In order to figure out how much you are going to pay total for the overall transmission solenoid cost, you need to know what a transmission solenoid is, the function of the solenoid, the signs and symptoms of a failing solenoid, and important information about the total replacement transmission solenoid cost.
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Depending on the make and model of the car you are driving, you can expect to pay, on average, between $150 to $100 for a single transmission shift solenoid cost. However, if you are changing the entire pack, this can increase the transmission solenoid cost between $50 and $300 in total.
What is a transmission solenoid?
A transmission solenoid is an electro-hydraulic valve that is in charge of controlling the amount of fluid in and out of the automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is a type of motor vehicle transmission that automatically alters the gear ratio as your car moves, meaning that the driver does not have to use a clutch or manually shift the gears.
The solenoids can be normally open or normally closed depending on their resting position. They operate via a voltage through the electrical system in the car or by a current supplied by the transmission computer or controller, often times the electronic control unit. The transmission solenoids are generally placed in a transmission valve body, transmission control unit, or the transmission control module.
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Transmission Solenoid Function
As you can see, every type of transmission solenoid is a key part of the functioning transmission that keeps your car running smoothly, safely, and at a high level. Suppose you start noticing the symptoms of a bad transmission control solenoid. In that case, this can mean serious issues for your transmission and the performance of your engine, causing your car’s lifespan to be much lower than it would have previously.
In an automatic transmission car, the transmission relies on various bands and clutches to change gears smoothly and on time and when you need it to. In this case, the only way that this can be done is by the correct amount of fluid pressure within the shifting system. The transmission solenoid is the part in charge of opening and closing the valves in the body to allow for either more or prevent the fluid from entering. At this point, the fluid can pressurize the clutches and bands to change gears quickly.
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Transmission Solenoid Mechanism
Transmission solenoids are a spring-loaded plunger that directly communicates with the car’s engine sensors or the transmission control module via electronic signals, whether it be voltage or current. The transmission solenoids and the sensors determine when it is the correct time to shift gears, depending on the vehicle and the engine speed.
Suppose the transmission solenoid is working correctly and contains enough electrical power to be energized to run smoothly. In that case, the mechanical plunger allows the right amount of fluid to pass through, while the transmission solenoid is not receiving power in its closed position.
While the various engine sensors determine the exact time at which the gears are supposed to shift, the transmission solenoid’s job is to carry out the actual shifting mechanism. If you notice a bad transmission solenoid’s symptoms, you will not be able to shift gears correctly.
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Transmission Solenoid Types
Different kinds of transmission solenoids in your car can influence how much you might pay for the transmission solenoid cost. The first type of solenoid is the variable force solenoid.
The variable force solenoid is a hydraulic device that controls a vehicle’s pressure according to the signal, whether a voltage or a current, obtained from the car’s powertrain. The powertrain is the part of your motor vehicle that generates power and delivers that power to the car.
The second type of solenoid is the on-off solenoid, while the third type is a low leak variable bleed solenoid. The last kind of transmission solenoid is the pulse width modulated solenoid, which reduces the electrical signal’s average power by separating it into various parts. Since all of these transmission solenoids are different in function and placement, they have different prices and variable transmission solenoid cost.
Bad Transmission Solenoid Warning Signs
Suppose your automatic transmission is not performing correctly, and your car is not performing well. In that case, this could be a clear sign to both you and your passengers that your transmission’s solenoid is failing or has previously failed. A bad transmission solenoid can negatively affect your automatic transmission components and cause a higher transmission solenoid cost.
Transmission solenoids are electro-hydraulic valves that control the transmission fluid flow through the transmission in the car, and they open and close due to the electrical signals that they gain from the vehicle or the transmission control unit, which gains data from various speed sensors located within the engine.
Since a clutch controls the gear shifting in the manual transmission of a car, the transmission solenoid is in control of the transmission within the automatic car, performing the same task. Furthermore, the transmission system in your automatic car has different kinds of solenoids – shift solenoids, lockup solenoids, and the transmission control solenoids.
There are many causes and reasons as to why your transmission solenoids could have failed and caused various symptoms of a bad transmission solenoid. When the transmission control unit sends signs and information to the transmission solenoids to shift either up or down, these values have to open or close to restrict the transmission fluid flow. The fluid in the transmission is in charge of pressurizing the transmission system and allowing your car to change gears smoothly.
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Delayed Gear Shifting
The main driving symptoms that you will notice with the symptoms of a bad transmission control solenoid is that there could be delayed gear shifting, you can’t downshift, and your engine will continue to rev, your transmission is in the neutral position, and the shifting of gears becomes very rough and choppy. The rough changing of gears and the delayed shifting can result in a higher transmission solenoid cost.
