I've spent the last few days reading all the posts here and I've gotta say that you guys are amazing. I wen't from not knowing what a valve body was to now having a better understanding of what goes wrong with our transmission. I own an '06 max 5AT, bought it brand new in 2005 and have babied it ever since, never had any major mechanical issues, it now has ~92k miles on it. A few months ago, I hit something on the road that almost destroyed my crank sensor and the connector attached to it. I replaced the sensor with a new OEM one and also soldered a working connector that I took from an '05 or '06 Altima. Things were fine for a while until the car started exhibiting all the transmission symptoms that have been described here. It sometimes pauses and jerks from P>R and P>D and slipps from 2>3, 3<2, etc. At first I was convinced it was due to the incident I had with my crank sensor but after reading all the posts here I now think that I may need a new VB. Anyway, I've taken it to two transmission shops (both reputable) here in south FL and they both think it's a VB/tranny issue. Here are the best estimates I got from one of the shops (also waiting on a nissan stealership quote):

Option 1: New OEM tranny (with all the updates) - $2,955.88 installed
Option 2: Used OEM tranny with 80k miles - $2,200 installed
Option 3: New VB (parts & labor) - $1,400 - $1,600
Option 4: New VB (labor only) - $490

All with 12 month warranty.

I'm leaning toward option 3 but before I go for it, I would like to share some of the codes one of the shops was able to pull.

P0826 Nissan - Manual Mode Switch Circuit
P0726 Nissan - Engine Speed Input Circuit Performance
U1000 Nissan - CAN Communication Line - Signal Malfunction
P1800 Nissan - Variable Intake Air System Control Solenoid Valve Circuit
P2a03 Nissan - Air Fuel Ratio Sensor Circuit Range/Performance Bank 2 Sensor 1

I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people here and would appreciate any useful advice. Thanks in advance.

 

I support your decision. By 6th Gen standards your car of 92k miles is due for a vb change (lol). I can't comment on the first three codes for now, but I know that the last two relate to air. If the VIAS valve gets really bad it could make your car stall or stutter. The last code can be most exasperating because it's usually triggered by a tiny leak in the area around that sensor-though of course, the sensor itself may be the culprit.
Since your Max is a 2006 model, I should add that you'd be using the "A" valve body. Good luck.

 

Thanks Costee for the prompt response! I really appreciate your feedback.

Given the fact that I have quite a few aftermarket parts already installed on the car, I did a little more digging around and determined that some of the codes may be directly related to some of these aftermarket parts. I've noted this below.

P1800 Nissan - Variable Intake Air System Control Solenoid Valve Circuit (this is definitely coming from the Kynetix upper intake manifold I have installed, I forgot to leave the stock solenoid shown here: http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...iasdelete2.jpg )
P2a03 Nissan - Air Fuel Ratio Sensor Circuit Range/Performance Bank 2 Sensor 1 - (this is prob also related to the Kynetix manifold and/or the high flow pre-cats I have installed)

As for the rest of the codes,

P0726 Nissan - Engine Speed Input Circuit Performance - (learned that a 'P07' code refers to the transmission, which could also be linked to the crank position sensor issue I had described in my first post because of what I found here http://www.sparkys-answers.com/2011/...sion-will.html)
P0826 Nissan - Manual Mode Switch Circuit - (this looks like it's directly related to the code above 'P0726', basically there is a communications issue whenever I try to shift using the manual mode, the TCM and ECM aren't communicating correctly)
U1000 Nissan - CAN Communication Line - Signal Malfunction - (this could very well be as simple as a bad ground as explained here http://engine-codes.com/uploads/nissan/NTB06-009a.pdf)

All of these are just my assumptions so to have peace of mind and to try to do things right, I'll regretfully head to the dealership and pay the $125 they want to have the car diagnosed properly and to get their version of the story as to what may be wrong with the car. I know a new VB will be inevitable at some point, but I want to do my due diligence first. Will keep you guys posted.

 

On the Valve Body note, I've recently started by changing only the valve body solenoids and it fixed the majority of my hard shifts. Right now, all down shifts are too smooth to notice so my ceramic brakes finally feel nice without the bumps I previously had. However, the solenoids are not necessarily adjusted well when you buy them, so if you go that route, make sure the transmission place (or you) test and adjust them as needed.

