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2011, mechanic said transmission is shot; $8,500 to replace

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Mark-F

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have a 2011 Rav4 Base 4 cyl and yesterday, I noticed a distinct whining noise that was new. Listened in the front, coming from the transmission oil pan. Thought nothing of it, today felt the transmission slipping up a hill. Weird, never had that before. Then it went completely downhill (so to speak). Parked, put in drive, rev, won't move. Rev it more, it creeps out. Almost got it stuck several times on the road, could not get it up to speed, was revving the engine way too hard. So had to tow it to a shop for them to look at it on Monday.

I'm just hoping perhaps the whining noise indicates a failed pump/part somewhere up in the transmission oil pan area where it's coming from? When I let it sit for a few minutes off, it seemed to shift okay driving in a parking lot, but as soon as I tried to speed up it fizzled. Whining noise got worse after it warmed up. Or am I most likely looking at a new transmission or rebuild? The shop said they can find a used/remanufactured one but may take some time. Are these easy to get? I just don't want to get screwed over and I have max $2,500.. so what do you guys think the chances are it would take more than that to get it going again? It has 240k miles on it, burns oil but other than that always drives well. Really need it for work, hope it doesn't become a money pit either though

Thanks
 
#2 ·
I'd suggest a complete fluid and filter change. Might get you more miles for way less bucks.
 
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#3 ·
Check the transmission fluid level. Maybe you have a leak and didn't realize it. If the fluid level is low, I'd recommend doing as Dyno suggested, and keep your fingers crossed that the transmission isn't wrecked. If it's okay, definitely find and fix the leak.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Thanks, I didn't check the fluid level admittedly.. I assumed a light would've been on on the dash right? I know if I ever get low on engine oil a light comes on. Surely if it's low on fluid that's the first thing the shop would do right?
 
#5 ·
Mark-F said:
Thanks, I didn't check the fluid level admittedly.. I assumed a light would've been on on the dash right? I know if I ever get low on engine oil a light comes on. Surely if it's low on fluid that's the first thing the shop would do right?
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There's no light to indicate low transmission fluid level on your RAV4. I would hope that the shop would check the fluid level first.
 
#6 ·
Mark-F said:
I know if I ever get low on engine oil a light comes on.
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The so-called low oil light is actually a low oil pressure light. It indicates the oil has gotten so low that the engine is no longer getting lubrication. Serious bearing damage requiring an engine rebuild is impending.
 
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#7 ·
Mark-F said:
Thanks, I didn't check the fluid level admittedly.. I assumed a light would've been on on the dash right? Surely if it's low on fluid that's the first thing the shop would do right?
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As mentioned there is no low ATF light. If the shop's goal is to sell you a transmission, what I call the big city screw-the-customer attitude, they wouldn't check the level. Some things you have to do yourself to guard against such tactics.
As I said I'd have the ATF & filter changed, probably at a different shop. You'd also get a second opinion.
 
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#8 ·
Mark-F said:
Thanks, I didn't check the fluid level admittedly.. I assumed a light would've been on on the dash right? I know if I ever get low on engine oil a light comes on. Surely if it's low on fluid that's the first thing the shop would do right?
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It's not only the fluid level, but the fluid condition that's just as important. You could have a transmission pan full of black goo.
I agree with the others on here, try and get it to a different shop and see if they would do a fluid and filter change. DO NOT do a transmission flush, just a drain-and-refill.
 
#9 · (Edited)
ravenuer said:
DO NOT do a transmission flush, just a drain-and-refill.
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Thank you. It's only going to slip more and/or blow the tranny with too much new atf if the automatic transmission is on its last legs.

If OP's automatic transmission has been neglected, then it's safer to follow the Honda method: slowly add 1 quart new mixed with old, drive around for a few days then drain and fill 2 quarts new with old, drive around for a few days then drain and fill 3 quarts new THEN change the filter after the 3rd time with all fresh atf. Safer doesn't meant safe: if OP's transmission is bad, then OP's transmission is bad; putting in new even more slippery atf than what's already in there, assuming there's even any atf in there at all, will increase slippage in a clapped out automatic transmission. Some veteran shitbox enthusiasts go so far as to refuse to run anything more than 50/50 new/old mix on an old (150k miles or more since last service) automatic transmission.

If OP has a well maintained automatic transmission, then yes a filter change and flush is safe.


Mark-F said:
I'm just hoping perhaps the whining noise indicates a failed pump/part somewhere up in the transmission oil pan area where it's coming from?
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Could certainly be the sound and symptoms of chewed up clutch packs or low atf

Mark-F said:
Or am I most likely looking at a new transmission or rebuild?
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Impossible to say for sure with information provided


Mark-F said:
Are these easy to get?
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Not as easy as 4.1 and 4.2


Mark-F said:
so what do you guys think the chances are it would take more than that to get it going again?
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If the guys can find a used good automatic transmission, then likely less than your budget. If the guys want to rebuild your transmission, then likely approaching or exceeds your budget. If your automatic transmission doesn't need to be rebuilt, then likely less than your budget for a safe fluid change.
 
