Torque Converter Replacement Cost in 2026: What Owners Paid, What Makers Print, and When It Is the Transmission

What will it cost? Owners who wrote their own bills into safety complaints report a median of $2,200 for a torque converter replacement they paid or were billed for, and a median of $3,000 for quotes they had not yet paid; a replacement transmission is about $5,100 paid or billed and $6,900 quoted. The makers' own labor times for pulling the transmission and replacing the converter are about 3.4 to 12 hours on the models we read. Is it the converter? Often not for a shudder: Honda, Acura and GM print fluid and software first, GM names a twisted cooler line as one cause, and makers print tests that decide it. Who pays? Sometimes the maker, for specific vehicles; check by VIN.

A torque converter job is five different bills with one name: a fluid service sold under the converter's name, a converter the maker pays for, a converter you pay for with the transmission pulled and put back, a converter bought together with a rebuilt transmission, or a replacement transmission with the converter inside. The part is the same in all five; the labor, the risk and the price are not.

We went through NHTSA's index of manufacturer communications for documents whose summaries name the torque converter, its lock-up clutch, converter shudder or a converter replacement, and a second, independent search added what the first had missed: 760 distinct documents (592 of them name the converter in their own text) from Ford, GM, Honda and Acura, Toyota and Lexus, Nissan and Infiniti, Chrysler and Ram, Mazda, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Allison and others, plus the files of 15 recall campaigns found by a separate search of recall files (14 of them about the converter, its bolts or its lock-up). The pattern for a shudder depends on the maker: Honda, Acura and GM print a test, a flush and a software update before the converter; Toyota, Mazda, Chrysler and, in a few cases, Ford print a test and then replace it; recalls and campaigns replace it outright, and either way the transmission comes out. How we read them is in the methodology at the end.

Then we read the complaints NHTSA received from 2015 to 4 October 2026 that name a torque converter, its lock-up clutch or "TCC": 3,554 in all, 22 of them found by a second search. Every complaint was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules; the two sortings matched on about 95% of them on what the complaint says happened, and the rest were settled by a written rule. 3,192 were about a converter on the owner's own vehicle. Owners who wrote down what they were quoted or paid give 585 dollar figures, 232 of them for a converter replacement.

By the end you will know which of five routes your car is on, what each costs in the owners' own numbers and in the makers' labor hours, what your maker prints about testing before replacing, and the cheap cause that gets skipped when a converter is sold first.

Claims marked 🟢 rest on a document listed in the Sources section, read in full unless marked otherwise. Owner-reported figures are what people told NHTSA, published with ODI numbers, and every complaint count here comes from the 3,554 complaints sorted twice and published. This guide carries no shop-estimate ranges of its own; where it repeats the repair ranges from our other guides, those are marked ⚪. An ODI number is the complaint's NHTSA reference number.

I built PulsCar, an app that works with an OBDLink MX+ scanner; nothing in this guide needs it, and a free code read at a parts store does the same job for the check below. I started it after a $380 "full diagnostic" in Phuket in 2025 led to roughly $6,000 over six months across several shops (the story is on the About page). A torque converter quote is that pattern in one line: a single part name that can mean a $165 diagnosis, a $500 fluid service or a $5,000 to $7,000 transmission.

What a torque converter is, and the five bills behind one quote

The torque converter is the fluid coupling between the engine and a conventional automatic transmission, and it holds a clutch that locks it solid at cruising speed. 🟢 Toyota's dealer letter for the 2019 Corolla Hatchback recall puts it in one sentence: "The torque converter is a part that transfers engine power from the engine to the transmission." (RCMN-18V901-1501) The lock-up clutch, called TCC on a scan tool, closes at steady speed to stop the slip that wastes fuel. When that clutch's friction surface wears, or the fluid that feeds it breaks down, the lock-up grabs and slips in turn, and the car shudders.

Two facts decide most prices. First, a converter is bolted between the engine and the transmission, so replacing one means the transmission comes out; the labor is mostly that. Second, many modern converters are not separately serviceable: they are sealed units, swapped whole. So the quote reads "torque converter," and the invoice is a day of labor, a part, fluid and often a cooler flush.

Bill 1: a fluid service or software sold under the converter's name. A drain-and-fill, a flush or a control-module update. Bill 2: a converter the maker pays for, under a recall, a warranty extension or a special coverage. Bill 3: a converter alone, with the transmission pulled and reinstalled. Bill 4: a converter with a transmission rebuild or overhaul, because the unit has debris or worn clutches. Bill 5: a replacement transmission, which includes a converter.

First: is it the converter, or is something cheaper wearing its symptom?

A shudder is the converter's signature, and it is also the symptom for which Honda, Acura and GM print many "flush first" bulletins. The first question is therefore not "how much is a converter" but "who says it is the converter, and how did they know".

🟢 Honda and Acura print the plainest warning. Their bulletin for the 2012 to 2013 ZDX (17-005): "The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter." And then: "the torque converter was not causing the judder and the transmission is not damaged by this judder." The cause printed: "The judder was caused by deteriorated transmission fluid." The fix is a software update (0.2 hour) and a fluid flush (1.4 hours), with an eight-year or 80,000-mile warranty on that repair; no converter. GM prints the same logic with a test: 🟢 PIP5504F (PIP5504F) says the vibration is converter shudder only if "the vibration concern must be present in normal operation (Mode A), but not present with the torque converter clutch disabled (Mode B) or with the torque converter clutch locked (Mode C)." And: "If the vibration frequency follows engine, tire, or driveshaft speed, then it is NOT TCC Shudder."

