Transmission Slips When Turning Left (5 Steps to Fix)

Your transmission can go wrong for various reasons. You might’ve noticed your transmission slip while turning left. Surprisingly it’s not happening because of the turning. The problem actually lies in the transmission fluid.

So, why do transmission slips when turning left?

Mostly, the vehicles having automatic transmission face this problem. The reason behind this can be the overflowing of the gear oil. This can also happen if the gear oil is low. Or, you might not have changed the transmission fluid soon. However, the solution is similar for both automatic and manual transmission.

This is just the overview. This article will guide you through all the steps you need to fix this problem.

Why Transmission Slips Happen (3 Common Reasons)

Basically, the transmission allows you to change your gear from time to time. So, it’s really annoying when the transmission slips. Let’s see what can cause this problem.

1. Overflowing Transmission Fluid

Transmission fluid is also known as gear oil. Overflowing transmission fluid can lead to foaming up inside the transmission. It’s called cavitation. This leads to oil starvation, erratic shifting, and internal transmission damage.

One way to avoid this issue is to measure the amount of fluid while changing.

2. Low Transmission Fluid

Low transmission fluid is also a cause of transmission slipping. When the amount of fluid is low, it might dry soon. After that, the solenoid won’t be getting enough hydraulic pressure to work.

This will cause miss shifting and erratic shifting as well.

Most automatic transmission vehicles have transmission fluid dipsticks. So, the fluid level can be checked. Other transmissions will possess a fill hole. You’ve to pour the transmission fluids until it comes out of the fill hole.

3. Dirty Transmission Fluid

There can be some things that can go wrong with the transmission fluid.

Transmission fluids can get contaminated metal flakes. You’ll notice the color of the transmission fluid has gone black. Which was supposed to be red. So, you should get yourself a new transmission fluid.

When you change the transmission fluid, it’s important to change the transmission filter too. Because the old transmission fluid might leave some dirt even if you take it off.

So, now that you know about the reasons why the transmission slips. You must want to know the solution. Well, there’s only one solution unless it has internal problems.

So, without delay, let’s look into the solution.

How to Fix Transmission Slips in 5 Steps

Fixing the issue will need changing the transmission fluid as well as the transmission filter. However, the job isn’t quite difficult and you can get it done in no time.

Tools Required

For this process, you’ll be needing some materials. Make sure you have everything listed below-

New transmission fluid

One automatic screwdriver
One dripping tray
Pair of gloves

Now that you’ve gathered all the required materials, let’s start the process.

Step 1: Checking Transmission Fluid

First, check the color of the transmission fluid. If you have a dipping stick for transmission fluid, just take it out and check the color.

If not, you can check the fill hole of your transmission fluid. Fluid should be dripping out of the hole. You just take some of it on your hands and check if it’s red or black. If it’s black, you should change it immediately.

Step 2: Opening the Fluid Container

Now, you’ll have to open the fluid container to take out all the dirty fluid. There will be 5-6 screws which you have to take out. But it’s better to take out only three screws. This way you can control the dripping of the fluid.

In case you need an automatic screwdriver, here are our recommendations-

Keep the dripping tray beneath the spot. Thus you can measure the fluid. You can get the perfect amount of fluid you need to fix the transmission.

Step 3: Taking Out the Transmission Filter

Once you take out all the transmission fluid, you’ll have to remove the old transmission filter. You can use transmission filters from any company.

Here are some top-picked transmission filters for you.

Use the automatic screwdriver to take out the transmission filter. After taking out the filter, you’ll see the filter is contaminated with dirt.

Step 4: Fixing the New Transmission Filter

Now, fix the new filter just like the way the older one was. You can use some lubricants in the screws for future purposes.

Step 5: Pouring the New Transmission Fluid

After fixing the new transmission filter, you’ve to pour the transmission fluid. Keep in mind that you’ve to pour the exact amount of fluid you took out.

So, measure the amount you have in your dripping tray. Then pour the exact amount in the fill hole.

Here are some of our top-picked transmission fluids.

You’ll be satisfied with their usage.

So, these are the steps that you have to follow. We hope that these steps can make your work a lot easier. Take good care of your car or else, your car might be detonating slowly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can a car be driven with a slipping transmission?

Answer: Apparently, you can drive your car with a slipping transmission. But, it is not recommended to do so. Since your car is not responding to you as it should, you might fall into unexpected situations.

Question: At what interval should I change my transmission fluid?

Answer: The ideal time to change your transmission fluid manual cars is once every 30,000-50,000 miles. For automatic cars, the ideal time is after running for 60,000-100,000 miles.

Question: Can I mix the old and new transmission fluid?

Answer: If your transmission fluid is fine, you can mix the old one with the new one. But if your fluid is impure and dirty, you should remove all the previous fluid first. Then add the new transmission fluid.

Conclusion

We hope we could find your answer to why transmission slips while turning left. If you’re still having any issues, don’t be shy to share them with us.

Till then, best of luck!

Author

Recent Posts

Rob Dahm

My name is Rob Dham. I am the founder & managing editor of greaseandgears.com. I am trying to offer invaluable insights and solutions to everyday vehicle-related challenges.