Transmission repair shop FAQs answered by local Boise mechanics
Transmission repairs can be one of the most expensive repairs to have done for your vehicle. Making a decision to authorize expensive repair work is often more difficult in the face of complex reasons for the repair.
If you live in Boise, Meridian or Garden City regions of Ada County and you have transmission repair questions you’d like an answer to, we can help. We’re a centrally located transmission repair shop that can answer your questions in person, on the phone, or with transmission FAQs on our website.
Transmission repair FAQs from Wayne’s Transmissions are designed to provide our website visitors with quick answers to questions regarding transmission repair. They include frequent inquiries about clutches, drive axles, differentials, drive shafts, transfer cases, and CV axles. At Wayne’s, our ASE certified technicians diagnose, repair, and maintain transmissions and the above mentioned components on most makes and models. Our services provide coverage for automatic and manual transmissions. We also diagnose, repair and replace clutches on cars, trucks, and SUV’s.
Your Expert Choice for transmission repair specialists
Since we specialize in drive train repair and maintenance, our ASE certified technicians and transmission mechanics have years of drive train specific experience. They are able to diagnose and repair vehicles that other general repair shops may not have the expertise to handle. Our transmission FAQs are supported by our years of experience. Our goal in sharing them is to help our customers and website browsers address questions they have about transmissions and other drive train systems.
Specializing means we often save our customers money because we don’t need to guess what a vehicle’s problem is. Wayne Johnson has over 30 years of experience as a master transmission mechanic. Bob, our transmission builder, has as much experience as Wayne. Diagnosis of drivetrain or specific transmission problems is no problem for Wayne’s. Whether you drive a manual transmission Subaru with a clutch problem, or a Hyundai with an automatic transmission shift problem, chances are we’ve seen the problem before. You can have confidence we will provide the repair your vehicle needs.
Quality drivetrain repairs by experienced technicians
A vehicle’s drivetrain includes parts and components besides the transmission – transfer cases, differentials, CV-axle shafts, and drive shafts. We provide maintenance services, repair, and replacement for all these components. General repair shops can offer some of these services, but when it comes to complex transfer cases and differentials, they should only be diagnosed and repaired by ASE certified master drivetrain mechanics like ours at Wayne’s Transmissions in Boise.
Our transmission and drivetrain repair professionals are passionate about helping you save money on drivetrain related service and repair for all your vehicles. We are a small family owned independent transmission repair shop with a mission to help auto owners get the best drivetrain services. We are committed to honest prices, written estimates, and we stand behind the integrity of our work.
We value each customer and look forward to providing the same excellent transmission and drivetrain service to our customer’s family and friends. If there are any questions we can answer with our drivetrain and transmission repair FAQs, please contact us through our website or call us today at (208) 322-1236.
As customers present us with new questions, we regularly update this frequently ask questions page adding new information that pertains to transmission and drivetrain automotive repairs. It doesn’t matter whether you drive a Dodge, Ford, Toyota or Honda car, truck, or SUV, many general questions apply to most vehicle makes.
Refer to the index of categories at the top of this page that allows you to click and move to that area without having to scroll.
About Wayne’s Transmissions FAQs
Basic questions with brief answers about our company’s history, operation, employees, and the transmission repair services we provide.
What are your hours of operation?
We are open Monday through Friday 8:00 to 5:00 pm
How long have you been in business?
Wayne’s dad started the company in 1968 as Wayne’s Transmission Clinic. In 2005 Wayne change the company name to Wayne’s Transmissions.
What type of transmission and drive train work do you do?
We service and repair clutches, drive axles, differentials, drive shafts, transfer cases, and CV drive axles. Our ASE certified technicians diagnose, repair, and provide maintenance service for transmissions on most makes and models. The largest percentage of work done in our shop is diagnosis, overhaul, and repair of automatic and manual transmissions.
What type of payments do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa and Discover
What is your location?
We are located at 2687 S Cole Rd # C, Boise ID 83709
How can I contact you?
Phone (208) 322-1236
Appointments can be requested online by visiting our appointment page.
Questions can be submitted using the form found on our contact page.
Automatic Transmission Diagnosis FAQs
Automatic transmission diagnosis includes; driving the vehicle to verify whether the complaint can be duplicated; a visual inspection of the fluid and physical condition of the transmission; checking the computer for codes and following the procedures as outlined by the manufacturer. In the absence of codes saved in the computer, symptom diagnostic procedures are followed.
What to do when the automatic transmission warning displays on the dash?
Transmission diagnosis will be required when your vehicle displays an automatic transmission warning light or message on the dash. The warning means the transmissions computer has identified a problem with the electronics or the transmission has an internal mechanical problem.
