I brought my car in this morning for the TCM TSB (god so many letters!) What a difference it made! I can not even being to explain. Meanwhile it wasn't even this car that had the problem. My 2001 GXE that I traded in was the one with the problem. But I got the service manager (with no effort on my part) to change it in my SE anyway and even with nothing wrong PRIOR to this, I notice a COMPLETE difference. First to second shifts uneventfully WAY faster than before without that "hold over" time. It goes RIGHT into second and is rearin' to go for third without hesitation. Then there is no thump down into third gear. I suggest to all you guys, before you have a problem if you ever do, get this changed! You'll be so much happier with the response in the transmission. It's that noticable. Although, my car did come back with scratches on the back bumper and a broken license plate frame in the front. The sales manager ripped a new a-hole in the service guy who worked on my car and is fixing it for free (despite the hassle and anger this put in me)...but at least my tranny is good! Punkdork...you'll be so happy when it's done!

 

Good god I hope so. I'll find out tomorrow or wednesday.

*crossing fingers*

 

Great to see any person got it fixed... if you guys/gals want to keep your original tranny, get the TCM fixed soon.

 

I currently have 2000 Auto GXE, bought it in August with 3 miles on it. How can I tell if i need a new TCM? Do I go to the dealership and say I need a new TCM?

Lastly, If the TCM were bad on the Maximas, why wasn' there a recall to fix this issue?

 

search the forums here for punkdork's post about the update and paul's post of the TSB in full format. Don't just walk in there and say "I need a new TCM". They'll look at you like you know more than them which they don't like!!! Walk in with the TSB in hand as ammunition, but don't show it to them unless you HAVE to. See what they'll do for you first...just walk in and tell them that your tranny is slipping (choose...1st to 2nd gear or 2nd to 3rd, hehehe) and see what they say. If they DON'T find anything and won't do anything for you, THEN bust out the TSB and say you want it changed.

And for your second question...about why it wasn't recalled? Because it won't HARM you. Things will only be recalled if they can cause harm to you on the road. Apparently nothing has been deemed "dangerous" by it so they figure they'll only replace them as needed and if people don't come in, they save money. As I've noticed between my GXE and my SE, it doesn't ALWAYS make itself known (the slippage) depending upon how you drive the car and when you start pushing it...check it out. Get it changed anyway and even if there's nothing wrong with it now, I guarantee you'll notice the change. I did!

 

Guess they haven't deemed it a safety issue yet?

 

I'm a little dissapointed that they STILL haven't fixed this at the factory. If you have a 2k1 I would have thought the updated part(obviously it exists) would not be the one used from the factory.

 

IMHO it IS a safety issue (albeit not as big as the exploding firestone tires :-) You just have to look at it the right way!!!

Imagine this situation... You are on a 1-lane "curvy" uphill road, and there is a POS domestic car in front of you doing 15 in a 25mph zone.. On a straight stretch of road you decide to pass... so you pull into opposing traffic and accelerate HARD, only to have the transmission slip... It just hangs there... NOTHING.... You have second thoughts for a few split seconds, before your maxima finally does what it's supposed to...

Now HOW many things could go wrong with the above scenario BECAUSE of the slip?? you hesitate?? try to merge back?? what about opposing traffic??


IMHO when you purchase a $20+k car (think closer to $30k), you expect it to go forward when you press the accelerator... call me a purist, but I think Nissan should do anything and everything in its power to correct such a glaring issue, which above all, affects some of its most dedicated fans..

-Tom

 

I wholeheartedly consider it a safety issue. I had a problem myself merging onto the freeway. Thats when I decided I wasn't going to be put off any further. I'm just saying Nissan might not see it that way.

 

Don't hold your breath Tom...Nissan ain't gonna go out of their way to help you with anything..you have have to fight for every little thing...9 times out of 10 the service guys will just look at you with a blank stare and act like they have zero idea of what you are talking about. Their favorite line is "we don't notice anything abnormal about your car vs any of the other cars on out lot" Yeah no kidding...all the Maximas trannys are F'ed up you dorks!"

So I guess the bunch of us who have jumped through hoops, walked on our hands and hit triple toe loops to get our TCM's replaced the first time did it all in vain? The new TSB says don't even check the TCM until you examine the solenoid first? Jeezz gimme a break...

So are you guys who have rpelaced the TCM contemplating trying to get your dealer to fix it again..even though the slippage like before you got it replaced is not evident?

Man..another reason I should have bought a 5spd (hell should have stayed with Toyota )

[Edited by jnm2kse on 01-29-2001 at 07:22 PM]

 

You and I are starting to sound a little tooooo similar!

 

i want a new torque converter. level 10 has an add i think on scc on them the new billet tc i think. or something.. and lsd, and the variable valve body adjusting thing in developement..

 

hehe me too. I think we all would. But TC's and installation are $$expensive$$ . At least they are not too far from me. They are located in New Jersey right?

 

I'm a little unclear here... I thought the TCM update was only necessary if your Max was built before 5/00.

My 2K1 AE was built 8/00, so I shouldn't have to worry about this...right?

 

any maxima made before 9/28/00. SO if yours was made in 8/00, it was effected. Sorry to burst your bubble Adboy!

 

Adboy... the TSB has been updated search for a thread posted by me regarding new info on the 1st-2nd slip. There is a full copy of the new TSB in there.

 

...%$&!

How much of a beating you think I'd take if I just traded in this damn slushbox for a 5-spd?

Every day, it seems more and more worth it.

 

for me it'd be like 3-4k... I'm holding out at least to see the 2002.

 

Punk hit it right...I was "advised" by my dealer that I'd probably take a 4K hit right off the bat...and that is only for a base SE....you may take an even bigger drubbing with that AE. Welcome to the brotherhood of "Damn it! I wish I bought a 5spd!"

You know something..it may be worth it in my case at least given the problems with MY Max. ....

I know if I had a 5 spd I'd be driving the wheels off of the thing so much that I'd probably need new tires within a few months..seriously! Right now I hop in, put it in drive and go....blech...boring....

If I wasn't so scared sh!tless of getting another Friday build Maxima, I'd probably do it....

I dunno punk....I know how crappy my mileage is now...whats 260 ponies gonna do to that?? Yikes!! My Max seems plenty fast enough for me right now....also putting a bigger engine in the same frame equals to me Y2K bugs all over again Probably find out that the frame can't handle all that tourque and pull the car in 2

Adboy- I got my TCM replaced the 1st TSB.....everything seems ok right now although who's to say that the 1st TSB really doesnt solve anything? My dealer cringes everytime I come in and I can see his face if I bring up the 2nd TSB...I might anyways...hell Nissan is saying its a prob right?

Listen to me...after all this crap I've had with Nissan dealers I'm contemplating another? Ack! The GTI looks more and more appealing although I've heard their dealers REALLY suck on the service end...plus the warranty 2/24K really is lame.