Staticmax

Im Havin tranny problems and it sounds like it could be bad and i might have to have aamco fix it with a rebuild. has anyone had to rebuild their tranny yet and how much did it cost ya? I got an 02 SE auto 71,350 miles by the way with a mean grind in reverse

OC guy

iTrader: (7)

it cost around 1300 min and to 1500 max. but aamco will definitely charge over 1500. just find a local transmission shop that provides a year warranty on rebuild transmission and save money. aamco is rip off. i know a shop near where i live and they do the rebuild for $1300 i believe and they also provide 1 year warranty.

RLW001

iTrader: (11)

Do not go to AAMCO. Check with the AAA for recommended transmission repair shops. Get the estimate in writing. Ask what the AAA discount is. Chances are the discount with be more than the AAA membership.

Good luck

Lontar1

iTrader: (5)

the cost and problems after the repairs are not worth it. A new tranny will run for 2500 to 3500..... it is more $$$ but less problems IMO.

Staticmax

I get a grinding noise in gear mostly in lower gears and rpms up to 2,500. Also I think I felt it slip a couple times lately. The worst part is in reverse it sounds hardcore really rough. Has anyone else had this problem? or any simular tranny problems?? or can i avoid a rebuid?

bluesky2702

Got a rebuilt automatic installed in my 2001 SE about two months ago. The original transmission developed a really obnoxious noise and vibration which I could feel also at various speeds, starting between 35 and 45, mostly under very light acceleration. Dealer diagnosed a bad differential bearing, their solution was to install a rebuilt for 3300. This to replace a transmission which had fluid changes every 30,000, etc. After I recovered, I called around and got a recommendation for an Aamco - I know, I know, but they're independent franchises and you can have a good experience with one and a terrible experience with another one five miles away from the first one. Final diagnosis was a bad thrust needle bearing, which was going to cost 1300 to get fixed - usual transmission parts deal, 50 bucks for the part and 1200 in labor - AND the part was on national back order, since they almost never go bad. I noted in another thread that although Nissan is generally pretty reliable, even their QC does slip up sometimes. To vastly shorten a lengthy story, I ended up getting a rebuilt with 3 year/36 warranty installed for 2600, which is not a bad deal.

There are a number of morals to the story -

1. Check out your local shops through the boards, other mechanics, Angie's List, etc. There are good and bad Aamcos, like there are good and bad franchise restaurants. Even then, you may not have an experience that leaves you with warm fuzzies.

2. If you get repairs, as opposed to getting a rebuilt, make sure to ask about the warranty, you want at least a year. In my case, it was 90 days parts and labor for the repair, and ANY transmission work that involves dropping the tranny and splitting the case is expensive. There's a lot of labor involved and you DON'T want to drop major bucks replacing a part and then having something else go bad six months later and have to cough up another 500-600 just to get the problem diagnosed. If you can get one at a reasonable price, a rebuilt with decent warranty may be a better solution.

3. MAKE SURE the shop does quality work. Even though I got a recommendation, was happy with the price, I have a warranty which allows me to go to any Aamco if I have a problem, and the car drives okay, there were a few "minor" issues with the installation that required me to take the Max back. Little things like not reconnecting the cold air intake boot, not putting the shifter cable/wiring harness back in the support bracket, the Overdrive Off switch no longer functioning , the shift position indicator light on the dash not working except for Park and Neutral - on the latter two issues, the shop claimed 'it was like that when the car was dropped off' ....big surprise. And a bunch of front suspension noises that I didn't have previously. Oh yeah, the SES light being on and the fuse panel cover missing when I picked the car up after my return visit to get these issues addressed. You know, small stuff like that. All these are indicators of sloppy work, to put it mildly. Leading to the last point........

4. On a job like this, price ain't everything. It's a complex job and the front end has to be taken apart almost completely. Although I got a good price and a good warranty, if I had it to do over I would have gone with the dealer even at 3300. Too expensive, BUT they do good quality work, and as we all know it's a pain to have to go back. At this point, even with the problems Aamco SHOULD be fixing, I don't wanna take the car back because when I took it back before it mysteriously developed MORE problems.

Here endeth the lesson......I feel better.

Staticmax

Im on vacation in illinios so I'm hoping it'll last me till i get home.
God forbid it dies on the freeway!