The only problem is from my experience, replacing the valve body is always done WITH the solenoids too if you ask a transmission shop so if you go that route, just do the whole valve body to avoid paying twice for the solenoids.

From other threads on here and from personal experience, replacing the valve body should not be super difficult as long as you can raise your car above you and not strip any bolts, so you can always do it yourself. (There's about 8-9 of the **** Allen head bolts so be careful.)

 

If you replace only the three solonieds how do u make sure they are calibrated before install

 

If I don't remove vb , only the three solenoids , do i also need a gasket

 

It looks like it normally breaks when you open the valve body cover, so I would recommend one. As far as calibrating, I honestly don't know how you'd do it ahead of time. I only found it how to adjust them but you need to drive the car or shift to test.

Here's a picture with tips:



Also, someone posted step-by-step instructions on swapping the valve body in another thread, very useful! So far this forum was really good and helped me out a lot so hopefully this helps others.

 

What if you ran the car for about one year manually shifting gear and now after 3 minutes it becomes shiftless , could this be more than just vb

 

Thank you all who have taken the time to educate the rest of us and to share your experiences with this issue. I would have probably spent thousands and not gotten the results I did.

As I mentioned in my last post, I went ahead and took the car to the stealership and was told that I needed a completely new transmission for only $3648! They also offered to replace just the VB for $1787 (another dealer wanted $2020). I also got an estimate from a shop mentioned earlier in this thread called Automatic Transmission Factory (ATF) located in Davie, FL. Those guys must have though I was stupid because they offered to rebuild my current VB for $850 with NO warranty or $4000.00 for a complete transmission overhaul with new VB. They refused to put in a VB that I would buy on my own such as LEVEL 10. In fact, they trashed LEVEL 10 saying their product was "half-assed".

In the end, I decided to go with a shop that had dealt with this issue before (recommended by my brother who is mechanic). The place is called Quality Build Transmission and is located in Deerfield Beach, FL. When I arrived there, they had another maxima already on a lift with the same issue. The guy Eric gave me three options:

1. Get a new tranny ($2955.88 installed)
2. Put in a used tranny with 80k miles on it ($2200.00 installed)
3. Replace VB only ($1400-1600 parts & labor)

I decided to go with option 3. He had the car for about a week (felt like forever!) but when I finally got her back it was like night and day. All symptoms are gone now, all that's left to do is to get new transmission and motor mounts and as a precaution I'll be putting in a transmission cooler as well. I told him I had been doing my transmission fluid changes every 30k miles, he suggested I do them at 15k just to be on the safe side. I was a little disappointed at first when he told me that the "new" VB was a rebuilt VB from Sonnax (I thought he was going to get a brand new one from Nissan). But after doing some research, I found out that Sonnax has some good products and is a reputable company (even mentioned in this thread). Oh, he also gave a 12 month or 12,000 miles warranty and asked me to go back in three weeks just to check and make sure everything is good. The final invoice was $1525.

A word of advice, don't let this problem last for too long or you could loose gears which means more money. I had it for about 3 or 4 month before I took action.

Overall I would say that I'm happy with the results so far. I'll try to come back here later down the road to keep everyone updated. I still love my max but I don't see myself buying another Nissan in the future mainly because they don't care about their loyal customers.

 

Are you getting any codes?

 

Just a quick one....I have a 2005 Max--Pearl White with Black Leather interior. I bought it new with 50 miles on it in California in 2005. This car has great sentimental value at this point. To date I have changed the wheels out (4) times, gone through 6 sets of tires, tore out and replaced all of interior to the 4 bucket set config, lowered, intake, exhaust, grills, full dvd surround, struts, custom parts, and all the maint inbetween. At about 75000 miles my trans started shifting hard, I was easy on it and it went to 110000 miles with few problems other than some hard shifts. I had a company car at the time so I took a chance. I bought a new valve body and installed it myself. It was actually pretty easy if you are intermediate in ability. That was 20000 miles ago. I don't drive it really hard, and replace as much fluid as I can every 10000 miles and everything is great. It seems that when the fluid is aged, the valves get hot and give you problems. When the fluid is fresh, everything is smooth. I still love my Max even after 10 years. I had many opportunities to sell it, but I just can't. I started using mobile 1 synthetic trans fluid and replace it (5 qts or so) when ever I have the time. It still can bury the speedo at 140 no prob and gets 31mpg on the highway. These are great cars, and a bargain now with these trans probs. THe valve body is the issue in these cars. Take care of it, and enjoy the ride.....any codes I have gotten through the years are easily erased by removing the battery cable overnight and relearning everything over the next few days. These cars are high tech, however there are very simple remedies to their quirkiness.

