Transmission shop ripping me off?

Cornbread

Cornbread

TJ Enthusiast
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Joined
Jan 14, 2019
Messages
504
Location
Southern Indiana
So this is somewhat of a long story but any advice would really help. About two months ago I took my Jeep in for a transmission rebuild (3 speed auto). It was a mechanical failure slipping in first and second gears. After the rebuild, I drove it home and everything was working great. The following morning as I was driving my Jeep to work, it failed to downshift in an intersection causing my engine to stall out. I pulled over to the side of the road and started it right back up. Everything was working fine except it threw my check engine light. I continued to drive the Jeep for several weeks thinking the check engine light would eventually go out on its own but it didn't. I tried unhooking the the negative battery post over night still nothing. It has never stalled out again and everything has been running like a champ since but I still couldn't get the light to go out. So... yesterday I called the shop and told them what was going on and the told me to bring it in (the transmission is under an 18 month warranty). It had two codes thrown, 1. a transmission solenoid code 2. Evap sensor. BTW i'm unable to see what codes are thrown myself as my Jeep is a 2000 model. The shop claims that if it's not the solenoid then it's in the wiring or PCM is bad. Funny thing is, is that in the 4 years I've owned the Jeep I've never seen a check engine light come on until the day after they work on it. Almost made me sick taking it to a shop in the first place and now this happens. Could I really have a bad PCM when everything is running perfect? Also I asked them to clear the code and let me see if it comes back on and they wouldn't do that. I should know later today or tomorrow but I have this gut feeling I'm about to get ripped off. They claim if its not the solenoid they won't stand behind their warranty if "they" are not the ones to fix this electrical issue. Has anyone had any experience with any of this? Any input would be appreciated.
 
People are quick to point the finger at the PCM. If the code is for a solenoid, have them change it and see what happens. Solenoids fail, Ive seen them multiple times
 
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That's a difficult one, and hey, maybe they're right, but how awfully circumstantial that you get a check engine light the day after they work on your transmission that throws an error code about the transmission.

If I were a betting man I'd say it's the transmission, not the PCM. I'd make them honor their warranty, they're just trying to get out of having to do work for free.
 
tworley said:
People are quick to point the finger at the PCM. If the code is for a solenoid, have them change it and see what happens. Solenoids fail, Ive seen them multiple times
Click to expand...

I would have to agree with this. And replacing the solenoid is certainly a lot cheaper than replacing the PCM.
 
@tworley @danof76 @Chris thanks for the feedback guys. I feel 90% sure that it's not the PCM since it threw a transmission solenoid code the day after, but the guy kept wanting to blame the PCM. It's partly my fault I didn't take it right back to them the day it happened, but it didn't seem like a big deal to me. They told me they would check the wiring and if that was okay check the solenoid. If not the solenoid they kept making it a point of how costly it would be to possibly fix it. I told them not to do any work on it outside of what their warranty covers without asking me first.
 
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Cornbread said:
@tworley @danof76 @Chris thanks for the feedback guys. I feel 90% sure that it's not the PCM since it threw a transmission solenoid code the day after, but the guy kept wanting to blame the PCM. It's partly my fault I didn't take it right back to them the day it happened, but it didn't seem like a big deal to me. They told me they would check the wiring and if that was okay check the solenoid. If not the solenoid they kept making it a point of how costly it would be to possibly fix it. I told them not to do any work on it outside of what their warranty covers without asking me first.
Click to expand...

If you need a new PCM, the best place to get them is from @wrangler6035 who works for FS1. They warranty them, and a number of people on here have used them for replacement PCMs with great success.
 
Solenoids are actually cheap. I think the ones for my dads F350 were $27. The cost is dropping the pan and installing them. They just dont want to do the work, hold them to their warranty.
 
Can I jump in for some help too?
Backstory: 2009 Jeep Wrangler (automatic) primary transportation that I DON'T drive off road, live near Dubai.
1. In December it was shaking at low speeds only; the shop said it was my transmission. Receipt says "Gear box open and fitted" "Gear converter repaired with computer system programmed."
2. The day after receiving it back ALL of the transmission fluid leaked out and saturated my under carriage; STILL smells of oil inside. I returned it and they said the technician forgot to replace the seals.
3. Now in January the "hot oil" indicator chimed one weekend on my regular two hour drive. The following morning on my way to the shop the gears were PROPER SLIPPING above 2k rpm; so I slowly drove under 2k rpm to the shop. There is a 2 month warranty on their job. Got it back, receipt says "transmission adjustment".
4. 2 days later it wouldn't shift, only revs high but not increase speed. Tonight they called to say they are gonna replace the whole transmission with a used one with only a 7 day warranty. PLEASE ADVISE...this sounds wrong to me.
No charges since the first bill of approx $1143.
 
So they called me back and said they traced the wires back to fuse 11 which was apparently blown. They said my evap, ac compressor, and trans solenoid are all on this fuse and that my ac compressor isn't working, which I knew. They are going disconnect the compressor and see if the fuse blows again, if not I guess my compressor caused the issue. Still seems fishy since the check engine light came on after a shifting issue.
 
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