TRANSMISSION REPAIR AND DIESEL ENGINE REPAIR SHOP
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Automatic Transmission Shift Cable Repair

If you are having issues with your automatic transmission shift cable and looking for a reliable and trusted company for a proper diagnosis and repair, Roadrunner Transmission and Diesel can diagnose, repair, and get you back on the road promptly!  If transmission issues are caught early, they can be relatively easy to fix, and our team of experts has become one of Colorado's top tranmission repair specialists, something we take deep pride in.

To set up an appointment or request an estimate, please fill out our "Request Information" form or give us a call!

310-710-2719

What is an Automatic Transmission Shift Cable?


While Shift cables and adapted transmission shift motors have taken a backseat ot new technology, many vehicles still come equipped with transmission shift cables.  This helps change the operating range of the transmission.  This refers to the set of gears the transmission is allowed to move through when set to a specific setting by the driver.  These settings include park, neutral, revers, drive or any other low range.  So that the vehicle can select these ranges on the transmission, the gear selector is connected to the transmission shift shaft by a transmission shift cable.  

How does an Automatic Transmission Shift Cable Work?


Once the gear selector is moved, it pulls or pushes the cable the exact amount necessary to place the transmission shift shaft dead center in that range.  It handles all the gear changes after that point on so the driver can sit back and focus on the road.  In many vehicle transmissions, teh shift cable doesn't have a hard setting on the transmission, so the only resistance felt is a feature on the grear selector assembly.  The transmissions will then recognize the position of the shift shaft based on the transmission position sensor.

What are the Symptoms of a Bad Automatic Trans Shift Cable?


There are three ways the automatic transmission shift cable can fail, and they will give slightly different symptoms. If the cable stretches, it is likely to break soon, but the transmission should still function. Though the transmission may slip into its drive range after the gear selector is moved to that range, the stretched cable will likely require the gear selector be shaken or moved just past the desired range for engagement. For shift cables with corrosion within the sheath, the shifter may become difficult or impossible to move. Finally, a broken shift cable will provide no resistance in the gear selector lever, and the transmission will not move out of the current range. If that range is not park or neutral, the engine will not start, and the parking brake must be applied. The latter applies to neutral as well.

How Often do Automatic Trans Shift Cables Need replacement?


Automatic transmission shift cables are actually known for failure on some models, but the majority will last at least 125,000 to 175,000 miles on average. Vehicles with known issues are generally due to extreme bends in the shift cable, poor sealing of the shift cables causing water intrusion, or issues with binding at the shift shaft or gear selector assembly. These vehicles generally give the stated symptoms in advance, and failures have been recorded before 75,000 miles.

To set up an appointment or request an estimate, please fill out our "Request Information" form or give us a call!

310-710-2719