Transmission Trouble on F50

Post by **reid_houston** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:21 pm

I have a 2003 Q45 with 47300 miles. I recently had the car shipped back east from California and the transmission began to take about 3 to 5 seconds to engage when put in drive after reversing out of my parking spot.

It only happens when the car is cold and has sat overnight. The weather in VA has been chilly on all the mornings this has happened also. I sort of baby the car and rarely drive it hard or even use the manumatic mode. I am the second owner and picked her up at 14,000 miles about 4 years ago.

I dropped it off today and the dealership is going to try and reproduce the problem tomorrow morning.

What do you guys think? Bad transmission or clutch perhaps? I had the transmission flushed at 28,500 miles about 2 years ago by Infiniti and the receipt stated J-matic fluid was used. Perhaps the mechanic jacked up the maintenance and the results are showing.

Luckily, I have 5 months of powertrain warranty remaining. But this incident makes me want to buy the extended warranty...

Post by **qship96** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:30 pm

Totally disappointing to hear this, along with other shocking failures on the F50 models at low mileage.....what am I suppose to replace my old 96Q with when it finally dies???? Oil burning,bad ballasts,wheel bearings,nav units,electronics....the list goes on and on- wonder if they secretly had GM lend a hand somewhere in the design and specification process???

I am slowly scratching both the M/Q off my potential list of contenders, just might have to go to the darkside and shop used Lexus LS sedans????

Post by **reid_houston** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:19 pm

qship96 wrote:I am slowly scratching both the M/Q off my potential list of contenders, just might have to go to the darkside and shop used Lexus LS sedans????

Not exactly what I was looking for but thanks for the help.

Post by **silkysmoothyjud** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:16 pm

Who cares....its covered....sounds like a fluid issue. A slight shock due to a flush perhaps? That usually right after a flush, but it will go away after a while, but why not have em put a brand new one in it?

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:21 pm

I would really begin to be concerned if it starts to get worse... this is pretty common with many nissan transmissions and they typically go for a long time after this surfaces...

The dealer is going to tell you need to change your transmission, a flush cant hurt though!

Post by **kev1n** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:02 pm

For what its worht, they switch J-matic to S-matic now. I would have them do a full flush and fill with the new S-Matic.

Post by **mcrews** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:33 pm

reid_houston wrote:
Not exactly what I was looking for but thanks for the help.

Reid,Don't feel picked on, that's how the treat everybody who posts a problem with the 02 and newer Q45.

Hell, the first time I posted, back in 05, Maxnix was spouting about how I had to get a trans cooler ASAP and to contact Jim XXXX. When I told Jim i had a 02 he's said, there isn't a problem with the 02s......

I've got 185k miles on my 02. I follow the service schedule religiously. My last major repair was at 110k and it was a ballast. And the service writer got it covered!

The biggest reason to buy an extended warr. is because any electronic control unit will run $1k. and the warr will only cost 13-1500. I had ext warr to 100k and had 3 repairs that would have exceeded 1200.

Post by **loystock** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:42 am

I have an O3Q and never have had any major problem with it. There was an airbag recall (fixed now) and the TB was replaced under warranty (failed IAVL after I cleaned the throttle valve - never again on a drive-by-wire TB).

As for the transmission, I do a pan drop, filter replacement and flush on the 3rd year of service and then flush every 2 years thereafter. Drove the car to Vegas last month (550 miles each way) to watch the Pacquiao-Cotto fight and the car is still smooth and very responsive. MY mileage was @ 22MPG, driving 80-85MPH with occasional burst beyond 100MPH.

Post by **Bigmike40** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 2:12 am

I have got an 05 Q45 and recently had the trans flush done at 50K. So far my Q has no gremlins, I thought it had a oil consumption problem but after Infiniti performed the tests she was ok! I do have the extended warranty though, this car is expensive when it comes to repairs. I bought my car with 17K almost 2 years ago from the dealership certified and I love it! The only negative thing I can say about the car is the poor gas milege:-(

Mike

Post by **maxnix** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:22 am

mcrews wrote:
Hell, the first time I posted, back in 05, Maxnix was spouting about how I had to get a trans cooler ASAP and to contact Jim XXXX. When I told Jim i had a 02 he's said, there isn't a problem with the 02s......

Either you need to cut back on the 'shrooms or quit manufacturing non-existant quotes.

Any automatic will benefit from an auxiliary ATF cooler to stabilize ATF temperatures and avoid heat spikes.

