Mar 30, 2021 If all it needs is a fluid change, you’re looking at a cost between $80-$250. To repair a fluid leak, expect to spend between $150-$200, and for a solenoid shift replacement, $150-$400. However, the cost to repair a transmission pales in comparison to how much you’ll spend on rebuilding or replacing one. Toyota replaced the transmission & covered 100% of cost of repair (although out of warranty), as I had brought it in twice previously for same issue with no resolution. 48360 mi C $1800 Had transmission oil leak that required the drive-shaft and other components to be removed in order to fix the leak.
(Updated on April 15, 2021)
Your automatic transmission has lots of moving components and parts inside of it. Like with the parts of an engine, the transmission’s moving parts will also generate a great deal of heat as they rub together.
Transmission Leak Repair
This means that the parts of the transmission will need to be lubricated in a similar way that the engine needs to be lubricated. The only difference is the transmission will use transmission fluid as its lubricant instead of oil.
If you have an adequate amount of transmission fluid in your transmission, then it will be able to lessen the amount of friction between components which in turn keeps the transmission cooler and operating as it should.
Causes of Leaking Transmission Fluid
You can normally wait until you drive anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 miles before you need to change your automatic transmission fluid. However, you could still lose this fluid if a leak were to occur somewhere in the transmission system before the regular transmission fluid change interval.
The most obvious sign of a transmission leak is if you notice a small puddle of redish fluid underneath your car where the transmission case is. This red fluid is typically associated with transmission fluid although old or burnt fluid will be more of a brown color.
If you see transmission fluid under your car, you need to take it seriously and fix the leak immediately. To help you spot exactly where the leak is coming from, here are the most common locations of automatic transmission fluid leaks.
1) Bad Transmission Pan Gasket
Every automatic transmission vehicle has a transmission pan which stores the transmission fluid. The mechanical seal which rests in between the pan and the transmission is called the transmission pan gasket.
This component is what prevents transmission fluid from escaping as it is transferred into the transmission from the pan. If the gasket were to get damaged or cracked, then it will cause transmission fluid to leak out. What may start off as a tiny crack will likely get worse unless this gasket is replaced.
2) Cracked Torque Pump
The torque pump is what circulates the transmission fluid throughout the entire transmission system. If the pump were to get damaged, then it would either cause the fluid to stop circulating or it would cause the fluid to leak from there.
Either way, you will definitely have a big problem on your hands that needs to get fixed fast.
3) Damaged Transmission Pan
The transmission fluid pan in most cases will last the lifetime of a vehicle. However since the pan is attached to the transmission via fasteners and likely has at least one drain plug, a leak can easily occur if any one of these parts were to become loose or damaged.
How To Fix A Transmission Leak
In fact, the pan itself could get damaged if you were to get into an accident or accidentally run over a large rock that your transmission pan can’t clear. It may cause a dent or crack in the pan which you may not even be aware of. If you discover your transmission pan is the source of your leak, replacing it is usually the best option.
4) Cracked Transmission Seals
The transmission seals of an automatic transmission keep the hydraulic pressure in-line. The only problem is these seals are constantly exposed to heat as the transmission is in operation.
The seals will eventually get to the point where they will get worn out and crack from all this long-term heat exposure. The seals will then leak transmission fluid.
Any of the seals could be leaking this fluid, including the shifter housing seal, plug seal, tail housing seal, output shaft seal, and so on.
5) Broken Fluid Line
The transmission’s fluid line is made to be durable because it is constructed from aluminum or steel material. However, if it were to get damaged because of excessive heat exposure, the line will eventually crack and then it will leak transmission fluid. Even the aluminum or steel material won’t be strong enough to prevent this.
Transmission Leak Repair Cost
If you have an automatic transmission that is leaking fluid, the cost to repair the leak will depend on where the leak is coming from. On average you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $250 for the repair job.
However, if the front seal is causing the leak, it will likely increase your repair cost quite a bit since the mechanic will need take out the transmission first to get to it.
When figuring out how much you are going to spend, the cost of labor usually operates within a wide range for this service. The general range of the labor costs for the transmission pan gasket replacement cost is between $100 and $350, while the parts will cost you anywhere between $40 and $150.
What is the transmission pan gasket?