 

I have a 2006 Maxima SL with just over 100K miles. Bought the car with 30 K miles on it, and I had never changed the transmission fluid .

The delayed R-D-R started about 500 miles ago, but only when hot. We don't put that many miles on it, so I just drained and refilled the transmission fluid. Worked for about 100 miles, then I hit Maxima.org and found this thread. Thanks to po8pimp, Rainman1, Costee, rpsuprdave and everyone else who put in the legwork to determine EXACTLY what needs to be done to correct this condition.

I ordered the Rostra solenoids, this gasket http://www.ebay.com/itm/291276513924?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT and used Indian Head shellac http://www.permatex.com/products-2/p...ompound-detail. If you install the valve body pan when the shellac is still a little tacky, it keeps the gasket from sliding around. Followed the tutorial and the relearn procedures. Shifts smooth as butter, no delay, no leaks, no problems.

I’ll be draining and refilling the fluid one more time soon, then every 10,000 – 12, 000 miles, and hopefully no more transmission problems. Since it’s Mrs. OkieSteve’s car, it will probably be another 30K miles, then we’ll get another Maxima (this is our third.)

Thanks everyone for contributing to this thread!!

 

So my 2006 SE with 102K started having typical hard shifts when warmed up.
When switching gear in idle or shifting from 1-2, 2-3 on a high way.
Especially hard if AC was on.

I went to local mechanic who just flushed my transmission but the problem was still there

I went to the second mechanic more reputable who said I need a new transmission (do not rebuild it as "no one can do it right") or just quickly sell the car.

I love my max, so I came to this forum again and read pages and pages of posts.

I ended up going to level10 guys in NJ they put in their custom valve body and now it shifts like BUTTER!!!

Planning to go back to the first 2 mechanics and hand out level10 business cards.

I'm pissed cannot believe people are getting screwed with not so cheap but easy and far cheaper that replacing transmission solution.

 

This thread is great, I have a 2006 and am going to change the valve body. I want to buy the part and take it somewhere. Where would I get the best price on it and still have quality? I don't want to spend more than I have to due to a tight budget.

Thanks for the help so far with figuring this out.

 

I know this isn't the right thread but I have a 05 altima se-r. The tranny went out gushing tranny fluid everywhere and will only go in rev,1st and 5th gear..its an aw55_51sn tranny with around 180,000. I cannot find anywhere if I can put a 55-50sn tranny in it...only difference is the 51 has locking diff or something like that it's alot more expensive than the 50sn...would I have to buy another computer in it ifi can change them out.idk any insight would be greatly appreciated

 

I've had pretty much all of the same issues with my 2006 Nissan Maxima SE. First started with camshaft sensors, which I changed, and my throttle body as well. After the idle air relearn process, my rpm's stay around 700 after warmed up. The only issue I am having now is my rpm's slightly increasing when I brake. I had a code P0507, and assumed it was either the relearn process done incorrectly or a vacuum leak somewhere. I read through most of this thread and wanted to clarify about getting new valve body solenoid s, anybody got any other suggestions?

 

Thanks for the thread gang - praying the valve body is the fix since I'm currently seeking employment and can't afford to gamble.

Does anyone know of a reliable transmission shop in the Atlanta area? I'm located in Loganville (30 miles east of Atlanta).

Advice much appreciated!

jm

 

So after lurking around the forums I decided to take the plunge into my 2004 Maxima that (says it) has 46k miles (I'm convinced the previous owner swapped the cluster but that's another story). Taking off the preliminary stuff wasn't too bad, and even the valve body cover bolts weren't that bad (replaced with various sizes by the previous owner).

