What is rebuilding a Transmission? Why not replace it?

Let’s start with a more simple question: what is a transmission? But let’s make this short because, honestly, you probably don’t care about the technical details. You care about the role the transmission plays in your car. In short, the transmission manipulates the engine output, to make sure that power is always available to you. The transmission is also responsible for taking the power created by the engine and routing it to the wheels. Pretty important, yeah? There are four primary types of transmissions. Automatics, manuals, continuously variable transmissions (CTVs), and dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs). In general, CTVs and DCTs are not rebuilt, just replaced. So, rebuilding. Not a word you hear a lot with cars, right? But in the case of the transmission, it comes into play. Here’s what happens: the transmission gets taken apart, just like you do with an appliance when it’s not working right. But unlike you and the appliance, the transmission actually gets fixed and put back together in the right order. During a rebuild, the “soft” parts of the automatic transmission are replaced. These are the elements that easily wear with use and friction, like bands, seals, clutch plates, and gaskets. The transmission cooler will be flushed out and replaced, and the filter will be replaced as well. Further damage will be checked for, and replaced as necessary. And then it’s all put back together, by people who actually know what they’re doing. So, why not just replace the transmission? Simple. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to rebuild it. Would you rather spend more money or less money? Thought so.

How urgent is a Transmission rebuild?

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the transmission is a critical part of your car. You need a functioning transmission, and driving around with a faulty one can cause serious damage to other parts of your car.

Don’t beat around the bush with your transmission.