Split Level

iTrader: (1)

My car stalled from 1-2nd, if I floored it as soon as it hit red line the car would jerk and almost die, and my reverse went out last wed. @ 79,6xx. I got it quoted for $2000 including labor at a local shop for an automatic rebuild w/ one year warrenty. They said my reverse and 2nd gear melted together. I couldn't afford to be down too long so I just went with a local shop that was recommended. I'm picking it up wed. everything better be ok. Whoo hoo!! just about every major problem with the maxima in less then a year. MAF, o2 sensors, ignition coils, tranny, paint. I'll never buy a car at a dealers auction again.

Staticmax

i wonder why such bad tranny problems?? oh well thanks for the input guys

Kevin Trout

iTrader: (5)

I'm looking at a tranny replacement/rebuild sometime down the road, but it appears as though I screwed myself out of my warranty because of something stupid I did.

The transmission has been intermittently grinding into 3rd gear for awhile, but I adjusted my driving habits in order to avoid the grind (lower rpm's when shifting to 3rd) as the problem wasn't too severe. I had my oil changed at Canadian Tire, and they notified me of an oil leak from the transmission. Since I was taking in the car to Nissan to have the oil leak checked out, I figured I might as well get the 3rd gear grinding looked at as well. The dealer notified Nissan Canada of the problems, who then agreed to rebuild the transmission and repair the oil leak under warranty.

Here's where I did something that I'll likely regret for quite some time to come. 2 days before the repairs were scheduled to be done, I installed a Watkins short throw shifter onto the transmission, as well as ES shifter bushings. Feels like an awesome mod from the limited use I've had of the car since, it actually seemed to alleviate many of my problems shifting into 3rd gear. Problem is, when the mechanic went to unhook the shifter cable, he noticed the short throw shifter. The service manager proceeded to notify Nissan of the modification, who promptly in turn refused to pay for the repair they had already approved previously, and canceled my transmission warranty.

I explained to the service manager and Nissan customer service that the short throw shifter had only been on the car for 2 days, and had no bearing on the pre-existing condition of the transmission, but I appear out of luck. I did some digging around and found the receipt for the oil change documenting the oil leak from several months ago, and have e-mail receipts showing that the short shifter was purchased online the same day I had the transmission checked out by the dealer, and shipped a few days after Nissan had approved the repairs.

I have a faint glimmer of hope that the receipts will provide proof that the modification was done after the repairs had been agreed upon, but don't know if that'll help me out at all. I'm considering consulting a lawyer in this case, I have no problem with forfeiting future warranty, however I really don't feel that I should be on the hook for these repairs.

Merlyn

iTrader: (4)

$1944 for a new Transmission shipped from Dave B. $380 to install by a local shop.

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

Find one at a salvage yard. I found a 2004 38,000 mile tranny with LSD for $850 shipped. It came out of Canada. The 02/03 6-speeds had some syncro issues. The 04 trannys are much better. They're a direct swap. You may as well look for one with LSD while you're at it. It's a huge improvement. Check here. http://car-part.com/ It's really the way to go. Less money and LSD.

choiiiiiiiiiii

iTrader: (20)

I have a 2k se auto. Whenever i floor it, my car does go, untill it hits around 6000 rpm. Then it starts doing some weird stuff. It doesnt shift. and it will just stay around 6-7000 rpm and then shift. one of my friends said something to do with a bad torque converter? or somehing with the transmission. i was hoping to get a tranny swap. estimates on that?

joebangaa

iTrader: (3)

i actually have a nasty sound in reverse.

subscribing

A33 VQ30DEK

iTrader: (23)

wow 1200-1500 for a rebuild. I got a fully rebuilt transmission for $930 with a core exchange.

Imax00

a local nissan dealer charged me 1700 for a rebuild.....shifts hard out of first gear....i took it back while it was still under warranty and they told me something about my ecu?!

nissan5788

Apparently Nissan's auto trans. sucks in the 5.5's. Had my trans. replaced under warranty at 36k mi. Am at 80k now and am experiencing slip, grinding, etc. it'll probably go out in the next 10k mi. I don't drive hard, mostly highway, and do the reg. maint...still, no luck. Thank god i got an extended warranty.