What is a Drivetrain?

A drivetrain may be the least understood part of a vehicle. This is due to several factors, including the fact that the term “drivetrain” is often used interchangeably with powertrain and driveline.

The drivetrain includes the transmission, the driveshaft, the axles, and the wheels. Simply put, it works in conjunction with the engine to move the wheels. The drivetrain system is an essential component of a vehicle and the transmission is an integral part of the drivetrain.

The Drivetrain and the Transmission

The drivetrain and the transmission are actually two very different concepts. The main function of the transmission is similar to the chain on a bicycle: it keeps the engine turning in time with the wheels, regardless of what gear the vehicle is in. The drivetrain represents everything that is behind the transmission involved in propelling the vehicle. The main function of the drivetrain is basically to convey power from the vehicle’s engine, through the transmission to the drive wheels on the vehicle to control the amount of torque. “Torque” is turning or twisting force.

Parts of a Drivetrain

The drivetrain is comprised of a collection of components in a vehicle that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels/ drive it forward. These components include the driveshaft, CV joints, the differential, the axle shafts and the U-joints.

  • A driveshaft is a long tube of steel that is linked to a car’s transmission at one end and the wheels at the other. It transfers the mechanical power from the transmission to the other components of the vehicle.
  • A U-joint, or universal joint, is a flexible pivot point that transmits power allowing for varying angles of the driveshaft.
  • CV joints, or constant-velocity joints, are part of the driveshaft. These joints are designed to be able to bend in any direction while continuing to turn the drive wheels at a constant velocity.
  • The differential is where the power makes its last stop before spinning the wheels (see ‘How Differentials Work’).
  • Axle shafts are a single rotating shaft, on either side of the differential, which delivers power from the final drive assembly to the drive wheels.

Driveline, Drivetrain, Powertrain

Technicians sometimes refer to driveline, drivetrain and powertrain interchangeably when referring to the drivetrain system of an automobile. This can cause confusion, but in essence, all of these terms describe the same system within the vehicle.

The powertrain in a vehicle is composed of everything that makes the vehicle move. This includes everything from the engine to the transmission to all the parts that allow the power from the engine to get to the wheels. A vehicle’s driveline consists of all of the powertrain’s components except for the engine.

The drivetrain is the part of a motorized vehicle which connects the engine and transmission to the wheel axles.

The driveline includes everything in the chain from the engine to the drive wheels, but the drivetrain consists of everything after the transmission — all driveshafts, axles, joints, differentials and wheels.

Mister Transmission technicians are all certified drivetrain and transmission specialists who service drivetrain and transmission issues in all modern vehicles.

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Mister Transmission Team

The Mister Transmission team consists of certified transmission specialists with decades of combined experience in diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining automatic and manual transmissions.

With over 60 years of service across Canada, our experts provide trusted, accurate, and up-to-date automotive advice to help drivers make informed decisions about their vehicles.

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Customer Reviews
Diagnosis is spot on. Pricing...
Steven Beres
Diagnosis is spot on. Pricing is very fair and their srvice is great. Couldn't be happier.
Date: August 1, 2026
Website: Google
This shop is great, they...
Dave In
This shop is great, they worked on my daughter's 2013 focus in 2017. When Ford would not honour their warranty. It is still going strong. I was told the transmission will out live the car. Well yes. It's time for a new veh with. Worked on my 2003 F150, great work, now my 2010, once again great work. They took time to find a miss, in the truck. I'm a car guy, and know shops that do great work. Yes everyone is never happy with the work. But for me there is always two sides.
Date: August 1, 2026
Website: Google
I was quite impressed with...
Shirl Yuen
I was quite impressed with the work done on rebuilding my transmission from Mr Transmission located on Pembina Hwy. My vehicle drives so smooth now. Their friendly service also helped with the experience.
Date: August 1, 2026
Website: Google
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What others thought was...
Kelvin Orifa
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What others thought was a transmission issue turned out to be just a hose assembly that needed replacing. Chris and the team diagnosed it correctly. Highly recommended. Thanks, guys!
Date: July 31, 2026
Website: Google
They were fantastic! I went...
Sebastián Buitrago
They were fantastic! I went in the middle of summer and was really busy as expected, however, they made all the repairs to my car way earlier than they originally promised (these guys literally work overnight shifts in summer to accommodate all their clients). Great customer service too! Highly recommended!
Date: July 31, 2026
Website: Google
Great people and great service....
Rebbeca Duncan
Great people and great service. Chris is amazing to deal with! We’re from out of province and they helped us out with our sons car, got it in and fixed in great time! highly recommend!
Date: July 31, 2026
Website: Google
Excellent service
Camryn Hagan
Excellent service
Date: July 31, 2026
Website: Google
I got stranded in Canada...
Abigail Schuen
I got stranded in Canada after my car broke down after crossing the U.S. border and Mister Transmission was a life saver!! They fit us in even though they were busy, let us sit inside until we figured out next steps, and even drove us (and all of our roadtripping stuff) to the car rental facility! They truly helped us figure out what were our best opinions and eased so much stress. I cannot reccomend Mister Transmission enough!!
Date: July 31, 2026
Website: Google
I want to give a...
Matt Street
I want to give a huge thank you to Cecil and the team for going above and beyond to take care of one of my customers. My customer broke down in Golden with their 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan and was quoted an extremely high price for only a temporary repair. I didn't recommend going that route, so I called Cecil. Without hesitation, he said he would pick up the van on Monday. By Wednesday, he called to let me know he was dropping it off at my shop in Kelowna with a fully rebuilt transmission, complete with all the latest updates, ready for my customer to pick up. Cecil, Brandon, and Fred have done it again. Their commitment to customer service and doing the job right is second to none. Thank you for always looking after our customers. I look forward to many more years of working together and continuing to provide the best service possible.
Date: July 30, 2026
Website: Google
Job got done
Colin Morrison
Job got done
Date: July 30, 2026
Website: Google
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