One thing that I did notice while disconnecting the connectors is that it's nearly impossible to take the connectors out without breaking the retainers on the solenoids (meaning, plan to purchase new ones...). After I started to take the valve body apart to put the trans-go kit in, all the filters, check valves, etc came right out. Lovely. At least trans-go has AMAZING documentation on where each thing goes. I got it all put back together confidently and threw it back into the car (without regard for the governor apply gaskets/o-rings). I hardly had drive or reverse and decided to call it a day.

I opted to go with an entire re-manufactured valve body from Sunbelt Valve Body Rebuilders since I had no clue what went awry with my rebuild, if I ruined the valve body, and how to fix that retainer on the solenoid.

I got it within a few days of ordering and went to throw it into my car. Upon dropping the cover...some bits that I installed from the kit came right out. Good thing I got an entire valve body from Sunbelt. Also, one of the governor apply gaskets was long gone. Great. I ended up going to the hardware store and found something called a faucet washer that was the same consistency as the governor apply gaskets. I bored out the center to the diameter of the one that I still had and replaced it.

One HUGE tip I can give is that you should really have two people when you're putting in the valve body. I didn't, either time. And the second time I was SUPER careful to not let the governor apply gaskets fall out (use petroleum jelly, you do NOT want these to fall out, do NOT skip this part, you will be kicking yourself in the face later). If you don't have two people, here's another HUGE tip I can give if you're solo. Install one of the bolts from the bottom, you will be on your back when you initially install the valve body and putting a bolt in from the bottom would be easiest. Put it in with just enough thread to steadily hold the valve body in place. Get out from under the car and from the engine bay install the lever/rod at the top. It'll take some time. Be patient. Now, once that's in, move back to the bottom and take that bolt out. The valve body will be SLIGHTLY held in place by the rod/lever but mostly by you. Here is where you can check the governor apply gaskets. If they're missing, you should be able to get to them, and slide them back up into place. If they're not, CAREFULLY place the valve body into it's position, and bolt it up. Try to keep movement of the valve body to an absolute minimum after it's in position.

Car drove like a champ, but the 1-2 shift slip is still there (albeit less noticeable than before). There used to be a slip from 2-3 but that's hardly noticeable now. The car feels like it definitely has more power and shifts..."smarter"? Either way, a valve body didn't completely fix my issue but it for sure helped it out.

EDIT: Day 2 of highway driving and the shifts feel a ton better between 1-2 and 2-3. They're pretty firm, but I'd rather have firm shifts over slippage...any day.

 

Bought my 05 front end wrecked and never drove it prior. 65k miles for $500 and I already own a 2k since new, original owner, so figured how bad could it be? Well upon $2500 in cosmetic fixing I finally got it on registered, insured and on the road and even w 65k, yep slamming into gears when approaching stop(downshifting way too early) and slipping the hell out of up shifts. But I had already read this page multiple times prior when deciding if I should buy the 6th or not so went w the newly designed vb from Nissan after months of reading.

Well here I am about 500 miles later after install and all the up shifting issues have been solved yet a new one appeared. When it hits it's up shift into final gear seems like doing it way to early and a bog down can be felt. Hit the gas and it will downshift and be ready to go. Let go and it up shifts again and that bog feeling is felt. Granted it's minor, still feels as tho like a person driving stick that doesn't know how and keeps going into the next gear too soon. But wot or even aggressive driving and issue doesn't exist.

Next it doesnt slam into gear coming to light like last time but each downshift can be felt. As its decelerating and going from 3k rpm to 2k rpm then youll feel a downshift and it will jump to not quite up to 3k but almost. And this pattern continues. This to me feels like a person who can drive stick well and is just downshifting ever so slightly early as to be ready at any moment to be in wot and take off. Basically how I ride my bike.

Well my question is, is this normal? Again I never drove a 6th before this one so have no comparison. But is this how problem starts? Will it get worse and end up with same problem?

I don't know how long previous owner drove w hard down shifts. But it did sit for over 2 yrs w him in back yard but he put gas stabilizer in it.

