You’re driving down the road with no cares in the world when all of a sudden, your car starts acting… weird. Whenever you step on the gas, you notice it takes a tiny bit longer to accelerate, like the tires are slipping on ice. You hear weird clunks when revving the engine.
Then there’s the smell – oh no, a burning, sweet smell that means something is wrong.
You are a smart guy (girl) and you’re not the type of person that ignores things, so you take the car to your local repair shop, and that is when you hear the one phrase that no driver wants to hear:
“Looks like the transmission is shot.”
Oooh, this is a cringe moment. Even if you don’t know anything else about cars, you know that the transmission is a big deal! You know that fixing or replacing it could cost a pretty penny.
So how much are we talking about for this car problem? Costs vary based on shop, the severity of the damage, and the parts necessary to rebuild your transmission. On average, rebuilds run between $1,428 and $3,015.
To make matters worse, you’re in luck – our team has your back to help you make the best decision for your car and your bank account! Here is your complete guide to your transmission: what it does, why it fails, and what the cost of a transmission rebuild.
What Does My Transmission Do?
If you’ve ever had a multi-speed bike as a kid, you might have a vague idea of what a transmission is. When you changed gears on your bike, the chain would shift to a larger or smaller ring, offering more or less resistance to pedaling.
Your transmission is essentially the same thing, as you drive you change gears, whether automatic or manual, which means the right amount of power is being sent to your wheels.
This allows you to quickly accelerate, pull big things with your vehicle, and reach the maximum RPM without blowing up in a great explosion.
The transmission is a very complex mechanism with about 800 parts that all need to work properly.
It’s also an important aspect of your vehicle engine – trust me, you DO NOT want to be on the highway with a bad transmission! This is why transmission issues are a nightmare for the everyday driver (and why repair shops like to charge a big buck for repairs and rebuilds).
What Causes Transmission Failure?
To avoid transmission failure, simply ensure that you keep the part well-maintained. If the part never breaks, you never have to rebuild it!
How do you know your taking care of your transmission? Just make sure the part is lubricated and clean – and avoid the typical causes of transmission failure.
The most common causes of transmission failure are:
#1. Low Transmission Fluid.
Just like many other parts of your engine, your transmission needs fluid to cool and lubricate it. If you don’t have enough fluid it can lead to damage (you do NOT want to have metal grinding against metal in there). If you keep there enough fluid in the transmission it will remain healthy.
If you want to keep your transmission healthy, then you must remember to have transmission fluid added every 30,000 – 60,000 miles (15,000 miles if you do a lot of driving).
#2. Fluid Leak.
The only thing worse than having low transmission fluid in your car is having a car that is LEAKING transmission fluid.
Not only is your transmission potentially losing vital lubrication to protect your gears, but you are also leaking vital fluid (and transmission fluid isn’t cheap)! If you come home and have red fluid in your driveway, you should be aware that your transmission might be in trouble.
#3. Clogged Fluid Filter.
While transmission fluid is essential to keeping the transmission running smoothly, DIRTY transmission fluid can be trouble for your engine.
This is why manufacturers install a filter in transmissions to keep things clean, dirt, and debris from contaminating the fluid. However, over time this filter can get clogged. When that happens, you can pretty much bet no fluid is going to flow through.
These problems can lead to serious damage and the possible need to rebuild the transmission, but they aren’t that difficult to fix if you can catch them early. It is important to observe your car and just service it when you notice that something was not right.
How Will I Know If It Needs Replacing?
Let’s be real, unless you’re one of those crazy people who can take a car’s engine apart and then put it back together with their eyes closed, the average driver does not know what is happening with their vehicle.
Most drivers take their vehicle to the mechanic for two reasons: for routine service, usually after the shop reminds them or because their vehicle is not functioning properly and that reason can be a long time coming for car owners.
If you wait for your car to overheat or stall out before you reach out to your hometown mechanic, you are going to spend significantly more money on rebuilding your vehicle’s transmission.
If you want to save your transmission before it is too damaged, the best thing you can do is be on the lookout for the early signs of transmission problems. Such as:
Gear Shifting Problems
For folks that drive a manual car, then you may have an easier time seeing this issue (if you drive an automatic vehicle, you may not notice a gear shift at all).
If you notice that each time you accelerate there is a hesitation like your tires are stuck in mud or on ice when you take off, or you experience a jerking sensation when you switch gears, it is time to have your transmission evaluated.
