not of matter of how much water it takes to damage the vehicle. It is shocking how little water it takes to cause considerable damage.

The 2005 through 2010 models of Nissan Pathfinder, X-Terra and Frontier are popular vehicles. Unfortunately, many owners are having major automatic transmission failure at just more than 100,000 miles. Fortunately, it may be preventable.

Scanning the internet for transmission pan leaks, we find many complaints. We also find many suggestions to remedy the problem. Unfortunately, a huge amount of wrong information is present. Most transmission pan leaks result from improper service.

Failure of an automatic transmission is one of the largest repairs most people suffer. Sometimes an automatic transmission dies suddenly, with no warning. More often, subtle signs precede the failure of our transmission. Learning to recognize these warnings can prevent a breakdown and greatly reduce repair costs.

When a modern automatic transmission begins to fail, few signs may let us know. Computers allow them to operate and not show outward signs of a problem that is occurring. When symptoms begin to show, it is normally too late. By learning to watch the shift patterns, we can recognize signs that may help greatly reduce our costs.

Try to check the automatic transmission fluid on a later model Toyota and they may surprise you. Toyota, like several other manufacturers, has eliminated the transmission dipstick on many of their models. Servicing and checking automatic transmission fluid level now takes much more time and must be far more precise.

Engine and transmission mounts isolate vibration and noise from the passenger compartment of the vehicle. When they fail, noises and vibration are normally the two first symptoms. If left unattended, other problems may also develop.

When a vehicle pulls to one side, many folks think it is time for a wheel alignment. Torque-steer often produces the same symptom, but requires a very different repair.

Automatic transmissions benefit from proper service. Unfortunately, many places push a highly profitable up-sell instead. The transmission flush does the vehicle little good and may cause harm.

Vehicle fluids, such as engine oil, automatic transmission fluid and even power steering fluid are highly specialized. Engineers take a multitude of factors into account when specifying these fluids. Damage can be done by using the incompatible fluids or by using stop-leak additives.

Most modern vehicles will not shift out of the park position, unless we apply the brakes. This is a safety feature. The feature may go unnoticed, until the vehicle will not come out of park, even with the brakes applied.

A cracked flexplate is almost always a sign of other problems. If not properly diagnosed it will occur again and often damage to the transmission may follow.

Driving about 45 MPH there is a sudden shudder in the vehicle. It almost feels like running over a rough spot in the road or a cattle guard. As quick as it appeared, it is gone, until the next time it occurs.