I had been hearing a metallic squealing sound from my 2k2 6spd while letting out the clutch in first gear. There is a TSB for this problem. I had a new clutch cover/disc assembly done yesterday. The part number is 30100-VW305. My car went in at 8:40am and was done at 12:09 so it wasn't too bad. My mechanic told me the disc is made of a different material than the original. It has fixed the problem. Hope this is a help to someone ---Frank

 

I had that same work done on my 2k2 on wed of this week.... HUGE improvement. The new clutch seesm to be, from what my dealer said, "almost identical to the 350Z clutch." I dont know about the validity of that staement... but i dont care because my car now shifts AMAZING. No more noises, high catch point, or vibration in first gear or reverse.

Aux

 

OMG i have been waiting for this... Where is the TSB??? My 2k2 6 speed clutch still makes squeeling noises... help me plz...

 

I've noticed a squealing clutch on mine too at times. Thanks for the heads up. My dealer is gonna freak when I drop the car off for like four TSBs!

 

Guys, this stuff has been going around here for months. Myself and a couple of other guys had this problem about five months ago. Take your cars to the dealer, tell them to replace the unit "bad throw out bearing" I have not heard of an official TSB but it is a problem everyone has been having. It is the "dying squirrel" sound that everyone talks about.

Yes this is the same clutch "design" as the 350Z, but I will bet they will have all the bugs worked out on them when they come.

 

Dropped mine off at Nissan yesterday. They say there are only 4 parts available in the US right now. I'm hoping that the part will come in sometime next week (I'm away). They also said that mechanically there is nothing wrong with the car. It is simply a high annoyance factor.

 

Was there ever an official TSB released for this problem?

If so, what was the number on it?

Brian

 

 

Does that mean yes?

Yesterday my car had the "dying squirrel" in reverse for the first time. Hoping it was a fluke; I tried it again this morning - sure enough, dying squirrel. It only happens in reverse btw and I have 7200 miles.

Brian

 

I'm hang'n around for it too.

 

I take it you are having the same problem (reverse only or 1st too)? I am going on vacation at the end of the week - when I come back I will test it again. If it still makes the noise, I will take it in to get looked at.

Have you had yours looked at?

Brian

 

Not yet........no time.

 

I knew I heard something! I heard this sqeak 3 or 4 times now, just as I let out the clutch on particularly hot days. I haven't been able to duplicated it though. Has you guys'/girls' sounds gotten progressively worse?

Is there really a TSB on it? If so, what's the number, or could you post it so we can have it in hand. Thanks!

 

My clutch isn't doing anything similar to what you guys are describing, but there is something else. I can never get mine engaged/disengaged smoothly, there is always a slight jerk, no matter how slow/smooth I press/depress my clutch pedal. Do you guys think that new clutch will fix it, or it is a bad throw-out bearing?

 

I had the TSB done as well. The problem as I encountered it was after the clutch is warm, engaging the clutch from a standstill (1st gear), you would hear a screeching noise (some people called it a dying squirrel noise). The trick to getting Nissan to invoke the TSB is to make the noise in their presence. Someone recommended, and I found to work, going to a small hilly area and repeatedly engaging the clutch (ride the clutch) up the hill. I had to do this for a few minutes after first getting to the dealer (it was in the morning and the car was cold from sitting in the garage all night). As soon as the service guy heard the noise, he agreed. The other problem with this TSB is there was (this was only a couple of weeks ago) a shortage of the clutch disc replacements, so you may have to wait. According to the service guy I could keep my car till the part came in as the noise is only cosmetic but they will do the replacement (I opted to leave my car with them as I was gone on vacation for awhile). Hope this helps.

 

piece of $hit service guy yelled at me and told me to go home, when i tried showing him the sound. he kept claiming he couldnt hear it over my Greddy exhaust. and then blamed my agressive driving (which he assumed from the Greddy) and the exhaust for the clutch going bad. IMO i think all maxima's are affected. where the hell is the TSB on this!?!?!? my car's clutch is still broke. I hate nissan wish i held out for the new accord

 

I was curious - you mentioned TSB in here, do you have the TSB number or reference? Just might help to have some information going into the dealer.

