Read more: These Are The Worst Transmission Recalls Of The Last 5 Years A transmission can overheat for the same reasons that an engine overheats, and the most common cause is poor maintenance.

A faulty or malfunctioning transmission can trigger the check engine light for a handful of reasons, including things like an overheating gearbox or issues with the transmission control module (TCM).

Transmission fluid is one of them. It lubricates the gears and keeps your transmission from overheating. That's why it's important you replace the transmission fluid regularly. However ...