The transmission is probably one of the most complicated components in your vehicle.
Your vehicle’s transmission is probably one of its most complicated components. Its nickname, the “gearbox”, comes from its metal case which houses a series of gears. To power your vehicle, the transmission transfers power from the engine to the wheels. It is responsible for making sure the right amount of power goes to the wheels so they can operate at a given speed.
Each gear operates within a specific ratio to ensure that the wheels and engine don’t spin at the same speed. When you take off from a dead stop, your vehicle uses a lower gear ratio to get the car moving using more power and less speed. Transmissions maintain low RPMs while moving the vehicle at higher speeds with a higher gear ratio.
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The manual transmission (MT), also known as a manual gearbox, is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, in which the driver manually selects gears using a clutch pedal and gear stick.. Engaging the clutch pedal disengages the clutch mechanism that is located between the engine and the transmission. You can change gears by pressing down on the clutch pedal, which stops power from going from the engine to the transmission.
For most of the 20th century, all drivers only knew the manual transmission, and many millennials remember learning to drive with a manual vehicle.
Although we still get a lot of new models, there are still some of us who do not want to admit that manual transmissions are slowly disappearing.
Auto Motor und Sport reports that all new VW models introduced after 2023 will lack a manual transmission, although this will mainly affect vehicles in the European market. By 2030, the change will affect models sold in the U.S. and China.
According to MOTORTREND, the manual transmission lifespan is closely tied to the lifespan of the internal combustion engine. VW is planning to stop selling new cars with internal combustion engines sometime between 2033 and 2035 in most major markets, with 70 percent of new cars sales being EV by 2030.
More and more articles will feature headlines like “Wolfsburg’s stick shift is dying”. Most of us are preparing to enter the new era, which means leaving the manual transmission behind.
Audi and Volkswagen’s market share of automatic transmissions have already grown in recent years. With an automatic transmission, the driver simply selects “D” on the shifter and the car does all the hard work. Over the years, automatic vehicles have become increasingly affordable, reliable, economical, and have been able to establish themselves in lower segments. The main reason for this is the switch from torque converter automatics to direct-shift transmissions.
Manual Transmission Advantages
Lower purchase price.
Many drivers like the feeling of being in control.
Fuel efficient.
Superior acceleration – favored by race car and performance drivers.
Less expensive to service.
Manual transmissions, like any other vehicle component, also have their share of issues.
Common Manual Transmission Problems:
Having trouble select gears?
The most common cause of this is a loose linkage, worn shift cables, or worn bearings.
There are other reasons why a manual transmission is hard to shift, including:
Internal parts that are worn or loose
The wrong kind of gear oil, or low oil level
Misaligned transmission
Synchronizer issues
Transmission in Stuck in Gear
You may notice that you just cannot get the transmission out of gear.
This can be caused by:
• Low oil level or the incorrect
type of oil
• Problems with the linkage or shifter assembly
• Internal components: shift rail, detents, forks or a stuck synchronizer
sleeve
• Worn-out/ broken drive gear teeth
• A stuck shift rail
• Misaligned transmission
At present, there are no EVs with manual transmission globally. Most electric cars are equipped with a single-speed automatic transmission, with a few exceptions being the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-Tron GT, both of which get a two-speed automatic transmission.
For the German automakers, the EVs will mean the extinction of manual transmission.
At VAG Spec Centre, our specialists can service and repair any transmission. Whether it’s automatic or manual, we can do it all. Make sure to contact one of our 5 nationwide branches for any of you queries regarding your vehicle’s transmission problems.
