Here is the situation:

I have 40k+ miles on my car. Recently the transmission has started to shift really rough between first and second. It seems to happen the most when I am at half to three quarter throttle (which is most of the time). Is this a known problem? What can/should I do about it?

 

Yes, it is a known problem with the 2001. Actually, your description sounds exactly like the TSB...

Service Bulletin Number: NTB00039A
Date of Bulletin: 0012
Component: POWER TRAIN: TRANSMISSION: AUTOMATIC
Summary: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT SLOW OR DELAYED SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR OR FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR (PARTICULARLY AT ONE-HALF THROTTLE OR GREATER APPLICATION).

 

What do you mean by really rough? Like it's slipping between shifts or like banging into the next gear like a vb mod would do.

 

It is like the car slams into the next gear. Not really slipping at all. Is it too late for me to get the TSB done since I have over 40k miles?

 

In the TSB it says the component is power train, so I think you should be covered until 60k.

 

You don't like the way it feels slamming into the next gear. Free VB mod

 

Not really, because it feels like at any minute the tranny is gonna slam right out of the car.

 

I have 45K on mine and it is doing the exact same thing. It really ticks me off because I just bought the car. I just got the TSB done at my dealer and it din't help at all. Im still trying to figure out what it is. The first dealer I took it to refused to do the TSB and said that the problem was because I was running rich at idle and 1/2 throttle. They said they thought it was a MAF or stuck Fuel injector. Of course they wanted me to fork out $$$$ to have them try to find the problem, so I went to a different dealer to get the TSB done, but no luck. Im taking it back to the dealer this weekend. Let me know if you figure it out! Ill do the same if I figure it out!

 

Do you have a copy of this TSB? It would be nice to go to the dealership with this in hand.

Thanks GLE2000! Will do!

 

Sorry, I don't. I found the summary of it using Google. Maybe GLE2000 does?

 

You bet! http://www.punkdork.net/max/tsb039a.pdf The number for it is NTB00-039a its for the 2000-01 Maximas.

 

Thanks guys! It doesn't look like it applies to my VIN, but I am gonna try this anyway. All the dealer could say is no way! Wish me luck!

 

Make sure they replace both the TCM and the shift solenoids. That way you know your covered. Isn't it frustrating? Im pulling my hair out cause I have to drive 40 miles just to get to a quality dealer, when I have one that sucks just 2 miles away!

 

There you go!

You may want to try just mentioning it to the service writer by number at first and see where that gets you. Tell them you talked to Nissan Customer Service and they mentioned the TSB to you. I guess it depends on the dealership, but I don't think some of them like it too much when you walk in with the TSB in hand. Just my $.02. Good luck!

 

Very true. It all depends on the attitude of the service manager. I agree with BiggD23, tell them you spoke with Nissan America and they gave you the TSB number.

 

What would your A/F ratio have to do with the shift of your Automatic Transmission? The shift is controlled by your throttle position and engine RPM's.

Don't ever go back to that dealer again.

 

Yeah I know, thats why I went to a different dealer. I could smell rip off a mile away!

 

I had the TSB done on my car and it helped. Auto transmissions slip in order to make them smooth. Mine seemed excessive and dealer dir the TSB. There is still slippage because it's auto, but it is noticably better. However, mine was not 'slamming', like you describe. Sounds different than slipping. Just my .02 ...

 

does the warranty cover this s h i t?

 

It's a powertrain issue so you should be covered until 60k. Unless they hit you with the infamous, "Dealer could not replicate problem" excuse.

 

what should i bust out then?

 

It should. but beware, the first dealer I went to said that the 60K mi powertrain warranty only covers "hard parts" ie: drive axles and internal gears etc. I think they were smoking crack cuz this is a serious drivabiltiy issue. The second dealer performed the TSB without asking a single question, under warranty no less.
If I really get on it, it will accelerate fine, no hesitation, no surge or power loss, but the darn thing wont shift! Ill get almost to red line and let off the gas, theem BAM! it will slam into 2nd gear. I dont care what they say, there is something seriously messed up there. Its got to be an input sensor or something. TPS,& RPMs are what dictates when the trany shifts. Mabye its a bad signal from somewhere. Im still investigating.