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Discussion starter · #10 ·
Just got a horrible call from a mechanic, everything was fine on Friday and then the transmission on my 2011 Rav4 went to crap and stopped shifting in a span of 20 minutes. (humming sound from transmission fluid pan). So had it hauled to a mechanic to look at today, they told me the transmission is fried. Said they could get a remanufactured one and quoted me $8,500..... And told me alternatively they could scrap it for $200..... Could hardly believe what I was hearing. So I've got a week to tow it away from those people and figure out what I'm going to do. I thought I could get it rebuilt/replaced for like $2,500? Please tell me this shop is out of their minds. Telling me they could scrap it for $200 too.. could I not re-sell it with the blown transmission for like $1,500+ easily? Considering the resale value. Looking for any kind of advice because I'm floored. It ran like a champ just a week ago. Now mechanic is telling me he can trash it for $200 or charge me more than what I could buy another solid 2011 Rav4 for.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
ravenuer said:
Well, the first thing you have to determine is if the transmission is really shot. Transmissions usually don't fail immediately. They give warnings over a period of time. Do you know if it had fluid in it?
I would get the car to a different shop and see what they say.
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Yeah I was confused by that. Almost seems they didn't want to mess with it so they tried to see if they could sucker me out of it for $200. I got no warnings, other than sometimes it has clunked into gear when shifting into drive. Or hearing clunks when I drive it out of park on a hill, rolling a bit after I put it into park and let off the gas. Are those telling? Because I never thought anything of it, always shifted out on the road fine.

I didn't check the fluid admittedly, but the shop said the fluid smelled burnt, and used that for rationale that it has failed. Even though when I bought it used 110k miles ago the transmission fluid also smelled burnt (replaced it then). The shop said that it's fine until it warms up, that was my experience when it broke down. Let it sit for 10 minutes, started up, drove around the parking lot for a minute, then the whining/humming sound started which could be heard where the transmission fluid pan is under the front. Then it won't hardly shift into gear and won't get up to speed. My next step is take it to a different mechanic like you said. I was hoping somewhere here could let me know that $8,500 is bonkers. Surely at the absolute most I could get it replaced for like $3,500 I would think? I'm in Arkansas. I mean damn, I could find reasonable deal on a used 2011 Rav4 with like 170k miles for $6k. Mine has 240k miles and burns motor oil. So for more than $4k to get back on the road seems ridiculous
 
#14 ·
Get another diagnosis for sure! As @ravenuer said, it might or might not be unrepairable and the price is way too high IMHO too.

If need be, you could certainly get it rebuilt or it might be cheaper to get one from a wrecking yard and have it delivered to your preferred mechanic. If you do that, find out how many miles the donor vehicle has, the lower the better of course. Either way get some kind of warranty (probably 1 year for a rebuilt or 30 - 90 days for a used one).

The same transmissions were used for several years and in various other Toyota vehicles so you shouldn't have trouble getting it rebuilt or finding a used one. They're not that difficult to pull and replace either so call around for some prices.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
 
#16 ·
It was $2500 in your other thread. How'd it get to $8500? You really do need to find another mechanic, shop, whatever to get the price out of the stratosphere.
 
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#19 ·
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#20 ·
Mark-F, I had the same issues as yours a couple of years ago. Total expense was around 9,000$:cry: at the dealership. The service manager also said i can junk the car for 400$:mad:

I got it done at the dealership because at that time- based on asking around shops in the Bay Area, i thought they were the fastest and most reliable shop to do the job. It took 2 months to fix it though because of supply chain issues the dealership said (just having tranny rebuilt/remanufactured took 1.5 months). The highest charge was for labor - 5k$, the tranny rebuilt was 3500. I also replaced all engine and tranny mounts with OEM toyota and it was another 1k+

I had the tranny done because at that time it was the best and cheapest option for me. Used car prices were ridiculous and also used cars around that time was basically zero and new car wait times was about 1 year.

Because of the expensive fix, i plan on driving the car until it crumbles to dust.

My 2 cents, as per your options, i think it would be best to put the 8.5k as a downpayment to buy a new car. My car never felt the same after the tranny fix. It still has a clunk when shifting to park from drive after a longish drive (15 min).

If you are mechanically brave, you may also look into buying a used RAV4 tranny compatible or exactly the same to your Rav and install it yourself. There are shops that sell them for 1k i think.

Last note, ask your mechanic to check if the tranny issue might be just your torque converter going bad.
 
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