Computer diagnostics · Miami, FL
Transmission diagnostics: find the fault before you pay for it.
Modern automatic transmissions are electronically controlled, so a warning light, hard shifting or slipping can come from a sensor, a solenoid, the valve body, the fluid or a mechanical fault inside. Hi-Tech Transmissions in Cutler Bay, Miami reads the codes, checks the fluid, road-tests the car and runs pressure tests before quoting anything, because the fix depends on which of those it is.
Bring it in for a diagnosis when
- The transmission or check-engine light is on
- Shifts are hard, late or in the wrong gear
- Another shop quoted a rebuild without explaining why
- A symptom comes and goes and nobody has found it
What the diagnosis includes
Fluid check
Level, colour and smell tell a lot before the scanner is even plugged in. Burnt brown fluid and fresh red fluid point in different directions.
Codes
Transmission and engine codes are read and interpreted; a code names a circuit, not always the broken part.
Road test
How it shifts hot and cold, under load, at cruising speed.
Pressure and electrical tests
Where needed, line-pressure and solenoid tests separate an electrical fault from a mechanical one.
Good to know
- Reviewers describe Tom checking the fluid in the lot before quoting; that check is the start of every diagnosis.
- A diagnosis can end in a small repair. Not every warning light is a rebuild.
FAQ
Questions we get at the counter
What does a transmission code mean?
A code names the circuit or condition the computer saw (a solenoid circuit, a gear-ratio error, converter clutch slip). It narrows the search; the diagnosis finds the actual part.
Can you diagnose it while I wait?
Call first. A fluid and code check is quick; a full diagnosis with a road test and pressure tests takes longer, and the shop will tell you when to come back.
Why is the check-engine light on with a transmission problem?
The transmission control module reports through the same system. Gear-ratio, solenoid and converter-clutch faults turn on the check-engine light even when the engine is fine.
Do I need a diagnosis if I already know it's slipping?
Yes, because slipping has several causes with very different prices: low or burnt fluid, a solenoid, the converter, or worn clutches. The diagnosis is what makes the quote honest.
Related
Slipping, shuddering, leaking? Bring it to Tom.
Call the shop and describe what it's doing. We'll check it before we quote it.