Automatic gearbox jerking when pulling away or shifting: causes and solutions

Start by recognising what you feel, because each complaint points in a different direction. These are the most common complaints. Sometimes maintenance is enough, sometimes a targeted repair is needed.

Write down when it happens: with a cold engine, after a long drive, in city traffic or when overtaking. That helps us with the diagnosis. More warning signs and what they mean are explained in automatic gearbox problems: the five warning signs.

That depends on what you notice. With an occasional slight jerk you can usually keep driving for now. With slipping, limp mode or a burning smell you cannot. Use this overview as a first indication. It does not replace a diagnosis. It is up to you to judge whether it is safe to drive at that moment.

Overview by Autobedrijf Willemsbrug. Not sure? Call +31 10 479 00 00.

An automatic usually jerks because of old fluid or too little transmission fluid, a fault in the control system, wear of the torque converter or the clutches, a worn engine mount or a misfiring engine. Below you can read what that means.

1. Old or contaminated transmission fluid. The fluid lubricates and cools the gearbox and transmits the pressure that closes the clutches. Old fluid does this less well, so a gear change comes in harder or later.
2. Too little fluid. For example due to a leak at a gasket, an oil seal or a cooler line. The gearbox then gets too little pressure and can start to slip.
3. The control system. Sensors, shift solenoids and the valve body control the gear changes. The valve body is the block of channels and valves that directs the fluid to the right clutch. On a DSG, the valve body and the control unit are combined in the mechatronic unit. Outdated software or incorrect learned (adaptive) values can also cause a jerk.
4. The torque converter or the clutches. Wear here causes jerking, shuddering or slipping. On a dual-clutch automatic or an automated manual, slip while accelerating can point to a worn clutch plate, according to viaBOVAG, the consumer site of the Dutch motor trade association.
5. The drivetrain. A worn engine mount or driveshaft can feel like a jerk from the automatic, especially when pulling away or when you move the lever to D or R.
6. The engine. An engine that misfires, for example due to a faulty ignition coil or spark plug, can feel like an automatic that stutters. Often the engine warning light comes on as well.

That is why a fault code alone is not enough. We take the car for a test drive, read the fault codes and carry out further measurements if needed. That way we reduce the chance that you pay for a treatment that does not solve the complaint. You can read more about how we investigate on our page car diagnostics.

With a fluid change, the mechanic drains the fluid and fills the gearbox with new fluid. With a flush, a machine replaces a larger share of the old fluid. After a fluid change, part of the old fluid often stays behind in the gearbox, the torque converter, the cooler and the lines. How much depends on the transmission. That old fluid mixes with the new.

For a flush, also called a power flush, we connect a flushing machine according to the procedure that suits your transmission. If the gearbox allows it, we also use a suitable cleaning agent. Loosened dirt then leaves with the old fluid. We then fill the gearbox with fluid that meets the prescribed specification. The treatment itself usually takes two to three hours. You can read more on our page automatic gearbox flush in Rotterdam and in gearbox fluid change or flush.

Not every automatic is suitable for the flushing machine. This is what we do for each type:

How Autobedrijf Willemsbrug works.

When is maintenance needed? Look at your car’s service schedule first. Many gearboxes are filled at the factory with what is known as lifetime fluid. ZF, a major maker of automatic gearboxes, still recommends changing the oil at regular intervals and advises shorter intervals for high-speed driving, towing a trailer or a sporty driving style. For wet DSG gearboxes the manufacturer prescribes a fixed oil change, and the interval differs per gearbox. If the manufacturer gives no interval for your conventional automatic, our own workshop advice is to have the fluid assessed at around 60,000 to 80,000 km and changed or flushed if needed. That is our advice, not a manufacturer’s requirement. More per make and gearbox type is explained in when to flush an automatic gearbox.

We start with the cause and only then with the treatment. You make an appointment by phone. We work by appointment. For a quick question or check you can walk in without an appointment.

