Most car owners are familiar with routine car maintenance procedures such as oil changes, air filter replacements, and tire rotations. However, a transmission solenoid replacement or repair likely sounds foreign to most owners. Like with most automotive repairs, you’re probably concerned with the cost if you need this type of work done.

Replacing one transmission solenoid typically costs between $250 and $600 for an automatic transmission. The price range for the complete solenoid pack increases to $300-$800. A single shift solenoid costs between $20 and $120, plus up to $500 for labor, depending on the hourly rate. Your total price will ultimately depend on your make and model. 

Before we delve into the costs, let’s briefly look at what a transmission solenoid is and how it works, as these will help you make the right decision when replacing your car’s transmission solenoid. 

How Does a Transmission Solenoid Work?

Transmission solenoids serve different purposes in a car. They regulate the flow of oil or gas into a different mechanical component of your car. Some increase fuel efficiency, while others help the engine’s horsepower and torque.

Additionally, these pieces may become clogged with debris, leading to problems. To change gears, modern automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid. The car’s computer triggers a transmission solenoid each time a gear change is necessary, sending transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the appropriate gear. Any transmission issues could result from the failure of one of these electro-mechanical valves. 

The car’s computer examines information transmitted by the engine and vehicle speed sensors as you drive. By delivering a signal to one of the multiple transmission solenoids based on this signal, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) or the Transmission Control Module (TCM) performs the necessary upshift or downshift.

These transmission solenoids have a wire-wrapped spring-loaded plunger inside. The plunger opens due to the electrical charge applied to this coil of wire by the TCM or ECU, which also causes transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. This allows your transmission to change gears, and your car keeps moving.

The vehicle’s computer can control the transmission solenoid in various ways. If the car has a separate transmission control unit, it can use a direct 12-volt signal to open or close the hydraulic circuit. The engine’s ECU can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning on and off the ground circuit. Depending on the complexity of the design, a solenoid can be used to regulate one or more gears.

Transmission Solenoid Replacement Cost

Faulty transmission solenoids need to be replaced right away. The transmission solenoid is usually the problem when the gears don’t work properly, and a faulty transmission solenoid can result in delayed, soft, or hard shifts between gears.

At first, the problem just partially renders the car immobile. However, it significantly slows the car’s speed. The check engine light usually alerts you to a transmission solenoid issue as a warning sign to tell you what the problem is. The solenoid should ideally be replaced as soon as a problem is discovered.

Problems with gears aside, you might also experience other issues, such as a substantial loss in gas mileage, sudden speed bursts, engine not igniting properly, and so on.

Transmission solenoids are often found inside the engine’s oil pan and are attached directly to the valve body. The technician or mechanic working on your vehicle may only need to replace one transmission solenoid, depending on your type of car (including the make, model, and year). However, the solenoids occasionally arrive in bunches of many transmission solenoid units. This implies that if a single solenoid has a problem, the entire pack will usually need to be replaced, which will raise the cost of replacing the entire pack of solenoids.

You can estimate the labor cost by considering the time used for replacing the transmission solenoid, which is usually 2-4 hours. The shop time is often charged at $70 to $150 per hour. Therefore, the cost of replacing the transmission solenoid will at least quadruple this amount.

One transmission solenoid replacement and diagnosis typically costs between $200 and $500.

Depending on your car’s make, model, and year, replacing a shift transmission solenoid can cost you between $50 and $150. A pack of replacement transmission solenoids can cost anything from $100 to $400.

One solenoid in transmission costs between $20 and $150 to replace, while a pack costs between $100 and $400, labor costs between $150 and $500, and the entire pack costs between $300 and $700 to replace all the solenoids in the transmission.

Ensuring regular maintenance and repairs on your car will help you to cut down on the overall cost of replacing the transmission solenoid. This includes transmission fluid replacement at the intervals suggested by your mechanic or the manufacturer. This will remove all of the dirt and sludge that accumulates inside the tubes. The new transmission fluid will prevent the solenoids from sticking and reduce the overall cost of replacing the transmission solenoids.

Transmission Solenoid	Average Cost
Single solenoid	$20-$150
Solenoid pack	$100-$600
Total pack replacement	$300-$700
Valve body replacement	$600-$1200
labor	$150-$500

Transmission Solenoid Costs Compared

There are numerous replacement costs that you can look at to get an idea of what you might pay. Several locations are well-liked for mechanical work in the modern world, including Your mechanic, Midas, Mr. Tire, NAPA, Walmart, Amazon, etc.

Your Mechanic usually charges between $600 and $700 to replace your  transmission solenoid. However, Midas charges slightly less, with a price between $550 and $650 and a 12-month warranty. On the other hand, NAPA usually charges between $550 and $700, and Mr. Tire charges between $500 and $700. Walmart is significantly less expensive but charges parts prices, which range from $400 to $500. Another option is Amazon, with a price range between $350 and $500 for part replacements.

Supplier	Average Cost
Walmart	$400-$500
Amazon	$350-$500
NAPA	$550-$700
Midas	$550-650
Pep Boys	$450-$650
Jiffy Lube	$400-$650
Mr. Tire	$500-$700
Your Mechanic	$600-$700

What Factors Determine The Costs Of Transmission Solenoids?

