At Superior Transmissions & Auto, we rebuild transmissions with precision, patience, and pride. But let’s be honest — rebuilding a transmission isn’t just mechanical work. It’s detective work. Every transmission we pull apart tells a story, and it’s our job to read every clue, ask the right questions, and get to the bottom of what went wrong… especially when a vehicle comes to us after it’s already been through the hands of a general repair shop.

The Truth About Rebuilding After a Misdiagnosis

We recently had a Ford pickup truck dropped off that had supposedly been “fixed” by another shop. According to the customer, they were told all it needed was a solenoid in the valve body. Sounds simple enough, right? But when we removed the valve body to inspect the solenoid — the same one that had just been installed — we noticed something troubling right away. It was already very dirty. The truck hadn’t even been driven much since the “repair,” so what gives?

Now the real work begins.

Did they install a used solenoid?

Is it the correct solenoid for this specific transmission?

These trucks use multiple solenoids that all look almost identical — is the right solenoid installed in the wrong location?

These are questions that don’t come with easy answers unless you’ve got the experience, technical knowledge, and patience to dig into the details. And here’s the real kicker — because we couldn’t verify that the solenoid was new, correct, or properly placed, it became a sunk cost. We couldn’t reuse it in good conscience, and the customer had to pay again to do it the right way.

The Cost of Doing It Wrong… and Then Right

This isn’t uncommon. General repair shops often mean well, but transmissions are in a class of their own. They’re intricate systems where one small mistake — like installing the wrong part or skipping proper diagnosis — can snowball into a costly rebuild.

Every time we receive a transmission that’s already been “worked on,” it adds hours (or even days) to our process. We’re not just rebuilding anymore — we’re unraveling someone else’s incomplete or incorrect work before we can even begin to fix the original problem. That time and effort cost money. But more importantly, cutting corners just isn’t an option when the goal is a reliable, long-lasting repair.

What You’re Really Paying For

When you bring your vehicle to a true transmission shop like ours, you’re not just paying for parts. You’re paying for:

Diagnostic experience built over decades

Manufacturer-specific training and knowledge

Access to up-to-date tools and technical data

A meticulous rebuild process that doesn’t guess

We’ve rebuilt hundreds of transmissions. We’ve seen every “mystery problem,” mismatched solenoid, and reused gasket you can imagine. That’s why when we rebuild a transmission, we do it from top to bottom, the right way — with fresh, verified parts and detailed attention to every component.

Because the truth is, you don’t want to find yourself paying twice for the same job. You want it done right the first time — by someone who knows the difference between a worn clutch pack and a misdiagnosed valve body.

In the End: Transmission Work Is an Investigation

Just like a detective, we follow the clues, eliminate suspects, and find the real cause of the failure. And sometimes, solving the case means starting over from scratch because someone else tried to take a shortcut.

We’re not the cheapest shop in town — and we’re proud of that. What we offer is confidence, peace of mind, and a transmission rebuilt to last. That Ford pickup may have had a rough start elsewhere, but it left our shop with a clean slate — and a fresh transmission built the right way.

Need transmission work done right the first time? Make your appointment easily right on our website. Let’s solve the mystery together — and keep you on the road for the long haul.