Time to come in?
Transmissions rarely fail without warning. The window between the first symptom and a major repair is usually long enough to act — if you act.
Engine revs climb without the car accelerating to match. Worth diagnosing immediately — slipping generates heat and heat is what kills transmissions.
A thump into gear, or a pause before the car moves. Often fluid condition or a solenoid, both far cheaper than what comes next.
Frequently a torque converter lock-up clutch complaint, and frequently addressable with the right fluid service if caught early.
The transmission control module has stored a fault and limited the gears to protect itself. Get the fault read rather than resetting it.
Any transmission leak is worth attending to. Running one low is a fast way to turn a seal into an overhaul.
Overheated fluid. Stop driving it and call — continuing is what turns a service into a replacement.
What we do
Not every shift complaint is a transmission. Engine misfires, worn mounts and faulty sensors all masquerade as shifting problems, so the diagnosis comes before anything gets opened up.
It is not, really
A great many European automatics are described as filled for life, and the practical result is transmissions that fail at higher mileages having never had a fluid change. The fluid does degrade. Ask us what makes sense for your model rather than taking the marketing at face value.
Transmission Service — asked and answered
My transmission is supposed to be sealed for life. Should I service it anyway?
For most European automatics a periodic fluid service is worth discussing, despite the lifetime-fill description. Call with your year, make, model and mileage and we will give you a straight answer for your particular transmission.
Do you rebuild transmissions?
We diagnose transmission faults, carry out fluid and filter services and handle transmission replacement. If a rebuild is the right answer for your car we will tell you that plainly, along with what the alternatives cost.
Is my shifting problem definitely the transmission?
Often it is not. Misfires, worn mounts and sensor faults all produce symptoms that feel like a transmission problem, which is why we diagnose before recommending anything expensive.
Get the shifting checked
Describe what it does and when — cold, warm, up-shift, down-shift. Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:30pm.
167 Carbide Road, Plattsburgh, NY 12901