Whining or Clunking Noises
As mentioned, lack of fluid is the worst thing that can happen to a transmission. When the transmission is not properly lubricated, the metal gears can grind together – this can lead to significant damage both to your vehicle’s transmission and engine.
If you hear whining, grinding, or buzzing/ clunking noises when you are driving, this is a solid indicator that your transmission needs help.
Trans Fluid Leaking
If you go out to your driveway and see red fluid from your vehicle, immediately call your mechanic, if you notice that the red fluid is cloudy or turns cloudy when you are accelerating, even better – call immediately!
Lost transmission fluid is a sure sign that something has gone wrong with your transmission. The sooner you can get it fixed, the less likely you will need a full transmission rebuild.
Burning Odor
Beyond the red color of transmission fluid, there is also an unmistakable sweet smell to transmission fluid that makes it unique. If you lose fluid in the transmission via leak or evaporation due to extreme usage conditions, the remaining fluid will heat up while driving.
This creates a burning odor and you most likely won’t notice the smell of the burning fluid until you have exited your vehicle. If you have noticed any of the symptoms above, take a breath, you likely will be looking at transmission repair or full transmission rebuild.
Do I Have to Fix My Transmission?
YES. Seriously, yes. You can’t ignore this car problem. If you drive with a faulty transmission, then risks are being passed on to your entire engine.
You see, while the transmission runs, the gears inside it grind on each other, and if your transmission is shot, then it will wear down, and send metal shavings into your coolant.
That is a recipe for a disaster that can, ultimately, cost you more than a rebuild of the transmission will.
What Happens During a Transmission Rebuild?
Remember earlier when I stated that there are over 800 pieces inside your transmission? Every piece acts to ensure the operation of your transmission.
If just one piece is broken or damaged, your transmission will not function properly. For this reason, most mechanic shops will recommend a complete rebuild when you start having transmission issues.
If you are to pursue a complete transmission rebuild, your mechanic will take your entire transmission apart and check each little piece.
This will help them to identify which pieces are worn out, which ones are too damaged to salvage, and which pieces have potential for serviceability.
It’s a complicated process that the average driver can not do themselves – and that is, precisely why so many mechanic shops will charge so much to do it!
How Much is This Going to Cost?
Like I said earlier in this article, it is impossible to know how much your transmission rebuild will cost now.
Different mechanics will charge different prices based on labor, how many pieces need to be replaced, and about a million other factors.
But there is one thing that I can say: a transmission rebuild is never cheap. A rebuild can cost anywhere from $1,428 to $3,015.
Ways to Save Money on Your Transmission Rebuild
Of course, not many of us have three thousand dollars to spare in an instant. But if your transmission has gone bad, you really have no other choice.
This is an important part of your vehicle; once the transmission is bad, your vehicle is basically out of commission.
So, the question now is how can you get your vehicle on the road without completely breaking the bank? There are plenty of options that may reduce some of the costs to your mechanic.
Here are several ways to save money on your transmission rebuild costs:
Use Your Warranty
Most vehicles are under warranty for the first three years (or 36,000 miles) of ownership. If your vehicle is still under warranty, you should take it into your dealer and see if the damage is covered.
If you maintained your vehicle (meaning you followed the terms of the warranty), the manufacturer may cover the cost to rebuild the transmission.
The DIY Method
If you really don’t want to pay someone to rebuild your transmission, you may be able to do it yourself.
However, this is NOT a typical automotive repair project for the average driver (remember, 800 PARTS). Transmission rebuild is highly complex and if you make a mistake, you could end up doing more damage to your vehicle in the long run.
Consider Buying a Used Transmission
If your transmission is too damaged, there may still be a better way to spend your time and money and that would be buying a used transmission and having your mechanic install it.
Used transmissions are selling for anywhere between $800 and $1400, and installation costs generally range from $400 to $800. Buying a used transmission may not be the most budget-friendly option ($2,200 on high end), but its still cheaper than many full rebuilds.
Watch Out For Your Transmission
As I said earlier – the best way to avoid needing a transmission rebuild is to keep your transmission in good shape.
So be aware of on-going deterioration in your vehicle; listen for strange noises, smelling burning, and make sure to change your transmission fluid regularly.
Doing these things will keep your transmission running well and you may be able to avoid the costly transmission rebuild for a much longer time.
Conclusion
So when your vehicle’s transmission fails, you either pay the large amount of money that it costs to get it fixed. Even if you escape the large transmission rebuild bill, you still have to pay for a new transmission. While it’s a downer, there’s really nothing else you can do, right?