I only took it on the initial first drive, felt those horrible downshift and immediately parked it and ordered oem newly designed vb. Before I put it back in road, changed vb and Trans screen and fluid, all oem. Also did a techron in gas tank fuel injection cleaner and put seafoam in crank case. Changed oil after that first full tank ran through.

So again is this feeling normal? Did I fix it? Thank you in advance to any that may be able to help.

 

In advance, thank you all for the meticulous write ups on this. I wanted to give some serious fist bumps to all of the previous contributors. I am a technician at a VW Audi shop in Columbus, OH. I have been working in "stealerships" (as many of you so eloquently phrased it ) for the last 10+ years. I started with VW and switched to Nissan 5 years ago. Ive installed probably around 50-75 transmissions in the last 2 years alone (mostly CVTs). Fed up with the dealer environment and the brutal unprofessionalism and dishonesty, I left and went to work at an independent shop specializing in Audi/VW with a friend of mine. I do plenty of work on Nissans as well.

A few days ago, an old friend of mine dropped off an 05 Maxima with me, wondering what can be done about an extremely harsh engagement after 20 minutes of driving when shifting from R to D and vice versa. I had written it off as needing a transmission until I came across this thread

Car was due out for this weekend, I found the 3 solenoids from Rostra at Transtar. I payed a bit more for them than ebay, but I was in a serious time crunch.

I installed them this morning. Keep in mind that at the dealer, we replaced many valve bodies for concerns based solely on TSBs. Outside of warranty, valve body replacement is extremely risky... All too often, on many vehicles including CVT's, the SM would dictate valve body replacement for faults stored in the TCM/ECM. $2000 later, some of these cars would still have issues. Because so many people pin everything on the dealer (and in many cases rightfully so), we were stuck trying to figure out how to make the customer happy while eating the cost of a valve body and finding a transmission. If you ever wondered why the dealer recommends a tranny instead of aftermarket solenoids, its all about liability. Which is why I wanted OUT. People seem to be much more straightforward and honest when someone is straightforward and honest with them. Imagine that!

The Rostra solenoid install was extremely simple. Once again, initial problem was delayed engagement into Drive, followed by a brutal harsh bone jerking shift after driving for 20mins. I had faults stored - P0744 TCC circuit intermittent and P0797 Pressure Control Solenoid C stuck open. Replacement was straightforward and simply. Drain fluid, remove battery, airbox, air dam. Remove pan from front side. Remove 2 brackets and solenoids, install new solenoids as per instructions from Rostra. Clean pan (I recommend a razor blade or quality automotive gasket scraper). Clean any and all crumbles created in pan, clean with shop air. Reassemble vehicle. Fill with trans fluid (matic K). Perform initialization as per instructions. Road test.

The crazy hardcore drive engagement sensation is gone. All shifts are nice and smooth. Great job with the writeup from the original author and rainman.

 

Great reading on here. I just finished cleaning out 3 solenoid sand put maxima back together. But now when I put into drive, car seems to go to 5th and nothing I can do about it. Any suggestions on what to do next?
Thanks

 

As many have said, thanks so much to all who have posted such detailed descriptions of their fixes. I just replaced my solenoids in VB with Rostra solenoids and my car has 152k miles on it! I have waited 1k miles to post to see if everything was ok and it is. I would never have considered working on a tranny without the fine work of those on here.
Basically, all went well and as posted. I did use 1/4" drive ratchet with extensions and had no problems accessing all of the VB bolts. I did reuse the bolts also. I could not remove solenoid connectors without breaking the plastic on the female (solenoid) side, but fortunately the male connectors stayed intact. I just put a small screwdriver in the slots and pried upwards. No problems with replacing solenoids. I let my VB drain overnight so it wouldn't be dripping ATF when I was applying gasket compound. I applied it exactly as directed. I did not use a torque wrench to replace VB bolts, but I just firmed them up well with 1/4" drive ratchet. So far, so good.
After reassembly, I started it up and let it run for awhile to check for leaks, and no problem. I held my breath as I put it in gear to move and retrain trans. and was thrilled that it even moved! Had some rough moments and flares during retraining, but it all smoothed out. I still have a slight delay going into reverse, but all the hard shifting, and delays shifting into drive are gone. Shifts great.
I didn't know if I was wasting money on my 05 Maxima with 152k miles buying the Rostra kit, but it was worth the risk compared to the alternative. I just wanted to post to let people with higher mileage Maximas know that this may be a solution for them also.
Thanks again to all of the "pioneers" on here.

