have a 2000 maxima - 110,000 miles on it. up until recently its been fine, i take care of it - (oil,filters etc). recently i was driving and the transmission went 'neutral' while driving. this was about after an hour of driving. it would not go into gear even though i was in drive. i had to pull over - shut the car down and let it sit while i figured out what happend. i waited about 2 - 3 minutes, started it up and it did the same thing. it would go in first but rev really high - and not shift. if i am already driving - say slowing down from highway driving, it will go neutral.

it only happens off and on - sometimes after an hour of driving, sometimes right away but usually after 40 minutes to an hour of driving. ive taken the car to THREE different places and no one can figure it out and say they cannot duplicate the problem.

i just got the car back from a mechanic who replaced the front cv's, all 02 sensors and solenids - they also could not locate or determine the exact problem but i needed new cv's so i had them do the tranny also.

i had a ''basic overhaul'' kit done on the tranny - the mechanic said since there is no visual damage, no computer scans showing anything besides 02 sensors that he only reccommended that since i insisted there was an issue.

theres gotta be SOMEONE who has had this issue with the car !!! please help ! thank you!
Modified by bpomps at 5:13 PM 7/8/2008

my tranny shifts hard sometimes but other then that it is fine, have you checked the tranny fluid?

yes. its good.

i just got the car out of the shop - - and the same problem happened on the way home.

I have almost the exact same symptoms in my 2000 Maxima SE. Your experience with the transmission overhaul reinforces my suspicions that the problem is electrical and lies either with a sensor or transmission control computer (if it has one). The wife has threatened to take posession of my truck if I don't solve this problem, so I'll keep you posted on my progress

yes, please keep me updated on your finds / fix !

as i said - i just got my car back from the shop who along with other work i needed - dropped the tranny and checked it out, said visually it was good, could use new seals etc. new solenid kit was put on but im still having the same issue.

i was searching online last night and came across this, http://nissan-maxima-car.blogs....htmlwhich partly describes the problem i am having - the fix is supposed to be a new fuel filter. im heading out today to try and find one locally and see if that is the fix that THREE mechanics couldnt figure out.

I would SERIOUSLY doubt the fuel filter is the root cause of this problem. In my situation (and the way you describe yours) the transmission seems to suddenly go into neutral and the engine overrevs. If it were a fuel delivery problem, I'd think it would not come on suddenly and would not overrev so easily. I'd think the engine would starve and bog down pretty consistantly. In my experience when you slow down, the car will still go forward but won't go out of first gear (this indicates it went suddenly into FIRST instead of neutral). A faulty transmission control computer (The Solonoid Control Assy mentioned in the link?) would cause such a symptom I'd think, or the default of some input sensor such as the throttle position sensor or others.

TexasCowGrower wrote:I would SERIOUSLY doubt the fuel filter is the root cause of this problem. In my situation (and the way you describe yours) the transmission seems to suddenly go into neutral and the engine overrevs. If it were a fuel delivery problem, I'd think it would not come on suddenly and would not overrev so easily. I'd think the engine would starve and bog down pretty consistantly. In my experience when you slow down, the car will still go forward but won't go out of first gear (this indicates it went suddenly into FIRST instead of neutral). A faulty transmission control computer (The Solonoid Control Assy mentioned in the link?) would cause such a symptom I'd think, or the default of some input sensor such as the throttle position sensor or others.

why cant mechanics - specifically aamco - figure it out? they dropped the tranny, inspected it, said its fine. hooked it up to there computers and the only thing that came up was the 02 sensors.

i found this while searching the net http://nissan-maxima-car.blogs....html

There seem to be some common issues among Nissan Maxima owners who have the 2000-2004 models. These tend to range from intermittent rough idle to reported transmission problems, to a drastic decrease in performance. We are looking in to the real cause of the problems, and offering our advice on what to do, and what NOT to do. We looked into how to troubleshoot the intermittent rough idle problem in the latest article. It can be attributed to the ignition coils, which have proven to go bad in the first few years of ownership. The next issue we are going after is the supposed transmission problems I have been hearing about. This problem has been described as a hesitation in the shifting from 1st to 2nd, or 2nd to 3rd under half to full throttle. It also causes hard shifting, and the appearance of a "rev limiter" around 4000 rpms. The TSB (technical service bulletin) out for this says that the solenoid control assembly in the transmission is to blame. This assembly is responsible for the correct shift times for the transmission. Sounds like the right answer, right?

