Please don't bother responding unless you've read the whole thing...I can't stand speculation and assumptions, and this is a sore subject.

You all have told me about your bad experiences at Stateline. I finally had mine.

My wife has a 2001 Pathfinder with a shifter type four wheel drive. It's not the auto switch electronic type, it has a shifter on the floor. It is a "shift-on-the-fly" system, where you can shift from 2H to 4H and back to 2H at speeds up to 50mph.

The truck's transfer case worked "as-advertised" until recently...

My wife usually doesn't notice when something is wrong with her truck, so I drive it now and again to make sure it's doing ok (example: she won't notice/care or report to me if the steering wheel is vibrating and needs the tires balanced)

Anyway, it was raining one day a week or two ago, and I took it to work...
The transfer case allowed me to go from 2H to 4H on the fly...but when I got near dry pavement I needed to go back from 4H to 2H, but it wouldn't go back...I pulled over, and when I hit the gas again (after coming to a complete stop) then it went back into 2H.

I repeated this several times with the same results..the transfer case wouldn't go back into 2H while cruising at any speed unless I stopped, I tried it at 10, 30 and 45 mph...(it's supposed to work up to 50mph)

So I told my wife to take it to the dealer, and she thought it had always done it that way, but I knew better, it was not an old fashioned "put it in reverse" transfer case, it was supposed to come out of 4WD "on the fly" just like it would go into 4WD "on the fly"...

So I finally call the dealer with 59,850 miles on the truck. (I need to get something done now!) Chris (formerly my favorite service advisor there) tells me it's supposed come to a stop before going back into 2H. I tell him it used to be different, and finally after a bit of debating he says to go ahead and bring it in..

I bring it in. They try and convince me that I am supposed to put it in reverse, one of the ASE certified mechanics comes and tells me his wife has a 2002 Pathfinder, and he has to put theirs in reverse to get it to go back to 2H. I'm sure it will go back to 2H if he does that, but he can simply do it while he's on the fly, he just didn't know he could, and has probably never even tried it.

Anyway, there are so many people telling me that it only goes from 4H to 2H while stopped that I am starting to doubt myself, my wife, two or three service advisors, an ASE tech...etc...so I concede and ask them to "show me in the owners manual where it says that, and I'll drop it.."

So they break out the owners manual, and there are two ...wait, three sections on how to switch from 2H to 4H and to 4L...

The first we come across is the electronic version, with the "AUTO" mode, the one that uses the GT-R awd system I believe...this was first a standard feature on the QX4 when the vq35de was first put in these trucks, and was an option on later 2001 Pathfinders (we bought ours in August of 2000, the vq35 was what made me want it, and it was not available in the 2001 Pathfinders until later in the production run.)

Anyway, we realize that the switched 4WD system is a different system, and continue looking for the other system instructions...we come across the manual TRANSFER CASE section with two sub-sections, one for a manual TRANSMISSION, and one for an automatic TRANSMISSION...

note: don't confuse the manual TRANSFER CASE and the AUTO GT-R based transfer case with the 5 speed manual TRANSMISSION and the 4 speed automatic TRANSMISSION - this (among other things) was Ricks mistake, and it cost him my business.

The manual transfer case/manual transmission have one write up, and the manual transfer case/automatic transmission have another write up..the "manual transfer case/automatic transmission" combo is the one we needed.

It states that going from 4H to 2H you can "shift-on-the-fly" up to speeds of 50mph....case closed, something isn't working right.

The ASE mechanic (the one who said his wife's 2002 Pathfinder had to be put in reverse) got out of the truck and walked around and noticed that the two back tires had more wear than the two front tires...significantly more wear...He is now changing his tune from "that's how it's supposed to work" to --> you have mismatched tires; he says that even though the tires are the same "size", when one set is worn out more than the other, the ABS speed sensors recognize the slight difference in wheel speed and this will keep the truck from going back to 2H...as if it's telling me I might still be on slippery pavement...It's trying to be smart.

This makes sense to me, so I ask them to verify it somehow (maybe putting on 4 wheels off of a brand new Pathfinder, and taking it for a spin to make sure the transfer case works good...and they say it would cost me $50 for the labor, and they could just swap all the wheels back to their original truck. (later I found out McCarthy wanted $89 for this procedure)

But even though they wanted $50 to swap the wheels to help me be sure there was nothing wrong with the $35,000 truck that I bought 4 years before, they recommended I shouldn't waste my money, and that it was "definately the tires"...

