WHAT ARE TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSTICS?

We’ve all been to the doctor for a routine check up. They will look you over, ask some questions and perform a few simple tests to get a general picture of your health. This is kind of what an external inspection is like at Ralph’s Transmission. We look everything over to see if there are any glaring problems with a transmission.

However, your doctor may request a blood test, x-ray, MRI or some other more in-depth test to get an even more accurate understanding of your health or to pinpoint a specific problem. At Ralph’s Transmission, this would be equivalent to either the internal inspection or the diagnostic testing (or likely, a combination of both). Usually, an internal inspection is only warranted if the external inspection and/or diagnostics reveal something that needs to be looked at inside the transmission. In that case, it would need to be removed from the vehicle, taken apart and thoroughly inspected.

The Importance of Transmission Diagnostics

In this article, however, we want to focus on the diagnostics process because it is often underappreciated in the world of automotive repair. All modern vehicles have an internal computer system that manages and tracks just about all the most important inner workings. When you have the right diagnostic equipment, you can connect to the computer and it will reveal specific fault codes coming from sensors connected to different parts of the engine, transmission and other vital components.

At Ralph’s Transmission, we use the latest diagnostic testing technology and our diagnosticians are extremely skilled at using the equipment and understanding the results. We run diagnostics on every transmission that comes through the shop as a safeguard for our customers. It is a very important step in the process, whether it’s part of routine transmission maintenance or a precursor to major transmission repairs.

Understanding Diagnostic Readings

There is definitely an art to reading the diagnostics. Some fault codes aren’t that big a deal while others are very concerning. In most cases, performing the diagnostic tests on the vehicle will pinpoint specific problems that require immediate attention and further inspection. It gives our technicians very useful information that helps them narrow down what they are looking for when they perform either an external or internal inspection. In a way, it’s like an MRI or x-ray as it gives us a digital peek inside the transmission before any other work is done.

Ralph’s Transmission Diagnostics

Diagnostics are vital to the transmission service and repair process and we take them very seriously here at Ralph’s Transmission. It’s all part of making sure our customers get the best possible service and the most accurate repair quotes.

If you are having transmission problems or just want a transmission diagnostics check up, call Ralph’s Transmission today at 209.526.1909 or schedule a service appointment online.