What Gear Hunting Really Means
NaTasha Brand • February 3, 2026
(And Why It's Not a Feature)
Let’s talk about one of the most disconcerting sensations you can experience behind the wheel in San Angelo. You’re cruising down the Southwest Boulevard, not a care in the world, when suddenly your car develops a mind of its own. You feel it: that weird surge, followed by a reluctant drop, then another hesitant climb. It’s not the spirited drive of a performance machine; it’s the confused shuffle of a transmission that can’t make up its mind. In auto-blogger speak, we call this “gear hunting,” and your car is not pondering the meaning of life, it’s sending a distress signal.
The Great Debate: Why Your Transmission Can't Commit
Think of your automatic transmission not as a simple gearbox, but as the world’s most pragmatic (and usually silent) co-pilot. Its sole job is to interpret data and choose the perfect gear for efficiency and power. When it starts hunting, shifting up and down repeatedly on mild inclines or with steady throttle, it means its sources of intel are giving it conflicting reports.
The two usual suspects holding the bad data are:
- The Throttle Position Sensor (TPS): This is your transmission’s direct hotline to your right foot. It tells the computer how hard you’re pressing the pedal. When it fails or gets dirty, it might signal "FLOOR IT!" when you’re just maintaining speed, causing a pointless downshift. A moment later, it corrects to "Just cruising," prompting an awkward upshift. Cue the shuffle.
- The Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS): This is the transmission’s GPS for speed. If it provides erratic or false readings about how fast you’re actually going, the computer loses its frame of reference. "Are we climbing a hill? Are we towing a trailer? Am I in San Angelo or the Swiss Alps?" it wonders, cycling through gears to find an answer that never comes.
Other culprits can include low or degraded transmission fluid (the lifeblood of the system), issues with the shift solenoids (the electronic gatekeepers that control fluid flow), or even problems with the transmission control module itself, the beleaguered brain trying to make sense of it all.
Symptoms Beyond the Shuffle: Your Car’s Cry for Help
Gear hunting is the headline act, but the supporting symptoms are just as telling:
- Erratic or Delayed Shifting: That moment of hesitation pulling out from the Sunset Mall parking lot becomes a bit too dramatic.
- Unusually High RPMs: Your engine is revving harder than necessary for a simple drive down Knickerbocker Road.
- A Relentless Search: The constant, rhythmic cycling between gears on roads you drive every day, like Chadbourne or Beauregard.
- The Dreaded Check Engine Light: Often, the computer will finally throw up its hands and illuminate the dashboard, storing diagnostic trouble codes as clues.
Why a Trusted, Evolving Shop Isn't Optional, It's Essential
This isn’t a “top off the fluid and hope” situation. Diagnosing modern transmission woes requires more than a mechanical instinct; it requires sophisticated scan tools, proprietary software knowledge, and the ability to interpret live data streams. You need a technician who speaks the language of CAN bus networks and sensor voltage as fluently as they do wrenches and sockets.
This is precisely why you need a shop that hasn’t just kept up with the automotive industry’s evolution but has actively evolved with it. You need a partner like Ric Henry's Auto Service.
For San Angelo drivers, Ric Henry’s is that trusted partner. We offer comprehensive auto repair services, and our experienced technicians are equipped with the same advanced tools and equipment the dealerships use. We don’t just guess; we diagnose. And we don’t just fix the immediate symptom; we ensure the entire system is restored to health. From minor fixes to major transmission overhauls, and a full suite of other system maintenance services, we handle it with precision.
Most importantly, we stand behind our work with a solid 3-year/36,000-mile warranty on all services we provide, giving you peace of mind on every West Texas road.
So, if your transmission is having a crisis of confidence and can’t decide on a gear, don’t let it ponder its purpose any longer. Bring it to the team that knows the answer.
Trust your car to the hands of Ric Henry's Auto Service. We’ll help it find its way, and the right gear, every time.
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