I have used the search function and read the posts but I didn't read any decisive material regarding this.

One of the techs at nissan called me b.c i inquired their prices on tranny flush or drain and fill b/c I am at 58K

The guy tells me it is impossible to do a full tranny flush on my 06 because of the placement of some cooler (can't really remember the component) but either way, he says the only thing possible is a simple drain and fill.

Ok...is this guy correct on this?
Also, I know Nissan uses their own synthetic oil for their tranny fluid maintenance..so does this mean I cannot have someone else do the drain and fill? I am just looking at price differences. My nissan dealer says 90 bucks for drain and fill...i think it's reasonable (surprisingly)

Any thoughts? Sorry if this has been addressed before, couldn't find anything in the search and I don't come on here all that much until now

 

Yes, that is true.

My tech did drain and fill 3 times or until he saw clean fluid being drained.

 

and so do you recommend getting the drain and fill at the nissan dealer or any local shops would do this would be fine? I suppose they would have to order the nissan fluid, so I am guessing better to do it at the nissan dealer huh?

 

People have said that there are equivalent fluids for the transmission, but I wouldn't risk it so keep the stock NISSAN fluid.

Regardless where you get it done, make sure to observe the tech doing it to make sure they at least drain and fill 2-3 times.

...just noticed that you have 58k...not sure if that would be a good idea to do the first drain at such high mileage.

 

lol naw, this would be my second. I did a 30K service at stealership at 32K, but thats the last time I drop off my car at a stealership for maintenance like this. My wife brought it in and she doesn't want to fool with it. I don't really remember what they did, but this time around, I want to know exactly what to do and where to do...but yeah, this would be my second tranny service

 

Whoever you take it to i strongly recommend sticking to OEM Matic K fluid and not anything else. 90 for a trans drain and fill is a good price considering the fluid is about 15 bucks a quarts x 4-6.

 

There are a few different types of fluid and the dipstick specifies which one is needed for your vehicle.

 

Nissan made an adapter to do a true tranny flush, aparantly to many people complained about the drain and fill.

 

I was told there are two different trannies for the 05. One is sealed (mine) and only could have 5 quarts changed out. The other could be flushed completely. The same thing goes for the tranny cooler unit you can buy from Stillen. If you have a sealed tranny there's no where to connect the hoses to. Why? The sealed tranny doesn't transfer it's fluid to the radiator. It has a heat sync on the tranny to manage the cooling process. We looked everywhere on the tranny to find a place to flush to fluid. We didn't find one. I hope me or the master tech that helped me is wrong. Is there a TSB available on how to flush a sealed tranny?

Kev

 

I haven't seen any new tsb on flushing the 5 speed tranny. And i've not seen any other tranny on your gen maxima with any other automatic other than the 5 speed so someone gave you misinformation. Only other tranny you can get is a manual.

Nissan doesn't even make the 5 speed tranny, its a company names Aisin, they make the same exact 5 speed tranny for Volvos, i've seen it first hand since i work at a Nissan/Volvo dealer. Only the bellhousings and couple mounting locations are different. They even told me this at nissan training.

But just to let you know, the Aisin 5 speed does use engine coolant to cool it down, its just not in the traditional way where the ATF flows into the radiator's tranny cooler. Instead coolant flows into the tranny's cooler from the engine's heater hoses and then makes its way to the radiator. That round thingy with the 2 large hoses going into it is the coolant. You can actually remove that cooler with an allen socket, i've replaced leaking ones before. Its just like an engine oil cooler on early 2000 Pathfinders with the VQs.

Soooo technically theres no real method on flushing the tranny. In fact if i remember right Nissan doesn't even suggest replacing the ATF, just checking it at service intervals. Just do a drain and fill, thats all we do. If you really wanna spend some money, after your drain and fill it, go drive around and get it hot and do another drain and fill and you should be ok.