Automatic Transmission Problems

B&M performance transmissions

Automatic transmission problems can be some of the most expensive repairs on today’s automobiles. In my 25 year career the entire automobile has advanced and gone through many changes.

The automatic transmission in my opinion has seen more changes than any other system on the automobile. Back in the 60s a two and three speed automatic transmission was all that you could get in any new car.

Today it is more common to have a six speed transmission or even a constant velocity transmission or CVT. What is amazing about modern units is that they use all of the advancements in automotive technology to improve operation.

Even though these advancements help improve drivability and efficiency they have not seemed to reduce automatic transmission problems. Internal malfunctions continue to be on the same level as they were in the previous years.

Automatic transmission history

Sidebar: In my day B&M was all the rage for those interested in high performance. They still offer shift kits and high performance automatic transmissions.

Automatic transmissions in the 80’s and 90’s relied on hydraulic controls to up shift the transmission. This upshift through the gears was controlled without a computer. The use of a governor and a throttle valve were the internal components that controlled the up shifting. Read more