While driving your car lately, you may have noticed problems when you try to accelerate. You may feel a delay or stutter before the automatic transmission kicks in, making it impossible for it to change gears smoothly.

These are symptoms of a slipping transmission, which can be hard on both the transmission and your car's motor if something is not done about the underlying issue. There are a couple of reasons why your vehicle's automatic transmission is slipping, both of which require a technician to diagnose and repair.

1. Problems with the Transmission Fluid That Keep It from Lubricating the Gears and/or Maintaining Pressure

One possible reason why your car's automatic transmission is slipping could have something to do with fluid. Transmission fluid not only lubricates the gears inside the system, but it also maintains pressure to keep it working in time with the demands of the gear changes.

If the level is low or the fluid itself is old or burnt, it will no longer be able to lubricate or create enough pressure for the transmission to work. Simply adding more fluid will not solve the underlying problems.

You need to have a technician discover why the fluid is low. Or, in the case of old, burnt fluid, the transmission will need to be flushed out.

2. Mechanical Parts Within the Transmission Are Worn or Have Sustained Damage

Another possible reason why the transmission keeps slipping could involve a mechanical issue. Within the transmission, there are multiple moving parts, such as the gears, clutch cable, and torque converter.

If any one of these parts becomes damaged or worn out, the system will be unable to shift the car's gears effectively. There will be a delay as the part attempts to catch up to the demands. Because the transmission will need to be taken apart, do not try to find the problem yourself. Someone with experience needs to do the job to ensure that no additional problems occur.

Whether your transmission is slipping because of problems with the fluid or the mechanical parts, the system will eventually seize up if you continue to drive your car without having the issue fixed. Since the troubleshooting and fixing of an automatic transmission is not a do-it-yourself job, you will want to have a professional technician do it for you. Take your vehicle to a shop that offers automotive transmission repair services to have them perform an inspection so that they may begin fixing the cause of the slippage.