Hi. My 97 Maxima is making a buzzing or humming noise (the kind of noise you hear when power steering fluid is low) when its cold. I checked steering components and it wasn't them. I can hear the noise clearly when I'm sitting inside the car so I started it this morning and got under it to see where the hell it was coming out from. I suspected some tranny component so I took to a mechanic and he said that it might be the tranny's torque converter and sent me to a transmission specialist to diagnose it. I described the noise to the Transmission shop guy and he said it's most likely to be the transmission pump going bad and it's $555 to replace it. Have you guys had any similar problems before with same symptoms?? any input will be greatly appreciated>

 

I haven't had any tranny problems myself yet <knocks on wood> and I can't hear the noise you are talking about (obviously) but it sounds fishy to me. I don't trust shops much. Transmission pump? are you auto or manual?

 

I'm auto. This noise has going for two years now since the car had 73k miles (now it has 93k). Any Ideas??

 

Drain and refill the tranny with new fluid. It can't hurt, and it's important. But if a pump in the A/T is going bad, then it's going bad, period.

Dave

 

am having something like your problem i found out it was my catalyst.havent u hit a hard bump lately,you probably need new struts.try shaking that bar connects the catalyst while the noise is going.if its that u just saved some money lol.

 

yeah, i had the same problem, was there for a year, untill i got really frustated and flushed all the pipes;water, engine, tranny, steering pumps, everything. filled them up again and its not heard since 8months now...
(also i remember, i checked tranny oil every saturday, it was leaking from somewhere i had to fill up like a 1/4ltr per week. finally saw it leaking from the pipe that goes from the radiator to the tranny, had a small cut.)

and as far as i know(i had an audi s8 with oilpump problem) if the oil pump goes bad, it'll screw up the converter and that'll cost ALOT! rather get a new tranny!

anyways,
best of luck..

 

Thanks for everybody's inputs. I'll go to the transmission shop today and see if they found the problem.

 

Just went there. It's $600 + taxes to replace the pump with a used one (90 days warranty) .... ouch!!