Hello, I recently run into a problem with my 90SE Maxima, first occurrence was on uphill after a red light, when accelerate the car barely move, so I give it more gas (didn't floor it) and i felt a strong pull and then start driving normally.

Now I have been checking my shifts and they look normal, however when I drive a lot stop and go on the city the steering wheel vibrates randomly.

I try to find a pattern but I can't. I notice the steering wheel vibration usually comes right after I feel a light vibration on the gas pedal, so when I feel this light vibration i let go and then depress slowly and the vibration is gone and then the steering whel does not vibrate.

On the highway this never happens, as long as I'm on certain speed the car drives ok, the problem seem to be the need to stop and then gas it again to gain speed.

I checked my transmission fluid, and seems low, actually I was not sure how to check it, I was told the engine needs to be running, but I noticed the fluid on the dipstick have some bubbles, still pinkish but something like soap. the area that says cold is barely covered.

I'm not sure where my problem could be, Transmission? suspension? anything else?

 

Transmission fluid is checked while engine is idling and at operating temp. If it low add fluid and test drive again but the symptom you are describing sounds like a transmission shudder as. I had this same issue years ago and the the trans took a dump and locked up. So i just did a 5-speed conversion. Also you might to check all your engine and transmission mounts too.

 

I noticed in your description of your problem you never really talk about high RPMs with no movement. Is this the problem or just the vibration in the wheel and the pedal intermittently?

Sounds like a misfire to me because of the vibration being intermittent.

Can we get a better description of the problem?

 

The shifts seem to be ok, well I don't know how healthy they are but since I drive the Maxima always shift at around 3.5k rpm while in Power and around 2.5k while in confort I really do not see any pattern of the vibration while is on any gear specifically.

I do have noticed that it happens more often when going uphill, seems like if I stop and I need to gain speed again, is a 90% chance vibration will occur, but if I'm downhill or any other regular street, chances are 20-30% depends how I treat the gas pedal, if I go hard giving it gas seem to hesitate and then vibrates, but if I go gentle it gain speed slowly but smoothly.

Today I was driving at highway 65mph while my rpm stay on 2k very steady.

If the info helps, also in the morning cold starts the rpm either in idle or while in gear drops like it want to stall but it doesn't and that goes away as soon as give it gas enough to gain some speed and doesn't do it again until next morning.

 

engine mounts/tranny mounts........