My transmission started slipping today (auto). I was hoping it will never happen, but it did. What are the options? Do the additives sold in auto stores ("stops transmission slipage") work? Anyone try them? How long until it becomes undriveable? Right now, it rarely slips... maybe once during a 30-min drive, so it doesn't bother me as much... but how long will it last?
Thanks for any opinions or advice... btw, I just replaced my engine.. and it's running like new... now the trans...

 

The options are: Get a new transmission.

It depends on your driving habits to determine how long until complete failure.

Let's just put it this way, by the time someone opens it up and fixes the problem, you can get a used or rebuilt tranny for the same price.
An additive could by you some time, but not much. Sorry to hear about your dilemna!

One more thing: I would highly advise picking your next tranny (used) with care. If the previous owner neglected the ATF oil change intervals, you will pay the price. A 3rd Gen Auto Maxima tranny is good for about 80 - 100K miles without any service, if you are lucky.

Sorry man!

 

first things first.. make sure its your tranny thats slipping.. and not somthing comming from the engine... (example, bad air/fule, mixture will give you odd an odd fealing and some times feels like a tranny problem), how many miles on the tranny, i have been researching tranny's and fuilds all day. and it could just be old tranny oil.. if that the problem a flush will have the car back to normal (sorta) this was just a warning.. now you hafta go ez on her..

 

Well, it's definetely not the engine problem. The feeling is the following... all of a sudden, while accelerating, it would feel like the car popped out of gear (when into neutral) for a few seconds (RPMs would all of a sudden increase freely), but then it would catch and go back to normal... almost like someone shifted the car to "N" for 2 seconds, and then back to "D". Are these the symptoms of slipping trans? I was driving for almost an hour yesterday and it happened once.

As far as new fluid goes... I would happily replace it, except I read on this forum, that a lot of people STARTED having transmission slipage problem right after they replaced the fluid. The explanation was that the dirt and debris cleared out with the fluid change, and now everything is very loose inside. The trans has 150K miles on it, and I just bought the car about a month ago... so I don't know the history.

Thanks for your help,
D

 

First off, make sure your fluid level is good. I drove a plymouth reliant that started showing the symptoms of slippage, I thought I was screwed, but then I chacked the fluid and found it to be way low. If that's the case, good for you. If not and you end up like every other automatic maxima owner, best bet is get yourself a good rebuild. Better yet, get the one you have beefed up by a performance tranny shop. Nix on the junkyard jewels, chances are a use trans with such notorious problems will give you nothing but grief. If it isn't too bad now and the fluid isn't brown or weird smelling, DO NOT FLUSH IT. I just remembered something a wise mechanic told me when I worked with him. In our shop, we would not flush any trannies with over 80k (domestic) or 100K (foriegn). Sometimes a flush through an old tranny will do more harm than good. Been burned buy that a few times (had to put a new trans in a customer's car) because "we broke it" when all we really did was flush it..then it began to slip. So like I said, if the fluid looks ok and it is slipping a little too frequently, try some of the Lucas stuff. I know I recommended against this in a previous post, but I guess if you have no alternative and it makes it driveable for a while (until you russle up the dough fo ra rebuild). But don't count on it to last very long, that Lucas crap is thicker than honey, and puts a strain on the hydraulic pump an d other sensitive parts in the trans. Good luck my friend.

 

Thanks for the advice. Where do I find Lucas stuff? And also... do the symptoms I described sound like "slipping trans"? How long do you think the tranny lasts with that Lucas stuff (10K miles maybe?)

 

Also, one more thing... I don't have the owners manual and didn't get the FSM yet. What is the trans fuel level supposed to be? Do I check it while the car is idling or with the engine off? It almost seems that the level is too high.. but I could be wrong.

 

You wanna check the fluid when the engine is HOT and running. First go through all the gears, then put it in park and check the level.

My tranny would also pop out of drive and into neutral. It turned out to be the shifter bushing, the one thats located above the heat sheild above the catalytic converter. Mine broke and fell off, so it leaves a lot of play in the shift lever, allowing the tranny to fall out of gear.

You should still do a couple of drain and fills on your tranny fluid, if you havent already done so.