I started out on my trip to Minneapolis, MN at 5:30am. The car shifted fine with no signs of problems. As soon as I near my destination, the gears would only engage with a powerful tug/push with the clutch fully depressed. I didn't think anything of it, since I got to my destination and I decided to let the car cool down alittle bit. An hour later, I started the car back up. The gears again where difficult to engage. I engage reverse, CRUNCH. Tried it again, pushing the clutch down twice and reverse would engage slightly harshly but worked. As I get back on the highway, I cruise along fine in 5th gear. As soon as I stopped to a restarea, CLUTCH DOWN, NEUTRAL, DISENGAGE 5th gear CLUTCH UP. 5th gear was hard to disengage, even with the clutch pedal fully depressed. At this point, the clutch was very weak feeling, it would drop near the floor without any resistance. As I reach the turn for the restarea, I couldn't engage any gear at that point. I then decided after fiddling with the shifter, to rev-er up alittle and try to at least engage 3rd gear. It worked, but still not as easy as you would expect. I again, stopped the car and let it cool down. The clutch was still acting up afterwards, but I continued to drive home with a still weak-feeling clutch pedal. As I got home, I learned that I'd have to pump the clutch 3-4times to engage 1st gear from a stop, or shut the car complete and restart it. I let the car cool down once I got home for about 30mins and decided to go for a test drive again. I grind engaging reverse once more but I pumped the clutch again and it went in easily. NOW the shifting is acting normal, as if there was nothing wrong When I got back home, I pressed the clutch and moved through the gears. After about 3-4times of doing that, the gears got harder and harder to engage. There is now a slight "dead" feel when you press the clutch the first inch or so but after that I can feel resistance like normal.

I think its time for a new clutch, even though this one seems to be OK for now

 

You may have a bad master cylinder or slave cylinder. Check your fluid level in your master cylinder.

 

The exact same thing happened to me on my first Maxima. It was the slave cylinder. It was not very expensive to replace. I took it to a clutch specialty place and it was around ~$100 for the parts and labor and it took them like an hour.

 

Thanks, I will have a transmission shop look at it and definately get it repaired before I damage anything else. It's fine tonight after I had the car cool down for about 2 hours and took it for a spin.

 

yeah, i'd say its in the hydraulics as well. the slave cylinders tend to be weak so definitely have that looked at first.

 

My mechanic told me over the telephone to check the fluid level of thecIIRC 'Slave Cylinder' Its located right hear the firewall next to the steering wheel and to the right of the Brak Cylinder. The fluid level was WELL BELOW MINIMUM and he just told me to fill it up with DOT 3 brake fluid until its near the MAXIMUM line. It seems like there is a leak somewhere, and I do notice very slight and extremely small spots on my driveway. I will try to fill it up tonight and pump the clutch to see if it works.

 

Yes. Following the line from the master cylinder, down along the tranny to the slave cylinder. If it's wet any any point along this line (probably at the slave cylinder), there's probably a leak. I would just rebleed the line to get the pedal pressure back up and help save your tranny's synchros.

Very easy and basic thing to do.

 

Excellent and seems easy I will try that tonight after work.

 

Had the same exact problem you had, but the pressure never came back. It ended up being the slave cylinder. I pulled back the boot on it and it was full of fluid, as well as being wet all down the side of it. I believe it was a $20 part and only took me 20 mins to take the old one out and install and bleed the new one.

 

Again, excellent Its nice to know that this is easy. I think I will head over to autozone and check out the repair manual to located and follow the correct line. Also,to see what tools I'll need for this job.

 

Here is a helpful guide if your gona do it yourself:

Auto Zone Guide

 

I filled the tank up to the MAX mark and pumped the clutch a couple times, That firmed up the clutch nicely like before. I didn't have a chance to bleed the line, so thats on my TO DO list first thing after work tomorrow to see if that helps. Gears caught and I drove to work fine. As I come out to start the car, the clutch has that same weak feeling but as I pump it 2-3 times it got firm again and I drove home fine. I'm sure the cylinder is failing like you and others have said because I still sometimes need to pump the clutch a couple times to engage a gear from stop (ea. 1st or reverse) smoothly.

I followed and checked the line that Jeff92se had suggested, it seems as though there is a leak on the bottom right screw of the slave cylinder but I couldn't find any within the lines itself.

 

Thanks for the link

 

the thing that leaks is actually the insides of the slave cylinder. the lines usually aren't a leaking problem. i guess the seals in the slave cylinder get worn from being slid back and forth so many times throughout the years. i'm sure it could be considered a general maintenance item due to how it works.