Hey guys. First off I want to thank you all for the wealth of information you have all contributed. This is a good site with tons of general AND technical information on our cars. I have learned lots just lurking around for a couple of years!

So- here's the situation. My 02' SE auto just turned 45K. I absolutely adore this car and have wanted one (a max) since the 3rd gens came out. I wanted a 6 speed but couldn't find one for the price and with the options this one has, so I said what the hell... I'm in ATL traffic anyway. Well fellas, the tranny just started the famous full throttle 1-2 shift slip. Especially noticeable when the car is cold. Damn. I knew I should have waited for the 6 speed!

I changed the fluid myself with Nissan's matic-D, just a drain and fill without flushing or cleaning the screen as you guys have so often discussed. Took a little over 4 quarts to bring it up to the hot line when checked after car was driven for awhile. Guess what? the slip is now a little worse. Keep in mind it is only under WOT between 1 and 2 that this happens. I drive the car on average moderately hard, but of course don't abuse it. I don't shift the tranny manually when I punch it, I just firewall the throttle and enjoy the torque steer!

Any advice other than selling it and buying a 6 speed? I can have the tranny replaced under warranty obviously, but this will just happen all over again 30 or 40K down the road and I'll be shelling out 2 grand. This 4 speed tranny simply can't handle the torque of the VQ35. What the hell was Nissan thinking when they mated the 4th gen tranny to THIS engine? Little wonder that the 5 speed tiptronic tranny was introduced with the 6th gen. Will the VB mod cure this problem?

 

I thought the slippage is just a solenoid problem? You shouldn't have to replace your whole tranny, just the solenoid...which is NOT covered under the powertrain warranty.

Tony

 

Solenoid? I don't think that's the problem. The solenoid just initiates the shift. This is a slippage problem under WOT between 1st and 2nd gear, more than likely caused by clutch packs wearing out due to the valve body allowing the shift to happen too slowly. The excess torque of the VQ35 vs. the VQ30 (the ladder of which this tranny was designed to handle) prematurely wears out the clutch packs (or at least that's my theory). I believe this is the reason that the VB mod helps out. It allows crisp, quick shifts without the slippage to smooth out the shifts, which in turn allows the clutch packs to live longer. Any technical folks or Nissan technicians want to chime in on this and verify my theory, right or wrong? It is a problem though, and it really troubles me, that nissan engineers could get something so right with the phenominal VQ series engines, yet get something so wrong with what is arguably the most elaborate and expensive piece of machinery in the driveline, the automatic transmission. And only 7% of 02 and 03 maximas were sold with 6 speed manuals.

 

Anybody? C'mon guys. Do I need some kind of secret password to enter your click since I'm a newb? 103 have read the post and only Tony was gracious enough to answer me.... I'm not feelin' the luv....

 

I've had the slippage for 50k miles now and it hasn't gotten worse. I know i'm on borrowed time, but, hey, 103k miles now and counting on my '03. You're theory sounds good, but I'll have to check it when mine finally dies and it's time to replace / repair it. There's a good tranny shop here that does the VB mod that I'm sure I'll be visiting at some point. When I find out more, I'll be sure to post.

BTW: As the only 5.5 gen on the org with over 100k miles, I can truely say you bought a sound car. I still don't have any squeeks.

 

Thanks Gbauer... that does make me feel better. I started a new sales job a little over a month ago, and will more than likely be putting 40-50K on the car per year. Mostly hwy miles, but alot of stop and go here in Atlanta. That means LOTS of upshifts under half to full throttle darting in and out of traffic, and lots of heat buildup in the summer months. I hope it will withstand the heat and abuse!
I sure would like it if I could get Nissan to replace it (the tranny) under warranty, then immediately get the VB mod done and add an additional cooler. I think I'll drop it off at the dealer and leave it overnight, then come back in the morning for a cold testdrive for the service writer to experience. Maybe I'll luck out and they'll replace it! 15K remaining on the powertrain warranty... I wanna try to put 300K on this car.

 

I got a 2002 Nissan maxima 86 k and at full throttle im not sure if its slippage it just goes crazy to 6k rpms and spins..

 

So does the Powertrain warranty cover this and wasn't there a TSB on this? My Wife just got an '02 Maxima and it does the same thing between 1st and 2nd gears. I wouldn't necessarily call it slipping, it gets hung up then slams into second, you can feel and hear the thunk when it hits second gear.

 

My 2002 SE Autotragic did this from 30K to 50k. When I put it in the shop it took them 2 months to fix. Started with solenoids then valve body then finally full transmission replacement which took 6 weeks to get in as the warehouses in Dallas and California were both mysteriously out of replacements. Now at 65k and guess what its doing it again. But to answer the question yes the power train warranty covers this.

 

Not to *****, but I wanted to show what speaking too soon does. I blew my tranny a month after posting this! Though you guy might find that amusing

 

My Transmission was Slipping ,but i got it checked out and it was the Solenoid problem. now car drives awsome and shifts are tight.