The transmission pan gasket is a key part of your fuel and transmission system. Although it is often overlooked when doing repairs and thinking of the main components of the fuel and transmission in your car, it is a thin piece of rubber that determines the wellbeing and performance of your car. Located between the pan and the transmission housing, the main job of the transmission pan gasket is to prevent any excess fluid leakage from the transmission pan.
As we know, the transmission is a key part of your vehicle. Without a properly working system, the car will not be able to function. The transmission in your car is in charge of gaining the power produced from the engine and delivering that power directly to the wheels so the car can move down the road. It plays a huge part in keeping your vehicle moving at the right speeds, and is in charge of generating the power necessary to provide the car with enough juice to get from point A to point B.
If your transmission is not working correctly, or any part has become damaged over time, then the total transmission pan gasket replacement cost will be much higher than usual.
Symptoms of failing transmission pan gasket
When you are trying to figure out what is wrong in your vehicle, it is key to notice the signs and symptoms that are causing your car to act erratically or perform at a lower level than you are used to. When determining how much you will have to pay for the oral transmission pan gasket replacement cost, it is important to know the main signs and symptoms of a damaged pan gasket.
Scheduled maintenance – transmission oil pan gaskets shouldn’t need to be replaced or repaired too often if you are keeping your other parts in optimal order and taking your car into the mechanic during regular intervals. On some modern cars, they might not even be included during the regular maintenance schedule that your mechanic or manual has set forth.
However, some cars have to have their gaskets scheduled to be replaced after a certain amount of miles driven on the odometer. By replacing the pan gasket on schedule, you can make sure that the other parts of the transmission are working properly and have safe parts.
Leaking transmission fluid – luckily for most drivers, a leaking transmission is easy to post by the red liquid pooling underneath your car. However, this doesn’t mean it is a quick fix – it can sometimes lead to more expensive problems and a higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost. The transmission pan gasket is in charge of keeping the fluid and housing it, so if there's a leak, the gasket is looking like the culprit.
Low transmission fluid – when your transmission fluid is leaking from your car, then you might notice that your car is low on fluid – obviously. The transmission oil pan gasket is responsible for keeping the fluid from leaking, so if the fluid is low, you can put two and two together and realize that the pan gasket is not doing its job and the transmission pan gasket replacement cost will need to be evaluated.
Poor transmission performance – a lack of fluid can lead to an overall lower performance in your car, due to the inability to transport fluid and the potential for overheating. Even worse, a broken transmission pan gasket can cause the fluid to drip onto the nearby wiring harness, causing electrical problems in the transmission.
Causes of transmission fluid leaks and repair cost
When determining how much you might be spending for your transmission pan gasket replacement cost, it is key to know the main causes of a damaged transmission, causing a transmission fluid leak. If you notice that there is fluid leaking from underneath your car and the fluid is red in color, this directly points to the transmission being at fault – and means you need to look into the overall transmission pan gasket replacement cost.
Transmission Pan Gasket Leak Repair Cost
This leak will form stains on your driveway or whatever surface you are consistently paring on. Although this is annoying, it is nothing compared to how much you will have to spend to completely replace the transmission if you do not fix the issue before it gets any worse.
To understand the main reasons behind the leaking transmission fluid and damaged transmission in your car, you must know the cost to repair the transmission, and the cause of a higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost.
Transmission pan or drain plug
As we know by now, the transmission pan gasket and the transmission fluid are directly connected. Over time and after prolonged use, the transmission pan gasket and the pan will eventually break down after experiencing consistent wear and tear. This is usually due to the fact that while you're driving down the road, the pan of your transmission is susceptible to damage from loose rocks, debris on the road, driving conditions, and the aggressiveness of your driving.
If the pan or the pan gasket gets a small puncture in it, this can lead to a much higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost and be the cause of the transmission fluid leaking. This can also occur due to loose drain plugs or bolts, meaning that a leak can occur from the car. If a big rock or other object damages the pan, then the transmission fluid will leak out from the pan where the fluid is supposed to be held.
The danger about this sign and cause of the transmission fluid leaking and higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost is that a small hole or a small tear in the pan will be hard to notice at first – meaning it can get worse very quickly. If your drain plug bolt is not tightened enough it can cause a transmission fluid leak.
Broken seals
Just like any part in a car or in any mechanical device, parts get worn down over time due to prolonged use and wear. This is no different from parts in your transmission. With hydraulic pressure being used in an automatic transmission system in your car, this is carried out by pressure moving through various seals. Over time, these seals will crack, get worn out, and can break down due to the high heat they are exposed to, causing a higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost and transmission fluid leaking.