These are the symptoms the documents and the owners tie to a converter, with the cheaper causes the same documents name:

• A shudder or judder at roughly 20 to 60 mph under light throttle. Documents: Honda's 20 to 45 and 20 to 60 mph, Toyota's 25 to 50, GM's 25 to 80. Cheaper causes the makers print: deteriorated fluid, software, a twisted transmission cooler line, coolant in the fluid, unequal tire sizes.
• Stalling or a lurch as the car comes to a stop, as if you let out a manual clutch. Subaru's converter bulletin (16-90-13) ties low-rpm trouble at a stop to thrust-washer wear inside the converter. Honda's bulletin for cold-start stalls in reverse blames air trapped in the converter.
• A chirp on a 3-4 shift. Mazda says it may be caused by iron powder from a worn lock-up clutch on certain 2.5-liter cylinder-deactivation six-speeds, and replaces the converter.
• Loss of drive, no movement in Drive or Reverse. This is the case the recalls cover: worn splines (Ford 2004 and 2005 Freestar and Monterey), poorly welded studs (Ford Edge, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ with the 2.0-liter engine and six-speed, 2017 and 2018 recalls), a brittle damper plate that may fracture and stall the engine (Ford 2020 Super Duty diesels), impeller blades that detach (Toyota 2019 Corolla hatchback CVT).
• A diagnostic code that names the converter clutch: P0740 to P0744, P2757, P2764. The code names a circuit or a result, not a failed converter; P0741 and P0755 have their own guides, and we do not repeat them.

The maker atlas: who says replace, who says flush first, who says it is the transmission

The documents split into four families, and which one your maker is in tells you more about your bill than the part price does.

Flush and update first, converter only if it comes back (Honda, Acura, GM). 🟢 Acura's bulletin for the 2012 TL (16-040) extends the converter warranty to "8 years from the original date of purchase or 105,000 miles, whichever comes first" but sends the technician to a software update first, and does a flush (1.4 hours) or replaces the converter (part 26000-RP7-305, 6.5 hours plus 0.4 for an alignment), depending on the software already in the car, only if the judder returns and a recorded snapshot shows converter judder. GM's shudder bulletin 16-NA-175 (version 10) prescribes a drain-and-fill with a new filter (three on the 2017 to 2018 Colorado and Canyon), labeled "Flush and Drain Fluids for Transmission Shake and/or Shutter Repair," and tells the dealer "Do not re-evaluate vehicle" until it has covered 200 miles. In August 2026 GM's PIP6127A for its 8-speed rear-drive Silverado, Sierra, Colorado and Canyon trucks asks, for a vehicle under warranty, "Was bulletin 25-NA-148 followed, including the full transmission fluid flush and a 200-mile (320 km) drive afterward?" and for a customer-pay request tells dealers to advise that the flush "may address a shudder concern at a lower cost."

Test, then replace the converter alone (Toyota, Mazda, Mopar, Ford in a few cases). 🟢 Toyota's bulletin for the 2013 to 2014 RAV4 (T-SB-0023-15) confirms a brief shudder at 25 to 50 mph and says "Remove and replace the torque converter," 6.7 hours on a two-wheel-drive model and 7.3 on all-wheel drive, with new engine-computer software and "The ECM (PCM) should NOT be replaced as part of the Repair Procedure." Chrysler's tech tip for the 2014 to 2021 Ram ProMaster with the 3.6-liter 62TE six-speed: with P0740 or P2764 and a good TCC solenoid, "Replace the torque converter." (9003453) Mazda's 05-005-23a (10246127) replaces the converter and then changes the fluid three times: "ATF replacement is performed 3 times in total, once at A/T installation and 2 more drain and refills."

The converter is decided by debris, and the answer can be a transmission, or a converter with a transmission (Chrysler, GM, Toyota). 🟢 GM's 2024 Equinox program N242444550 (11008198) inspects first: "If excessive debris (as indicated in the above image) is found, replace the Transmission." Otherwise "Install a NEW Torque Converter." The labor is the same either way, 8.5 hours front-wheel drive and 9.7 all-wheel drive. Chrysler's cracked-piston note for the 62TE (S2121000005) adds, on its converter-and-cooler repair, "The 70% repair rule will apply." Toyota's tech tip for the 2024 Tacoma (T-TT-0758-24): "When replacing the transmission, if debris is found in the pan, it is required to also replace the torque converter."

The maker changed its mind (GM). 🟢 For the 2019 Cadillac XT4, GM's bulletin 18-NA-378 version 3 (10155590) sent a car with no coolant in the fluid to "Replace the torque converter" together with the exchanger (12.8 hours front-wheel drive, 15.8 all-wheel drive for the pair), because "This condition may be caused by fluid contamination from the stack plate heat exchanger," and a car with coolant in the fluid to a transmission. Version 4 (10161883) dropped the converter step and decides by a glycol test: it replaces the transmission when "the glycol level is 50 ppm or above," and drains and refills when the test finds no glycol. The lesson is not that one version was wrong; it is that the same symptom moved between converter, exchanger and transmission between versions, and a quote from last year's procedure can be this year's wrong repair.

The 10-minute check before you pay for a converter

Five questions, answered before any converter quote is accepted.

1. What exactly was found? A scan-tool snapshot or a data log of engine speed and input speed during the shudder is what Honda and GM ask for. A quote that says "your converter is bad" with no data is a guess. At the shop, say this: "What data shows the converter, and can you give me the snapshot or the slip numbers?"

2. What are the codes? Read them yourself with any scanner. A converter-clutch code (P0740 to P0744) points at the lock-up system; it does not say the converter itself failed. Several makers fix these codes with a solenoid, a valve body or software. Fix it yourself: a free code read at a parts store takes five minutes.

3. What does the fluid look like, and when was it changed? Dark, burnt-smelling fluid, or fluid that was never changed, is what to rule out first; Honda's bulletins blame fluid that deteriorated early under heat. Metal or clutch material in the pan or on the magnet is the opposite finding: it is what moves a converter job toward a transmission job. A shop that has not looked at the fluid has not diagnosed the converter.

