One of the most important parts of the car you drive is the transmission. When it is working right not too many people think about it at all. Once something starts to act funny it is no laughing matter. This is because there are very few average citizens that are able to tinker with a transmission and fix it at home. There are thousands of parts inside the body that could confuse even the most savvy mechanic if he has no formal training with them.

There are ways to make defer unexpected problems with the transmission of your automobile. Keeping up a regular maintenance schedule is the best way. Checking the fluid for proper fill and to make sure it is clear should be done on a semi regular basis. This is especially important if the car has gone lots of miles or when most of the driving is done in a city where the traffic is stop and go. The transmission will also show wear sooner when doing a lot of climbing on mountain roads. When working the engine and drive train harder causes friction to shave off tiny pieces of metal that can cause damage to the belts and the gears.

At least every hundred thousand miles the transmissions should be flushed. If driving a four wheel drive truck the differential should also be checked for proper fluid level and cleanliness. This process can be done at most lube and oil shops. It takes about an hour and will give a longer life to the whole drive train. They can also check the filter in it while the flush is being done. The filter should be changed regularly to make sure that any debris that has settled into the pan does not get recirculated around the device. The right transmission service tech can tell you the best way to proceed once they have looked at the fluids.

When the vehicle has traveled over a hundred thousand miles and is getting tired it is a good idea to take it in for a complete tranny overhaul. This is great because the belts will be replaced, the gears will all be tightened and the fluid will be changed. Also, if there are any leaks the seals will be replaced too and if there is a problem that has not surfaced yet, the transmission service Lewisville will find them before the automobile strands you on the side of a road somewhere.

When there have been more than enough miles on the automobile the transmission may need to be replaced. There are many places that carry used ones that will be way below cost of a rebuilt one or a new one. Plus, when ordering an entire tranny it usually has to be done through the car manufacturer. Often their service technicians are also able to put it in as soon as it comes in. This takes a lot of time and is very expensive. The places to find a used one are plentiful. Junk yards, in the newspaper, by folks who are parting out their own vehicle and even on web sites such as craigslist. There are a lot of places to go to get this major part of the car fixed and when you do, the difference that will be seen and felt in the car will make each customer very happy indeed.

The most intricate part of all automobiles is the transmission. This makes it impossible for the average person to go into the garage and fix things that go wrong with it. It requires a lot of skill and formal education to fix one of them let alone properly diagnose the problem it may be having. Transmissions are very invasive and when they go out or stop working right it usually means the car will stay home.

That is why there are so many mechanics that go into a specialty field such as transmission mechanics. They learn how to tell by the sound of the car what the tranny is doing, if the gears are slipping, if the fluid is dirty and often they can tell if it is not the transmission making the noise too.

Some of the parts and components that can be checked by just climbing under the car are the seals, front and back, the fluid pan gasket, the electronic solenoid connection and the sensors when they are placed outside the tranny and more. They also check other parts that connect directly to the tranny itself. Those parts are the u joints, the drive train, differential, cooling system since many cars and trucks are built with a cooling system that connects to the tranny, and even the axles. If there is damage to these parts the tech will make a note of it and let the customer know before any work is performed.

When there is definitely something wrong that is not visible from under the vehicle the tech may need to drain it, clean up the parts and check them for wear. When the fluid is not monitored it can collect small bits of dirt, debris and even metal shavings which will be run through the gears and cause them to be cut. Sometimes these shavings can catch in the gears and chip the metal parts making them grip each band looser. This causes the gears to slip.

The friendly transmission technicians will be happy to explain in clear English what exactly is happening, what the options are to fixing it and what parts are available that are less expensive. They also have good working relationships with junk dealers and used auto part stores so that if there are parts out there for a discounted price, they offer this to you. Some folks prefer to use only new parts. This is certainly the prerogative of the customer and since customer service always comes first the customer always gets what they want.

There are plenty of ways to prevent major catastrophes from happening with your car or truck. Your transmission service Dallas will be more than happy to help you work out scheduled maintenance that works both with your budget and your schedule. Their friendly staff can take payments in several convenient ways too. Most offices accept credit cards, debit cards, and of course cash. Also, their staff keeps efficient records so that once they know your name they will consider you family and you can be assured that your car will be treated as one of their own.

Having problems with your car? Looking to prolong the life of your car? Live in the Plano, Texas area? Then drop by Transmission Repair Plano to get your vehicle checked out.

No appointment is needed for coming in. Just bring your car over and we will do an external check on the transmission for free. We specialize in all forms of transmission repair, including automatic transmissions and manual clutch transmissions. Driveshift repair is also offered, alongside clutch and transmission fluid replacement, among other services.

When you come in with your vehicle, we offer our free service that begins with checking the status of the transmission fluid. We also check other parts of the vehicle including the clutch and we will even do a driving test to see the state of the whole vehicle. A computer scan then follows to see if any repairs are needed; it also gives an indication of the state of the vehicle. We will then look for leaks, checking external connections for corrosions, among other inspections. The filters are also checked as many cause problems in the engine if they are not maintained.

