Cost of trans fluid change

[waterman]

You're welcome, Lou...Most shops will want to have the vehicle first so they can diag and give you an accurate estimate. The process will consist of sticking a bi-directional scanner on it, taking it for a test drive and watching transmission behavior while monitoring the TCM's command and control activity to see if there's anomalies. They will also scan for codes that may or may not turn the CEL on....In those units, a failed trans fluid temp sensor typically causes DTC P0711 to set.

I'm wondering how the d(steal)ealership diagnosed your specific issue as your symptoms don't seem like they would be caused solely by a failed temp sensor...That usually puts the transmission into limp mode but otherwise should cause the rumbling sensations you're reporting. Odd to say the least...I'd be inclined at least to get a second opinion, if for no other reason than to confirm that diagnosis is correct.

The service writer said the tech drive the truck and experience what was happening to me. He said there are two problems. First is the vibration and second is the temp sensor. He said doing the flush has fixed that vibration issue with the updated fluid. I know there is a charge for the diagnostic which is part of the 1250 labor. Do I ask them for a quote in writing and then say I want to get a second opinion?

 

[NickTransmissions]

The service writer said the tech drive the truck and experience what was happening to me. He said there are two problems. First is the vibration and second is the temp sensor. He said doing the flush has fixed that vibration issue with the updated fluid. I know there is a charge for the diagnostic which is part of the 1250 labor. Do I ask them for a quote in writing and then say I want to get a second opinion?

Ok that makes a little more sense. Get an estimate in writing but dont mention anything about a second opinion. Once you have it, post it here (redact any personally identifying information like full name, address, etc). Dont sign off on any work until you have a breakdown.

Also I forgot that those transmissions were hyper sensitive to the fluid type and can do crazy things if the right fluid is not used.

 

[NickTransmissions]

The Tahoe/Yukon Forum should have shops in 4-5 areas of the country and have it manned by mostly people from this forum. A guy can dream anyways. Dealerships are nightmares for people/techs that do not want to be treated like a number.

Yea that was mostly said in jest - I like my own, small boutique independent shop where i have total control over what's done, how its done, who i do bus with and under what conditions. I cant imagine being a tech at a dealership but then again, that's how a lot of independent guys have gotten their start. Grind it out for a few years, get certifications and experience then when ready, strike out on their own...

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea that was mostly said in jest - I like my own, small boutique independent shop where i have total control over what's done, how its done, who i do bus with and under what conditions. I cant imagine being a tech at a dealership but then again, that's how a lot of independent guys have gotten their start. Grind it out for a few years, get certifications and experience then when ready, strike out on their own...

Never worked for a dealership. I refused to. Except for a short stint working for Goodyear as a service manager in their big downtown store, I always worked at the smaller mom and pop shops and was only Monday thru Friday. When the economy was real bad, I got laid off in 2009 and was out of work for 2 years. Then close to 10 years as a self storage manager and I lived there and the owner was ok with me doing side work. I stayed in it to try and keep a little sharp and now I am retired and doing as I want on what I want for who I want. If I had a lift, I could be having an even better time of it.

 

[SpyShops212]

I paid $350 to change my 10 speed at Sewell Cadillac in Houston.

 

[waterman]

Hey Lou,

The dealership isnt known as the stealership for nothing, lol. That said, the temp sensor is integral to the wiring harness and the replacement harnesses are all one-piece designs that require valve body removal to change it out. Its a fairly straight forward process, shouldnt take more than an hour, two tops. They also have to replace the vb to case bolts which are torque to yield on those and later transmissions (stupid but is what it is - im sure ARP has replacement bolts available or will soon). Plus a VB to case seal.

My guess is your engine light was on a P0711 was showing and trans thinks its cold when its at op temp so shift compensation adaptations to temp swings were not happening, hence your drivability symptoms.

Always get a quote before turning things over to them or post to let us know about your code/symptoms before taking it anywhere and perhaps we can help you do it yourself next time, saving you some $$$($).

Good morning, I asked the dealer for a quote. All it says transmission harness, filter, reprogram. 1,770.00. I told them I will wait. Like I said earlier they told me parts 550 labor 1,250

 

[Tahoe14]

I would look at getting a GM extended warranty if I was going to pay that much money and then you would have warranty on the whole vehicle. If the repair is inside the tranny then the fluid would be covered by the warranty. There are Dealers that sell the warranty at a discounted price.

 

[OR VietVet]

Good morning, I asked the dealer for a quote. All it says transmission harness, filter, reprogram. 1,770.00. I told them I will wait. Like I said earlier they told me parts 550 labor 1,250

Parts went from $580 to $550? No breakdown on harness price and filter price and fluid price? No breakdown on diagnostics price and the rest of the labor? Efff them.

 

[OR VietVet]

They don't want the breakdown detail to be compared with other shops and "exposed to the light of day". If there was nothing to hide, they should and would give you what you ask for to be able to make an informed decision. They do not want that. They want you to just get frustrated with it all and throw the money at them and "deal with it". The process that is so infuriating when buying a new vehicle gets transferred to the repair shop. Another reason why I never worked at a shop and also why, when I ran shops, I was very very very careful if a dealer tech came in wanting a job as a tech in my shops.

 

[waterman]

I would look at getting a GM extended warranty if I was going to pay that much money and then you would have warranty on the whole vehicle. If the repair is inside the tranny then the fluid would be covered by the warranty. There are Dealers that sell the warranty at a discounted price.