1. Call us. Call +31 10 479 00 00 and have your registration number to hand. Tell us what you notice and when. We help you decide whether you can still drive. You hear in advance what the diagnosis costs.
2. Test drive and fault codes. If possible and safe, we take a short test drive. Then we read the fault codes and carry out further measurements if needed. On the lift we check for leaks, the fluid level and the engine mounts.
3. Advice and quote. You hear what we have found and which treatment fits: a flush, a fluid change or a repair. You receive a quote first. We only carry out repairs once you have agreed.
4. Treatment and check. For a flush or fluid change, we fill the gearbox with fluid that meets the prescribed specification. We set the fluid level at the correct temperature and check for leaks. Then we take a test drive and go through with you what we have done.

Are you leaving the car with us? Then you can use a free loan bike, as long as one is available. The Stadion Feijenoord tram stop is close by.

We investigate and treat the most common automatics: the conventional automatic with a torque converter, DSG systems, CVT systems and EAT6 and EAT8 gearboxes. Which treatment is possible depends on the make, the model, the transmission and the technical condition of the car.

Do you drive a BMW X1, X3 or X5, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class or E-Class, a Volvo XC60 or XC90, a Renault Kangoo or Kadjar, a Peugeot Expert, a Nissan Qashqai or an Opel Astra? We investigate which treatment suits your car. Go straight to the approach for your make or gearbox type:

Does your car have an automated manual gearbox, like many versions of the Fiat 500 and the older Opel Corsa? According to the ANWB, the Dutch motoring organisation, this is a manual gearbox in which a computer and hydraulics take over operating the clutch. We do not flush this kind of gearbox, but we can carry out a diagnosis. Read more in our Fiat 500 Dualogic guide.

You can find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We are open Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.30 and on Saturday from 9.00 to 15.00.

Yes. It can help, but only if the complaint is caused by old or contaminated fluid. A flush is maintenance, not a repair. A mechanical fault, a leak or a problem with the torque converter or the valve body needs a repair, which is why we start with a diagnosis.

No. An automatic that changes gear a little more stiffly for the first few minutes is usually not broken, because cold fluid is thicker. A real jolt or thud is not normal, even with a cold engine, and can be an early sign of old fluid or too little fluid. If it gets worse or continues once the car is warm, have the gearbox checked.

On a DSG, jerking when pulling away can be caused by wear of the clutches or by the mechatronic unit, the gearbox control unit. On a DSG with wet clutches, old oil can also play a part. We do not flush a DSG with the flushing machine, we change the oil. First we read the gearbox fault codes, because not every DSG complaint can be solved with new oil.

No. That is not needed in every case. With serious damage, an overhaul or replacement is sometimes the only solution. If the complaint can be fixed with maintenance or a targeted repair, that is usually much cheaper. For comparison: according to the ANWB, a gearbox overhaul costs around € 2,500 including fitting. Have you been given this advice elsewhere and are you unsure? Then ask for a second opinion.

You hear in advance what the diagnosis costs. The price of a flush depends on the car, the transmission, the amount of fluid and the parts needed. You receive a quote in advance that lists what is included. Price indications are on the page automatic gearbox flush cost. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number.

Sealed for life does not mean that the fluid does not age. What the manufacturer means by the term differs per make and per gearbox. ZF also fills its gearboxes with lifetime oil and still recommends changing the oil at regular intervals. Check your car’s service schedule and read your manufacturer’s terms and conditions.

The treatment itself usually takes two to three hours. On top of that come the test drive, reading the fault codes and the final check. That is why you leave the car with us. When you book the appointment, you hear when you can collect it.

If the fluid was the cause, gear changes can feel noticeably smoother. On some automatics, the control system adapts to the new fluid over the first few kilometres, so gear changes can feel a little different for a while. If we find a technical problem during the work, we discuss the next steps with you first.

• BOVAG (viaBOVAG): Occasion met automaat kopen? Hier moet je op letten (in Dutch)
• ANWB: Versnellingsbak uitgelegd + Revisie en vervangen kosten (in Dutch)
• ZF Aftermarket: ZF Aftermarket product portfolio: transmissions (oil change)