So I asked them to put it in writing (did I mention that I have the "Gold-Plus Extended Warranty? -->I paid extra $$$ for an elite warranty and this is the service I get? The warranty extended my bumper to bumper warranty to match the powertrain, 5yr 60,000 miles and offered road side assistance, and a rental car for up to 5 days, also at 5 years/60,000 miles.

Chris refused to put it in writing...he said there wasn't a reason to, because there's nothing wrong. But that's just it, the transfer case isn't doing what its supposed to, and it might be the tires...if you're not going to trouble shoot it and find out for sure, put it in writing if you're so confident that its the tires...right? so I said, well, if there's nothing wrong, why won't it go from 4H to 2H on the highway? I believe its probably the tires like you said, but I just want it in writing just in case when I get new tires it still doesn't go into 2H on the fly."

Chris rudely refused...I walked away..ready to go home...

Then I called my wife to tell her I was bringing her the truck, she asked what the verdict was, and got to thinking about it, and I decided I wanted this in writing. If this were to come back and haunt me, and cost me thousands to fix, I wanted recourse on Nissan...it's probably the tires, but I don't want to risk a $2500 repair bill (or whatever a Pathfinder transfer case is going for these days). Hey, my expensive warranty is going to end over the weekend, and I need to make sure action has been taken to put blame where it is needed...is it the tires, or is the the transfer case, lets find out for sure while its still under warranty.

I went back and asked to talk to the service manager (Rick) and he was eager to help me. I asked him if they would put in writing..and instead of just doing that, he decided he better have another tech look at it first...Why? I thought they had properly diagnosed it the first time? Chris assured me it was the tires... :roll:

so 15 minutes later, he comes out to talk to me, says "Let's take if for a spin, I'll show you how it's supposed to work, there is nothing wrong with your Pathfinder." Skeptically, I follow his lead.

I get in, and he asks me to drive around the block, and asks me to put in in 4H while moving...I put it in, it works fine (like it always has) and then he asks me to put it back in 2H...I do, and it doesn't disengage...so he asks me to stop the truck. He says.."Now try..." so with the lever still pushed up into 2H, but the transfer case not yet disengaged, I apply gas..and it goes forward, and comes out of 4H...

Just like I found a week or two ago, the reason I decided to call, it was supposed to do that while driving, up to 50 mph (did I say that yet?)...

I said, Rick, this is why I'm in here, it's supposed to do this while I'm moving...up to 50mph...It's probably the tires, I just want you to verify that, and then I'll be on my way.

He starts to show frustration with me by rolling his eyes (with his head, you know what I'm talking about, heavy sarcasm) and tells me to "forget what the book says, that's for the automatic 4WD system..

I attempt to show him the write up for the AUTO and the differnce between it and the manual transfer case, and he take the book out fo my hands and says the write up is for the AUTO (GT-R style) transfer case...he claims that both (all three if you include the sub categories) are for the AUTO GT-R type 4WD system, and to ignore the book, he knows how it's supposed to work...If I showed you the different write ups, you could tell the difference, I don't know why he couldn't see it.

He keeps getting frustrated with me, and I keep explaining to him how I know how it worked when new, after all, I've owned the truck for over 4 years, and even the book says..This time snatched the book from my hands and put it on the floor and held out his hand in this stern manor and said, "Look, the manual is wrong, that's for the AUTO (GT-R type) transmission Don't worry about what the manual says"...he kept saying "manual transmission" and "automatic transmission" --> I seriously think he was confusing the transmission with the transfer case. There's 3 write ups like I said, one for the AUTO GT-R type transfer case with the automatic transmission, one for the manual transfer case with manual transmission, and one for a manual transfer case with automatic transmission (the last is like ours) and it said what I always said.

So he demands that I drive back to the lot, and we'll drive a 2k4 Patty with the manual transfer case..and he'll settle this once and for all...that's how it's "supposed" to be... he says...

He's starting to show his emotions even more, walking with this strut like he's really annoyed and I feel like he's be-littling me. I'm getting tired of him acting like I'm an idiot...

I'm getting pissed Look, I've had my share of diagnosing problems and reading technical manuals, the Avionics systems on a Cobra have several thick publications that you have to know inside and out if you're going to do anything on that helicopter, heck, that's half the job. But he sees a guy who brings in his car to get serviced, and assumes he's the average idiot who has no technical knowledge or experience.

