It's common for a transmission to make a lot of sounds when it has mechanical issues, such as a humming noise. Therefore, if you are trying to find out what is wrong with your transmission, you might want to listen carefully to narrow down the potential issue. However, you won't be able to know for sure what is wrong with the transmission until you have it looked at by an auto services shop.
Why Your Transmission is Important
The transmission is one part of your vehicle that absolutely must work or your car will not be going anywhere. This is because the transmission allows your vehicle to shift gears so you can go forward or in reverse.
Check Your Fluid Levels
If you hear a humming noise, it's likely that you have low transmission fluid. Inspect the fluid levels to determine if they need to be topped off. However, your transmission might also need to be inspected to make sure that it doesn't have any leaks. By leaking transmission fluid, your fluid levels will often be very low. Also, the transmission fluid is corrosive and can damage other metal parts when it leaks out.
Your Fluid Might Be Contaminated
Even if you have enough transmission fluid, your problem might have more to do with the fluid being contaminated by metal shavings. If you inspect your transmission crankcase, you may notice fragments, metal flakes, and metal shavings. These shavings are a sign that the transmission is experiencing wear and tear. However, transmissions will sometimes have metal shavings even when there is nothing wrong with the transmission other than normal wear and tear.
If the wear and tear is excessive, your transmission fluid will not be pink but will instead have a wine color or will be brown. If this is the case, you'll need to have your transmission looked at by auto services to find out what is wrong.
Your Transmission Might Be Damaged
Pay attention to whether your transmission is humming in only one gear or if it is humming in all gears. If your transmission is always humming, this can mean that you have a damaged shaft or bearing.
You will need to contact an auto service shop to find out if your transmission needs to be repaired, rebuilt, or replaced. Otherwise, you might eventually find your car stranded and will have to tow it to a repair shop.
To learn more, reach out to a mechanic that offers a variety of services, including Audi auto services.