Post by **Q451990** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 6:54 am

That extended warranty sure sounds like a good idea.

Heath

Post by **reid_houston** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:15 pm

The Infiniti mechanic could not duplicate the transmission hesitation since the outside temp was about 60 the next day after I dropped the car off. The dealer did a transmission flush and some kind of fuel system treatment increasing the charge. I have had the car back for about a week now. And there appears to be only a little hesitation when reversing out of my spot and then putting the car into drive. I let the car warm up for a couple of more minutes now in order to prevent the hesitation all together. I believe the car and I had to get use to the climate change from sunny San Diego. It runs in the 40s most mornings here in Hampton Roads, VA.Of note, when I went to pick up the car it would not crank. I had to beg to get a jump on a 3 month old battery that magically died while at the dealership. One of the mechanics tried to get me to buy a new battery for $120 but I declined since the Bosch Battery has a 8 year warranty from Pep boys. Pep Boys put in a new battery and did an electrical system check for $16.Transmission Service and fuel treatment totalled about $197.00.

Post by **qship96** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:11 pm

So basically, the Infiniti dealer did NOTHING to diagnose your problems.....just sold you 2 of their most profitable, least labor intensive "services"{profit centers} and sent you on your way.

Post by **silkysmoothyjud** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 2:01 pm

I would think that the prob will gradually fix itself, like it did my dodge neon after its flush. Its so much easier to deal with it if your covered. Therefore, I second the extended coverage ASAP....

Post by **seldomseen** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:23 am

If you want more piece of mind, then go with a Lexus that hasn't been beat by its former owner.

Post by **loystock** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:20 pm

Maybe you haven't heard about the ES300/350 and LS460 transmission failures. Some of them even failing in less than 1000 miles. And most owners cannot complain since Lexus either replaced the car or transmission as soon as the problem was reported.

I learned about this in 2006 when we were shopping a car for the wife. We tested several cars and eventually narrowed it down to M35 and ES350. She was hooked with the ES350 because of its nice interior and she didn't like the engine noise of the M35. But before buying the ES, I did search on line and went to Toyota, Lexus and other car forums. That's when I learned about the transmission problems about those cars. Besides the kids didn't like going for a Lexus as we're supposedly an Infiniti family. We went back to the Lexus dealership and the manager there told us that the problem is 'only' in the ES300 and if that happens in an ES350, they would gladly replace the transmission or even the car. Nice guarantee but that will not help you if you are stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Post by **seldomseen** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:50 pm

Pound for Pound...Lexus produces a more reliable/quality vehicle than Infiniti. Infiniti's are simply plagued with to many "minor" issues that are very costly and many of which seem to just carry over from model to model and year to year. Try convincing Infiniti to extend the sort of "owner satisfaction" that Lexus offered on the ES's transmission issues you described. lol

Post by **qship96** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:01 pm

Agree,Lexus produces a higher quality product with a much better resale value and certainly tons more brand cache-shame they are not a drivers car like Infiniti though.

Post by **BadQ45t** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 9:38 pm

I will take my 2nd Gen Q over my bros LS400 any day....if you like Lexus better go buy one. They are boring and souless and my Q has been so bullet-proof I just do not see the issue. If you want to compare early models, yes 90-93 Q's had issues but so did the 90-93 LS400's.

I don't see a huge diff, however, I do agree that Nissan/Infiniti customer service is growing increasing bad and for that reason I would hesitate on my next car. I would love to find GM car that I like, from what I have heard they have by far the best customer service, C6 Corvette and cannot think of much, maybe the 556 hp Caddy with a big warranty.

buy the extended warranty, i would buy one on a LS460 as fast as a Q45 or M35/M45. To say Nissan/Infiniti doesn't make a solid car is crap, I drove my 84' 300ZX at 85mph from SF to LA over 400 miles getting a solid 24 mpg and it is on the original motor and solid as a rock.

Post by **Q45tech** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:21 pm

"Agree,Lexus produces a higher quality product"

We repair both brands and an ES is nothing but a fancied up Camary, same V6 engine and transmission, same overall suspension and steering design.

Always iffy to compare the BOTTOM of any brand whether G35 or ES.If current cars last too long how will we convert to 100% electric in less than 20 years?

Post by **qship96** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 1:06 pm

One look at the sales numbers will tell you ......Lexus,year in and year out. They sold so many more LS sedans than Infiniti sold Q45's it has to be embarrassing for the Infiniti management team. Same with their SUV sales numbers.

