2000 I30 Transaxle Quits

[Bulbman]

Just bought, 150K miles, after a 2 mile run at 65 mph AT downshifts and quits.

• Acts like it is in neutral regardless of shift lever position.
  No indicator lights flash. Everything there is normal; OD indicator flashes and goes off.
  Engine functions normally but no power to the wheels.
  Fluid is full and normal; no burnt smell/visual.
  Turning the car off with a brief pause before restarting returns normal function.

In searching around the forums I find two others with this problem. I would suspect a valve or a converter except for the part about restarting the car fixes it. That makes me think 'sensor' but there are no malfunction indications.

Novice here, new to the breed. Any advice really appreciated.

[maxhopper]

Welcome to NICO.

I would suspect a bad converter, but you really need to take it to the dealer or a transmission specialist.

[Bulbman]

Thanks Max. The book kind of took me there but I couldn't reconcile the restart fix with a converter. Would road test do any harm?

[maxhopper]

Is the only time it happens after 2 miles at hwy speed, or will it happen after driving at lower speeds for a certain period of time or distance?

[Bulbman]

I've driven the car four times. Three times involved highway speed and surface streets. Failed twice on those three runs.

That's why I asked about road test, can I drive it to test or would that cause bigger problems? (Big problem would be easier to diagnose.)

My thought was to drain the fluid to see what we find, refill and road test.

Thanks for your reply.

[maxhopper]

Talked to a transmission tech I work with and he says it's the torque converter. Says when you turn it off, the fluid is draining back and will allow it to function properly for a little while.

[Bulbman]

Well, thanks to you and your friend for the info. That isn't good new$$ at all.

But... this is the point of the thread when someone comes on and says if I would just ... replace the radiator cap or some equally inexpensive part my problem would be solved. I'll wait a few for that.

[Bulbman]

Well, no one has offered an easy way out. The question now becomes is there something else I should replace while it is apart? One of the early steps is remove axles. Should I replace those?

[Bulbman]

So I drained and refilled the fluid, drove it on surface streets until I got a total failure. As failure approached while I was sitting at a stop light I felt three shift attempts. 2 blocks later it was a total failure. Acted like neutral regardless. Hours later I managed to limp to a transmission shop. The turn it off and restart no longer worked. We'll see what the computer says tomorrow.

[maxhopper]

Well, no one has offered an easy way out. The question now becomes is there something else I should replace while it is apart? One of the early steps is remove axles. Should I replace those?

As long as the u-joints feel good and the boots aren't torn, I wouldn't worry too much. You can go ahead and buy lifetime warranty replacement axles for about $100 each for peace of mind. You'll definitely need to replace the axle seals in the trans housing.

[NutriaforBreakfast]

I suspect an electrical problem
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/1995/at.pdf
check out page 12 and see the different sensors involved with the AT control unit
and the ECM
On page 20 there is a discussion regarding the "fail safe" limp home mode the transmission
is probably in (stays in 3rd gear so performance is sluggish). It details how the turning off
and restarting might not work.
On page 37 there are schematics detailing the location of several electrical components
If you have already put it in the shop you might ask some pointed questions regarding
these components to the mechanic. OTherwise you might try to look at some of them
yourself with a multimeter.
Good luck

[Bulbman]

Thanks again. The transmission is said to be slipping badly with even minimum heat and in need of a rebuild. I'll roll the dice on a used one and hope for the best. A $2,000 overhaul doesn't make sense at this point. Sure enjoyed the education and the enthusiasm of the forum.

[Bulbman]

Our messages crossed but thanks for your reply.

I suspect an electrical problem

I did too until the last 1/2 mile. Had to stop 3 times after letting it sit for 3 hours. I would have been grateful for sluggish performance but there was nothing not even reverse. If it caught it would jump as in low gear, maybe shift and fail or just fail where fail means go to neutral.

Got the manual for the 2000 I30 -- great feature of the forum, and so was aware of the sensors. Interesting that the parts are the same. In fact mine is a RE4F04A There was never a code or a flash of the OD indicator. I did find a post saying the sensor solved the problem after an overhaul but the tech is pretty sure the internals are cooked.

Found a replacement with 80,000 miles for $400. Thanks for the luck. I'll probably need it.

[Bulbman]

Got it from the shop today and was really impressed with the performance. I drove for less than 100 miles before the melt down so really have no I30 experience. The next 100 will be much better.
I found the replacement on car-part.com. The R&R labor was $550. Axle seals were replaced. I had them drop the pan, change the filter, another $160. I didn't replace the axles and think that may have been dumb. Hope this info is useful.

[maxhopper]

Hope you enjoy your ride. Just keep up with the maint and it should last you a good long while.