4. Is your VIN in a program? Honda prints "Check iN VIN status for eligibility" in its converter extensions; GM's N242444550 runs by VIN; Ford's recalls and programs do too. Warranty extensions are not safety recalls, so a recall search may not list them; ask the dealer to run your VIN.

5. Does the quote name the work around the part? Fluid, cooler flush, alignment, seals. A converter quote that lists only the part and "labor" is missing items that the makers' own procedures add, as the route sections show.

What a torque converter replacement costs in 2026: the price ladder

There are two kinds of numbers below. The owner figures are what people wrote in complaints to NHTSA, counted once per figure. The labor times come from the makers' own bulletins and recall paperwork, which show how long the job takes, not what a shop charges for an hour.

The paid converter figures run from $100 to $5,000, with a middle half of $1,300 to $3,350. The bottom of that range is not a price: it holds a $100 deductible under an extended warranty, $500 of parts for a Ford Taurus the owner fitted themselves, and, at $1,000, what was left of a Honda Pilot bill after Honda paid half. The top is a $5,000 bill for a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and a repair bill of almost $5,000 on an Acura RDX. In the middle sit Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, Subarus and GMs, from model years 2003 to 2021 (most 2010 or newer), from $1,000 to $4,000.

Why the quotes sit above the paid figures. A quote usually bundles the labor of taking the transmission out with a part, fluid and a cooler flush, and the person quoted does not always go ahead. Many of the paid figures are partial: a part only, a deductible, or a goodwill share. The two columns are not a before and after for the same job, and the samples are small.

The maker labor times behind those prices. 🟢 Converter replacement as the makers print it: the 2013 to 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins diesel with the Aisin six-speed 3.4 hours (Ram 3500 bulletin); GM's 2010 to 2014 Express and Savana special coverage 3.9 hours (14745); Honda's 2017 to 2019 six-speeds 5.7 to 7.6 hours (23-077 version 2 prints 5.7 for the Odyssey; 23-078 version 5 prints 7.2 hours two-wheel drive and 7.6 all-wheel drive); Toyota's Camry 5.6 hours (T-SB-0034-14) and RAV4 6.7 to 7.3; Ford's recalled Edge, Fusion and MKZ 6.8 to 7.9 (recall 17S16); Nissan's no-charge campaign (PC346) 6.8 to 7.9; Mazda's 2.5-liter six-speeds 7.3 to 10.0 (05-005-23a); GM's 2024 Equinox program 8.5 front-wheel drive and 9.7 all-wheel drive. The part itself is one line on those invoices; the transmission coming out is the rest.

How much does a torque converter replacement cost in 2026? In the 3,554 federal complaints PulsCar read, 232 dollar figures describe a converter replacement (19 are offers or unstated). The 49 that owners say they paid or were billed run from $100 to $5,000, median $2,200, middle half $1,300 to $3,350; the 164 quotes have a median of $3,000. A whole transmission is a different purchase: paid or billed, median about $4,400 for a rebuild and $5,100 for a replacement. Makers print about 3.4 to 12 hours of labor for the converter alone (13.6 on one Corvette bulletin, which includes a filter and cooler-line flush), because the transmission comes out. ⚪ Our repair guides carry $600 to $1,500 for the converter, which sits well below what these owners wrote. Get one written quote that names the part, the fluid, the cooler flush and the alignment.

Torque converter replacement cost: the five routes

Cheapest and most common first. Each route is a situation, not a recommendation.

Route 1: It is not the converter: fluid, software or a cooler line first

What it is. The symptom is a shudder, judder or chuggle, and the first step is a test, a software update or a fluid service, with the converter left alone unless the symptom returns.

What the documents say. 🟢 Honda and Acura print it in more than 25 bulletins we read: the judder is "typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter," the cause is deteriorated fluid, and the fix is software plus a flush at 0.2 and 1.4 hours (17-005). The same document says the judder does not damage the transmission. GM's bulletin 16-NA-175 turns that into a three-mode test and a drain-and-fill with a named fluid (three on some trucks), and tells the dealer "Do not re-evaluate vehicle" until 200 miles (version 10). For a "fishbite" jerk on its 2016 to 2018 6L-series trucks, GM's PIP5504A replaces the converter only when "significant metallic debris is found on magnet and fluid smells burnt" (PIP5504A); the same 2018 version replaces it on a confirmed converter shudder without that condition, and GM removed that recommendation in later versions (PIP5504F). The makers name other causes, some of them cheap: 🟢 "Root cause may be a twisted cooler line on low mileage vehicles" (GM PIP5792E); loose stator support to pump cover bolts, which cause slip or shudder at launch (GM PIP5175E); and on certain Fords, "If wear/damage is found, replacement of the torque converter is not necessary. Replace only the engine to transmission spacer plate" (SSM 53878).

What the owners report. In 123 complaints the converter was named and a different remedy was applied or tried: a flush, a software update, a solenoid, a cooler repair. In 83 of those the owner says the problem came back or persisted, so the cheap route is not a guarantee. Owners who describe a fluid service quote it at a median of $500 paid or billed (13 figures) and $525 quoted (18). One 2020 Honda Pilot owner wrote that the dealer "stated that the course of action is to drain and fill the transmission 3 times to the tune of $550+" (ODI 11635795), and that the owner's extended warranty "would cover the torque converter but will not cover this fluid."

The cheap cause that gets skipped. Fluid that has never been changed, and the Honda-and-GM shudder test that nobody ran. Both cost a fraction of the converter job: Honda prices the software update and flush at 0.2 and 1.4 hours against 4.6 to 7.6 hours for its converter in the bulletins we read.