Isn’t it to late for a warranty?

 

[NickTransmissions]

Good morning, I asked the dealer for a quote. All it says transmission harness, filter, reprogram. 1,770.00. I told them I will wait. Like I said earlier they told me parts 550 labor 1,250

Definitely shop around; I imagine you'd find something much more cost effective....So fluid flush w/the correct fluid for those units, wiring harness w/temp sensor (one-piece design) and fast adapt relearn for $1,770.00...No reprogramming is needed for simply swapping the harness or even for rebuilding the transmission. The only time you'd need to actually reprogram the unit is if you were swapping in a used trans from another vehicle w/a different TEHCM/TCM part number or replacing your ECM.

Here's a Sonnax article on the relearn process if you're interested to learn a little more about it and how it's done.

 

[Tahoe14]

I just looked it up and you are correct about it being to late for a warranty. I would check with the credit union if you are a member and there are a couple of insurance companies that offer one, maybe U.S.A.A. or Geico and also Google search. All the others that are out there I am not sure about, if I had no luck with the above I would ask my service writer which 3rd party warranty companies pay the best as they deal with them on a daily basis. I just hate to see you spend that much money and you get nothing extra, lots of electronics on these vehicles that can be very expensive to repair. Just look up the price of a tail light or magneride shocks to name just a couple of high ticket parts.

 

[waterman]

I just looked it up and you are correct about it being to late for a warranty. I would check with the credit union if you are a member and there are a couple of insurance companies that offer one, maybe U.S.A.A. or Geico and also Google search. All the others that are out there I am not sure about, if I had not luck with those I would ask my service writer which 3rd party warranty companies pay the best as they deal with them on a daily basis. I just hate to see you spend that much money and you get nothing extra, lots of electronics on these vehicles and can be very expensive to repair. Just look up the price of a tail light or magneride shocks to name just a couple of high ticket parts.

I was going to get the gm warranty from my friend who was a caddy mechanic but I let my brother talk me out of it.

 

[Tahoe14]

That sucks.

 

[CMoore711]

Good morning, I asked the dealer for a quote. All it says transmission harness, filter, reprogram. 1,770.00. I told them I will wait. Like I said earlier they told me parts 550 labor 1,250

There should be a GM part # for the transmission harness on that quote. Did they not include a GM part # for the transmission harness? There should also be a part # for the trans filter and all parts they plan to replace in the work quoted.

If there are no part numbers listed then they are definitely full of śhit and I wouldn’t be paying them a penny in diagnostic fees. When they push back on that just say: “If you can’t provide a comprehensive list of GM parts with services that have corresponding labor units then help me understand how you diagnosed the vehicle and came up with the price for the repairs and service?” Either they do that and you pay the diagnostic fee or they don’t and you politely ask for the keys to your vehicle and be on your way.

 

[waterman]

Ok that makes a little more sense. Get an estimate in writing but dont mention anything about a second opinion. Once you have it, post it here (redact any personally identifying information like full name, address, etc). Dont sign off on any work until you have a breakdown.

Also I forgot that those transmissions were hyper sensitive to the fluid type and can do crazy things if the right fluid is not used.

Good morning. I told the dealer yesterday I will pick up the truck tomorrow. They are going to charge 180.00 for diagnosing. I left a message at a shop near my house to call me and set up appointment.

 

[Hodgeee]

Years ago i started my automotive career with Ford. Back then we charged $45 a labor hour. 90% off all dealership profits came from maintenance and parts. This small dealership made $150,000 a month from those two departments. The new large dealerships today make as much as 1.5 milllion a month from statistics from the same. They make over 70% profit from warrenties and ad on accessories than from the car sales. The highest paid person from any dealership is the Finance officer.

To change my 2013 tahoe filter and fluid. They wanted $800, and told me every 30,000 miles. The service manual says every 60,000. Cost me $70 fluid and parts. Took two hours only cause it was hot from driving it and didnt want to burn myself. Otherwise one hour easy. The book lists it as 2.5 hours. Even so, where does $800 come from, even at $200 an hour labor. So $300 for a filter and 5 quarts of atf.

They say you have to disconnect the exhaust from the manifolds. If you have a 2015 or later 6l80, you just have to pop off the filter with the pan loosened, pull out the flter than you can pull the pan out without touching the exhaust. Sorry dont know about 8 speeds.

 

[Hodgeee]

If you have a good tranny shop in town, i guaruntee they know the transmissions better than the dealerships, and would cost less.

 

[TXbarney]

The original post said Temp sensor..... not speed sensor. Does the transmission have a temp sensor? if it does, why would they hide it? Make some things easy to replace.
Granddaughter needed a water pump replaced on a 2020 and the total bill at a GMC dealer was just under $900 and they said they gave her a discount.
Labor was $595, water pump was $260 the rest was antifreeze and coffee break money.
Looks like a 2 hr job and Rockautos highest priced pump is $84 unless they replaced the pump and housing and that is $208 at Rockauto.
I talked to a retired Buick/GMC dealer (sons run business now) in Iowa and he said his shop rate was $120

 

[Matt Smith]

My 16’ GMC Sierra has the 8 speed and I too had a bad trans temp sensor and the trans would shift hard at times. There was a TSB issued for it, I took it in and had the sensor replaced and complete fluid change. Without a doubt the trans shifts smoother and it runs cooler.