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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

Perplexing...

 

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.

 

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

 

whats the best syn. auto tranny fluid?

 

[clearing throat] Amsoil of course