According to technical service bulletin TSB 09-04-21-004B, this problem is common in the 2008 – 2012 Buick Enclave equipped with either the 6T70 transmission or 6T75 transmission and all wheel drive.
What Transmission Do I Have?
According to the TSB and numerous owner accounts, it’s not uncommon to see a fluid leak from the transmission or transfer case area. After inspecting the leak, it may be noted that the leak is coming from either the transfer case left hand weep hole, or the transmission to transfer case interface.
Should the leak been coming from the transfer case left weep hole, the vehicle could be leaking either transmission fluid or transfer case gear lubricant. If the leak is not coming from here, it is not recommended to replace the transfer case left input shaft seal. If it is however, replace the 6T75 transfer case left input shaft seal and transfer case O ring seal.
If the leak is coming from the transfer case to transmission case interface (where the two come together), then simply replace the transfer case O ring seal.
At this point, your Buick Enclave is probably getting up there in miles. If leaks like these are already happening, you may want to consider investing in a remanufactured 6T70 transmission or remanufactured 6T75 transmission from a company like Street Smart Transmission. These have been completely reengineered to address the numerous factory design flaws (like that whole 3-5-R wave plate thing), and are backed by a 3-year/unlimited mile nationwide warranty. If you would like to learn 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.