As we're walking to the car I can't hold back anymore, I say, "ya know, we've put 60,000 miles on this truck, I know how it's supposed to work, and I used to work on 28 million dollar attack helicopters, I know how to read a F*CKING manual!"

He turns and says, "If you have a problem, you can just take your business elsewhere"...and he starts back towards the shop..

and I say, "You're right, I'm tired of the way you've been treating me, I've been telling you guys for an hour how it's supposed to work, and I've spent too much time arguing with you on how it's SUPPOSED to work, I know how it's SUPPOSED to work! And it's a shame you don't!"

Then he is closer to the building than I and turns again and says some other degrading remark...right now I can't remember it..

and I say, "ya know, I bring all 3 of my cars to get serviced here, but you can can forget about me bring them here anymore, I'm f.ucking threw with this place, all the guys on the internet forums keep telling me HOW ****ED UP THIS PLACE IS, AND I KEEP DEFENDING YOU! WELL, NOT ANYMORE, I'M GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT YOU ARE F.UCKED UP. I'M GOING TO MCCARTHY... YOU DONE F.UCKED UP!"

So I had taken my wife back to work, and had the Sentra and the Pathfinder at the dealer...I had to leap frog my cars to the Toyota Dealer and then I drove off to McCarthy with the Pathfinder.

When I pulled into the dealership, my cell phone rang...

guess who?

It was the service manager, Rick, with his tail between his legs, it turns out he took a 2004 Pathfinder with a manual transfer case out for a spin...and guess who was right? your local vqman..thats who.

My man Floyd Crowley and a few others saw the incident and I think Floyd may have told him that indeed he had f.ucked up...I have bought two cars there, and brought in several friends as referrals to Floyd. One of the Sales Manager saw it too...I got pretty stinkin loud, I don't put up with bullsh!t , especially when I get it for an hour straight and a guy starts snatching owners manuals out of my hands and tells me not to worry about what it says..I paid good money for an extended warranty, but it didn't even matter, this is covered under the standard warranty, but you'd think they would treat me a little different.

Anyway, he asked me if I wanted to come back and let them swap wheels with a 2004 and see if that fixed it (which would let me rest easy until I got new tires)...now calm, I politely told him that I didn't like the way he talked to me in while my Pathfinder, and that I was going to start taking my business to McCarthy.. Like I'm going to let them work on my car now when they didn't even know how it was supposed to work...Everyone of them thought you had to stop and put it in reverse, until Rick, while still wrong, he thought you had to stop and then go, but putting it in reverse was not necessary...he acted like the fact that you didn't have to put it in reverse was the big advantage over the older systems...

Anyway, I imagine the problem is just the tires like they said, but I would like to:
A) Be certain by having them swap in 4 tires/wheels that are identical in size
B) Have it in writing.
C) Not get treated like an idiot..

I didn't get hostile until the point were I mentioned it, and I guess I was sick of arguing with them for an hour and being talked down to when I knew I was right.

McCarthy was no angel either..but that's a story for a different day...

-vq

 

SO, what kind of tires are you gonna get? Glad you showed the dealers whats up. I would have have to hit something or someone if I would have got that mad.

 

I would make a call to Nissan USA's customer service line and forward them a copy of this post.

I would also have them come and pick up your car in order to provide the diagnostic (with the tires) rather than you having to go down again to do it.

I would also make them fix it for free if the tires are NOT the problem.

Sounds like a fun experience. Glad you were right.

 

What a bunch of ****ing idiots.

 

This sounds more logical. I hope you stick it to them.

 

I had a '95 4x4 Nissn truck that would shift on the fly from 2H-4H-2H with no problems. You're only supposed to stop when going to 4L. I don't undersatnd why these Nissan tards are always so hell bent on insisting they're right instead of just making the customer happy and actually proving things.

 

i just bought a 2001 Pathfinder yesterday. The salesman told me about the shift on the fly with the manual transfer case and it worked perfect on my Pathy both in and out of 4H. Pretty poor the way they treated you I must say......

 

I'd take the truck to another dealership, describe your problem, as well as outcome of your dealings with previous dealership. They may jump at the opportunity to earn your business, and screw over a competing dealership in the process.
Oh and if you receive a survey from the dealership you originally took the truck to, be sure to mention your conversation with Rick.

 

totally sympathise with you man...it's amazing you had that much patience. I'm hoping it's just the tires. In a way, I think you should have gone back (or had them come to you) to try on the tires and make sure that was the problem. Oh boy. stealerships and their probs.

