Transmission symptoms are easy to misread. Slipping, shuddering, a delay before the car moves or a harsh change can come from fluid condition, a solenoid, a worn clutch or internal wear — and those range from a service to a rebuild.
We diagnose before recommending, because the gap between the cheapest and most expensive explanation for the same symptom is very wide. Where the answer is a fluid service, we will say so rather than reaching for the larger job.
A guide to what this work typically covers. The exact scope depends on your vehicle and what we find once it's on the hoist.
Classic slip. In an automatic this can be fluid condition or internal wear; in a manual it usually means the clutch is worn.
Often a torque converter lock-up clutch, and frequently fluid-related. Worth checking before it becomes a larger repair.
A pause of more than a moment between selecting a gear and the vehicle responding is worth investigating early.
Automatic transmission fluid is a hydraulic medium, a coolant and a lubricant at once. When it degrades, shift quality drops and internal wear accelerates. A number of transmission complaints are resolved by a correct fluid and filter service — provided it is done before the wear becomes mechanical.
Modern automatics are calibrated around a particular fluid specification, and the wrong one can produce exactly the shudder or harsh shift it was supposed to cure. We use the fluid the manufacturer specifies for your transmission.
If your question isn't covered here, call the workshop and we'll talk it through.
Most manufacturers specify a fluid service interval, even on transmissions described as sealed. We can confirm what applies to your vehicle.
Tell us about your vehicle and we'll take it from there.
