93 Maxima SE Transmission won't turn to higher gear even the engine runs 4000rpm
 

My transmission can not go to the highest gear when the speed goes upto 65MPH. It truns the engine to run 3500rpm. 75MPH, the engine goes to 4000rpm. The transmission won't upgear even the engine reaches 4500rpm. In lower gear, I got the simular problem. I need to pedal the engine to 4000rpm to let the transmission trun from the gear 1 to gear 2. I just flush the transmission and fill with the new transmission fluid. It does not help. So what is the problem? My transmission is going to die?

what's your engine RPM if you back off and coast at 65mph? how much does it drop when coasting? it should be about a 10-25% RPM drop when you are coasting versus when you are accelerating, due to the nature of a torque converter (and how hard you were accelerating).

also, unclick the O/D button and see if RPM increases. If your tranny is slipping in all gears then hitting the OD button should make the RPM go up a little bit. If you are just stuck in a low gear, then it won't. Can you make a video of it?

EDIT: also... did the symptoms exist before the fluid flush, or do you think they started right after you changed the fluid?

Sounds like your tranny is on it's way out....:(

The engine normally run 2900rpm at 75mph cruise. I do feel the transmission go up gear when I go down the hill. But when I try to accelarate. The gear goes down again. Is there anyway to fix it? Or I have to replace my tranny.

well, i mean it all depends if the tranny is slipping, or if your TCU is just being stupid. if it's the TCU (tranny control unit) then you can replace that. if it's a slipping tranny, you need a new tranny...

so that's why i asked when the symptoms started in relation to when you changed the fluid. fluid left in a tranny too long will sometimes become integral to the function of the tranny, so when you change it, there's no more old fluid helping keep the thing together (delaying the inevitable anyways tho) and thus it fails not too long afterward. I'm going to change my fluid soon in hopses that my fluid is old or something, and that my tranny will hurry up and die, because i need it to... sounds weird i know. but you on the other hand do not need a dead transmission like I do. of course, if changing the fluid doesn't make it die, I may just let it live and you can have it when i do my 5spd swap.

How much to put a 5spd tranny on?

$500-$1000+ depending on the used-ness of the parts you get. You can get a really trashy transmission for $300 but it's not going to shift at all like a Maxima... more like a Mack truck. I'm getting a rebuilt unit for $750ish shipped, and that should be slick as butter.

yea my tranny went on my VE also. 3rd and 4th gear went. but it still moves on 1st and 2nd. i just figured it was the tranny since 1st and 2nd slipp alot.

I bought a parts car for $450 with a brand new oem clutch. Add some new seals like any swap would need and Ive been fine for 10K miles.

~Alex

Sounds to me like the transmission is low on fluid.
1. check the fluid levels according to the manual and see where you are.

2. make sure you have the correct fluid in there.

3. how cold is it outside up there? these transmissions will often act like this for the first few minutes after starting when its cold. The tranny has to reach a certain operating temperature before it will lock up the torque convertor and shift to 4th gear.

well he still hasn't answered my question of whether or not the funkyness was present prior to the fluid change. though there's a remote chance the TPS is badly (as in, very badly) off, which would make it hold your gear much longer...

Pepboys changed the transmission fluid for me. They flush out the old fluid and put the new fluid in. The reason why I chaged the fluid is that I find I have to pedal the engine to 4000rpm to turn the tranny from gear 1 to gear 2. Right after change the fluid, the tranny seemed very smooth in all gear. It began to have the problem when I drove my car from Chicago to Boston. I found that I had no way to the highest gear. Also the gear 1 to gear 2 had same problem again.

1. The level seems higher than the maximum line. Is it where the problem from?

2. Pepboys changed the fluid for me. I think they use MERCON V.

3. I live in delaware. It is not that cold. I did not find any change after the car warmed up.

BTW, What is torque convertor?

torque converter... the reason automatic transmissions waste all our engines' power... ...
... basically it's a turbine and a pump and a stator. pump throws tranny fluid against a turbine and that force spins your tranny. the stator helps redirect the flow back into the pump at an appropriate speed and direction to maintain efficiency. as speed increases, the momentum of the fluid basically makes the stator obsolete so it stops or something.

i know, read this: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm

1. are you checking it with the car running?
2. u r screwed, that's the totally wrong trans fluid
3. enjoy the weather :gotme:
4. ???
5.profit

1. No. I will check again.
2. What is the right transmission fluid I should use?

Thanks.

Dexron III is the right fluid

Can you recommend me a right brand? Thanks.

nissan would be best

I spend lots of time but I can not find where to buy them. Can you tell me? Thanks a million.

Local Nissan Dealership/Service?..?

I just went back from local Nissan dealer. They check my car and told me that they don't think the tranny fluid is where the problem from. They check the fluid level for me as well. NO preblem. So they recommended me to do a tranny check in transmission gararge. My tranny is probably going to die.

nobody thinks it could possibly be a whacked-out TCU though? I mean, there's comfort, auto, power... what if his is set to "Trippin' on acid" mode?

ANYTHING is possible.
just not probable.
these aren't 4th gen electronics.

Just beck from a tranny shop. They test drive my car and found out my car acturally lost both 2nd and 4th gear. That's why I can not go to highest gear and the engine need to be 4000rpm to change gear. It's not from 1 to 2. it's acturally from 1 to 3. Is it still possible the TCU problem? or my tranny has to be rebuild.

I just install four brand new tires. Now, it makes me very upset. I may try to sell this car for parts? How much it worth?

Is it possible to install a manual tranny onto my car? I was told that it was not possible.

A manual swap is quite possible and isn't too hard.I swapped my car to manual as well as nForce's max. Its in the stickies...

~Alex

I'm going to bet your shift solenoids are full of crap from the transmission flush.

either that or the TCU has gone out.

but considering the symptoms started right after you flushed the transmission, I'm going to guess the shift solenoids are the culprit.
you might have a shop pull the solenoids and the valve body from the car, clean it up, and reinstall it.

If you were in Houston, I'd recommend a good shop for you, but can't help you much from 2000 miles away.

but right after flushing, the tranny worked well. I found the problem after 1000 miles driving.

I am curious where you can find mechanic to do it for you and how much does it cost.

yeah, that's how my brother's car went. he drove it a while after the flush and then the thing suddenly lost 4th and reverse, and he had to buy another transmission and have it installed and stuff. sometimes it takes a few hundred miles for the fresh fluid to really get into every nook and cranny, and pick up all the bits and pieces it's gonna pick up. of course his only took 2-3 weeks... yours must have taken a little longer if it really took 1000 miles.