This was the second time this happened to me. I was driving once in traffic in the rain about 2 weeks ago when I heard a relatively loud clunk sound when I was trying to accelerate and the car went into fail-safe mode and stayed in 5th gear till I turned off the engine and restarted. I thought it could have been a fluke with the rain and heavy traffic so I reset my ECU and forgot about it until today. I was driving back in normal traffic which started to slow down from 60 mph to 35 and then I heard a clunk sound again and then the car went in to fail-safe again.staying in 5th till i I turned off the engine (fail-safe mode)...I also heard the clunk again after restarting it but at least I was able to get my gears (auto) back...coincidently I had an appointment this time to check my rear rotor thickness and integrity since I have been getting some clicking sounds from my right rear brake....my other post here. Anyway I got a P0744 A/T TCC code: Torque Converter Cluch circuit intermittent code. Unfortunatly the garage said that they could not find anything and have left the work order open. They said I have to wait till it gets worse so that they know what's going on! It could be the transmission control module or the torque converter module or even the overdrive module...who knows. If it start to happen again....
If anyone has had the same problem please chime in. I will keep everyone posted.

 

I'm betting tranny. How many miles do you have?

EDIT: Dang X, thats the same code mine threw after a huge clunk and the tranny had to be replaced.

Check it out:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....174&highlight=

 

Same here !!! It happen to me today on the highway. Have you received any feedback on what the problem is and what the solution will be?

 

From what I've read on the Transmission post...most of the members who had this code ended up having their transmissions replaced.

Is your car still under warranty?

Also what is the mileage on your car? I'm at around 56K Miles.

Good luck!

 

Last month, I had some weird problems. The car lost its power and it was sputtering and the idle was really low. I took it to Autozone and they got a similiar code to the one above. I can't remember the exact code but it had something to do with the "bank 2" and timing and something else. Took it to the dealer and they said that the oil was low and it didn't hit a sensor that checks the oil so it threw the system out of whack. They so say fixed it by doing a oil change and putting the right amount in. I also had another sensor that measured the amoutn of gas to pump into the engine replaced. After they changed that sensore my MPG went up by 2 gallons. Now I'm wondering if that was a precursor to this problem. I have 76K miles. I purchased a service agreement when I got the car and it looks like it will cover any tranny problems.

 

Hi Jaymax22

The P0744 transmission problem is different than what you had. This code puts the car in "Fail Safe" mode which results in the transmission staying in the gear when the problem occured. So lets say you were driving in a school zone and the car (Automatic) was in 3rd gear and it threw this code (the "service engine soon" light will go on)...the car will stay in this gear and will not shift up or down even while at a standstill until you turn off the engine and wait 3 - 5 seconds before restarting. At restart the transmission will return to normal however the check engine light will remain on. My car is at 96K Kms...in Canada the warranty is up to 100K Kms so I just squeeked by this time.

 

Xorbit--that's exactly what happen to me last night except the SES didn't come on. It happen when I was on the highway..going about 80 mph and it ws stuck in 5th gear. I know this because I tried to manually change gears with the tiptronic and it showed 5 and it wouldn't change. After I turned it off for a few it was fine. The dealer is looking at it now so I should know exactly what the problem is in a few hours.

 

Hello,
i have same problem on my Maxima 04.
but in my car turn on the SES, and the VDO OFF logos.
Both, came on when the problem starts, also stays in safe mode the transmission.
If i turn off the car, after a while, is again ok, but SES logo keeps on.
I take it to scan and it gives me code, camshaft position sensor error.
The workshop erase the codes, but the problem keep coming again and again.
I just bought both of them (sensors), and will take them to replace.
But i dont know if this will make solution to the problem.
Please, give me some info of people that found how to resolve this problem.
Thank you very much.

 

It sounds like I have a similar problem as you guys. We were driving on the freeway about 75 and felt like engine just lost all power. We started going up a hill and car started to decelerate so I pressed the accelerator pedal down and no downshift. Went to do it manually and is stuck in 5th gear. Pulled over turned car off and started again (with great hesitation) and put in gear and still in 5th. Had to have car towed to shop (no word yet) but it did trigger just the SES light. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Josh.

 

I think we orger's have narrowed the problem down to a defect in the shift solenoid assembly. I am thinking there is a hicup when shifting which would trick the transmission into thinking it's slipping. I think that the design is flawed not allowing the trans oil to port through fast enough which would cause a delayed shift or even a slip. The oil is what shifts the gears in the end. I have had my tranny checked over and over and even rebuilt the internals for the tranny. still have a delayed shift in 2nd. tranny works for now though. I am looking to have it machined and have a booster added. If that doesn't work then I am going to do a tranny swap.

 

Sounds like it's the Crank Shaft Sensor?

This problem has popped up a few times on these boards.

 

seems like its been an 04 thing?

anyone have an 05?

 

Ok guys, I got the car back from the transmission shop today (towed) and bought one of the obdII testers. Its pulling a code p0340 camshaft position sensor. Im just confused about this b/c it just doesnt seem to relate to my specific problem. Any help is appreciated. Oh btw, car is out of 5th now and seems to be fine but still not driving it until I fix it. Thanks, Josh.

 

This has happened to my '05 twice! Currently having my transmission replaced.

 

Hello there, I am having the same problem with my 2004 Maxima. I have been checking using the manual diagnostic and also receive the code P0744. Its the solenoid Torque Converter. Now I am trying to find someone who can perform the job and the purchase of the converter. It is not the entire transmission though and thank God for that.

 

sorry to say but replace the trans had the same issue.

 

Mine throws the P0744 code and stays stuck in 4th gear....until i pull the ABS fuse out from behind the passenger headlight.....then it won't do it anymore. Weird.

 

any ideas with code p0505?? Sorry but I cannot post...

 

My 04 has started to have this problem. Sticking in 5th coming off highway. Has anyone found a solution? Am thinking of replacing the torque convertor control valve solenoid.

 

This happened again to me yesterday with my 04. I was exiting a parking lot when it got stuck in gear. I took out the keys and restarted it (took some time, it was hesitating) and then restarted it when I got home and it worked fine after that. The first time it happened was in July on the streets going 35ish but it hadn't happened since then until yesterday.

In another thread I saw that a user replaced the Camshaft Position Sensor so is that the solution? I haven't checked my codes yet though.

 

The fail-safe got really problematic over the weekend, yesterday I had to drive 7 miles home whilst in 5th gear. And unlike before where I could restart it after a few seconds and it would be ok, it wouldn't revert to normal shifting. So I took it to my mechanic who read the code P0340 which was the Bank 1 Camshaft Position Sensor so he's going to replace both sensors and by tomorrow it should be back and running smoothly. Also getting the transmission serviced since it was due.

UPDATE 10/10: Almost a week since the sensors were replaced. No longer gets stuck in gear, shifts noticeably more smoothly and has given no signs of trouble. Excellent.