The following minimum requirements specifying accepted trade standards for good and workmanlike rebuilding of automatic transmissions are intended to define terms that have caused confusion to the public and unfair competition within the automotive repair industry. These minimum requirements shall not be used to promote the sale of "rebuilt" automatic transmissions when a less extensive and/or costly repair is desired by the customer. Any automotive repair shop which represents to customers that the following provisions require the rebuilding of automatic transmissions is subject to the sanctions prescribed in Section 4-228-415 of this chapter.
All motor vehicle repair shops engaged in the repair, sale and installation of automatic transmissions in vehicles covered under this chapter shall be subject to the following minimum requirements:
(1) Before an automatic transmission is removed from a motor vehicle for purposes of repair or rebuilding, it shall be inspected. Such inspection shall determine whether or not the replacement or adjustment of any external part or parts will correct the specific malfunction of the automatic transmission, or if the transmission modules are malfunctioning. A pressure test must also be performed before the transmission is removed from the vehicle. If minor service and/or replacement or adjustment of any external part or parts and/or of companion units can reasonably be expected to correct the specific malfunction of the automatic transmission, then prior to removal of the automatic transmission from the vehicle, the customer shall be informed of that fact as required by Section 4-228-250 of this chapter.
(2) When the word "exchange" is used with any of the following expressions, it shall mean that the automatic transmission is not the customer's unit that was moved from the customer's vehicle. An automatic transmission shall be described by a word such as "rebuilt", "remanufactured", "reconditioned" or "overhauled", and by any expression of like meaning, only if the following work has been done since the transmission was last used:
(a) all internal and external parts, including case and housing, have been thoroughly cleaned and inspected;
(b) the valve body has been disassembled and thoroughly cleaned and inspected;
(c) all front and intermediate bands have been replaced with new or relined bands;
(d) all the following parts have been replaced with new parts:
lined friction plates;
internal and external seals;
metal sealing rings that are used in rotating applications;
gaskets;
organic media disposable-type filters (if the transmission is so equipped);
(e) all impaired, defective or substantially worn parts not mentioned above have been restored to a sound condition or replaced with new, rebuilt or unimpaired parts. All measuring and adjusting of such parts have been performed as necessary.
(3) The torque converter is considered to be a part of the automatic transmission and shall be examined, cleaned and made serviceable before the rebuilt transmission is installed. If the torque converter cannot be restored to a serviceable condition, then the customer shall be so informed. With the customer's authorization, the converter shall be replaced with a new, rebuilt or unimpaired used torque converter.
(Added Coun. J. 12-9-92, p. 25465; Amend Coun. J. 4-16-97, p. 42621; Amend Coun. J. 5-9-12, p. 27485, § 106)
Editor's note – Coun. J. 5-9-12, p. 27485, § 106, renumbered former § 4-228-130 as this § 4-228-285.