Questions and Answers

To Help You Through Your Transmission Repairs

We know it's not any fun when something goes wrong with your automatic transmission. Having repairs done can be an unexpected, costly, and nerve-wracking experience. There are steps you can take, however, to save money and reduce your anxieties. Wp've prepared this brochure to tell you those steps and to answer some of the most common questions we get about automatic transmission service.

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Why does it cost so much to have my automatic transmission repaired?

It doesn't when you understand what we need to do to repair your transmission. You see, repairing an automatic transmission is not as simple as changing the spark plugs or adjusting the carburetor. Today's automatic transmissions, particularly those with front wheel drive technology or computerized systems are extremely complicated units. There are over three thousand parts in today's average automatic transmission, and the parts for some late model imports can cost ten times as much as parts for older, larger cars. With such complex units, preventive maintenance is the key to keeping repair costs down. To help head off major problems, we recommend you have your transmission serviced at least every 20,000 kilometers.

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Why can't you tell me what it's going to cost to fix my transmission without taking it apart first?

You'd be amazed at how many people want us to diagnose their transmission problems over the phone. Aside from the fact a consumer might easily miss a symptom a trained technician would see or hear when the vehicle is brought in, can you tell the difference between a rattle, buzz, grind, whine, and a slip? And do you mean the same thing by those words as we do?

The plain truth is, we simply can't be sure of what's wrong with your transmission until we take a look inside. Symptoms can be observed externally, like noises, leaks, or vibrations, and can signal a wide range of possible problems, not necessarily a single malfunction. Also, many malfunctions that can occur with today's transmissions may be caused by a component outside the transmission, like a Throttle Position Sensor, a MAP sensor, or even a fuse. We've got to give your transmission a thorough checkup to really know what's causing the symptom.

If anyone ever tells you he can accurately diagnose what's wrong with your transmission without a thorough diagnosis, including looking inside, you'd better get a second opinion.

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How can I be sure that I'm not getting ripped off?

The simplest way to protect yourself is to have your automatic transmission repairs done by a member of ATRA, The Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association. As a member of ATRA, Accurate Transmissions has satisfied the requirements of the largest nonprofit professional organization for the automatic transmission repair industry, Its members comprise the world's largest network of independent transmission rebuilding firms, with over 1900 members in Canada and the United States alone. One of the major reasons the ATRA exists is to protect its members and the public from dishonest or incompetent repair shops.

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How does being a member of ATRA take the worry out of automatic transmission repairs?

Accurate Transmissions is required to employ experienced personnel whose skills have been tested and certified by the Association. To make sure they stay up to date on the latest automatic transmission models, ATRA also requires Association members to attend annual training seminars. Accurate is also a proud subscriber of ATRA's online service, an information database that allows our personnel access to the latest industry data and repair bulletins.