If your 2007 – 2018 Jeep Wrangler is equipped with the 45RFE / 545RFE automatic transmission, you may experience a number of troubling transmission problems. For example, it’s possible that your Jeep Wrangler JK stalls when put in reverse. It’s also possible that your Jeep Wrangler JK has a hard shift when going in drive (it can also stall too). These symptoms may occur both before and after a complete transmission rebuild.
What Transmission Do I Have?
Jeep Wrangler JK shifting problems
The first sign of this problem is if your Jeep Wrangler JK stalls when put in reverse. Other symptoms of the same problem include a jerking sensation or bang sound coming from the transmission when the torque converter clutch engages. This is a fairly serious transmission problem, and can lead to excess wear and damage to other transmission components. The problem with your Wrangler JK 545RFE transmission has to do with a broken spring(s) inside the pump cover.
So if your Jeep Wrangler JK dies when you shift into reverse, then the problem is likely a broken TCC converter limit valve spring. If you have the Wrangler JK hard shifts (automatic), then a possible culprit is a failed TCC accumulator valve spring. The TCC converter limit valve spring limits the torque converter clutch release pressure. If the valve gets stuck, the torque converter will not decouple the engine from the transmission, which causes the engine to stall. The TCC accumulator valve spring is designed to act like a shock absorber so that the torque converter can engage smoothly. If this spring has an issue, you’re going to have harsh shifts every time the torque converter engages
Both of these TCC (torque converter clutch) valves springs are rather small and inexpensive. In order to access them however, the transmission has to be removed and partially disassembled to access the pump cover. It’s easy for a mechanic to forget to replace these during a rebuild, especially if they don’t have a lot of experience working on the Jeep 45RFE / 545RFE transmission. Needless to say, this oversight can cause serious drivability issues, as well as unnecessary expense to repair the problem.
To learn more about the Jeep Wrangler JK transmission, click here.
Why a remanufactured transmission might be a good option
While you can’t buy a brand-new transmission, a remanufactured transmission is a terrific alternative. These are completely reengineered and put together on a factory assembly line. They often contain a lots of upgrades over their stock form, which means 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 starts with nearly 100 trained technicians that specialize in different aspects of the build process.
This remanufacturing process starts with the inspection team that test all of the critical components from the donor transmission to ensure that they meet the original equipment (OE) tolerances and specifications. The case, pumps, gears, shafts, valve body and torque converter are checked for hairline cracks, metal tensile strength, warping and other parameters. If any component fails to meet the required specifications, it’s discarded and replaced.
All the parts are then cleaned and sent to the appropriate stations on the assembly line for reassembly. Throughout the process, quality control managers inspect the build to ensure that it meets the desired specification. Any necessary modifications or upgrades that are needed to correct factory design flaws are also performed or added. The valve body is rebuilt and tested on a special dyno machine to ensure that it performs according to the specifications. All of the solenoids are also tested prior to installation.
Once the build is complete and passes its 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.
What Transmission Do I Have?
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.
