Automatic Transmission
Service and Repair Definitions
as defined in
the ATRA By-Laws

Rebuilder members of ATRA agree to re-process and to label and identify and to represent goods and services which they produce and market, to consumers and to other firms, under the following terms, for as long as they remain Association members:

A. AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SERVICE shall consist of accepted external and internal adjustments and minor corrections in keeping with good industry practice; fluid change; new pan gasket; replacement of filter where applicable and appropriate; together with an internal inspection to determine the amount of contamination and debris in the pan.

B. A TRANSMISSION REPAIR ordinarily consists of the minimum parts replacement and labor operations necessary to correct an immediate automatic transmission malfunction, and the true cause is seldom removed or corrected by a repair being performed.

For this reason, a repair shall only be undertaken upon the insistence of the customer and with his full knowledge, and with any guarantee on such work spelled out in writing by the shop, in advance of the work being performed.

C. EVERY ATRA MEMBER WRITTEN REPAIR ORDER shall carry a specific and legible statement describing work performed on behalf of the customer.

D. WHENEVER A MEMBER SHOP EXTENDS A WRITTEN WARRANTY to a customer, then the customer shall be fully informed by the shop as to the specifications of the warranty before the work is begun.

E. ASSOCIATION REBUILDING STANDARDS: no member or person or firm shall represent that any reprocessed automatic transmission has been "rebuilt, according to ATRA specifications", unless such transmission has been reprocessed in the following manner; and members further agree to extend Association inter-member cross-country warranty coverage only on such transmissions as have been reprocessed in the following manner:

1. All internal and external parts shall be dismantled and thoroughly cleaned and inspected, including the case and bell housing.

2. The following parts shall be replaced with new, each time; all line friction clutch plates; all gaskets and rubber parts; metal sealing rings as are used in rotating applications; disposable type filters.

3. All bands as are used in dynamic applications shall be replaced with new or re-lined bands, each time.

4. The valve body shall be thoroughly cleaned and inspected; all dirt and varnish and foreign substances removed; all non-serviceable parts replaced, and new gaskets installed where applicable.

5. The torque converter shall be considered to be a part of the transmission; and any torque converter which is installed along with a rebuild transmission shall be internally cleaned and inspected for wear; externally checked for leaks, cracks, weld failure and hub wear; and starter ring gear wear, where applicable. Any converter which is judged as not capable of delivering new converter performance and life shall be replaced with a new, used, or rebuilt converter which will; and any converter which is installed along with a rebuilt transmission main body shall be guaranteed by the member along with the rest of the transmission.

6. Any and all other impaired, defective, or substantially worn parts which are not mentioned above, but which would not be expected to deliver new part performance, shall be restored to a sound condition, or replaced with new, rebuilt, or unimpaired used parts which will.