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2001 Maxima - Transmission is on its way out

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Old Feb 18, 2017 | 04:26 PM
  #1  
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2001 Maxima - Transmission is on its way out

What would you guys suggest? Buy another tranny and replace? Change cars? Car has 122k miles.
Old Feb 18, 2017 | 05:44 PM
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Keep the cooler lines cleaned out. TSB advises max owners to backflush the cooler lines.
Old Feb 18, 2017 | 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by maximatech12
Keep the cooler lines cleaned out. TSB advises max owners to backflush the cooler lines.
Could you go a little bit more in depth?

I can say that the car feels semi normal if I accelerate slowly, the gears seem to catch more fluidly, but if I try to up the anty a bit, it feels like I'm pressing the pedal, and receiving acceleration 2-4 seconds later, varies.

Does this mean I am f!cked or can cleaning out the cooler lines really help me?
Old Feb 19, 2017 | 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted by District
Could you go a little bit more in depth?

I can say that the car feels semi normal if I accelerate slowly, the gears seem to catch more fluidly, but if I try to up the anty a bit, it feels like I'm pressing the pedal, and receiving acceleration 2-4 seconds later, varies.

Does this mean I am f!cked or can cleaning out the cooler lines really help me?
Ignore that guy, hes a troll of some sort. Pretends to know what he's talking about but it's generally some made up nonsense
Old Feb 19, 2017 | 09:27 AM
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Then maybe someone accidentally put it in Reverse while going forward. I've done this before and wound up having torque converter solenoid issues. Maybe the issues were not related or were.
Old Feb 19, 2017 | 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by District
Could you go a little bit more in depth?

I can say that the car feels semi normal if I accelerate slowly, the gears seem to catch more fluidly, but if I try to up the anty a bit, it feels like I'm pressing the pedal, and receiving acceleration 2-4 seconds later,

Does this mean I am f!cked or can cleaning out the cooler lines really help me?
there's TSB's on the Solenoids too. Maybe replacing those will fix the issue. I get a similar effect on mine to and thought maybe the Solenoids need replacing. I

I AM Now in the process of pulling the core support on my 01 So I pulled the radiator. When I pulled the lines from the AT they were plugged up from the metal nipples mounted to the AT. They are the bolt through type.
You have to remove the 17mm banjo bolts and flush the nipple lines out then bolt back to transmission. The rubber lines are more like 7mm-8mm however you could use universal line as a Direct replacement.
The I can get a bottle of rust dissolve right ?and soak the pipes + bolts for an hour or two.

Last edited by maximatech12; Feb 19, 2017 at 03:04 PM.
Old Feb 22, 2017 | 03:33 PM
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So I've had what you are describing. I thought my issue was transmission as well, but my mechanic replaced my MAF after thinking it was the Cats, and my baby is alive again (currently at 189k miles).

My situation that describes it the best is merging on the freeway and needing to accelerate more aggressively than casual driving, it'll rev up and the car feels like it cruises, then after 5 seconds? BAM, it'll catch and start zooming (by this time too late to merge safely). Another symptom I had was carrying people and going up hill, it was sluggish and if I pressed on the gas it wouldn't move much, sllllooow and steady type feeling.

If you had similar situations, try replacing the MAF, my mechanic was thankfully honest and debunked my transmission hypothesis. I was ready to sell it for parts bc replacing the trans would be more than the value of the car.

Good luck!
Old Feb 22, 2017 | 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted by maximatech12
Then maybe someone accidentally put it in Reverse while going forward. I've done this before and wound up having torque converter solenoid issues. Maybe the issues were not related or were.
lmfao
Old Feb 23, 2017 | 08:15 PM
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00 gle auto...Do you guys have and suggestions, my car won't move in any gears. When I go to put it back in park there is a noise coming from tranny. I would have to leave it in another gear, turn it off, then put it in park.
Fluid is good and axles look good to me(someone suggested broken axle)
Check my video

Last edited by Alffie; Feb 23, 2017 at 08:27 PM.
Old Feb 24, 2017 | 09:26 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Maxima112
So I've had what you are describing. I thought my issue was transmission as well, but my mechanic replaced my MAF after thinking it was the Cats, and my baby is alive again (currently at 189k miles).

My situation that describes it the best is merging on the freeway and needing to accelerate more aggressively than casual driving, it'll rev up and the car feels like it cruises, then after 5 seconds? BAM, it'll catch and start zooming (by this time too late to merge safely). Another symptom I had was carrying people and going up hill, it was sluggish and if I pressed on the gas it wouldn't move much, sllllooow and steady type feeling.

If you had similar situations, try replacing the MAF, my mechanic was thankfully honest and debunked my transmission hypothesis. I was ready to sell it for parts bc replacing the trans would be more than the value of the car.

Good luck!
Hey, is there a way to test if it is the MAF? Why is no code being thrown? Did yours have a code? Which MAF did you get?
Old Feb 27, 2017 | 07:24 AM
  #11  
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I don't think a bad maf will always throw a code. Grab a few from a local junk yard and swap it out, see if it solves the problem.
Old Mar 1, 2017 | 06:51 PM
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Only use oem mafs! Not eBay crap
Old Mar 2, 2017 | 07:58 AM
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That's approx. $225.
so that's why you wanna hook up a cable to the ECM and pick up the mass air flow volume on grams per second. This should tell you if your having mass air flow issues
Old Mar 2, 2017 | 09:01 AM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by kauaiwyatt
Only use oem mafs! Not eBay crap
eBay has Hitachi for close to 1/2 the price retail at Auto Zone. Why not just buy from eBay? It's only $150.
Old Mar 9, 2017 | 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by District
Hey, is there a way to test if it is the MAF? Why is no code being thrown? Did yours have a code? Which MAF did you get?
it was throwing a lean code, I forget the actual number. I thought it was the o2 sensor, but once my mechanic changed the MAF it solved both problems. I say give that a try, from your description it's worth a shot. Maybe someone has one on sale in the classifieds? It's a brand new car, I've been accepting it for so many years it's a real shame. I cleaned the sensor every oil change too with the spray.

I bought OEM, my mechanic got it for cheaper, like 100 something.
Old Mar 9, 2017 | 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by District
Hey, is there a way to test if it is the MAF? Why is no code being thrown? Did yours have a code? Which MAF did you get?
A bad MAF does not always throw a code. With our cars, MAF problems are common enough that you should have a good, spare MAF in your car at all times. Sooner or later, you'll need it.
Re. buying parts: always, and I mean always, try Rockauto.com first. They are the best and the cheapest 95% of the time. Subsequently, you can try other sources later ... .
Rockauto sells the OEM MAF (by Hitachi) for about $120. Here:
- http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/n...ow+sensor,5128
- http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo....374533&jsn=409
Finally, for components like MAF or IACV don't waste money and time on aftermarket (non-OEM) parts. You'll be throwing your money away if you do.
Old Mar 14, 2017 | 11:25 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by maximatech12
Then maybe someone accidentally put it in Reverse while going forward. I've done this before and wound up having torque converter solenoid issues. Maybe the issues were not related or were.
I can remember I did this and soon after experienced/noticed similar issues as OP.




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