When to Consider Rebuilding Your Truck’s Transmission

If you drive a truck with a failing automatic transmission, you may be facing a major repair decision. Ultimately, you might have to decide between replacing the transmission or having it professionally rebuilt. There are benefits to each solution—and both are generally better than driving with a transmission that could break down at any moment and cause other problems for your truck. It’s important to understand your options and what decision is right given your specific situation.

Consider the Age & Mileage (Check the Warranty)

First and foremost, check your original warranty or any extended warranties you may have purchased. Your transmission may be covered, as long as you are within the proper year and mileage restrictions. In some cases, transmissions aren’t fully covered (especially with extended warranty programs). Or, you may not qualify for some other reason. Either way, your first step should be to check and see if your transmission is still under warranty. If it is failing, the manufacturer should cover the costs to repair, replace or rebuild the unit.

Bring it to a Transmission Specialist

Not all general auto repair shops will be able to properly diagnose a transmission problem. They might not have the right equipment or experience. They may default to replacing the unit entirely, or refer you somewhere else. Your best bet is to find a local truck transmission repair specialist like Ralph’s Transmission (if you live in the Modesto, CA area). They can run specific diagnostics and bring the specialized knowledge/equipment to properly identify the specific problem. Whether it’s a failing torque converter, a transmission fluid issue or something else, a transmission expert will give you a proper diagnosis and repair recommendations.

Transmission Repair vs. Replacement vs. Rebuild

You may be fortunate and only have minor transmission damage or a fluid issue that needs to be resolved. Your truck might just need a standard transmission maintenance service or minor repairs. If the internal damage is more severe, then you are probably facing a transmission replacement or rebuild. Even some transmission specialty shops may default to recommending a full transmission replacement. They might not rebuild transmissions. They could send it out to a rebuilder or purchase refurbished transmission units from a third party. Other shops will offer in-house rebuild services, where they do the work themselves. As a consumer, it’s important to understand the options they are giving you, who is doing the work and where they are sourcing any parts. You have a right to ask questions, so you can make more informed decisions.

If your truck’s transmission can be rebuilt, that is often a more affordable and reliable solution. The main benefit is keeping your original transmission that is already designed to run with the rest of your vehicle. It can be professionally rebuilt so that it runs like new again. A proper rebuild should give you peace of mind for many years to come. A brand new OEM unit might provide even more dependability, but that will be a much more expensive solution. Buying a used or refurbished transmission obviously comes with risks and uncertainties.

There are some cases where the transmission is so damaged that it cannot be effectively rebuilt. Therefore, a replacement may be your best and only option. This is typically the case with CVT transmissions, which always need to be replaced because the rebuild process is extremely complex and not cost efficient.

Transmission Warranty

Whether you get your transmission rebuilt or replaced, be sure to ask about warranty coverage. At Ralph’s Transmission, we are extremely confident in our professional transmission rebuild process. That’s why we cover it with an industry leading 3 Year, 100,000 Mile Warranty program.

To learn more about our transmission rebuild process or to schedule a free transmission inspection to determine your repair needs, call Ralph’s Transmission today at 209.526.1909. You can also schedule an appointment online.

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