All,

I have a 97 SE and when I am starting from a light-- when I press the gas the car will move but doesn't seem fully engaged... then it will suddenly kick in. It only happens off the start, all other shifts are fine.

I'm not a mechanic, so I was hoping some of you experienced guys who know the workings of the max automatic clutch/trans could tell me what this is most likely and if I'm looking at a minor fix or big bucks.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

Was it different before, or has it always been like this?

What you are describing sounds like a typical 4th gen maxima auto trans, they're pretty slow off the line from 1-3k rpm. If it is noticeably slower than before, you may want to check the ecu for codes, and especially for a knock sensor code. Faulty knock sensors kill a lot of the lower rpm power.

 

Do you feel an "engagement" of sorts after the car starts moving? Does the tachometer increase steadily in 1st gear or does it change? Does this happen when you accelerate from a complete dead stop, or just from low speeds? Does this happen frequently or just once in a while?

A lot depends on what you mean by "kick in". If the transmission isn't fully engaging right away, that's caused slippage, and that means you may have a serious problem with your transmission. HOWEVER don't jump to conclusions yet and assume that's what you have here. Pay more attention to the behavior of your engine revs (look at the tachometer). Does the engine rev high and then do the revs drop when it "kicks in"?

Also, when was the last time you had your automatic transmisison fluid changed? Transmission fluid should be pinkish in color; take a look at it (it has the red-topped dipstick on the driver side of the engine) and see if it looks grey or brown. Also smell it and see if it smells burnt. Burnt = bad news.

My first suggestion would be for you to do an ATF change. It's not too hard to do yourself and costs about $30. I've done it three times myself and it's not too bad.

Good luck!