Maybe. These control assemblies can go bad, but it is only due to the build up of debris in the transmission system. This debris comes from clutch material and burned transmission fluid. With that much clutch material worn down, you would most likely have some slipping in the transmission occurring. If it is indeed slipping, then I would look at a transmission rebuild or replacement. Simply replacing the control assembly would just delay the inevitable, and cost you 500-750 dollars.

The issue I have described is NOT the transmission. I repeat. NOT the transmission. In my example, I have not described any slipping of the transmission. In a lot of cases, this "transmission" symptom is accompanied by a pinging engine and low performance. This is most likely a fuel related problem. The ping is from a lean fuel mixture (not enough gas). The poor performance could be from the same cause. If the knock sensor or the trans solenoids were bad, you would eventually get an engine trouble code from the ECU/TCU. The first place to check is the fuel filter in the gas tank. There is not an external filter on these cars, and that filter in the tank is SELDOM changed. The new filter should fix the engine ping, the performance issues, and the "transmission" type symptoms. The "rev limiter" feel is from the engine not having enough fuel to continue raising the rpms. The hard shift is from the transmission anticipating the faster shift needed at higher rpms, but the engine is not performing correctly, so the acceleration is not there to complete the smooth shift. All these systems work intricately together. Lower the fuel pressure available to the injectors, and all of the above symptoms can occur.

Be sure to have the codes checked. In a lot of cases I have seen, these issues come and go with no check engine light. That is a good sign it could be the fuel filter. You may also have a dirty throttle body, which I recommend cleaning when you replace the filter.

so since i just had the tranny dropped - inspected, new filter, fluid, basic overhaul kit and solenoid pack put on yet im still having teh same issue - now what?

the filter is 14.00 dollars so - i can change that myself and just see if it happens to be my issue.

also - one thing i should mention is that the maxima is a Florida car and i moved out to california 4 years ago with it - never had a problem before i came out here... one person i talked to said crappy california gas (which is different then the rest of the country because of clean air laws) could be the stem of the entire problem.

i wouldn't blame fuel for tranny issues. might be a faulty tranny control module.

allensteiner wrote:i wouldn't blame fuel for tranny issues. might be a faulty tranny control module.

Allensteiner...My sentiments EXACTLY. Now...where IS the tranny control module located, how can you field test it (without involving those notorious transmission mechanics), and how much would one cost, should I decide to just start throwing parts at this beast?

on my gen it's right under the bcm but i can point you in the right direction here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/2000

my have a solution there.

Thanx, now all I hafta do is wait three days while the dialup brings it down

I found interesting diagnostic help here

http://www.freewebs.com/theste...s.pdf

It's for the older generation Maxima, but I think it's the same transmission. It got me to thinking about the ATF TEMP SENSOR. The FIRST two or three times this problem exhibited symptoms, the car was pretty overheated, first due to a leaky radiator, then due to one of the fans being broken. Perhaps the high temps were responsible for a legitimate TCU initiation of "SAFE MODE" which kept me from burning something up. Fortunately, the radiator and fan have been replaced and it no longer overheats. UNfortunately, I still experience this intermitantly when the car is driven for a while in the hot Texas sun. Since bpomps car did not throw any codes, something like this may be the situation. I have yet to pull any codes on mine. Too tight to spring for the reader...I guess some things are inevitable even for a redneck inovator

TexasCowGrower wrote:Thanx, now all I hafta do is wait three days while the dialup brings it down

