maxwillden

I was wondering if it is normal for the fourth gen to shift as hard as mine does? It's usually the worst between 2nd and first. I thought it was shifting really hard ever since I've owned it, but this morning, I was driving my brother's third gen, and his shifts harder than mine does. Is it normal, or are our transmissions wearing out?

Thanks in advance for your comments

gepetto

mine jerks a bit from 1st to second...if its really bad get a tranny fluid flush that should help some. also mine goes away for the most part after the car is warmed up. so what im trying to say is yes, mine does it do. 95 GXE with 112k miles.

ripper7

Mine also shifts really hard but only in the winter when the car is not warmed up. If the weather is warm, it still shift semi-hard. I've been doing a drain and refill on ATF. Hopefully it will help.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Hard 1st to 2nd is pretty normal in the mornings when the tranny fluid is cold. Things get smoother when it warms up.

Chenge to synthetic fluid and some of that goes away. Synthetic ATF fluid holds it's viscosity more stable over a wider temp range.

kushane

It's pretty Normal. I have a 96 with just 51k and the 1-2 shift is hard when the car is not warmed up. The VQ engine is a jewel - but the same can't be said about the tranny. The late 2-1 downshift gets on my nerves sometimes when I hang a U turn at 5 mph and the darn tranny is still in 2nd.

maxwillden

That's funny, I notice the same thing... It seems like the transmission and I don't agree on when to shift. Know what I mean? Just when I think it should, it hesitates, or it shifts earlier than I anticipate... Hmmm... Thanks

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

Well, if you really want a transmission that "agrees" with you, a 5 speed is the way to go. Otherwise, all automatics have they're quirks and drive different people nuts in different ways.

BTW, a synthetic can ease that hard shift issue, especially if it's time for a change anyway.

Bernie Lomax

Mine shifts real hard from 1st to 2nd sometimes even when its warm.

maxwillden

I replaced it about 6 months ago. Mine's like Bernie's though, it shifts hard when it's warm too...

Perplexing...

hokiemax

iTrader: (2)

The maxima tranny NEVER downshifts into 1st. If you come to a complete stop and hold your car for 2,3 seconds, then it will downshift. This is very annoying. When I need to make a quick turn, I'd like my car to downshift into 1st, but it never does. I've learned to live with it for the past 100k miles.

Wicked

iTrader: (2)

well ao course a 5sp will always agree, but theres a little prob.where to find one?

BBaker025

iTrader: (1)

whats the best syn. auto tranny fluid?

iwannabmw

iTrader: (3)

[clearing throat] Amsoil of course