Transmission Repair Plano then gathers all of this information and figures out how your vehicle should be handled. We then do an internal inspection if no repairs are needed externally. This means that your vehicle's transmission is taken off and every part is looked into with great care and detail. We will look for problems and determine its causes. The seals of the joints and bearings are also checked for an even more in-depth look.

Once problems are identified, we thoroughly inspect the transmission once more. We use the best components and parts for repair or replacement. Only the best products are used for your vehicle, so you can be certain your vehicle is in expert hands. It will then be checked more and then taken on road tests to make sure everything is in working order and that all components are solid and in place.

While we do our best to repair the transmission of your vehicle, it is also up to you to keep it running at its best. If you suspect anything is wrong with your transmission, then get it checked as soon as possible. Also, make sure your engine is properly tuned as an improperly tuned engine is often the source of many problems. Finally, inspect your transmission fluids on a regular basis and change it more often in high-stress conditions.

When you run into any problems with the engine or transmission of your car, be sure to contact us if you are in the area. Our service has been testified to be “honest”, “fair” and “great” among other accolades we have received. Our mechanics are hundred percent professional and will treat your vehicle with great care. Finally, we also have a towing service if your car is not in running condition. So, if you have any problems with your vehicle then do not be afraid to call on us.

The Mercedes-Benz Transmission

You might be one of the fortunate people to own or drive a Mercedes Benz. Owning one of the worlds better built vehicles however will not exempt you from experiencing transmission problems like the rest of us.

Although we see less of these vehicles in for repairs, which only mean’s that there are less of them on the road.

Mercedes has used different variations of transmissions depending on year and model, as an example we will list just a few of these and focus more on the one of the most common on the road today.

The following list is just some of the variations used.

722.0    Three Speed

722.1    Four Speed/4 Bolt Pan

722.2    Four Speed/4Bolt Pan

722.3    Four Speed/6Bolt/Large Case

722.4    Four Speed/6Bolt/Small Case

722.5    Five Speed Overdrive

722.6    Six Speed Overdrive

722.9    Seven Speed Overdrive

One of the most common of these is the 722.6, so will discuss that model for simplicity.

The 722.6 is also called a NAG1 (New Automatic Gearbox 1^st Version) or also called a 5G-Tronic. This transmission is electronically controlled, which means shift by wire.

According to Mercedes Benz, this transmission is sealed for life, which is why there is no dipstick to check your fluid level.

Mercedes Benz however in recent years has published article AP00.20-U-12081B calling for a transmission fluid and filter change at 39000 miles. This was added into the 2007 and later model year “Maintenance Book”. The 2006 model year book has a recommendation for maintenance checks for high mileage vehicles at 143000 miles.

The 2009 model year added the EVERY 40,000 mile Fluid & Filter Change. Most 2009 models however use the 722.9 transmission.

When servicing the transmission, Mercedes recommends the use of genuine Mercedes fluid; however this can be subsuted for fluid that is on their approved list of acceptable fluids.

Common Problems That Occur  

As with any other transmission, these transmissions also have their own common problems that unless addressed immediately, can cause major problems.

• Leaks 

- the majority of leaks come from the 13 Pin Electrical connector and the shifter mechanism bellow.

The 13-Pin connector can leak either internally or externally. In some, the leak will even wick up the harness to the ETC (Electronic Control Module) causing the Module to short out as well. Mercedes has an updated connector now available for this condition.

Most models have a cup holder near the shifter, where of course, out of habit we place our drinks in. We sometimes get a little careless and might even spill a little on the shifter. Well, located under that shifter is a Shift module, which does not function as it should when it has coffee or other liquid splashed on to it. This can cause your check engine light to come on, cause you to have “codes” for gear ratio errors and also put you into “limp mode”, meaning you’re running only on the gear that was engaged at the time.

Removing and cleaning the module will sometimes, but not always eliminate the problem. Even if you are able to do a good cleaning, the computer will have to be checked, cleared and reset to be sure that was all the damage done.Obviouisly, you don’t want to continue driving with this malfunction as serous internal damage may occur.

• Limp Mode

- occurs when the Transmission Control Module (ETC) detects an active or intermittent problem and then wont allow gear shifting in order to avoid serious internal damage.

Limp mode has two classifications, the first being “Mechanical-Hydraulic emergency running Mode”. In this mode, the transmission locks into third gear or the “Last” known good gear.

The second type of Mode is “Electric emergency running Mode”. In this mode, whatever gear was engaged is retained and a fault code stored. When you turn off the ignition and restart again, the transmission is locked into second and reverse only. When you try to shift from park to reverse or drive or even neutral, you will a harsh engagement cluck.

This does not necessarily mean you need to replace your transmission, as in a majority of cases a simple replacement of “the Conductor Plate” is all that will be required. The conductor plate is attached to the top of the valve body and consists of two sensors and six solenoids. The two speed sensors are usually what fails, and when they do the ETC does not know the input or output speeds and wont know what gear to engage the transmission. The Speed sensors cannot be replaced separately, so the whole plate must be replaced.

A proper diagnosis from one our certified technicians will determine what type of problem you may be experiencing to determine if the repairs required will be a minor repair as the one described above.

We have the experience and knowledge to solve all of your transmission needs.