The fluid pressure makes it available for the car’s internal computer, the engine control unit, to shift gears in the correct way and on time. If the wire wrapping on the plumber gets too much electrical current or too little electrical current, or the transition is very dirty, it can cause the transmission solenoid to get stuck. This can cause the gear shifting to become difficult or unstable and could cause the transmission to be stuck in neutral.
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Stuck Gears
Your car’s transmission relies upon the positions and various transmission solenoids’ locations to control the gears and keep your car moving smoothly. If you notice the symptoms of a bad transmission solenoid, you might lose the ability to use multiple gears in your vehicle, and one gear might become particularly stuck, or the gear might not be able to move at all. Malfunctioning gears can result in a higher transmission solenoid cost.
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Wire Damage or Failure
Most modern cars have some type of transmission control module in charge of monitoring the transmission through various sensors, like the shift-position sensor and the transmission speed sensor. Furthermore, the transmission control module and the solenoid wiring are protected by various fuels. If there is a failure or damage to one of the fuses or the wires, this can cause the symptoms of a bad transmission solenoid and a higher transmission solenoid cost.
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Limp Mode
The transmission control module isn't your vehicle in charge of noticing any failure within the monitors’ systems. Any failure that it detects, ranging in severity from a broken or damaged solenoid to a blown fuse, will trigger and spur the limp mode to prevent any further engine damage or any further damage to the transmission and a higher transmission solenoid cost. Even when the limp mode is activated, the car can still somewhat work, allowing the driver to travel in a limited capacity.
Generally, the limp mode will affect the bad transmission solenoid. It allows your car to go into second gear and remain there. This can lead to a slow feeling when you first start driving, preventing full acceleration, and making the engine RPMs much higher than usual to go the same speed. Make sure you do not drive with your car in limp mode for too long, as this can cause various symptoms of a bad transmission control solenoid and a higher transmission solenoid cost.
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Diagnostic Trouble Codes
Once the transmission control module notices an issue within one of the monitored systems, it can turn on a diagnostic trouble code that can be diagnosed properly by using a scan tool that makes sense for your car’s specific make, model, and year. The trouble codes for the main transmission components that show the symptoms of a bad transmission control solenoid begin at P0700, and the codes for the solenoid range from P0751 to P0758.
In addition, there are speed sensor codes that run until P0503. These speed sensor codes can cause a higher transmission solenoid cost in your car.
Transmission Solenoid Replacement and Cost
If you have realized that when scanning your vehicle’s computer with your diagnostic tool that there is a problem with the transmission or noticed the symptoms of a bad transmission control solenoid, you might have realized a transmission solenoid replacement is necessary for your car.
Oftentimes, replacing a transmission solenoid is a pretty simple task that won’t take very long compared to more extensive and expensive repairs and replacements. If you bring your car to a mechanic’s auto body shop, the whole process should not take anymore than 2 hours. On average, repair shops charge around $60 to $100 per hour for labor, so it should not cost you more than $200-$250 for the solenoid’s labor cost.
However, the costs can vary depending on what kind of car you have – like the make, model, and year of the vehicle. Some transmission solenoids are only replaced properly by removing the valve body, which can take more time and enhance the procedure’s overall labor cost.
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Average Transmission Solenoid Cost
A replacement transmission solenoid is approximately between $15 and $100 for the parts alone, with the labor average going upwards of around $300 total. If you just need the transmission front seal replaced to remedy the symptoms of a bad transmission solenoid, you should expect to pay between $00 and $1,000 to change the transmission front seal.
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Valve Body Replacement Cost
If you need to replace the valve body to fix a bad transmission solenoid’s symptoms, it is best to change the entire valve body since transmission gears operate on hydraulic pressure. The valve body assembly will be around $200 to $500, while this procedure’s labor costs will be around $500 or so. It will be at least $1,000 on the low end to get your car back running smoothly.
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Transmission Mount Replacement Cost
If you need to replace the transmission mount in your car, this could help remedy a bad transmission solenoid’s signs and symptoms. The parts itself is usually around $50 to $200, and the labor is about the same price, costing about $400 on average to replace the mount cost.
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Single Transmission Solenoid Replacement Cost
Although a single transmission solenoid replacement is not as common, this procedure can reduce the overall transmission solenoid cost by replacing the necessary solenoids one at a time.
Conclusion
In order to figure out how much you are going to pay total for the overall transmission solenoid cost, you need to know what a transmission solenoid is, the function of the solenoid, the signs and symptoms of a failing solenoid, and important information about the total replacement transmission solenoid cost.
Paying for a replacement transmission solenoid is approximately between $15 and $100 for the parts alone, with the labor average coming out to around $300 total. If you just need the transmission front seal replaced to remedy the symptoms of a bad transmission solenoid, you should expect to pay between $00 and $1,000 to change the transmission front seal.