 

I really think I am done with buying Nissan's...

I took it to another dealership, and they tried pretty hard to sell me some tires...

I know I shouldn't put it in 4WD until I get 4 new tires, but right now I don't need 4WD and I just want to verify that the transfer case is ok because my warranty is about to expire..

thats all I want them to do...

maybe when it gets cold and i'm worried about snow I'll buy some tires so I can use 4WD without worry of destroying my transfer case.

 

UPDATE:

McCarthy got it figured out for me....

$42 diagonstic fee....it's not the transfer case..









WHEW!

 

So you are going to string us along and NOT tell us what the problem is? Shame on ya!

 

sorry, it was the tires...as suspected...

but those fools at Stateline didn't think anything was wrong..

all good now..

 

Have you thought of rotating your tires?

 

We have them rotated with every other oil change.

thanks Mr. Auto-mechanic...

because someone has two front tires worn differently then the two back tires you don't always assume they are ignorant to routine maintenance (tire rotation)...

They were worn differently not because I didn't rotate my tires, but because when the truck was about a year old, we had a blow out that couldn't be repaired, and we were told to replace 2 tires instead of just the one that was blown out..

One tire was bad, and 3 years ago when we had the blowout we should have replaced all four tires. Who was our repair advisor? Stateline Nissan of course.. The Dealer didn't tell us we needed to replace all four tires. They should have known better. Had they told us that we would have obviously done it, being that the insurance company would have been paying for it, because if we had to replace all four it would have been over $1000 to put the Toyo's that come OE

We had this vehicle serviced there all the time and they didn't do us right.

When the two 4 year old Toyo's wore out on their own accord, we replaced them about a month before I posted this. The two 3 year old Toyo's still had a year of tread life left, and the people that replaced them (again) didn't tell me that I needed to have the EXACT same tire height on all 4 corners. So a month later the truck was getting close to the 60,000 mark (end of warranty) and I was trying everything out one last time (this is my wife's car, not mine) and I wanted to make sure everything was working right, and found that the 4WD wasn't. The Nissan Dealer finally told me I needed to have 4 tires of the EXACT same height, but it took Stateline Nissan a whole lot of energy and thinking to figure that out...

Bought Car in August of 2000- We had four brand new Toyo's

Fall of 2001 we had a blow out, replaced two tires, now we have two brand new Toyo's and two 1 yr old Toyo's -- This wasn't a big deal, and the 4WD system worked fine...

September 2004, the two OE Tires that were 4 yrs old finally had it, and I replaced them. I still had the two 3 yr old Toyo's that I put on in the Fall of 2001); but now I also had two brand new Michelin's --

two tires being 3 years older than the others WAS a big deal to my 4WD system, but I didn't realize it was the tires that was the problem, I had no idea it could cause that much of a problem. If it were a problem, you'd think the Nissan dealer wouldn't have recommended replacing just two of the tires back in the Fall of 2001.

So after taking the car to two dealers I finally figured out it was the tires. Then I got two new Michelin's a few weeks later and everything is ok...

 

i guess nissan's shift on-the-fly system is pretty worthless considering the one on our '97 grand cherokee works like a dream at any speed with 4 mismatched tires

nissan's 4wd =

 

4 mismatched tires =

 

works for me

 

Interesting story. I too was not impressed with them. I went with a friend who had his son's 96 Max towed in with a starting problem. I believe Rick was the service rep we talked to, but I am not positive. They had diagnosed the starter as the problem by hitting it with a hammer. After that it worked again. At some point in the discussion I asked about the solenoid. The SM said these starters don't have a solenoid, that was old technology. Stateline wanted about $470 to replace the starter. I advised the friend to get the car home and I would help his son change the starter. I called O'Reilly's Auto Parts. They had a remanufactured starter with a lifetime warranty for $140 in stock.

I had never changed a starter on any car before. My partner (the son) I don't think had ever spent much time under the hood of a car. It took us approximately one hour. The following Monday I called Stateline Parts counter to determine the cost of the starter from them. $200 remanufactured. Can't remember the warranty. So Stateline wanted approximately $270 for labor on an item that took an inexperienced (me) technician an hour to complete. What a rip off. I would not recommend them to anyone. The unit I took off and the unit I put on both used solenoids to engage the ring gear. Anyplace that either doesn't know the product or assumes all his customers are idiots will never see me again.