I have a 99 maxima and it only has abour 81k miles on it. After I put my car in reverse (to back out of a spot or w/e), and then put it in drive and drive a bit, my transmission shifts extremely hard from like 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd. It makes a noise and jolts the car forward. However, if I back up my car, shut it off, restart it, and drive it again, I don't get any problems like that. Just a couple of things that may or may not influence anyone's response

1) I've had two coil packs replaced about 2 months ago.
2) The other 4 are still bad and my car IS misfiring
3) I'm getting two more coil packs replaced this or next week.
4) I've had this code pulled before, but I cleared it a couple of weeks ago and it didn't show up, I haven't recently checked it, so it might be there again
P0600 --- 0504 Automatic Transmission Control Unit Signal to ECU
4) I've had this code for awhile, If I try to clear it, it comes back almost instantly, but the problem showed up awhile after I got the code
P1490 --- 0801 Vacuum cut valve bypass valve

Thanks in advance for your help
-Mark

 

Oh, and another thing. I regularly change my Transmission fluid and it is clean and full

 

my first and only guess is the torque converter

 

try lowering your idle speed....i had a similar problem but first things first clear up some of those codes

 

yes my 96 gle does this from 1st to second only, any suggestions?

 

Check the drop resistor.

 

Ok, if it the torque converter has gone bad, how much would it cost to get a new part? I've never heard of a drop resistor, can you just tell me what it does and how much it would cost to replace it? My idle, with about no load, is <1000 RPMS. I think i forgot to mention i have an automatic.

I just wonder whyit only happens only after going in reverse and then back into drive. and then it works right after i restart it.

THanks for your replies

 

I have a TC that I took out of my car on Saturday when my car became a 5spd. Make me an offer. I also have a drop resistor I can sell. It controls the line pressure that your transmission shifts at. Got any codes?

 

+1 on checking the "drop" resistor. this is the resistor on the drivers side strut tower. this gave me the exact same symtoms and i replaced it and it shifted like a champ. (PS...look around at local junk yards.. i got a good "drop" resistor and Knock sensor for $40. A steal!!) good luck

 

Thanks for the replies. What can I do to see if the resistor is bad? Anyone have any pictures as to what it looks like, or would it be in the Haynes manual, because I have one of those.

 

i have a similar problem.. the line pressure solenoid went bad i replaced it and no help at all the car still drives execally the same.. i checked the resistor and its read 12 ohms...

 

http://jime.homeip.net/DR%20Mod.html

Check this page. It's for modding the resistor, but it still has pics of what it looks like and where it's located.

 

How many miles on the trans?

 

81k. is there a description of how to actually exhange (or test) the resistor. I'm going to get the rest of my coil packs changed on saturday or monday. i'm going to ask him to reduce the idle as well. with no load, in park, how much should the idle be again? if the resistor is easy, i'm going to do that myself. i'm not too illiterate with cars. doesn't look difficult. if its the TB, i'm screwed =/

 

yea the resitor is really easy to replace. just get a 10mm socket and take the top bolt off and loosen the bottom bolt and jus unplug and replace. its easy. good luck.

 

It just needs a 100 shot of NAWZ and some 20s

 

i'm having the same problem with my 95 max

 

Except I'm having this problem on a 98 GXE..
Wouldn't the drop resistor make shifts into ALL gears hard if it were blown?

 

P0600 (0504) points to a problem with automatic transmission communications line.
Pulse signals are exchanged between the Engine Control Module and the Transmission control module to assure smooth shifting during hard acceleration or decelration.

this malfunction is detected when the ECM continuously receives an incorrect voltage from the TCM.

possible casuses include:
-harness or connectors
-TCM
-discharged or faulty battery.

if your dropping resitor was bad it would throw code 1205 ( line pressure solenoid)

It won't hurt to check it , but i believe that problem lies somewhere else.

Replace your missfiring colis, reset the ECU and see what codes come back.