Fix it yourself. Read the codes with a free parts-store scan, check the manual for the fluid interval, and look at the fluid on the dipstick if your car has one. Avoid generic flush machines on a shudder; Honda's "flush" is repeated draining and filling, several makers advise against machines, and GM uses its own exchange tool, as our fluid-change guide shows.

At the shop, say this: "Before a converter, can we do the manufacturer's shudder test and the fluid service it prescribes, and can you tell me what the snapshot shows?"

Route 2: A converter the maker pays for

What it is. A recall, a warranty extension, a special coverage or a goodwill repair names your converter, and the dealer replaces it free or for a share.

What the documents say. 🟢 Honda extended the converter warranty on certain six-speed vehicles with code P0741; version 5 of the Pilot and Ridgeline bulletin prints "warranty extension changed to 10 years or 150,000 miles" (23-078 version 5), where version 1 of each bulletin, such as the Accord's, said eight (23-076). Ford's 22N12 program for the flexplate, pump and converter repair on 2.0-liter EcoBoost Edge (2015 to 2018), Fusion and MKZ (2019 to 2020) pays 100% up to 10 years and 100,000 miles, and 50% from 100,000 to 120,000 miles within the same 10 years, counted from the warranty start date (supplement 1). GM's 2024 Equinox program N242444550 is "at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, through October 31, 2026" (11008198). Each is by VIN. The coverage section lists them and their status.

What the owners report. In 190 of the 3,192 complaints the owner says the maker, a warranty, a recall or the dealer paid or agreed to pay for converter or transmission work; 93 of them are in the 453 complaints where a converter was replaced. A 2019 Ford Edge owner writes that the shop said the converter or the transmission had to be replaced, that "There are MANY of the Ford Edges ranging in years close to mine that have this recall; however mine is not included" (ODI 11587682).

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The five-minute VIN check. Honda's bulletins say "Check iN VIN status for eligibility," a check the dealer runs, and GM's program runs by VIN.

Fix it yourself. Run your VIN on a public recall lookup for safety recalls, and ask the dealer, in writing, to run the maker's own check for bulletins, warranty extensions and programs that name the converter or transmission for your car.

At the shop, say this: "Is there a recall, warranty extension or goodwill program for this converter on my VIN, and can you open a case before you start?"

Route 3: A converter alone, at your cost

What it is. The shop pulls the transmission, fits a new or remanufactured converter and often a seal, fluid and a cooler flush, and puts everything back.

What the documents say. 🟢 The recalls show the shape of it. Ford's 2017 recall 17S16 for the 2.0-liter Edge, Fusion and MKZ (a 2018 supplement adds 2018 Edge and Fusion) replaces the converter and the hub seal at 6.8 to 7.9 hours, and says "Disassembly of the transmission is not required for torque converter and hub seal replacement" (RCMN-17V427-5962). Nissan's cooler bulletin: "When a CVT, control valve or torque converter replacement is necessary for one of the applied vehicles, the CVT transmission fluid coolers" have to be cleaned, at 0.7 hour (NTB15-013c). Toyota's RAV4 job takes 5.4 quarts of fluid and new engine-computer software (T-SB-0023-15). Ford's recall for the 2004 to 2005 Freestar refunded owner-paid converter replacements up to $1,450 plus towing, when the receipt named the converter, and says transmission repair costs are "not reimbursable" because worn splines "do not result in failure of other transmission components" (RCMN-12V006-9995).

What the owners report. 453 complaints say a converter was replaced, with no transmission replacement or rebuild stated. Across the whole file, the 49 dollar figures owners say they paid or were billed for a converter replacement have a median of $2,200, and the 164 quotes for one have a median of $3,000; most of those quotes come from owners who were told to replace the converter, not from the 453. In 269 of the 453 the owner says the same problem came back or persisted afterwards, which is a reason to ask what else the shop checked, not proof the converter job fails. A 2017 Ford Explorer complaint records that "The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure occurred" again, with a tow back to the dealer (ODI 11621367). A Subaru Outback owner wrote of a "quoted $2,400 repair" for the torque converter that Subaru would not cover (ODI 11636313).

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The fluid and the cooler. Debris in the lines goes into the new converter; Ford's 2020 recall paperwork says the cooling system "MUST be flushed every time the transmission is overhauled or replaced in order to minimize the likelihood of repeat repairs" (RCMN-20V365-4143).

Fix it yourself. Not the converter. A converter replacement is a shop job on almost every car. What you can do is the check at the top of this guide and the paperwork: keep the invoice, the part number and the fluid used.

At the shop, say this: "Please list on the quote: converter part number, hub seal, fluid and quantity, cooler flush, alignment if the maker calls for it, and the warranty on the part and the labor."

Route 4: A converter with a transmission rebuild or overhaul

What it is. The shop opens the transmission because the fluid carries metal, clutch material or burnt friction, and the converter is replaced as part of a rebuild, or the maker's procedure says to do both.

What the documents say. 🟢 Chrysler's 62TE note sorts the repair by what is in the fluid: converter, fluid and filter if there is no friction material, converter plus cooler, valve body and filter with debris but unworn clutches, and a whole transmission when the fluid has "thermal deterioration" and the clutches are worn (S2121000005). Ford's 2.3-liter family replaces the converter, the main control and solenoid body, and calls for a full teardown at 15.8 hours on one all-wheel-drive MKC (20N07 supplement 2), which says "dealers are to replace the torque converter and inspect the internal transmission components and replace as necessary." Toyota's July 2024 tech tip for the 2024 Tacoma is flat: when the transmission is replaced and debris is in the pan, the converter goes too (T-TT-0758-24). Ford's service note for the 2020 8F35 warns "Replacement of only the torque converter and/or the main control may not resolve the concern" (SSM 49345).