I found interesting diagnostic help here

http://www.freewebs.com/theste...s.pdf

It's for the older generation Maxima, but I think it's the same transmission. It got me to thinking about the ATF TEMP SENSOR. The FIRST two or three times this problem exhibited symptoms, the car was pretty overheated, first due to a leaky radiator, then due to one of the fans being broken. Perhaps the high temps were responsible for a legitimate TCU initiation of "SAFE MODE" which kept me from burning something up. Fortunately, the radiator and fan have been replaced and it no longer overheats. UNfortunately, I still experience this intermitantly when the car is driven for a while in the hot Texas sun. Since bpomps car did not throw any codes, something like this may be the situation. I have yet to pull any codes on mine. Too tight to spring for the reader...I guess some things are inevitable even for a redneck inovator

yep - on my car it happens after about 40 min of driving.

Check engine SES light finally came on today and before i could count them - the '' OD OFF '' light blinked around 8 - 10 times. i turned the car on and off and watched it the rest of the day but it didnt flash anymore. the SES light remains on.

pull the code and post it here. i'm thinking it might be P0600 but as always...i might be wrong.

allensteiner wrote:pull the code and post it here. i'm thinking it might be P0600 but as always...i might be wrong.

thanks - going to try and get the codes today if one of my local part stores does free scanning ( pepboys,napa,kragen )

if it is the ''P0600 - A/T Communication Line'' does that have to do with the TCM ?

i believe so. i think that means an issue with the wiring between the tranny and the module. MaximA32 might know more about that - he's the online mechanic.

***************UPDATE**********************

SES light came on - codes ran - two came up

P0138 - 02 sensor circuit high volts ( bank 1 sensor 2 )p0139 - CKT slow response ( bank 1 sensor 2 )

one thing i should note that i didnt before IS,

i stopped using the premium gas about 2 months ago just because of the gas prices. this is about when the tranny problem started happening more and more up to the point of 2 weeks ago when i couldnt drive more then 30-40 minutes before it going neutral.

i changed the fuel filter - which was extremely dirty, the fuel pump housing had dirt, and tiny fragments of metal in there. filled up with premium ( california premium 91 octane ) ran the car about 60 miles - ran alot better.

the SES light then came on - which resulted in the two codes above. i cleared the codes ( with a quarter tank of new premium, added a bottle of techron fuel system cleaner and topped off with premium 91 octane ). took the car for a 70 mile drive on the highway. ran like butter. the tranny did not go neutral in the range it was doing. shifting was still a little rough - especially at stop lights from 1st to 2nd - both speeding up and slowing down. other then that the car did not slip into neutral like its been doing.

i should also note that this car is originally a florida car that i brought out to california 4 years ago. always used premium up until gas prices went crazy and i started using 87 octane (california gas) for a few tanks -- which is about when all the problems started happening.

could this all be the result of crappy california gas (87 ocatane) in a florida (non-california emissioned ) car ?? i know california gas is -from what ive read on the internets - crap gas!

2 weeks ago i had the front 02 sensors replaced due to the SES light.

i plan on driving the car 50 to 100 miles each day to make the tranny problem reappear or the SES light come back on... and ill be using nothing but premium (91 octane) and maybe even some octane booster on the next tank.

the tranny is still shifting rough. when i had the front 02 sensors replaced 2 weeks ago - i had the tranny dropped and inspected - which i was told visually it was fine.... although the problem with going neutral hasnt returned - it is still shifting rough like i said.

still hunting.....

For what it's worth... I've been running 87 octane regular gas in mine since the second week I drove it off the showroom floor...some 134,000 miles. The problem has occured for me about 4-5 times over the last year only.

TexasCowGrower wrote:For what it's worth... I've been running 87 octane regular gas in mine since the second week I drove it off the showroom floor...some 134,000 miles. The problem has occured for me about 4-5 times over the last year only.

yea, i know its most likely not the stem of my problems....but seems like its at least part of the problem. especially after i changed the fuel filter and switched back to prem.

