Ralph’s Transmission Helps Out Local Chevy Tahoe Owner

Robert owns a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe with more than 180,000 miles on it. Recently, he began experiencing transmission issues. The SUV would slip out of gear when in 3rd and then stick when in 4th. It also wasn’t running well in reverse. Robert knew he needed to get it looked at by a Central Valley transmission specialist, so he called Ralph’s Transmission in downtown Modesto. After asking him some questions on the phone and gathering important information, one of our service advisors arranged for a free tow to our shop.

Once he arrived at Ralph’s Transmission, Robert was greeted by the service team and our owner, Mario Jauregui, who had be briefed on his situation. The vehicle went into the shop for an initial external inspection and diagnostic testing. Our transmission technicians found that the transmission fluid was completely burnt, which is usually a sign of an internal problem. A road test also confirmed the same shifting issues that Robert had experienced. From there, an internal inspection needed to be performed. We pulled the transmission from the vehicle and opened it up to find quite a bit of internal damage.

The primary issue was that the 3-4 clutches were badly damaged. Further inspection revealed quite a few other key components that were in rough shape, including the transmission core, torque converter, rear main engine seal, rear cover gasket and transfer case input seal. Our best recommendation was to complete a full custom rebuild of the transmission and replace the damaged exterior seals. Robert agreed to have Ralph’s Transmission complete the work and our technicians rebuilt the transmission—a service backed by our industry-leading 3 Year, 100,000 Mile Warranty.

“Ralph’s Transmission isn’t just a transmission shop, they pride themselves on building great customer relationships,” says Robert. “Mario the owner knew who I was when I walked in and I never even talked to him. I hope to never have transmission problems again, but if I do I know Ralph’s is the place I’ll go!!!”

We also ended up replacing the Chevy’s dead battery in a follow-up visit to Ralph’s Transmission. Even though that’s not typically a standard automotive service we provide, we were happy to help in this situation.

If you are in the Central Valley and in need of transmission maintenance or repair services, call Ralph’s Transmission today at 209.526.1909 or book your appointment online. We’ll gladly answer any questions you have and help you get your vehicle to our shop for a free initial inspection.

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