How much should I expect a transmission repair to cost?

[CPA]

Wife just called from Dallas (she's visiting relatives). She was accelerating on a highway on-ramp and the Avalanche lost all acceleration (but the engine continued to rev). Looks to be a transmission issue. Unfortunately, the dealership it's being towed to is not open until Monday so I will probably have to run up their and get her. Assuming it's a transmission problem, what's a range of cost to repair (at the dealership)?


UPDATE: sorry, not a car guy, so not sure if I'm explaining this correctly. Got a call from the Chevy dealership this morning. Seems that a cellunoid broke loose and mangled up the transmission. Dealership wanted $2400 for a "new" transmission with 3 year/100K warranty. Loved the warranty but too much for my wallet. A relative of my wife called and suggested a garage. The guy will do it for a little over $1600 including tow from the dealership (40 mile tow). Done! Sign me up. He has a 2 year/24K warranty, but it's up in Dallas (I'm in Houston) so it won't do me much good.

 

[spaceman]

$1000-1600
guesstimating.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: clowntard
$1000-1600
guesstimating.

god, I think I'm going to throw up.

 

[olds]

If it's just fluid, $150 for tow and top off.
My truck transmission was $3000 for a complete overhaul with good parts.

 

[Bignate603]

Well, this should probably belong in the garage. Transmission work at the dealer is going to be expensive, especially on a vehicle that big.

Are there any other things that happened when she lost power? Any noise? Is this vehicle 4wd?

Also, $1000-1600 is probably quite cheap for a truck that big. Those beefy auto transmissions are pricey.

 

[bctbct]

what year/milage?

drive train warranties can last longer than 3 yrs.

 

[CPA]

you are right Big, this belongs in The Garage. Mods please move.

Tow is free because we have Onstar.

It's 2WD and according to one of her relatives it's not the fluid because he didn't see any leakage. No lost power and no noises as far as I know, just stopped accelerating.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
Well, this should probably belong in the garage. Transmission work at the dealer is going to be expensive, especially on a vehicle that big.

Are there any other things that happened when she lost power? Any noise? Is this vehicle 4wd?

Also, $1000-1600 is probably quite cheap for a truck that big. Those beefy auto transmissions are pricey.

yeah, the dealership might be a different story, but the local tranny place quoted us 1400 for a refurb tranny some years ago.


i would get it towed someplace else, unless of course its covered under powertrain.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: bctbct
what year/milage?

drive train warranties can last longer than 3 yrs.

04 with about 60K. I think Chevy's warranty is only 3 or 36K.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: bctbct
what year/milage?

drive train warranties can last longer than 3 yrs.

04 with about 60K. I think Chevy's warranty is only 3 or 36K.

doesnt chevy have a 5/100 powertrain?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: bctbct
what year/milage?

drive train warranties can last longer than 3 yrs.

04 with about 60K. I think Chevy's warranty is only 3 or 36K.

60K isn't much. I'd expect Dodge to crap out by 60k but not Chevy. Do you tow anything?
Just because someone didn't see a leak doesn't mean there isn't one. If they are still there, have them pull the dipstick.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: clowntard

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: bctbct
what year/milage?

drive train warranties can last longer than 3 yrs.

04 with about 60K. I think Chevy's warranty is only 3 or 36K.

doesnt chevy have a 5/100 powertrain?

Not for the 04 models, only the more recent 08 models as far as I can tell.

 

[bctbct]

I would'nt get too worried yet. Chevy has some pretty solid transmissions.

Is you're wife blond...it could be in nuetral

 

[Bignate603]

It's odd for it to just stop suddenly without any noise. Usually transmission failure is either a progressive failure or a sudden noisy failure. I'd be interested to see if its an electronic issue or something so it just popped into neutral.

 

[CPA]

Well, it wasn't the transmission fluid. Looks like I won't know anything until Monday.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
It's odd for it to just stop suddenly without any noise. Usually transmission failure is either a progressive failure or a sudden noisy failure. I'd be interested to see if its an electronic issue or something so it just popped into neutral.

She said she didn't hear anything. She also had Onstar run a diagnostic test and they didn't come up with anything. No warning lights either.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: Bignate603
It's odd for it to just stop suddenly without any noise. Usually transmission failure is either a progressive failure or a sudden noisy failure. I'd be interested to see if its an electronic issue or something so it just popped into neutral.

She said she didn't hear anything. She also had Onstar run a diagnostic test and they didn't come up with anything. No warning lights either.

Drive line fall out? :laugh:

 

[ponyo]

I know it's not the same vehicle but my cousin had his transmission rebuilt on his '03 Yukon 2wd last year. I think he paid around $1300 or so total including the labor. He had little over 180k miles when it blew. He used an independent shop, not the dealer.

 

[alpineranger]

could be a problem with the torque converter splines. And yeah, unless it's a really benign problem it's probably going to be quite expensive

 

[bruceb]

Could be a computer issue as those trannies are electronically controlled
as well as the hydraulics inside the tranny. My car a 1999 Grand Prix lost
4th gear (overdrive) due to a failed 4th gear clutch hub in the tranny. That
ran me about $2600 for parts and labor. But it is a front wheel drive car
so it is harder to replace. And it is a GM rebuilt tranny which comes with a
3 year / 100K miles warranty.

 

[Rumpltzer]

1987 Chevy S10 in the middle of the New Mexican desert, 1999. There was a distinct mechanical-sounding clunk and it felt like the truck had just popped itself into neutral. The Check Engine Light came on and I coasted to the shoulder of the highway.

I had the truck towed to Bozo's Garage in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. 24 hours later, I paid $1200 for a remanufactured transmission installed. That transmission had overdrive, and it was a very common transmission.

I checked a year later and AAMCO quoted the same price, so I was happy not to have been totally ripped off in the middle of the desert.


Hopefully the Avalanche has something more benign. Good luck!

 

[melchoir]

The avalanche has a 4L85E, which is a very stout transmission. It's definitely one of the more expensive automatics as well, so no luck there.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: melchoir
The avalanche has a 4L85E, which is a very stout transmission. It's definitely one of the more expensive automatics as well, so no luck there.

Gah, this keeps getting worse and worse. Hopefully, it's just an electrical issue as suggested above. Again, she heard no noises and no lights (check engine or such) came on.

 

[thomsbrain]

Do we still not have confirmation that she didn't just bump it into neutral? Has anyone attempted to drive the truck since your wife?

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Do we still not have confirmation that she didn't just bump it into neutral? Has anyone attempted to drive the truck since your wife?

yes, she is confident it did not bump into nuetral. In fact, she tried dropping it down to 2 and 1 from D. Still nothing.