# Transmission whine

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 1, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743 "2009-07-01T23:37:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ellbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ellbee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ellbee)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/1 "2009-07-01T23:37:51Z")

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I have a '03 Acura TL with 52,000 miles on the odometer. It has an automatic transmission. Recently I have been hearing a soft whine (barely detectable) I believe comes from the transmission or differential. I hear the whine in the lower gears around town. The transmission operates properly, and does not leak fluid. Is it likely that I’m in for a serious transmission problem?

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/2 "2009-07-01T23:51:02Z")

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Does it whine when in neutral if you rev the engine or only while being driven?

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**Author:** ![Ellbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ellbee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ellbee)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/3 "2009-07-02T20:11:49Z")

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Only when being driven. I don’t hear it when I rev the engine and the transmission is in Park or neutral.

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**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/4 "2009-07-03T03:36:05Z")

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Have you checked the fluid level? Your owners manual tells you how.

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/5 "2009-07-03T03:52:19Z")

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It is good you are sensitive to your car. Is it still under warranty? If so get it diagnosed by the dealer, for free. There are a number of possibilities but it really needs a diagnosis by in person to isolate the source of the noise, I would not think it a serious problem but it is hard to give any real information at this point.

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**Author:** ![Ellbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ellbee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ellbee)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/6 "2009-07-03T22:52:17Z")

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Yes, I checked the fluid level. It is full and the fluid looks clean.

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**Author:** ![Ellbee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ellbee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ellbee)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission-whine/32743/7 "2009-07-03T22:53:19Z")

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No, it’s not under warranty.