SES remains off - still getting the '' OD OFF '' light that rapidly blinks about 8-10 times on start up. but code scan doesnt pull anything.

any ideas on what that is?

anything in the fsm about that light flashing? i think it would be somewhere under at troubleshooting. i'll try to look it up later.

running smooth...no tranny slips all day. so weird.

took my roommate for a ride in the car who was in the car during a tranny slip before and he couldnt believe how smooth it was running.

planning on a 2 hour highway drive over the weekend to really test it.

well its been a few days - no tranny slips. no SES lights and the '' OD OFF '' hasnt rapidly blinked on startup for a few days. problem over? the trans does shift a little rough still - especially if im on the pedal.

i have noticed the rotten egg smell while at a couple of red lights ..but it could of been just the neighborhood i was in - so if thats the next thing to go, which from reading the forums sounds like it is....time for some performance parts ! after you initally start getting that smell - how long do you have before it really affects the car? (still no SES light)

my problem has gone away and i realized i never posted what i did..,...

i replaced a sensor on the trans and ever since then ( been months ) the problem is gone.

this is the part - it was 160 at the dealer.

bpomps, my car has the same symptoms you described in the past. The transmission jumps out and revs up to red line. What sensor did you change in the trans? Also, who did the diagnosis? I have been surviving with this problem for quite some time with no success.

Welcome to NICO.

The part replaced was the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS), 31935-8E006, a.k.a. Revolution Speed Sensor. It is a small black assembly mounted on top RH of the transmission housing, driver side. You have to remove the wheel and then the wheel well cover to access it. Should take 30 minutes, more or less, to replace it.

Make sure that your ATF level is correct and the color is pinkish red. When was the last time you had a transmission flush or even a pan drop. If you have a DTC code P0720, then it is the VSS that you really need to replace

MSRP for the part is $152 while discounted price from NICO sponsor, IoS (Infiniti of Scottsdale) - infinitipartsUSA.com a.k.a. "everythinginfiniti.com" is only $114.28. Call IoS to make sure it is the right part that you need.

http://www.infinitipartsusa.co...id=55

parbona1 wrote:bpomps, my car has the same symptoms you described in the past. The transmission jumps out and revs up to red line. What sensor did you change in the trans? Also, who did the diagnosis? I have been surviving with this problem for quite some time with no success.

its the info posted by loystock. check his post for where to get it - looks like its about 50 dollars cheaper then what i paid. and the install is pretty simple like loystock said, take the driver side wheel off, remove the splash guard (its like 3 or 4 bolts/screws) and you will see the sensor. it 'pops' in and out so you gotta loosen the bolt and then pull it up and it will pop out. plug the new one in and then pop that sucker in there.

I also disconnected my battery to let everything reset.

the trans would go neutral while driving and when i press the gas nothing would happen, i would need to coast to the side of the road and turn the car off and wait a minute and start it back up. sometimes it worked sometimes it didnt... is that what is happening to you?

i had my trans looked at and was told there was no physical damage, i had the filter and fluid changed and still had the problem.

i dont even remember who or where i got the info but once i found out i went right to the dealer and got the sensor plug assy...it was really my last resort before getting another trans.

i had a bad 02 also which was replaced. dont know if that would contribute to the problem but once i put in that new sensor, everything was/is fine. (knock on wood).

you mine as well replace the fuel filter also, i did that also.

hope that helps.

I have the same exact problem. Runs fine for 30 mins, then slips and shifts hard....Did u ever find the probelm

Welcome to NICO.

Did you even read the posts in the thread? The answer is there...plus picture.

mic209 wrote:I have the same exact problem. Runs fine for 30 mins, then slips and shifts hard....Did u ever find the probelm

yea man check the thread =--- the fix is up there - at least what worked for me....

i still get questions about this so im bumping the thread for the people that dont know how to 'search'