The average price of replacing or repairing your Toyota transmission ranges between $1,800 and $3,400 on average, with the labor hours coming out to between 4 and 10 hours of billed time.
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Toyota Transmission Type
Toyota motor corporation uses various transmissions within their different car models. Toyota motor is the automotive manufacturer based in Toyota, Japan, and is one of the biggest car producers in the entire world.
In order to know how much your Toyota transmission repair cost will be for your specific car model, you need to know the differences in transmission types spread across the different kinds of cars.
Automatic Transmission
First up, we have automatic transmission options.
The A-Series is a subcategory of the automatic transmission mechanism in Toyota cars, built between 2 to 8-speed options that consist of front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or rear-wheel drive. The other type of automatic transmission is the U-Series, an automatic transmission that only applies to front-wheel drive vehicles.
CVT Transmission
The second category of Toyota transmission is the CVT transmission. As we have learned about before, the CVT transmission is an internal mechanism that quickly and effectively changes through a wide range of gear ratios while you operate your vehicle. The difference between this type of Toyota transmission and the other classifications is that the CVT has a bigger gear ratio selection when compared to manual or automatic cars.
The subcategory of CVT transmission in the Toyota lineup is the K-Series, a type of front-wheel-drive transmission.
Manual Transmission
Next up, Toyota transmissions have manual options. The manual transmissions include the C-series, E-series, EB-series, EC-series, G-series, H-series, J-series, K-series, L-series, P-series, R-series, S-series, T-series, W-series, and V-series. Many of these subcategories have various transmission models, like the C-series being a transmission for transverse engines, front engines, and rear-wheel drive applications.
Some manual transmissions are for specialized vehicles, like trucks only. The R-series is a 5-speed manual transmission specifically for RWD and 4WD trucks, the RA-series for 6-speed trucks, and the RC-series for longitudinal engines.
Hybrid Transmission
The last subcategory of Toyota transmission that you need to be aware of to determine the overall Toyota transmission repair cost is the Hybrid transmission, consisting of the P-series and L-series.
How do these transmissions work?
As we discussed, the CVT transmission in your Toyota vehicle can efficiently change gears without worrying about stalling, bumping, or jerking during the change. This smoothness means that you have greater control over the selection of gears, and you lower the risk of stalling out while driving on hills.
The benefit of using an automatic Toyota transmission is the ease of use. You don’t have to worry about a clutch pedal, shifting properly, or getting the timing right so that you can smoothly select the proper gear ratio. Although you have an easier time driving, you also relinquish some control in terms of performance.
The manual transmission in the Toyota offers the greatest ability to control the gear selection. Still, if you are out of practice with gear selection and using your clutch, you can frequently experience hard shifting that will reduce your ride’s comfort.
Toyota Transmission Problems
There are common Toyota transmission problems that can severely affect the amount you will pay for a Toyota transmission repair cost. Although there are common transmission issues, there are also various problems directly related to this specific make and car model.
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Leaking Transmission fluid
One of Toyota vehicles’ main problems is leaking transmission fluid that causes overheating and lack of lubrication. If you check your transmission fluid level and it is at a low level, this means that it is leaking from somewhere – and you need to find it ASAP.
Leaking fluid can reduce lubrication, lack of cooling of parts, overheating, and possibly damage to the transmission that can result in total replacement due to the damage. Leaks can sometimes be found by watching where you typically park, as puddles of red fluid may gather underneath your vehicle.
Checking the fluid if it is leaking from your car can also give you a hint as to the health of the transmission fluid being stored in your Toyota. Make sure that the fluid is not debris-field or dirty, as this indicates a further problem with your vehicle. If you notice a strange odor coming from the transmission fluid and it has turned a dark brown or black color, this is a sure way to tell you to need to analyze the Toyota transmission repair cost to change your fluid before the problem gets any worse.
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Grinding Noises
For drivers and passengers, a loud and audible grinding or buzzing noise will be a sure sign that something is desperately wrong with your vehicle. This sound alerts you that you need to get your car checked out right away before these sounds get louder and cause irreversible damage.
One of the main culprits of loud noises under the hood is a problem with the torque converter. Worn or damaged bearings are the most common issue that is typically attributed to the torque converter not working correctly. A grinding noise that occurs when trying to switch gears is a clear sign that your torque converter is causing damage to the Toyota transmission.
Your torque converter clutch locks in order to keep the engine and transmission working at the same power level and the same speed. However, if the torque converter slips, this means that only half of this ‘lock’ mechanism is working correctly.
If the engine and transmission are not in sync, the Toyota transmission repair cost will be much higher, as the mechanisms will not be functioning at the same level.
