2004 Altima 3.5 SE CVT problems

[mosswalker]

Hi all. New to Nissan forums as i just bought this car. I have big plans for an audio system in it (i am an audio engineer). But before i do that i need to find out whats wrong with my transmission. I have taken it to the dealer but as usual they are telling me that nothing is wrong when they drive it.

What happens is that when i drive, the transmission shifts like its going to war, 'bang' into gear, 1st and then second. It does not happen all the time. If i have to accelerate hard from the lights to get into traffic past parked cars it will do it until i shut the car down. It has also happened just because it wanted to. I dont want to start disassembling this car and starting my interior if i have a lemon transmission. Love the car but i dont think i will keep it if this transmission keeps it up.

I have searched all your forum looking for a similar problem but no one is the same except the early 240 guys.

Thanks for any help offered in advance. Gotta go wreak havok on a highway.

[mosswalker]

The CVT did not do the hard shifting at all today when i went to Mosport here in canada to watch the races. However i did end up talking with a guy who had my car and is now driving a 2006 G35 Coupe. We both ended up asking the same question.

Why is it that we both have the same motor but he has me beat by about 60 horsepower?

Is it the ECU?

And man Transmission problems or not, this is one SICK car. Effortless passing, a few seconds of inattention and i am doing 180. Love it, love it. Cant wait to fix the BLOSE stereo it comes with.

Is it possible to switch out the CVT for a Manual if it is pooched?

So many questions. I will shut up now.

[mcheddadi]

The CVT did not do the hard shifting at all today when i went to Mosport here in canada to watch the races. However i did end up talking with a guy who had my car and is now driving a 2006 G35 Coupe. We both ended up asking the same question.

Why is it that we both have the same motor but he has me beat by about 60 horsepower?

Is it the ECU?

And man Transmission problems or not, this is one SICK car. Effortless passing, a few seconds of inattention and i am doing 180. Love it, love it. Cant wait to fix the BLOSE stereo it comes with.

Is it possible to switch out the CVT for a Manual if it is pooched?

So many questions. I will shut up now.

Welcome aboard

I think he gets more power because the g35 VQ engine has a higher compression ration and bigger intakes or something, but there can't be a 60hp between him and you, the 3.5SE Altima coupe has 270hp while the max the 2006 g35 has is 298hp (that's a 28hp difference)

Oh! you are a sound engineer could you update us when you make your new sound system so we can all benefit from your knowledge

Also could you tell me what's wrong with the BOSE audio system? It sounds great I think, but I'm no audiophile, so maybe I'm missing something.

[Meder]

I can not speak for the older altimas. The new coupe bose systems are horrible. Imaging, range, and midbass all lack quite a bit. For the average music lover the bose is fine, but it will never compare to a high end audio set up. Bose has never been worth the money imo in any vehicle.

[mosswalker]

Welcome aboard

I think he gets more power because the g35 VQ engine has a higher compression ration and bigger intakes or something, but there can't be a 60hp between him and you, the 3.5SE Altima coupe has 270hp while the max the 2006 g35 has is 298hp (that's a 28hp difference)

According to my understanding i only have 241 hp and 245 torque. Approximately 200 at the wheels.

After i fix the stereo i plan on starting with the ECU and then exhaust. From what i am told thats 30 to the wheels right there. Problem is i cant find 2004 ECU for the SE.

[mosswalker]

I can not speak for the older altimas. The new coupe bose systems are horrible. Imaging, range, and midbass all lack quite a bit. For the average music lover the bose is fine, but it will never compare to a high end audio set up. Bose has never been worth the money imo in any vehicle.

You are correct sir. Dr. Bose started out building a great speaker for its time, the 901. Now Bose does not make anything worth listening to and no one reviews what they do build because any disparaging remarks bring lawyers and frivolous law suits. Bose builds life style systems not hi fi systems.

Put an RTA in front of any Bose speaker system and be amazed at how much information is lost and or just plain missing. In my car i find the Bass is boomy and sloppy. The mids overly bright in a few places and the image is floaty. 24 inches between the mid and tweet might be the reason .

I am already working on a build out for the front doors. Many of you will NOT want to do what i am going to do. I figure that i would prefer to replace the door skins one day then live with that intolerable audio system for 4 years.

I will be fitting an 8 inch bass unit and 5 1/4 plus ribbon tweet up front in both doors. IF i have to i will build a sealed 10 inch into the back deck. No boy racer bass here. I could care less if you can hear me coming or not.

