My gearbox default light came on, then the check engine icon. The car has 41000 miles, and so far, nothing has gone wrong except the front and rear brakes replaced at 20,000 miles for $1200. The fault codes were: P1797,U2523,P0741,P1642,P1260. The mechanic found a loose ground cable, reset the system, and the codes were gone . They replaced the battery and cabin air filter, and the bill was $725. Driving home, the gearbox default and check engine lights came on again. Back to the shop,now only the P0741 code comes on, for the torque converter. This will cost $3600 to replace! This is an independent shop that got good reviews and was recommended to me. I didn’t want to take it to the dealership, because everybody tells me that you can’t trust them. The shop that has my car seems genuinely bad that this will cost so much. They called the dealership to ask them if there was anything that they could do for me, since the car only has 41,000 miles, but of course the 4 year part of the warranty is up, so they said NO! I found a Service Bulletin Number:30713 on this matter, dated 02/05. Of course since it is only now rearing its ugly head, I guess I’m out of luck. Or am I? I need advice: Should I raise a stink with the dealership, which will probably do no good? Should I get a 2nd opinion? Does that code coming on always mean that the torque converter needs to be replaced? Both the shop and the dealership seem to agree on that, as well as a Jag mechanic that I asked at Just Answer.com. He works for a dealership in N.J. Is $3600 reasonable? Thanks for your help!
First off, don’t believe a lot of things you hear about dealers. Yes, problems exist but they’re not as bad as some would have you believe.
If someone you know is bashing this particular dealer maybe their problem with the dealer is their lack of knowledge about what is going on with their car or making blind assumptions about a repair.
Second is that why should you raise a stink with the dealer? What have they done? Nothing. The car is going on 7 years old and when the warranty is up; it’s up. The dealer is not the corporate entity that provides the warranty anyway so why should they eat the cost of a feel-good repair?
So has the transmission fluid/filter ever been changed? It SHOULD have been done about the 30k miles mark. Aged transmission fluid can cause problems.
Also, a service bulletin does not necessarily mean that the converter problem you may have is what is referred to in the bulletin even if the symptoms are similar.
That code may not necessarily mean the converter is bad; just that there’s a problem there and it could be comparatively minor no matter what the dealer told you or what an on-line tech told you. This is where further diagnosis comes in; just like on an engine problem.
The amount of money is high in my opinion but for a high labor rate area like NJ and the fact the dealer would be using a brand new, Jag factory OEM converter the price could be about right. However, I think with some shopping that price could be beaten by quite a bit.
Before spending one dime, I suggest you find a good reputable independent transmission shop (no chain shop like AAMCO, etc.) and get another opinion on this.
Maybe the problem is nothing more serious than a needed fluid change, faulty solenoid, etc.
Hope some of that helps anyway.
The DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) P0741 does not mean, “Thou must change thy torque converter”! Read the description for yourself: P0741, "The torque converter clutch solenoid circuit performance [has] a problem; or, it [clutch? solenoid?] is stuck off."
The problem, whatever it is, may be external to the torque converter. It may, even, be external to the transmission.
What problem are you experiencing? Is the torque converter not locking up; or,is it locking, and unlocking, erratically?
Nobody has TROUBLESHOT this problem. They have only read the words “torque converter” in the description in the diagnostic code. Talk about selective hearing, or reading!
You need a mechanic who knows how to read, and follow, the diagnostic charts, and how to effectively use a multimeter and wiring diagrams.
If the the torque converter has to come out for repair, there are torque converter repair shops in large cities. For a few hundred $$, you could even afford to ship the torque converter off for repair.