Like any responsible driver, Lee took notice when the “check engine” light came on in his 2003 Honda Pilot. He also noticed the vehicle was struggling to shift between 2nd and 3rd gears. Because of the shifting issues, Lee figured it may be a transmission problem, so he called around and decided to bring his Honda into Ralph’s Transmission in Modesto for a proper diagnosis from a transmission specialist.
“They didn’t even charge me anything until they gave me my options,” Lee says in his recent online review. “Krista [Graham, Service Advisor] was very professional and straightforward with me. She didn’t pressure me into doing anything I didn’t wanna get fixed.”
Lee brings up some key points here. First of all, we never want to pressure any customer into making a repair that they are not completely comfortable with. That’s why we take the time to sit down with people and explain our recommendations. That way you can make an informed decision on any transmission repairs that need to be made.
Second, the initial diagnostic testing and inspection is always free at Ralph’s Transmission. Our goal is to identify the source of the problem first, and then proceed with repairs only after you’ve provided your authorization. Oftentimes, diagnostic testing and a careful external inspection will suffice. In some cases, though, we need to dig deeper with a full internal inspection of the transmission and other components.
With Lee’s Pilot, we did end up having to do an internal inspection when several concerning fault codes were revealed during diagnostics and our technicians noticed the transmission itself was unusually damp to the touch. That’s not normal. Once we removed the transmission and looked inside, the primary problem was identified as a burned-out 3rd clutch. Unfortunately, this had led to further internal damage that was beyond simple repairs. A full custom transmission rebuild was recommended along with replacement of the rear main engine seal, front engine mount and the driver side front axle. Once our technicians’ findings were presented to Lee, he was able to decide how he wanted to proceed with repairs.
“I ended up doing a rebuild since I still wanted to keep the vehicle for a long time,” Lee adds. “It took less than a week for them to finish the job. The vehicle shifts and drives great since then. I am very impressed with their professionalism and quality of work.”
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Lee. We appreciate hearing from our customers and remember that your rebuilt transmission is now backed by the Ralph’s Transmission 3 Year, 100,000 Mile Warranty. If anything else ever goes wrong, just give us a call at 209.526.1909, stop by the shop or schedule a service appointment online.