[Buzzman]

Maybe I'm being a little anal here, but are you sure your transmission is a CVT?I didn't think Nissan had CVT's in the Altima's in 2004.You also mention your transmission banging in first, and then shifting into second. A CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) doesn't really have a first, or second, or any gear as such. As an aside, I recently read a journalist road test on a Versa with a CVT. He said he liked the way it drove, but found the transmission to be too noisy. The "normal " auto trans was much quieter apparently.Thanks.
Modified by Buzzman at 5:00 AM 9/6/2007

[mosswalker]

Maybe I'm being a little anal here, but are you sure your transmission is a CVT?I didn't think Nissan had CVT's in the Altima's in 2004.You also mention your transmission banging in first, and then shifting into second. A CVT transmission doesn't really have a first, or second gear as such. That's why they call it a Constant Velocity Transmission.Just curious.

I re-read my initial post and you are correct as well. I meant that when it shifts from the starting gear to the following gear it bangs into gear or whatever it is called and again on the second shift which in my head would be 3rd. I keep getting told it is CVT if it is not...... i am not a mechanic. Also in this forum i found comments about CVT saying that they artificially program shift points because customers do not like the feeling of shiftless transmissions. They want to feel like something is happening.

[Ormand]

Maybe I'm being a little anal here, but are you sure your transmission is a CVT?I didn't think Nissan had CVT's in the Altima's in 2004.You also mention your transmission banging in first, and then shifting into second. A CVT transmission doesn't really have a first, or second gear as such. That's why they call it a Constant Velocity Transmission.Just curious.

CVT is "Continuously Variable Transmission", not constant velocity. The gear ratio can be varied continuously over the entire range between the extremes, rather than in a series of fixed steps like the 2004 alti.The horsepower difference is a function of a lot of things. The rear wheel drive engines are easier to make hp, because the "fore and aft" mounting allows for symmetry of the intake manifold and the exhaust manifolds. Have you noticed that the rwd cars have two throttle bodies? That an rwd car doesn't have one set of exhaust ports pointed toward the front of the car, so that the gasses have to make a 180 degree turn to get out the back? Even if both engines had the same cam timing and valve sizing and compression, the restrictions on the intake and exhaust would still cut into the power that the fwd layout could make.

[mosswalker]

Well whatever its called it died today. Check engine light came on when i started it this morning so i went and checked all the fluid levels and called the Dealership. Was told to bring it in. DIdnt even make it a kilometer. The car did to banging upshifts and then stayed in that gear until i stopped the car. I think this is it for me and Nissan. All of 2 weeks. My neon at least lasted 2 months. My bimmer is still running albeit 2 owners later. All 3 of my Rx-7's are still on the road because i sold to friends and friends of friends.

I am spitting F'ing mad right now. The service guy told me nothing was wrong with the car just the other day and i INSISTED that there was.

Sorry to vent in your forum but i was here looking for ANYONE with the same problem and didnt find any in this car just other models. Think i am going to go listen to Britney Spears over and over again while i dismember some barbie dolls until i calm down.

[Buzzman]

Sorry to hear about your problems.And yeah, I misquoted the definition of the CVT in my earlier post. Sorry about that. I edited it to reflect the proper definition.I still don't think a 2004 Altima would have a CVT in it though. Can you confirm?Hopefully this is just bad luck, and not a sign of things to come. The Altima is a good car.I have 3 Nissans by the way, and I'm happy with all 3. No problems. I'm in my 50's, so I've owned a lot of cars over the years. The worst cars I've had have all come from the Big 3. Fords were the worst. Never again.Keep us posted.

[MisfitBrian]

This may sound stupid, but have you checked the transmission fluid level? And the speed sensor can cause havoc with your trany as well.

[mosswalker]

Yes, i checked everything in the car that i could. I just got a call from the dealership. The car needs a solenoid pack? The truly funny thing was, the service people said "there might be a deductible" to do the work, i almost started laughing.

"There might be a car returning to you. Had the car 15 days and a piece of paper from you that says the car is mechanically fit." was the only reasonable reply.

Anyone know what the dealer is talking about? A solenoid pack? I am assuming that controls the A/T?

It is A/T. All my helpful friends babbling about CVT are smoking crack.

[mosswalker]

Never mind. Google is my friend. Hopefully nothing else got messed up in the transmission while this was dying.

[MisfitBrian]

Never mind. Google is my friend. Hopefully nothing else got messed up in the transmission while this was dying.

Good luck!