If you realize that the fluid is leaking due to the broken seals, then you next have to check which areas of the transmission are the most damaged. Usually, in most vehicles, you will wind the broken seal that is causing the leak to be located either in the input or gate output shaft. Otherwise, you can also inspect the transmission pan, driveshaft, sensors, housing seal, valve body, or other input seals for the potential leak that is causing the high transmission pan gasket replacement cost.
Transmission pan gasket failure
This might seem a bit obvious, but a transmission pan gasket failure is directly related to the high and expensive transmission pan gasket replacement cost. The gasket on your transmissions pan can become worn down, damaged, and cracked over time due to various reasons. This could be due to poor manufacturing during the make of the car, bad gasket alignment during a previous fix or installment, or consistent exposure to overheating parts.
Luckily for most car owners, the pan gasket is relatively cheap to replace. However, if you wait before performing this fix, the transmission pan gasket replacement cost will be much higher. It can also lead to more serious problems if you do not do the repair the right way.
Torque converter leakage
The Torque converter is a key part of your transmission and fuel system on your vehicle. The transmission fluid is distributed into the entire system by this one important part. If this torque pump has a crack on the body, or has damaged needle bearings that can’t do their job, then the transmission fluid will kea out of the bottom of your vehicle. Since this is not a fast repair or something that most people can do on their own, taking your car to a local mechanic or an auto body shop is the best move for this fix to keep the transmission pan gasket replacement cost as low as possible.
Crack in the fluid line
The transmission fluid needs to be moved between parts by some mode of transport – these are the fluid lines. The fluid lines of a transmission system are almost always constructed either of steel or aluminum to be able to withstand friction and high temperatures. Usually, these transmission fluid lines are durable and long-lasting, but if they are damaged by sharp debris, like road particles or exposed to overheating too much in the car, then the lines can crack. If the lines crack or completely break, this causes fluid leaking and a higher transmission pan gasket replacement cost.
Cost to fix a transmission fluid leak
If you have fluid leaking from your transmission in the vehicle, then you will generally have to pay an average price to repair the leak between $150 and $200. After you have paid this, you will get an entire replacement of the small parts of your transmission fluid system, including the pan bolts, drain plugs, seals, gaskets, and the fluid lines.
Unfortunately, you might have to pay even more for the transmission fluid leak if you are also dealing with the transmission pan gasket replacement cost. In addition, the true cost of the transmission fluid leak repair cost is mainly determined by the location of where the leak is coming from in the system. A leak in the front seal is much more costly, and requires a removal of the transmission to access the leak and fix it.
Oil Pan Gasket Replacement cost Comparison
When figuring out how much you might spend for the total transmission pan gasket replacement cost, it is key to know what the local shops around your area are going to charge you. Your local mechanic has an average price of around $170 to $450 for this service, while the nearby Midas is around the same range, charging between $168 and $499 on average.
In addition, another chain that can perform the oil pan gasket replacement is Mr. Tire, charging between $180 and $420, while Pep Boys charges a little lower, ranging between $150 and $450 on average. If you are just looking for the parts to do this repair yourself, or to give to a trusted mechanic, the parts at Walmart run between $60 and $154, while Amazon charges between $42 and $199.
Sample transmission pan gasket replacement cost
Furthermore, to know how much you might spend based on what kind of car you have, we have listed some popular cars on the market today and how much the average transmission pan gasket replacement cost is. The least expensive options are the Nissan Altima, ranging between just $124 and $179 for the service, with the parts between $3 and $89 and the labor between $71 and $90.
The second cheapest option is the Honda Accord, ranging between $205 and $289, with the parts being just $55 to $98. The third cheapest option is the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ford Fusion, both averaging a price between $240 and $360, with the labor cost for these two vehicles ranging between $165 and $241.
The middle of the road options are the Toyota Camry and Ford Focus, with the Camry ranging between $255 and $364, with the labor being between $213 and $271, while the Focus comes out to between $267 and $#90, with the labor costing the same amount.
Average Transmission Leak Repair Cost
The priciest options are the Ford F-Series and the Honda CR-V, with the latter costing between a whopping $311 and $424 for the total transmission pan gasket replacement cost.