When a code sets the transmissions computer will react in a certain way depending on the type of failure. Sometimes the computer will stay in one or two gears. Often it will drive up the internal oil pressure, which will cause the shifting to be very hard. Other codes will cause the automatic transmission warning light to be on but the transmission will shift fine.
Either way the best thing to do is get it checked out as soon as you can. If the shifting feels harsh and jerky or is not functional it would be best to not drive the vehicle until you talk with your transmission shop.
Do transmission fault codes tell the technician which parts to replace?
The transmission fault codes that a technician reads on his diagnostic scanner tell him the area or system of the transmission the computer has recognized with a problem. To read the code and replace a part would never be the correct procedure to follow.
The code could be for an electronic sensor that has a broken wire or a loose connection. The technician must follow the factory diagnostic chart to determine the exact cause of the fault. Just replacing a part would be the same as guessing rather than knowing what is causing the problem.
This is the reason DIY or “do it yourself” auto repair can cost the owner more to replace parts rather than having a technician diagnose the problem correctly.
Should I have my transmission flushed?
We don’t recommend machine flushing of automatic transmissions. Some vehicles brought to our shop come in with a problem that started after having had transmission flushing performed elsewhere. The pressure used during the flushing process can dislodge deposits of debris from places where it may never have caused a problem. Once loosened, these deposits of metal fragments or clutch material circulating in the fluid and can plug or restrict passages.
In addition, flush services generally don’t include replacement of the transmission filter. Debris loosened by the flush also circulates to the filter. Over time, filters congested with excessive debris will restrict the flow of fluid to the transmission.
Either one of these situations can lead to transmission failure soon after a flush. Our transmission service, where fluid is drained and the filter replaced can provide transmission function for many more miles.
What should I do if my transmission fluid is extremely dirty or even black?
Black or very dark fluid is generally an indication of two things. The first indication is a delay or absence of maintenance services. The second is a failing component within the transmission.
An exception to the above mentioned situations would be if the vehicle has overheated and burned the transmission fluid while towing an excessive load or towing in temperature extremes. In this case, changing the overheated fluid and replacing the filter as soon as possible can save the transmission from failure.
When we have a vehicle with fluid that is excessively dark, that doesn’t fit the exception described above, we service the transmission rather than flush it. We use the following procedure, but the first time we pull the transmissions pan we evaluate the material in the pan to determine of there are large pieces of metal or clutch fiber. If there is, we stop and recommend an overhaul. If the material in the pan is normal we do the following procedure.
How to service an automatic transmission that has very dark fluid without doing a flush:
- Drain the fluid and replace the filter
- Install new fluid to the correct level
- Drive the vehicle ten to twenty miles
- Drain the fluid and replace the filter again
- Add new fluid again to the correct level
- Road test the vehicle to verify proper shifting and the absence of a transmission warning light being displayed
What does it mean when a transmission warning message or light is displayed?
The transmissions computer is constantly monitoring transmission sensors and data from the vehicle’s other computers. When a fault is detected, a warning light or message on the dash display turns on. You may feel noticeable jerks with shifting or hear the transmission failing to shift into all gears. This is a failsafe response to the fault designed to help you get to a repair destination before more damage inside the transmission results.
If the warning light cycles between being on and off, the problem is likely an intermittent one. If you are feeling or hearing indications of the failsafe response, find a safe place to pull off the road. Turn the engine off for a few minutes before restarting your vehicle and continuing to your destination. It is always important to contact your auto repair professional to schedule diagnosis of this situation before more damage occurs.
What should I do when the transmission warning turns on and stays on?
When the warning light turns on and stays on in the absence of any failsafe indicators mentioned above, it means the computer has recognized a fault but the condition is not bad enough to put the transmission in failsafe mode. That’s a good thing as it gives you time to make an appointment with Wayne’s Transmissions so we can identify the cause of the problem.
How important is it to change my transmission fluid?
Regular service of transmission fluid is critical to ensure your transmission continues operating as designed. A transmission is responsible to transfer power from the vehicle’s engine to the wheels. That workload generates significant heat, which is responsible for degrading the ability of the transmission fluid to clean and lubricate the transmission’s internal parts. The more heat the fluid is exposed to, the more quickly it deteriorates. One cooling system overheat scenario could compromise transmission fluid enough to warrant replacement.
In the past, many cars and light trucks had a recommended transmission service interval of 30,000 miles. Today, with more precise machining techniques and vastly improved oil qualities, automotive manufacturers have extended that service interval up to 100,000 miles.
Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for your vehicle manufacturer’s transmission service recommendations. It should be noted that, even in the face of longer manufacturer service interval recommendations, most specialty transmission repair shops don’t advise vehicle owners going more than 50,000 miles without a service or a visual inspection of the fluid.