What the owners report. 227 complaints say a transmission was replaced or rebuilt and name the converter in the diagnosis, the cause or the bill; 80 of them mention metal, clutch material, burnt fluid or a failed internal part. Owners who say rebuild give a median of $4,390 paid or billed (15 figures, $1,814 to $11,000). A 2017 Honda Pilot owner wrote: "The repair cost $6,229.91 at an independent shop and included a full transaxle overhaul, replacement of the torque converter, transmission oil pump, and main control valve body" (ODI 11723932), and had opened a goodwill case with Honda.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The pan and the magnet. Whether there is debris decides which route you are on, and it costs a drain and a dropped pan to see it.

Fix it yourself. Ask for the old fluid or a photo of the pan and magnet before authorizing a teardown.

At the shop, say this: "Show me the debris, and tell me whether the quote is for a converter or for a rebuild, because the price is not the same job."

Route 5: A replacement transmission, with the converter inside it

What it is. The transmission is replaced with a new, remanufactured or used unit, and the converter comes with it or is replaced alongside.

What the documents say. 🟢 Some makers choose this for a converter fault: Ford's 2020 Super Duty diesel recall for brittle damper plates, which lists 15 trucks (13 in the US), replaces the transmission in up to 7.2 to 8.4 hours, with a mandatory cooler flush (RCMN-20V365-4143); Toyota's recall J07 replaces the CVT with its converter at 9.4 hours (RCMN-18V901-1501), and tells the dealer to "Drill a hole 1/8” or larger in the main body of the ORIGINAL torque converter" so it is not reused (RCRIT-18V901-7991). GM's 2024 Equinox program replaces the transmission when excessive debris is found. Honda's 18-072 replaces the transmission if the snapshot calls for it, 5.9 to 7.7 hours, for a cold-start stall in reverse (18-072).

What the owners report. Paid or billed, owners who say replacement give a median of $5,095 (18 figures); quotes have a median of $6,936 (95). Some are quotes for a used or remanufactured unit; some are dealer prices.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The converter quote itself. When a shop says "the converter is bad and you will need a transmission," ask which of the documents above they are following.

Fix it yourself. Nothing on the mechanical side. Do the research: the price of a used unit with a warranty, the price of a remanufactured one, and the car's market value, before saying yes.

At the shop, say this: "What is the warranty on the replacement unit, does it include the converter, and who flushes the cooler?"

What 3,554 complaints show

3,192 of the 3,554 were about a torque converter on the owner's own vehicle; 362 were not (a catalytic converter, a list of parts with no finding, a general remark). Every complaint was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules, and the two sortings matched on 94.5% of them on what happened (3,359 of 3,554) and on 98% on whether the complaint was about a converter at all (3,487). The rest were settled by the sorting rules, published with how we did it.

What the 3,192 describe, after the two sortings were reconciled:

• 1,499: the converter was diagnosed, recommended, quoted or refused by someone other than the owner, and the complaint does not say the work was done. Most of these are a dealer or shop saying the converter is bad, sometimes with a price, or a maker declining to pay.
• 890: the owner names the converter, TCC or lock-up as the cause, with no diagnosis or repair stated.
• 453: a converter was replaced, with no transmission replacement or rebuild stated.
• 227: a transmission was replaced or rebuilt, and the complaint names the converter in the diagnosis, the cause, the repair or the bill.
• 123: the converter was named, and a different remedy was applied or tried: a fluid service, software, a solenoid, a cooler or an engine repair.

So only 680 complaints, about one in five, say that converter or transmission work was actually done. Most of the rest are people who were told the converter is bad, sometimes with a price or a refusal to pay, or who named the converter themselves, or who tried a cheaper fix first.

Which cars. Ford has 1,039 of the 3,192, then Chevrolet 507, Toyota 312, Subaru 300, GMC 241 and Honda 220. By model: Ford Edge 369 (206 of them model year 2019), Chevrolet Silverado 1500 244, Subaru Outback 210 (123 of them 2011), Toyota Camry 182 (mostly 2012 and 2014), Ford Escape 158 and Ford Freestar 127, 84 of them model years 2004 and 2005, the cars of Ford's converter recall, and 38 of them 2006. Complaints per year went from 164 in 2015 to 534 in 2025 (not steadily), with 438 so far in 2026. These are counts of complaints, not of cars, and none of them is a failure rate: people file when something went wrong.

What owners say in the flags. In 190 the maker or a warranty paid or agreed to pay. In 190 a fluid service was done or recommended for the symptom. In 362 the complaint mentions metal, clutch material, burnt fluid or a failed internal part. In 592 the owner says the problem came back or persisted after a repair, a software fix or a recall remedy. Among the 1,488 complaints that give a mileage above 1,000, the middle is 90,000 miles.

The coverage file: programs, campaigns and recalls that pay for a converter

Coverage is by VIN, and our status is our own arithmetic from the terms the documents print, as of mid-October 2026, not the maker's word.

Four details decide claims. First, the Honda programs are by VIN, not by model year: the bulletins say "Check iN VIN status for eligibility," and a 2018 Pilot owner who paid $3,000 for the P0741 repair writes "A service bulletin for 17-18 Pilots is out but does not include mine" (ODI 11751350); our P0741 guide has the Honda detail. Second, the recall that pays you back has terms: Ford's 11S25 capped owner refunds at $1,450 "reasonable and customary charge for replacement of the Torque Converter" plus towing, and counts a replacement transmission with a Ford part number but not an overhaul receipt that does not name the converter; the 2017, 2018 and 2020 Ford recalls say "Refunds are not approved for this program." Third, a closed or missing program is not always a closed door: owners write of goodwill cases, such as the 2017 Honda Pilot owner above who opened one with Honda after a $6,229.91 overhaul (ODI 11723932). Fourth, a newer bulletin can cover a converter under the ordinary warranty: Hyundai's May 2026 bulletin for the 2026 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz with the 2.5T engine, built June to October 2025, replaces the converter after the dealer confirms the symptom, under the 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty for original owners or the 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty for later owners (26-AT-003H).