 

i got the TSB done maybe 8,000 ago when i had about 58k on the car
now i have 66k...and i noticed that after they did the TSB it didnt do ****.

now i looked at the TSB page and i saw that if the replacment of the soleniods didnt do anything, they need to replace the TCM. I am pretty sure those ****** didnt do it and i want to go back there and tell them to replace it because they didnt when they did the TSB.

you guys think i have any chance?

 

I'll bet they will put up a fight. If you still have the receipt of work performed, it will say what they replaced, and you can show them the TSB and hope they will comply. They replaced both on mine and it didn't do jack. Next time I take it to the dealer, Im going on a test drive with the tech so they can't claim "could not reproduce problem". Its sad that we have to pay all this money for their "flagship" sedan and put up with all this crap!

 

My 2k w/ 71k miles does something like that but a lil different. When I get on it the car starts to accelerate but it just shoots up in RPMs to the rev limiter and the car is jumpy the whole time. Then after its up in higher RPMs for a while it slams into the next gear. It does it more than just from 1st-2nd.

 

That sounds like slippage to me. Low acceleration with sudden RPM change doesn't sound good

 

But like when i get on it the car doesn't even accelerate its stays the same level of power and then the RPMs just shoot up and after it sits at the rev limiter for a lil while it slams. W/ my luck when I take it to the dealership it probly won't do it for them

 

Make sure you go on the test drive with the tech. Drive it yourself if they will let you. Just start from a stop and floor it!

 

I have an appointment at the dealer tomorrow morning. Hopefully they won't give me a hard time about this. I will let you know what they say!

 

sounds like a bad resistor. open your hood and look at the drivers side strut tower next to air box. a silver resistor is monted on front with a 2 wire connector. unplug and drive car normally , if no change in shifts replace resistor. the resistors job is to soften the shifts without making to soft. if shifts are to soft than go with the sevice bulliten.........

 

LMAO! I just pulled the plug to see what it did

 

So what did it do to your car?

 

Made the wheels feel like they were going to fall off at each shift! Talk about a "poor man's VB mod"

 

Interesting.....

I know I would like my 2K3 auto to shift with a little more sportiness. It sure takes its sweet time, making sure I don't feel anything. Everyone likes a smooth shift, they just seem to take about twice as long as necessary.

If this component is in charge of smoothing out shifts, it looks like it could be tweaked in some way to sharpen up the shifts just a little without actually removing it completely and making the tranny slam into gear.

Any EEs out there?

 

...This resistor must be what is wrong on my car, I have a 2k2 auto and it is slamming into gear really hard between 1st and 2nd, it has been doing this off and on since I got about 5,000 miles on it. Are there places you can buy new resistors or would they need to be dealer/factory installed?

 

I just love dealers!! They have had my car since 9:00 am and I have heard nothing from them (it's 3:15 now). I called to see what was going on and I got the typical dealer response--"We can't duplicate the problem." They actually told me that they had 2 techs drive the car. One said he felt nothing and the other said he felt the "problem" but that it was normal. How can something like that be normal? Anyway, now they are going to have the "master tech" drive it and see what he says. Oh by the way, they told me the TSB didn't apply to my VIN. We'll see what the master tech has to say....

 

...You better get used to this buddy, the best thing to do is complain to Nissan N.A. I bet and explain your symptoms. Tell them you are on a forum with other Nissan owners and that if they can help you out you will be inclined to pass good press on about corporate Nissan's customer service...

 

Welcome to the maxima nightmare! Our cry to NISSAN> Their reply> !!!! There has got to be an answer to all of this!!

 

go to the parts counter at any nissan dealer. you can order part and install yourself. btw with the resistor unplugged it will triger ck engine light.