jack

what maintenance is required in regards to this transmission. does the fluid need to be changed...is there a filter?

also the rims on my 96 gle appear to be flaking, what causes this and are there any recalls in regards to this?

Daniel B. Martin

The Owner's Manual does not call for replacement of transmission fluid unless you tow a trailer, use a camper or car-top carrier, or drive on rough/muddy roads. In severe service such as this, replace the transmission fluid every 30K miles or 24 months. This holds for automatic or 5-speed transmissions.

The 4Gen Maxima automatic transmission does not have a true filter. There is an internal screen but it does not require cleaning or replacement.

That said, many Maxima owners elect to make a transmission fluid change part of their 60K mile service procedure.

There are two methods for changing the Automatic Transmission Fluid.

Method 1) An ordinary drain-and-refill may be done by the home mechanic. This method changes only about half of the fluid, but is easy and inexpensive. The cost is 4 or 5 quarts of ATF, plus your time.

Method 2) Most commercial service facilities use the Magic Sucker Pump which changes all of the fluid. The cost is about US$80.

My Maxima is a 5-speed so the issue of ATF change does not apply. I maintain a Honda Accord for a family member. On that car I do a drain-and-refill ATF change with every oil change. It is not a big deal, as the car is already up on jackstands and my hands are already dirty. This costs about US$8/year in ATF and the car is always running on almost-new ATF.