Our cars make a lot of smells when they run, the most troubling of which is a burning smell when your engine is running. This type of scent can be caused by a wide range of problems, the most common of which is an overheating transmission.

Burning Smells Often Indicate Transmission Problems

If you sniff out a burning smell when your car is running, there's a chance your transmission is overheating. This smell is often somewhat sweet, as the fluid in the engine is often boiling away. These burning smells are most likely to be noticeable when your engine is struggling such as driving up a hill or during difficult idling moments.

The most typical cause of an overheating transmission is a transmission fluid leak. Without transmission fluid, your transmission will continue to get hot and burn. While this might not seem like a big deal, it's very important to get a leak fixed immediately.

The Importance Of Having All Your Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid is important because it helps keep your transmission running properly. Without its fluid, it will generate an excessive level of heat that can damage your engine. It also keeps it lubricated and keeps its gears from rubbing excessively and causing noise. Transmission problems often start small and hard-to-notice and are usually caused by leaking transmission fluid.

The worst part is what happens if you let your fluid leak out and your transmission fails. A busted transmission can cost thousands of dollars to replace, and in older vehicles, it often costs more than simply replacing the vehicle. As a result, it is important to know how to gauge when your transmission is leaking and how to stop it.

Checking For A Leak

There are a few different types of transmission leaks that could be affecting your engine. Non-pressure leaks are often the worst because they occur whenever the fluid level is high enough on the engine to reach the leak. This is most typical when you literally have a hole in your transmission that allows the fluid to leak out.

Pressure-related leaks occur only when the pressure or heat is high enough in the transmission. You're likely to notice these leaks due to the smell of burning that occurs when your engine is running. They are often the trickiest types to fix because they are caused by pressure problems in the engine that can be hard to identify.

If you suspect your car's transmission is leaking, call a professional transmission repair expert right away. They can help you identify the source of the leak and fix it before it become a major problem.

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