Why the problem comes back after a converter

In 592 of the 3,192 complaints the owner says the problem came back or persisted after a repair. That is 269 of the 453 where a converter was replaced, 102 of the 227 where a transmission was replaced or rebuilt, 83 of the 123 where a cheaper remedy was tried, and 138 in complaints sorted as diagnosed, quoted or named only, with no converter or transmission replacement stated. These are owners who wrote to NHTSA, so the share tells you who complains, not how often a repair fails.

The documents give three reasons that match, and one rule about the part. The cause was not the converter: Honda and GM print shudders that were fluid, and GM's XT4 procedure moved from a converter to a fluid change or a transmission across versions. The cooler was not cleaned: Ford's recall paperwork warns that skipping the flush raises "the likelihood of repeat repairs." Only the converter was replaced when more was at fault: Ford's SSM 49345 says replacing only the converter "may not resolve the concern". The part is gated: for its 8-speed rear-drive trucks GM now has dealers get approval before ordering a converter, after the 25-NA-148 flush and a 200-mile drive (PIP6127A).

Can you keep driving?

Can you keep driving with a failing torque converter? It depends on the symptom. In the 3,192 complaints PulsCar read, owners describe shudders but also stalls and lost drive. Honda says that in the fluid-related judder cases it investigated on some Honda and Acura models the converter was not the cause and the transmission was not damaged, so a light shudder at 20 to 60 mph with no warning light is a reason to book a diagnosis soon, not to stop the car today. A stall as you stop, an overheat message, no movement in Drive or Reverse, or a burning smell is different: Ford's recall filing warns that "If a torque converter malfunctions due to worn pump drive splines, the vehicle will lose motive power" (RCDNN-12V006-6281), and Toyota's notice for the 2019 Corolla hatchback warns that losing power at higher speeds could raise crash risk (RIONL-18V901-1756). Our advice: pull over and get a tow.

Should you buy a used car with a shudder or a converter history?

Should you buy a used car that shudders or has a converter on its record? PulsCar's reading of 3,554 complaints cannot say which history is safe. Get the invoice with the part number and the fluid used, and check the VIN against the maker's programs; a converter replaced under a recall or program, with paperwork, is a repair with a record, not a warning sign by itself. A shudder you can feel between 20 and 60 mph on the test drive, under light throttle, is a negotiation: use the owner figures here, a median of $2,200 paid or billed for a converter and about $5,100 for a replacement transmission, and the lower cost of route one if fluid is all it needs. A scan that shows a converter-clutch code with no program paperwork, or a seller who will not allow an inspection, is a reason to walk. Do not take the seller's word that it only needs fluid.

What to do before an inspection, a sale or a trade-in

Before an inspection, a sale or a trade-in, do the cheap things first. Read the codes. Check the fluid against the manual's interval and change it if it is overdue. Keep every invoice that shows a converter part number or a flush, because the next owner and the next shop will ask. If a dealer quoted a converter and you did not do it, write that down with the date; a later owner's problem may begin there. Do not clear codes before an inspection.

Three traps that turn a shudder into a bill

Trap one: the converter quote with no test. "The problem is typically diagnosed as a bad torque converter," says Honda, and then says it was not. A quote that does not name the test is a guess at your expense. Ask for the snapshot, the slip numbers, the pan check.

Trap two: the converter on a dirty cooler. Replacing one part and leaving the old cooler or converter in place sends the same debris into the new part. Toyota says it plainly for the 2024 Tacoma ("the remaining debris may be introduced into the replacement transmission") and Ford's 2020 Super Duty recall paperwork says the cooler "MUST be flushed" whenever a transmission is overhauled or replaced.

Trap three: pay first, ask coverage later. A refund is not a given: Ford's 2017, 2018 and 2020 recalls say "Refunds are not approved for this program," and Ford's 2012 recall refunded up to a capped amount. The five-minute VIN lookup comes before the payment, not after.

Two composite scenarios

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers. They use only the figures and facts already in this guide.

Scenario one: the quote at a stop. A 2019 Ford Edge shudders under 60 mph; the dealer says the converter is bad and quotes $3,000, the median quote in our file. The owner asks which test decided it, checks the bulletins for the model, and finds Ford's shudder bulletin 25-2154 for 2019 to 2022 Edge and Nautilus models with the 8F35 transmission built on or before 30 June 2022, which replaces the converter (9.9 to 12.0 hours, transmission removal included) when there are no codes and a shudder event shows on the dealer's scan tool. They ask the dealer to open a case before the work starts.

Scenario two: the metal on the magnet. A truck with 90,000 miles slips, and the shop finds metal on the pan magnet and burnt-smelling fluid. The quote is a converter and a rebuild. Owners who wrote their bills for a rebuild report a median of $4,390; those who bought a replacement unit report $5,095. The owner asks whether the cooler will be flushed and for the debris photo.

What owners paid, case by case

Selected from the 475 complaints that give a dollar figure, with the ODI number so you can read each one. "Paid" and "billed" are as the owner wrote them; a few are parts or deductibles only, and the label says so.

Three things to read in that table. Owners who wrote what they paid for a converter replacement give anything from $100 to $5,000 (the lowest figures are a deductible and a parts-only bill), and most complaints do not say why: the shop, the scope and what the bill included are rarely stated. The jobs that add a rebuild or a replacement run higher (medians of $4,390 and $5,095 against $2,200 for the converter-replacement figures), but the ranges overlap. And at the top, one owner wrote of spending over $14,000 on two transmissions and three converters on one truck over six years, after the same part failed again and again.

