According to the technical service bulletin PI4075, it’s very common for the transmission to overheat in the 2008 – 2012 Chevrolet Equinox equipped with either the 6T70 transmission or 6T75 transmission.
What Transmission Do I Have?
This TSB was in response to the numerous owner’s complained about their Chevy Equinox transmission overheating. When this happened, they would get a message in the drivers information center (DIC, if so equipped) that read “transmission hot – idle engine “. When this happened, the diagnostic trouble codes/DTC’s P0218 and/or P0634 were usually stored.
The aim of this technical service bulletin was to assist technicians in figuring out the cause of the transmission overtemperature situation. One of the first things it would suggest is ask the customers questions like how fast were they going when this happened, what kinds of roads were they on, were they using the cruise control, how far did they drive, where they towing a trailer etc. Many times, answers to these questions would lead to the cause of the transmission overheating.
But in the event that everything checked out from the questions, the technicians were instructed to connect a scan tool and take the vehicle for a test drive. While they were driving, they were supposed to monitor various vehicle sensors and systems like the transmission temperature sensor/TFT, the engine coolant temperature/ECT and the transmission control module/TCM. The data collected here could often help the technician determine if the problem was engine or transmission related
According to GM, these are the most common causes of transmission overheating in the 6T70/6T75:
1. Too much transmission fluid
Having too much transmission fluid can actually cause the transmission to overheat because the excess fluid will foam and prevent the ATF from lubricating or cooling the moving parts. Plus, the extra transmission fluid will increase the internal pressure, which will not only cause the transmission to overheat, it can damage the seals and other components as well.
2. Dirty or old transmission fluid
As transmission fluid breaks down, it’s no longer able to cool or lubricate the moving parts as it was designed to. Therefore, if the transmission fluid is not clean and bright, it can actually contribute to transmission overheating.
3. Restrictions in the transmission cooler circuit
The transmission cooler is obviously very important to keeping the ATF at a normal operating temperature. So any kinks in the lines, or restrictions can cause the transmission cooler not to function properly, which will result in an overheated transmission.
4. Mechanical problems
It’s advisable to check for proper shifting functionality, and look for any DTC’s that may indicate mechanical failures for the transmission. Any of these can overheat the transmission.
Although the Chevy Equinox was a fairly reliable machine, it was let down by its transmission. So if you want to solve all of your 6T70/6T75 transmission problems, you really should consider investing in a remanufactured 6T70 transmission or remanufactured 6T75 transmission from Street Smart Transmission. They completely reengineer these 6T transmissions to address all of the factory design flaws. Then they give it a 3-year/unlimited mile nationwide warranty. To find out more, click here.
How much is it going to cost to fix my transmission?
Unfortunately, the problem described here will require the removal and disassembly/partial disassembly of your transmission. Given the labor time involved to remove the transmission from the vehicle (this is not a simple task), most repair shops will recommend that you go ahead and rebuild the entire transmission while it’s out. Since they already have to tear it down, it sort of makes sense to spend the extra money to do that. After all, you should get a lot more mileage out of your transmission once it’s rebuilt. And since they’ve already got the transmission apart, might as well, right? Well let’s take a closer look and find out.
Why a remanufactured transmission might be a good option
While you might not be able to buy a brand-new transmission for your particular vehicle, a remanufactured transmission is a terrific alternative. They’re completely reengineered from the ground up and put together on a factory assembly line. They often contain a lot of upgrades over their stock form, which means that many of the design flaws that result in premature failure of components, can be eliminated. This can give a reman transmission a much longer service life than it originally had.
Remanufactured transmission companies like Street Smart Transmission put each of their reman transmissions through a rigorous build process that ensures a quality product every time. It begins with nearly 100 trained technicians that specialize in different aspects of the build process.
Once the build is complete and it passes the final quality control inspection, the newly remanufactured transmission is sent to the dyno room, where it’s tested on a special dyno machine using a proprietary software program called C.A.R.S. (Computer Aided Real-world Simulation). This cycles the transmission through a number of real-world driving situations, to ensure that it performs according to the factory specs. It also helps to break in all of the friction components, that way it’s completely tuned and ready to go once it’s installed.
Warranty – One of the benefits of buying a remanufactured transmission vs. a rebuilt transmission is the warranty. Street Smart Transmission for example, covers all of their reman transmissions with a 3 Year/Unlimited Mileage Nationwide Warranty (there is a mileage restriction for commercial vehicles). This covers parts and labor for transmission repairs performed by any licensed repair shop in the country. It’s also completely transferable if you ever decide to sell the vehicle. Compared to a mechanics warranty on a transmission rebuild, a remanufactured transmission warranty offers superior financial protection.
What Transmission Do I Have?
So is a remanufactured transmission worth it?
If you plan to keep your vehicle for as long as possible, then getting a rebuilt transmission is certainly a viable option. However, a remanufactured transmission is actually a much better alternative in the long run. You’re getting as close to a brand-new transmission as possible. Companies like Street Smart Transmission also modify the transmission to correct all of the factory design flaws, which allows you to get a much longer service life from the transmission. So in terms of value for the money, a reman transmission might be the better way to go. To learn more about the remanufactured transmission for your vehicle, click here.