4th Gen auto trannies are known to shift hard from 1st to 2nd , but there should be not drastic jerking and noises you have mentioned.

My auto tranny with 150k on it shifts hard from 1st to 2nd but only occasionally
even with new and improved set of shifting solenoids from Nissan.


Nick.

 

i just did quick search and it seems that lot of members had the same code and after resseting ecu code didn't come back. So it must be related to some other issue going on in the vehicle at the same time.

http://forums.maxima.org/search.php?searchid=287333

Nick.

 

83K. The first 50K, my grandfather and father put on. They didn't push the car at all. When I got it, a tranny cooler went in and it racked up three quarter miles passes. Shifts just fine.

 

yea, definitely monday im getting it fixed. anyone in jersey know a junkyard with a max in it? i went to 5 junkyards in rahway nj and found none =(. thanks

 

www.car-parts.com is your friend.

 

I dunno, I'm probably wrong, but maybe someone who owned the car before you put in a shift kit?

 

I highly doubt it's a shift kit issue because he said it goes away after shutting the car off.

 

How long before the tranny acts up again though? 5 minutes? Gone for the rest of the running time?

 

Turning the car off and it disappearing tells me it has something to do with an electrical component. Shift kits are purely mechanical so turning the car on and off wouldn't make a difference.

 

Is there an exact name for the part i'm looking for? what category would it be in and is it really called the drop resistor

 

You again.
It's not the torque converter. What is with you and telling people it's the TC?

 

Markargente - drop resistor or dropping resistor part # 31037-71L00
is only available from Nissan , I believe ( not corner parts stores).
About $50.00 local dealers, about $35.00 on-line dealers and , from what
I found, they'll have to order it and it will take a couple days extra. (1 called
10 dealers)

 

With all the changes made, I would try resetting both the ECU & TCM (transmission control module) by doing the following:

Disconnect the battery and keep it disconnected for at least 24 hours, then reconnect it. Let me know if that cures the problem.

 

It is not a mechanical problem but rather an electronic issue with either the TCU or the ECU. In your case the tranny is not shifting correctly so I'd immediately suspect the TCU is to blame. It's located in the center console sort of next to and slightly below where the radio sits.

Search around for a used TCU and replace it.

 

What do you mean by on-line dealers? like nissan-usa.com or something? would I have to pay for shipping?

 

njmax, around how much would those go for used from lets say an online parts dealer? I'm assuming it wouldnt be easy enough for me to uninstall by myself

 

I have no idea, call a few junk yards or search around on the internet.

 

You can check the resistor with a digital multi meter. My experience has been that the trans is hard shifting all the time when the resistor goes. I replaced two in 175,000 miles. There are other pics of it on this site in the past couple months. It is on the front side of the left front shock tower. The air filter "container" is then to the left of it. Remove the resistor and use a digital multimeter to touch the the pins in the mini connector on the resistor. The resistance I believe is about 12 ohms. They do run about $53.00 at your dealer. If you get NO reading then 1. it is a bad resistor or 2. you don't have the probes from your multi meter touching the contacts. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to remove it and test it and reinstall it.

 

Okay, I took it to my mechanic and I got the coil packs replaced. In addition, he did something with the fuses and I actually bought a drop resistor from someone on the forum, and I actually don't need it anymore. I'm gonna post a WTS on the buying/selling forum, but I saw people here who had the same problem and if they want a drop resistor, i'll sell it for 35 shipped.

Thanks for your help guys

 

Not trying to change the subject but would this same be for if the trans is shifting soft? It seems like my auto trans seems to over rev on occasion between 2nd to 3rd or sometimes 3rd to 4th.

 

from park to drive my car does this.. i just figure shes been aroudn the block a few times.. hmm never thought about hte resistor.. dammit man... great now i gotta go look at it..

 

I've got those symptoms as well but are you having problems with downshifting as well?

I dropped my car off at the tranny shop this morning. I'll post later on when I hear what the problem is.