What a good invoice for a converter job shows

A good invoice or quote names what was decided and what was done. The test that said it was the converter, with the data or the snapshot. The part: converter part number, new or remanufactured, and the hub seal if one was replaced. The fluid: type and quantity, and how many fluid changes the maker's procedure calls for (Mazda's 05-005-23a prints three). The cooler: flushed or replaced, because Nissan's cooler bulletin requires it with a converter, control valve or CVT replacement on the CVT models it lists, and Ford's 2020 Super Duty recall (20S33) requires it whenever the transmission is overhauled or replaced. The alignment or other items the maker adds: Honda and Acura bulletins print 0.4 hour for an alignment on several jobs, and the newer P0741 programs build the alignment into the job time. The labor hours against the maker's own time: if your car's bulletin says 6.5 hours and the line says 9, ask why. The warranty: on the part, and on the labor, in writing. And the old part: ask to see it or have it photographed before the work; on Toyota's recall J07 transaxles the dealer drills a hole in it and scraps it.

Your plan, in order

1. Write down the symptom exactly: speed range, throttle, warm or cold, any light, any stall. A stall or a loss of drive is not a symptom to note and keep driving on: see the 60-second box at the top.
2. Read the codes with a scan tool (many parts stores do it for free) and write them down. A converter-clutch code names a system, not a verdict.
3. Run your VIN on the maker's recall and campaign lookup, and ask the dealer for bulletins that name your converter or transmission.
4. Pick the route. A shudder at 20 to 60 mph with no codes and no maker bulletin naming your model: Route 1, the maker's fluid and software test first. If a bulletin names your model and says to replace the converter (Ford's 25-2154 does for certain 2019 to 2022 Edge and Nautilus models), or a program or recall names your car: Route 2, where the maker pays. A bulletin alone says how to fix the car, not who pays: Route 3, and ask for goodwill. A tested converter fault with clean fluid: Route 3. Metal or burnt fluid: Route 4, and ask for the debris. A failed unit or a maker that replaces the transmission: Route 5.
5. Get one written quote that names the test, the part, the fluid, the cooler flush and the warranty. Get a second.
6. Keep the paper: the invoice, the part number and any case number from the maker.

How we did this

Complaints. We searched all 782,908 NHTSA complaints received from 1 January 2015 to 4 October 2026 for the words "torque converter" in its common spellings, for TCC and lock-up wording, and for the bare word "converter" next to a transmission word, setting aside catalytic and exhaust converters. That found 3,532 complaints. A separate completeness check, which tried misspellings, abbreviations and other wording, added 22. Every complaint was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules. Each received one category and four flags: covered by the maker or a warranty, came back after a repair, fluid service tried first, debris or a failed internal part. Disagreements were settled by written rules, and the agreed sortings that a keyword test flagged as possibly breaking those rules (420 of them) were checked again; 17 were changed. The rules are published, and every sorted complaint is in the complaints file. The 66 complaints that name only a trouble code for the converter clutch, with no converter or lock-up wording, were left out.

Money. Every dollar figure in the relevant complaints was decided under one rule: kept if the owner ties it to converter or transmission work on their own vehicle (or a closely tied tow, rental or labor charge), with the narrative saying, where it can, whether it was paid, billed, quoted or offered (56 figures say nothing on this); dropped if it is a car price, a mileage, a total that mixes unrelated work, or a figure for something else. 585 figures in 475 complaints survived, each grouped by what it was for; a duplicate complaint filed twice was counted once.

Documents. We downloaded every manufacturer communication in NHTSA's index whose summary names the torque converter, its lock-up clutch or converter shudder, plus 46 that a separate completeness check added (51 index records, counting exact copies, missing PDFs and one that would not download) and the recall files for 15 campaigns. Exact copies were set aside, near-duplicates were grouped, one document of each group was read in full (or, for long manuals, the matching pages) and the rest were read as differences against it. Every quotation in this guide was checked word for word against the document or complaint text. The documents file lists each one with its link.

Limits. Complaints come from people who chose to write to a safety regulator. They over-represent bad outcomes and cannot give a failure rate or a typical price. Owner figures are what owners wrote, not invoices we saw. The documents are those NHTSA's index holds: 69 indexed documents had no PDF on NHTSA, and 125 other index records whose summaries never name the converter (shudder and judder bulletins, cooler-flush notices, trouble-code lists and entries with a blank summary) were not downloaded. Coverage status is our computation from each document's printed terms, as of mid-October 2026, not a statement from the maker.

Sources and documents

Manufacturer communications cited above, by the number printed on each, with the link to the copy on NHTSA's servers:

