Domestic
Ford
The shop’s most serviced brand. Heavy on F-Series trucks, Super Duty diesels, Expeditions, and plenty of Focus and Fiesta dual-clutch work.
- 6R80 & 10R80 (F-150, Expedition, Mustang): harsh 1–2 shift, 2–3 flare, and shudder tied to solenoid and valve body wear.
- 5R55S/W (Explorer, Mountaineer, Mustang V6): no reverse and slipping third are the classic calls.
- DPS6 (Focus, Fiesta): shudder, hesitation, and clutch wear — we diagnose it as its own animal, not a regular automatic.
Models we’ve worked on
F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Ranger, Raptor, Expedition, Explorer, Escape, Edge, Flex, Mustang, Fusion, Focus, Fiesta, Crown Victoria, Fairlane, Transit, E-150, E-450
Domestic
Chevrolet
Close second by volume. Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Duramax work trucks, plus Corvettes, Camaros, and a steady stream of classic C10 and K5 builds.
- 6L80 & 6L90 (Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Camaro): torque converter shudder is by far the most common complaint we see.
- 4L60E & 4L65E (older Silverado, Suburban, S10): sun shell failure and 3–4 clutch burn leave the truck without third or fourth.
- Allison 1000 (Duramax): C1/C2 clutches, torque converter, and PTO cover leaks under towing use.
Models we’ve worked on
Silverado, Silverado 2500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, Traverse, Equinox, Impala, Malibu, Cruze, Camaro, Corvette, Monte Carlo, S10, C10, K10, K5 Blazer, Express, Duramax
Heavy-Duty Diesel & Muscle
Dodge
Ram Cummins heavy-duty work, Durango and Grand Caravan families, and Charger/Magnum rear-drive platforms.
- 68RFE (Ram 2500/3500 Cummins): TCC shudder, overdrive clutch pack wear, and band issues under consistent towing.
- 545RFE & 45RFE (older Ram, Durango): solenoid pack failure and overdrive clutch burn.
- 62TE (Journey, Caravan): sprag and 2nd/4th clutch failure are the common teardown finds.
Models we’ve worked on
Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Dakota, Durango, Charger, Magnum, Journey, Caravan, Grand Caravan, Neon
Heavy-Duty Diesel
Ram
When the Cummins starts acting up, we see it. Primarily 2500 and 3500 diesel work trucks — the same 68RFE story as Dodge.
- 68RFE (2500/3500 Cummins): converter lockup shudder, overdrive pack fade, and band wear tied to tow weight.
- AS69RC / Aisin 6-speed (HD trucks): solid unit overall, but converter and programming complaints do surface.
- Work trucks earn their rebuild — we build them to handle the load they actually carry, not just stock specs.
Models we’ve worked on
Ram 2500, Ram 3500, Ram 2500 Diesel
Domestic
GMC
Same GM drivetrains as Chevy, different grille. Sierra and Yukon families, plus Acadia crossovers.
- 6L80/6L90 (Sierra, Yukon, Denali): same torque converter shudder story as the Chevrolet side.
- 4L60E (older Sierra, Sonoma, Envoy): sun shell and 3–4 clutch failure.
- 6T70 (Acadia, Terrain): wave plate failure — often after a wrong-fluid service somewhere else.
Models we’ve worked on
Sierra, Sierra 1500, Sierra AT4, Yukon, Denali, Acadia, Terrain, Envoy, Savana, Sonoma
Japanese Import
Nissan
CVT work is the headline. Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Murano, Versa, Pathfinder — the same pattern keeps showing up on the bench.
- JF011E / JF015E CVT (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Versa, Juke): judder, bearing whine, and in many cases full unit replacement is the only honest answer.
- RE0F10 (Murano, Pathfinder): shudder from bad fluid and heat-damaged pulleys.
- RE5R05A (Titan, Frontier): reliable overall, but valve body solenoids can cause hard shifts.
Models we’ve worked on
Titan, Frontier, Pathfinder, Murano, Rogue, Altima, Maxima, Sentra, Versa, Juke, Kicks, Quest
Japanese Import
Honda
Mostly long-lived transmissions, but the older 5-speeds and some newer CVTs have their own issues. Accord, Civic, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline.
- BAYRA / BCLA 5-speed (Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline 2003–2012): 3rd/4th clutch failure is the classic call.
- CVT (newer Civic, Accord, CR-V): fluid service is not optional — ignored service leads to judder and chain wear.
- General 5AT: TCC lockup and torque converter symptoms show up with high mileage.
Models we’ve worked on
Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, Crosstour
Domestic Off-Road
Jeep
Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Cherokee, Liberty, and the occasional Grand Wagoneer build.
- 42RLE (Liberty, Wrangler JK): known reliability weak points, especially slipping and loss of gears.
- 948TE 9-speed (Cherokee KL, Renegade): shifting complaints and adaptive relearn issues are common calls.
- 45RFE / 545RFE (Grand Cherokee): solenoid packs and overdrive clutch wear.
Models we’ve worked on
Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Grand Wagoneer, Liberty, Patriot, Renegade
Japanese Import & AWD
Subaru
Subaru work is almost entirely CVT work. Forester, Outback, Legacy, Crosstrek — all on the same TR580 platform.
- TR580 / Lineartronic CVT: torque converter shudder is the most common symptom we see.
- CVT chain wear: appears as whining or inconsistent shifts on higher-mileage units.
- Older 4EAT (pre-CVT Outback, Legacy): band failures and solenoid-related hard shifts.
Models we’ve worked on
Forester, Outback, Legacy, Crosstrek
Japanese Import
Toyota
Toyotas hold up well in general, but certain platforms do show up on the bench with predictable complaints.
- U660E (Camry V6, Sienna, Highlander): torque converter shudder and shift solenoid issues.
- A750 / AB60 series (Tundra, Land Cruiser, 4Runner): strong units, but fluid condition matters more than people think.
- Older A340/A343: mostly bulletproof, but high-mileage TCC and valve body wear still happens.
Models we’ve worked on
Camry, Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, Highlander, RAV4
Korean Import
Hyundai
Sonata, Elantra, Santa Fe, Tucson — mostly 6-speed transverse automatics with their own known issues.
- A6LF1 / A6MF2 (Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson, Elantra): torque converter shudder and P0894 codes are common.
- Shift quality complaints: harsh 1–2 or delayed engagement are often valve body related.
- Fluid service neglected: Hyundai transaxles do not like burnt fluid. We see the results of skipped service.
Models we’ve worked on
Sonata, Elantra, Santa Fe, Tucson, Genesis