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Lack of responsivity
Another clear sign that you have something wrong with your Toyota transmission is that your vehicle fails to respond to your signals when you try to put your vehicle into a higher or lower gear. The lack of quick and sudden movement in response to pressing the clutch and trying to switch gears shows that something is wrong with the internal transmission.
Failure to respond to the driver’s commands can be caused by something simple or something quite complicated. In some cases, this issue can be due to low transmission fluid or the wrong type of fluid used in your vehicle. However, it can also indicate something severe. Because of this wide range of problem causes, you need to bring your car to a specialist to determine the overall Toyota transmission repair cost.
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Solenoid Issues
Transmission fluid levels and the flow of this fluid are controlled by a small but essential part – the solenoids. There are various solenoids located within the transmission system, with each having its role in keeping your Toyota transmission repair cost as low as possible. However, if the solenoid becomes damaged, your transmission has a higher risk of slipping.
Within your car, you have a traction control system. This mechanism tells the transmission control module that it needs to adjust the performance levels to adjust to outdoor conditions, prevent lockup, and ensure smooth gear shifting.
Some of the solenoids within the traction control system directly affecting the transmission include the shift solenoid, the pressure control solenoids, and the torque converter solenoids.
The shift solenoid is a device that directs the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid. If the TCM sends a signal through the electrical wire, it will move or block the fluid depending on the signal received. If the shift solenoid is not working correctly, the traction control module will no longer work, and the Toyota transmission repair cost will increase.
Furthermore, the pressure control solenoids are in charge of regulating the pressure necessary to operate the clutches and bands correctly and quickly. If one of these solenoids fail, the transmission can begin to slip or shift roughly, causing an unpleasant driving experience and further internal damage.
Lastly, the torque converter clutch solenoid has to lock to keep the engine and transmission working at the same level. However, if this part breaks and slips, the signal will not be sent to the transmission, and the timing of the whole system will be off.
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Burnt Fluid
Lastly, the final sign that something is wrong with your Toyota transmission is the smell of burnt fluid in your vehicle. There are various ways that you will be able to recognize if your transmission fluid is overheating due to excess lubrication and heat. You will notice a strong smell coming from the internal parts of your car.
Once you notice this smell, you or a mechanic should immediately check under the hood to visualize the liquid. If you see that the fluid is murky and dark, something is wrong with the transmission that has caused debris and contaminants to mix with the fluid. Although this problem could be due to just a small leak that requires a quick fix, it can also sign a higher Toyota transmission repair cost.
How much does a Toyota transmission repair cost?
Fixing your Toyota transmission depends on how severe the problems are in your vehicle. The average cost to fix just a transmission leak is only $200 for your vehicle, but fixing the root cause of the issue can add hundreds or thousands to the Toyota transmission repair cost.
Suppose the transmission fluid leak is caused by cracked lines, damaged pan gaskets, leaky seals, a broken drain plug, a faulty torque converter pump, or a damaged transmission pan. In that case, this can increase the overall Toyota transmission repair cost to more than just a simple fix.
If you have to pay for an entirely new transmission in your Toyota, this will run you between $1500 and $3,000.
However, if you are only looking at the price of a transmission fluid flush, this runs you only $200 on average, depending on what kind of fluid your Toyota requires and your vehicle model. Remember, getting the correct transmission fluid and filling it to the required level can prevent your vehicle’s future problems.
Looking at the average Toyota transmission repair cost comes to about $800 to $1,500 for a used or salvage option, between $1,100 and $2,800 for a rebuilt transmission, and between $1,300 and $3,400 for a brand new remanufactured transmission for your Toyota. The labor to remove this entire part or work on the repair cost ranges between $500 to $1,200, typically between 4 and 12 hours of billed time for the mechanic.
What factors affect the Toyota transmission repair cost?
Some factors that affect the overall Toyota transmission repair cost include the added fixes needed and the repair or replacement. If you only have to fix the transmission, then the price will be lower than if you need to address the reverse gear repair cost, transmission linkage, fluid repair, and transmission solenoid replacements.
Other factors that can affect the overall Toyota transmission repair cost is the type of machine you are replacing. As we know, Toyota has various models of transmission depending on what model of the car you own. If you are replacing a manual transmission, the price will differ from replacing a CVT or hybrid choice.
Conclusion
As you can see, the cost of the Toyota transmission repair cost depends on the severity of the issue’s root cause. If the problem is easily fixable, like a small fluid leak, the repair cost will be lower. However, if the problem has caused extensive damage, you can be looking at around $3,400 for a total Toyota transmission replacement cost.