• Toyota T-SB-0034-14 Rev1, Camry U760E torque converter and ECM reflash. NHTSA id 10056821, indexed 2015-02-25.
• Nissan PC346 and PM554 (printed NTB15-038), 2015 Altima, Rogue and NV200 converter replacement campaign. NHTSA id 10058047, indexed 2015-07-27.
• Subaru 16-90-13, 2010 to 2012 Legacy and Outback CVT, countermeasure converter. NHTSA id 10067826, indexed 2016-05-23.
• GM 14745, special coverage, 2010 to 2014 Express and Savana converter clutch wear. NHTSA id 10079541, indexed 2016-09-08.
• Acura 16-040 version 2, 2012 TL torque converter warranty extension. NHTSA id 10085024, indexed 2016-11-29.
• Acura 17-005, 2012 to 2013 ZDX judder from the lock-up clutch. NHTSA id 10098931, indexed 2017-05-12.
• Nissan PC500, Pathfinder CVT software update and warranty extension. NHTSA id 10109118, indexed 2017-08-01.
• Infiniti PC501, JX35 and QX60 CVT warranty extension. NHTSA id 10109119, indexed 2017-08-01.
• Toyota T-SB-0023-15, 2013 to 2014 RAV4 torque converter flex lock-up shudder. NHTSA id 10111176, indexed 2017-08-14.
• Ram 21-025-16, Ram 3500 with Aisin AS69RC, drone noise, converter replacement. NHTSA id 10121640, indexed 2017-11-03.
• GM PIP5504A, fishbite, chuggle and shudder diagnosis, 2016 to 2018 6L-series (MYC) trucks and SUVs. NHTSA id 10129072, indexed 2018-02-21.
• GM 16-NA-175 version 10, TCC shudder, three-mode test and fluid flush. NHTSA id 10139218, indexed 2018-06-04.
• GM 18-NA-378 version 3, 2019 Cadillac XT4, converter and heat exchanger. NHTSA id 10155590, indexed 2019-04-01.
• GM 18-NA-378 version 4, 2019 Cadillac XT4, glycol test. NHTSA id 10161883, indexed 2019-07-01.
• Honda 18-072 version 2, cold-start reverse stall, converter drain-down. NHTSA id 10166783, indexed 2019-10-29.
• GM PIP5504F, diagnosing fishbite, chuggle and shudder, version 7. NHTSA id 10178367, indexed 2020-08-10.
• Ford SSM 49345, 2020 8F35 and 8F40, converter and pump stator bushing. NHTSA id 10183392, indexed 2020-12-04.
• Ford 20N07 supplement 2, 2.3-liter 6F35 converter warranty extension. NHTSA id 10187724, indexed 2021-03-03.
• Ford 20B27 and 20N07 owner letter, September 2022, reopens the reflash to 31 August 2023. NHTSA id 10222455, indexed 2022-10-05.
• Nissan NTB15-013c, procedure to clean CVT fluid coolers. NHTSA id 10192833, indexed 2021-05-10.
• Chrysler S2121000005, 62TE cracked torque converter piston. NHTSA id 10193976, indexed 2021-05-24.
• GM PIP5792E, harsh shift and shudder, twisted cooler line. NHTSA id 10217793, indexed 2022-08-15.
• Ram 9003453, 62TE codes P0740 and P2764, converter. NHTSA id 10218450, indexed 2022-08-22.
• GM PIP5175E, stator support to pump cover bolts. NHTSA id 10226384, indexed 2022-11-21.
• Ford 22N12 supplement 1, flexplate, pump and converter program, 2.0-liter EcoBoost. NHTSA id 10237445, indexed 2023-06-06.
• Honda 23-076 version 1, 2017 Accord V6, P0741 converter warranty extension. NHTSA id 10241873, indexed 2023-09-06.
• Honda 23-077 version 2, 2017 Odyssey, P0741 converter warranty extension. NHTSA id 10245551, indexed 2023-11-29.
• Mazda 05-005-23a (NHTSA's index number; the document itself prints only the number it replaces, 05-005/23), 2.5-liter with cylinder deactivation, six-speed, lock-up clutch wear, converter replacement. NHTSA id 10246127, indexed 2023-12-05.
• Toyota T-TT-0758-24, 2024 Tacoma tech tip: converter required when a transmission is replaced and debris is in the pan. NHTSA id 11006152, indexed 2024-08-08.
• GM N242444550, 2024 Equinox, torque converter spring retainer program. NHTSA id 11008198, indexed 2024-10-01.
• Honda 23-078 version 5, Pilot and Ridgeline, P0741, 10 years or 150,000 miles. NHTSA id 11017326, indexed 2025-04-29.
• Honda owner letter for 23-078, reimbursement for owner-paid P0741 converter replacements. NHTSA id 11019898, indexed 2025-07-01.
• Ford 25-2154, 2019 to 2022 Edge and Nautilus, torque converter shudder. NHTSA id 11018198, indexed 2025-05-08.
• Ford SSM 53878, converter studs and spacer plate. NHTSA id 11019494, indexed 2025-06-11.
• Hyundai 26-AT-003H, 2026 Santa Fe and Santa Cruz, converter replacement, P050600. NHTSA id 11033698, indexed 2026-06-06.
• GM PIP6127A, 8-speed rear-drive torque converter restriction. NHTSA id 11036713, indexed 2026-09-02.

Recall files cited above:

• RCDNN-12V006-6281, Ford recall 11S25 (12V-006), Part 573 attachment, worn converter pump splines.
• RCMN-12V006-9995, Ford recall 11S25, dealer bulletin, June 26, 2012, replace torque converter.
• RCONL-12V006-0123, Ford recall 11S25, owner letter, June 2012, refund up to $1,450.
• RCMN-17V427-5962, Ford recall 17S16 (17V-427), dealer bulletin, August 21, 2017.
• RCMN-17V427-3926, Ford recall 17S16, supplement 1, September 25, 2017.
• RCMN-18V901-1501, Toyota recall J07 (18V-901), remedy notice, March 21, 2019.
• RCRIT-18V901-7991, Toyota recall J07, technical instructions.
• RIONL-18V901-1756, Toyota recall J07, interim owner notice.
• RCMN-20V365-4143, Ford recall 20S33 (20V-365), dealer bulletin, June 24, 2020.

Complaints are cited by ODI number; the full list of the 3,554 complaints we read, each with both sortings, is in the complaints file, and the documents file lists all 1,029 entries (926 manufacturer communications and 103 recall files), marking exact copies, near-duplicates and the 69 with no PDF; 760 are distinct documents we could read, with their relevance, in the documents file.

Related guides: transmission repair cost, transmission slipping, transmission fluid change cost, P0741, P0755 and P0700.

Prices verified October 2026: the owner figures were rechecked against the complaint texts; we carry no shop-estimate ranges of our own, and the one repair range marked ⚪ (torque converter, $600 to $1,500) is the one printed in our other guides.

Technical documents verified October 2026 against the manufacturer documents on NHTSA's servers listed above, read in full (long manuals: the matching pages), or read as differences against a document read in full.