 

Nice feedback.

 

I owe this thread and its contributors so much. I saved my new to me 2004 Maxima SL with 116k on it from being traded in for $1,400 to Toyota last November, but after driving it home and having all the rough shifting and slipping transmission issues, I let it sit for about 7 months.

After reading all the threads and guides on here and my6thgen, I bought the Rostra Solenoids from ebay, and Mobil 1 3309 ATF from Amazon (only used 3 quarts but bought a pack of 12, oh well).

I pretty much followed this guide for installation, except all I did was replace the solenoids.

During installation, I removed the solenoid connectors using a small bit like this. What also helped me was a 1/4" flex head rachet I got from Harbor Freight.


I finished up installation today and did the transmission learning procedure on the Rostra paper. It shifts amazing now!

 

Hey, I have a 2006 maxima SE and the original tire size is 245/45/18. I was wondering if a tire size of 235/55/18 be able to fit with out any problems such scrubbing when I turn? PLEASE HELP.

 

Im thinking of changing the Valve body on my 2004 maxima. does anyone know which valve body i should be looking for they have the blank, A, B, and C. i dont know which one my 2004 maxima SE has. If someone know please help me out

 

If you have a 2004 Max then your vb part number is 31705-8Y00B. I'm unaware of blank Vbs. Perhaps you meant blank transmission control module (tcm).
Edit: Oh. You were referring to Sonnax re-manufactured vbs!

 

Also, I don't think a GM one will work. Here's the differences between the GM ones and the Nissan/Volvo ones:



Both pictures came from: http://worldwidepartsoutlet.com/

 

Hello out there. Newby here. After reading some of the posts I was impressed by the no nonsense replies to others who needed information about their maxima's . I currently own an '04 max with 3.5 motor and have the "jerking prob" with the trans sometimes. I want to repair it before it gets worse. This doesn't happen often. The car is my baby and I put almost 7,500. into it. Replacing every thing from the wheels up. Tires, brakes/rotors, front struts/bushings, rear shocks and bushings, Alt, Timing chain and guides, water pump, new radiator, Dealer throttle body, Hoses, tune up, you name it...everything but the steering wheel, and the "loose nut" behind the wheel. I read about this transgo kit for my car. I'm interested in this item. Also wondering if I bring the car to my trans guy might he balk at installing this repair kit for me? Don't like to make waves but this car is family...has sentimental value....family member in the service who didn't make it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance, Ted Hernandez from Staten Island NY.

 

Hello everybody, I also get the p0744 code. I have been following the forum for months, and tried just about everything. My 06 Maxima went bad on the drive home from the crappy car lot, but it was an as is sale! Lesson learned: take a looong long testdrive next time! Fast forward about a year. As much as I can afford and save up for, I have done step after step, from all the ideas I get from the forums. First the very promising valve body kit, then the new Rostra linear solenoids, and recently a new used transmission, from a used parts dealer with a 90 day warranty. I had hope on the first drive after installing it, it shifted fairly decent until it warmed up, then harsh shifts again, leading up to failsafe with code p0744 returned. Next i replaced the two camshaft position sensors, just as something to try short of taking the transmission back out. Not a job I'm looking forward to. The result was somewhat smoother shifting, or maybe wishful thinking, but as soon as the car warmed up, within a few miles, the trans started acting up again, and went into failsafe after some harsh shifting. After explaining this to the guy about the warranty on that $1000 transmission, he suggsted having the tcm reprogrammed at a shop. I called around, and only a Nissan dealer is able to do that. I spoke with several out of town ones, and was told that would be a waste of money, because my symptoms point to internal transmission problems. So maybe I was just unlucky with the used one I found? Anyway, I remember a long story by another member who got his transmission rebuilt for thousands of dollars, after a valve body and more, and still got the same problem. Then the shop supposedly fixed the problem by replacing the tcm, end of story. My question, can I get a used tcm? Will it require dealer programming? Has anyone had success or found a permanent fix to this issue? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

My candid opinion is that you do an oem valve body replacement.

