Frequently Asked Questions

• Yes you can check your transmission fluid levels...in fact, it's quite easy to do! Just follow these instructions.
• Make sure your engine is running (unless your vehicle is a Honda). Set the transmission into "park" (or neutral with the emergency brake applied for Chrysler vehicles) and make sure the engine is at normal operating temperature.
  
  
• Remove the dipstick, clean it with a rag or cloth, and reinsert. Check both sides to see the level - repeat several times to better guarantee accuracy. It's important to check both sides of the dipstick to prevent false readings caused by movement and circulation of the fluid within.
  
  
• Note: If your engine has been off for an extended period, fluid used by the torque converter will have drained into the pan area (the pan area being where the level is measured), and you might end up with an artificially high level reading. Testing this level at operating temperature (except for Hondas) is an important detail because the fluid's volume expands when heated by engine activity, meaning that incorrectly low readings may result from testing an inactive engine.
  
  
• Give newly added fluid a few minutes in your running engine before measuring again. This allows it to distribute and function appropriately, and your readings may be inaccurate in the meantime. Driving for a mile or two after adding fluid is a good way to adjust for this.
  
  
• Keep in mind that if your fluid level is low, your transmission likely has a leak...transmissions do not normally consume this fluid!

• A scanner is, essentially, a computer which communicates with the computer inside of any computer-controlled transmission. It requests, receives, and translates the warning and error codes which your vehicle's transmission computer has recorded, allowing our scanner to understand and describe your transmission's problems to us.
  
  
• While an exceptionally useful piece of modern equipment, the scanner is not always accurate. False error messages, problems with the transmission computer, and errors which go undetected exist. However, a scanner is an incredibly valuable tool that, when used together with an expert technician's visual evaluation, can help determine exactly what problems your broken transmission is experiencing.

• Determining the source of the transmission leak is the most important part of determining the repair cost involved. Just because transmission fluid is dripping off the bottom doesn't mean this is the source of the leak - the fluid could easily be coming from the top and running down the sides and around the pan. A thorough inspection by a trained technician is extremely valuable in evaluating the true source of the leak. A transmission can leak from a broad variety of locations, such as the:
  • Pump
  • Shift lever seal(s)
  • Kickdown seal
  • Electrical connection(s)
  • Governor cover
  • Speedometer
  • Rear output seal or axle seals
  • Servo cover(s)
  • Filler tube
  • Throttle cable
  • Pan
  • Side cover
  • Cooler lines
  • Differential cover
• The real question is: What is the source, or sources of the leak. Most people can only see the bottom of the unit, and therefore conclude that the bottom pan gasket is leaking when, in reality, the leak is from above and running down and around the pan. Therefore, it is imperative that the unit be visually inspected to evaluate the leak situation! Without a visual check, it's nearly impossible to accurately find the source of the leak.

Transmission issues coming from computer-controlled transmissions can often mean a problem with one of your transmission's computer sensors electrical connections, or the system ground. By attaching your engine to one of our state of the art scanners, we can "read" your transmission computer codes stored in the computer and detect whether the transmission or its computer systems are at fault.