Brian

 

I never got a number for the bulletin but I did provide the part number when I started this thread. ---Frank

 

Question?

Is the noise real noticable; or do you have to listen for it? Thanks.

 

Listening is probably a good thing.......dont have your bose above 25

 

You don’t have to listen to hard...it is pretty noticeable. Also, you can feel it in the clutch peddle too.

Brian

 

Would it do any good to print the posts on this thread? I don't know what the protocol is for that. Maybe if your dealer could see that this has been a common problem he would be more reasonable. Also, if your situation is like most of ours your clutch is not broken. The sound is a bit annoying but it is not broken. One of the mechanics at my dealership called California for some guidance on what to do with mine. Good luck. ---Frank

 

Everyone,

Well its been 1000 miles since i had this work done and the "new" clutch put on. Looks like its on its way to happening AGAIN. No noises yet but the catch point has slowly moved way up high AGAIN. Once AGAIN i feel as though im shifting a 18 wheeler.

Aux

 

Once the "dying squirrel" comes around, he doesn't go away. And yes, it'll get progressively worse over time. Mine certainly did.

I had mine replaced several months back under warranty (on the 3.5 of course, not the G) and since then the new clutch has held up very well. The transaxle still works better than it did the day I drove the car off the lot. I'm hoping that the redesigned clutch disc did the trick... permenantly.

 

I don't have the number but the tech new immediately without having to look anything up. I will check the paperwork and see if anything was noted.

 

anyone have there shifter vibrate when in 6th?

I usually have to drop it to 5th or neutral and back to 6th several times before it feels smooth...

its been there ever since i got it in jan 02.... i just thought it was nothing until i kept seeing all these complaints about the clutch...

mines at 8500 plus miles...

 

I have not experienced this (before and after my clutch disc replacement).

 

is this dying squirrel sound like gears grinding? kind of like a "reeeeeeeeeer" for a lack of a better description?

 

Newman.....more like a rrraaeeeerrraaaa if you know what I mean.

 

It definitely does not sound like gears grinding. It really does sound like a dying squirrel. It comes from the front of the car right where the clutch is.

Brian

 

No, it's not like gears grinding at all. I originally described it as sort of a humming/howling noise coming from the engine bay. It's unique. When you hear it, you'll know it.

My 3.5 initially displayed the noise only when backing up from a stop. A few weeks later, it started doing it when rolling away in first as well.

 

Oh great...mine is only doing it in reverse from a stop now (and only after the car has been warmed up). I guess I can expect it to start displaying the function in first gear in the weeks to come eh?

Brian

 

I would think so, sadly.

I wasn't at all thrilled with having my Nissan dealership rip out a brand new transmission to replace the clutch assembly, but they did a good job and didn't scratch/mangle/fold/spindle/dent anything that I can see. And I'm pretty sure they put all the bolts back in, too. That's a victory as far as Nissan service goes.

 

Maybe I missed it, but what exactlly did they end up replacing?

Just so I am armed with some good information going into the dealership.

Thanks,
Brian

 

Nissan replaced the clutch disk, throwout bearing and pressure plate. The flywheel on my car was fine, but a substantial number of 2K2 Maxima owners who had their dealers resolve this problem reported their flywheels were replaced as well.

 

I have yet to see a TSB for this, but everyone keeps claiming it's one. Can anyone produce a TSB number? I want to finally kill my dying squirrel.

 

same here .. im pushing 25,280 miles (15,280 after the first clutch change) ... im on my second clutch and im hearing the "dying squirrel" again in 2nd gear

 

Anyone loose low end power after their new clutch and flywheel were installed? Did any of you get your old parts back afterwards? Thanks!

 

Are there any lightweight flywheels available for the 6spd yet? I wonder if rather than installing the Nissan flywheel, they'd install one we provided, along with replacing those other parts under the TSB.

 

www.altimas.net/tsb

Scroll down to "NTB02-084 - 2002 Altima & Maxima: Howl noise when clutch is released." Now you can print out the TSB and bring it to the dealer.