Without a true flagship sedan, Infiniti is becoming closer to an Acura than to a Lexus{ or BMW/Audi/MB/Jag} A total shame to let {and watch} this happen.

Post by **reid_houston** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:58 pm

My thread got hijacked by a Lexus vs Infiniti debate!I have had very few problems with my car and would recommend it to anyone that truely loves automobiles.After 4 years of ownership and extensively test driving the new LS460. I still love my car as if I just drove it off the lot. Furthermore, I would not trade it and pay the 35,000 it would take to get a used LS. Yeah the LS is quieter and a newer design but there hasnt been much improvement in the last 8 years for any automaker save hybrids!

For the price, features, and exclusivity, the F50 Q can't be matched. The only problem is there is not a sutiable upgrade.

Perhaps the upcoming M56. Few will buy the V8 and gas prices will keep resale low enough.

Post by **mcrews** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:08 pm

reid_houston wrote:My thread got hijacked by a Lexus vs Infiniti debate!.

yeah, they do that here. THey don't get it.

The M side mods cuts their legs uot when they do their 'self-absorbrd' stuff.

again, get the extended warrantee.

Post by **silkysmoothyjud** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:48 am

Post by **reid_houston** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 2:31 pm

Temperatures are consistently cold now and so is the stalling when initially shifting into drive. I dropped the car off at the dealership and the next day they were able to duplicate the issue. The Tech said this was normal for a car with 48000 miles and to correct would require a new (refurbished) transmission. The service agent quoted me all of $5600 to repair. I kindly reminded her that I had 5 months of powertrain warranty remaining...

More to follow.

Post by **goody90q45** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:09 pm

Pour in a bottle of Lubeguard Red Transmission Treatment. It's like Castor Oil for the constipated. It should lube things up.

Post by **mcrews** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:15 pm

wow

reid_houston wrote:Temperatures are consistently cold now and so is the stalling when initially shifting into drive. I dropped the car off at the dealership and the next day they were able to duplicate the issue. The Tech said this was normal for a car with 48000 miles and to correct would require a new (refurbished) transmission. The service agent quoted me all of $5600 to repair. I kindly reminded her that I had 5 months of powertrain warranty remaining...

More to follow.

..wow.....

Mark sure that ANY ticket they write up has your exact words on it.For example: ck trans.IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!THere is a comment section for the service writer to give specific issues to the tech.I almost got srewed out of the 02 hesitation issue because when I brought it in at 49k the writer didnt put anything.Fortunately, Niello Infiniti in Concord (different dealership)took my word for why I had it in before. The had to fix it under the extended warr because i had 71k at the time. I drove past 2 dealerships - 75 miles to go to the Concord Dealer.

Post by **Q451990** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 9:25 pm

reid_houston wrote:The Tech said this was normal for a car with 48000 miles and to correct would require a new (refurbished) transmission. The service agent quoted me all of $5600 to repair.

Sounds like they backed themselves into a corner - if they don't try to use the "it's normal" excuse on you. That was one of Ford's favorite tricks back in the early 90's. You can always ask them to provide documentation from the service manual that graphs the time of hesitation that is normal at different ages for this transmisson... which, of course, don't exist.

Heath

Post by **silkysmoothyjud** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 9:40 pm

48k? What is the world comming to....I mean for real! This is an Infiniti, right?

Post by **qship96** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:01 am

reid_houston wrote:Temperatures are consistently cold now and so is the stalling when initially shifting into drive. I dropped the car off at the dealership and the next day they were able to duplicate the issue. The Tech said this was normal for a car with 48000 miles and to correct would require a new (refurbished) transmission. The service agent quoted me all of $5600 to repair. I kindly reminded her that I had 5 months of powertrain warranty remaining...

More to follow.

The Infiniti tech is nothing more than a poorly trained idiot parts swapper or unethical profit producer if he thinks this is "normal" for a transmission with only 48,000 miles on it- Find another tech or dealer for second opinion.

Transmission Trouble on F50

Transmission Trouble on F50

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (qship96)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (silkysmoothyjud)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (mcrews)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (loystock)

Cool ATF is always best! (mcrews)

Follow-up

Re: Follow-up (reid_houston)

Re: Follow-up (qship96)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (qship96)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (seldomseen)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (loystock)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (seldomseen)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (qship96)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (BadQ45t)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (Paul Wall)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (qship96)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (Paul Wall)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (silkysmoothyjud)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (Q451990)

Re: Transmission Trouble on F50 (reid_houston)

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