Various factors determine how much you will pay for a transmission solenoid. For instance, transmission solenoids are easily accessible in BMW and Pontiac cars. You could change one by yourself for less than $100 if you only need to replace one. Unfortunately, not all cars have easily accessible transmission solenoids. On average, you will need a mechanic to work on the car for at least two hours. Additionally, the price of parts for sealed  solenoid packs can rise to well over $400. Below are key factors that affect the costs of transmission solenoids.

1. Sealed or Single Solenoids

Whether or not you require a full pack will determine the cost of replacing your solenoids. For example, many automobiles feature sealed solenoid packs. You must replace the entire pack if your car has a sealed pack.

Depending on your car, that immediately raises the price of the parts to $250–$600. Perhaps if you don’t have a sealed pack, you could need to replace most or even all of your solenoids at the same time. This is because the same circumstances that make Solenoid A or B malfunction also make Solenoid C malfunction. You might be able to locate parts for $15–$50 each if you need to replace just one solenoid. Simply double that amount by the number of items you need to replace.

2. Labor

To access and replace a transmission solenoid, your car has to be jacked up and the oil pan or valve body removed. The task takes at least two hours on average. Sometimes it may take up to four. Where you live, labor costs range from $15 to more than $210. When this article was written, the national average in this area was around $60. Solenoid removal is a simple process in some automobiles. Others require you to access them by removing the valve body. On the other hand, you can anticipate paying between $99 and $200 for labor if you visit a national chain that gives a warranty, such as Midas or PepBoys. You can estimate how much this should cost if you know the local average for mechanic labor. If not, you’ll need to go get some quotations.

3. Remanufactured and Aftermarket Options

Choosing aftermarket or made-to-fit models of transmission solenoids will almost always result in cost savings. These are produced in accordance with the original manufacturer’s standards. However, they are also designed to fit as many different automobiles as possible, reducing the manufacturer’s risk.

The solenoids on your car may not truly match these, thus. But the fit needs to be adequate. Additionally, you might wish to select reconditioned solenoids. These solenoids are old or broken and have been repaired to look brand new. Remanufactured parts are not always of high quality, and not all mechanics will utilize them. A solenoid pack can be purchased for less money by doing this, though.

4. Model and Manufacturer

The manufacturer and model impact several of your repairs. For instance, it influences how challenging it is to access solenoids. Whether you have a solenoid pack or individual solenoids affects it as well. Additionally, it affects the number of transmission solenoids that your car has. More significantly, it influences the price you spend for each solenoid. Brands like Ford, Audi, and Dodge are more expensive in this regard. Budget manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Pontiac are usually more affordable.

Finally, the popularity of your make and model has an impact on pricing. The maintenance cost will decrease when more vehicles of your make and model are in use. They are more likely to already have the solenoids on hand, which explains why. Additionally, they are more likely to be familiar with changing solenoids and know how much work is involved.

• Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla Transmission Solenoid Cost ($650 to $750)

As a result of being manufactured by the same firm, the Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla have nearly identical structures and use the same transmission solenoid. Therefore, the two transmission solenoid replacements will cost almost the same. To fix a Toyota Camry transmission solenoid usually costs between $250 and $300, and the parts needed to fix the transmission solenoid range from $400 to $450. The overall cost for a Toyota Camry transmission solenoid repair will be between $650 and $750, the same amount a  Toyota Corolla would gulp.

• Honda Civic SHIFT Solenoid Cost ($650 to $750)

Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry share many similarities with the Honda Civic design. As a result, the transmission solenoids in these three vehicles are made by the same company, and their repairs require the same transmission solenoids.

A Honda Civic transmission solenoid labor costs between $250 and $300. The parts needed for the Honda Civic transmission solenoid typically cost between $400 and $450, just like the Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry. The final price usually lies between $650 and $750 after factoring in labor and component prices.

Car Model	Parts Cost	Labor Cost	Total Average Cost
Ford Fusion	$400-$450	$200-$300	$600-$750
Ford F-Series	$400-$450	$200-250	$600-$700
Ford Focus	$400-$460	$190-250	$590-$710
Honda Civic	$400-$450	$250-$300	$650-$750
Honda Accord	$400-$450	$250-$300	$650-$750
Honda CR-V	$400-$450	$220-$280	$620-$720
Nissan Altima	$340-$420	$200-$220	$540-$640
Chevrolet Silverado	$450-$500	$250-$300	$700-$800
Toyota Camry	$400-$450	$250-$300	$650-$750
Toyota Corolla	$400-$450	$250-$300	$650-$750

Buying A Transmission Solenoid

Without a doubt; transmission solenoids (or shift solenoids) are an important aspect of any car which significantly affects its performance. Its primary functions include regulating the pressurized hydraulic fluid reacting to the transmission computer’s electronic signals. It also  instructs the transmission to change gears.

When it comes to the costs of shift solenoids, the make, year, and model of the car determine how long and how much it will cost to replace the solenoids. Knowing how much solenoids cost for various car models is essential because yours can be more expensive than the norm. However, by taking preventative measures, you can enhance  your solenoid, and by knowing what to look for when sourcing replacement, you can adequately prepare for the expenses ahead.