 

Thank you, I'll have to look into the cost of that.

 

Since you have a new (used) transmission, it is desirable to have the tcm programmed (initialized); but this can only enhance the general shift quality after your present symptoms have been addressed.

 

Thank you. Am I correct in assuming you are saying programming will not fix my issue? And may I repeat my question about a used tcm from another 06 max? Can I try it? Should it work? will it need dealer programming? Does anyone know from experience?

 

No, programming the tcm is not likely to fix your issue. But since you have a used transmission, it's desirable to programme the tcm to learn the transmission to it. Again, if you install a used tcm from another 06 Max (though I don't see why in this case), you have to reprogramme the tcm to work with the transmission. Here's my suggestion:
1. Programme the current tcm
2. If no improvement, change the valve body with oem.

 

Thanks for the input!
The reason why I'm considering another used tcm from another 06 Maxima is, the fact that its impossible to get mine programmed at the dealer, because where I live there is no dealer,; and the transmission shops can't help, because according to aamco, Nissan has not released the software. So I am stuck trying a different tcm from a good shifting wrecked car, to rule out a malfunction of mine. Before I buy one, I would just like to know, if there is a vin mumber programmed on these tcms, like on some ecus, or if its plug and play. Ebay sellers are vague about it, and local junk yards don't know.

 

You'd not need to programme a tcm only if brand-new. Programming a tcm takes less than five minutes if you have Nissan Consult software. That's where a dealer comes in. (Aamco is presumably referring to flashing. What is needed is initializing; they are not the same). I know this is hard, but my suggestion remains a new oem valve body.
Why did you change the original tranny in the first place? Something tells me it's still good, and that the real issue is the valve body.

 

Those in New England or an afternoons drive of, I can vouch for Acme Transmission in Worcester Ma. on aftermarket valve body replacement for this issue. About a year ago, approx 98k, my shifting issues gradually became worse. Jumping, banging, etc...it drove me to the internet (and here, as mainly a lurker) looking for solutions. Google searches, complaints.com, NHTSA, youtube, etc...it's all out there.

If you feel the car is in good shape (body, motor, and the mileage is right for the year), which I felt mine was, start doing your homework in this thread firstly, so you can take your gained knowledge to the phone/in person to the repair facility. You'd be surprised how many unscrupulous shops/dealers that "go for the gold" or refuse to acknowledge there's even a TSB on this long known issue. Dealer came in with a R&R for 3600.00, a few local "chainy places" went for replacement. No one would acknowledge the valve body issue, and they apparently think everyone is stupid.

Went round and round with Nissan and even did a short term subscription to Mitchell to get all the data and printed off all the TSBs surrounding the issue...After banging the drum with Nissan America, which finally dismissed my case, after suggesting a "good faith offering" that they ended up balking at....I decided to have it fixed. Being in a condo, and selling off most of my tools, it was time to let someone else do it.

Read about Acme Transmission in Worcester Massachusetts and called them (Im about 50 minutes Northeast of Worcester), and we swapped stories about my issue, and his knowledge on the subject and "flat fee" VB replacement was the option I went with.

this was exactly 14 months ago and ZERO problems since job. Shifts nice, tight, and performance is back without the banging and "neutral drops"

http://acmetransmissionshop.com/
I dealt with Gary and the guys was spot on with knowledge and personality.

 

Newbie here, please understand. I read just about everything and it is a wealth of information, but it has my head spinning.
I just want to keep it simple. My 2005 SL Max has been giving me hard jerking etc. like most of your problems on this thread.
Please at this time, can someone tell me the type of kit and parts I need to fix my transmission without buying a new or rebuilt tranny. And what site I can buy it?
I would like to keep it as simple as possible without making my head spin.
Thank you in advance for your help and not being rude or condescending.

 

Try the Rostra solenoids then. Part number 52-9036.
http://www.rostratransmission.com/tr...ansmission.php
You should be able to get them off eBay or their dealers.