2010 Altima Coupe 2.5 pulling/jerking, 1st/2nd

[jsutan]

Hi All,

Been perusing your forums looking at questions and answers for a few hours, lots of great info in here, really appreciate it.

I have a question about my brand new 2010 Altima Coupe 2.5 regarding the shifting (it's an automatic with CVT fwiw). When driving, for the most part any speed between around 20 and 40 the car is pulling and jerking, particularly right around 20mph and 40mph when it's shifting (both up and down). Moreso when letting off the gas and downshifting than accelerating and upshifting. I just got the car, came with 40 miles on it, it's got around 400 after a week of driving. I've driven it all sorts of distances at this point. Short distances to the corner mart, long highway distances, passenger, no passenger, hills, no hills, corners and turns, etc; it's all relatively the same. Once I get up to highway speeds it runs fine. Unfortunately I drive in rush hour traffic in New Jersey so 5mph - 40mph is usually what I'm driving at unless it's at night or the weekend . I gave it a couple hundred miles but I'm not convinced it's a "new car" or "breaking in" type issue.

I'm not really a car guy -- most of this mod stuff is foreign to me. I'm obviously not looking for a clear cut answer here but I'd like to know what kind of additional information I should gather and how I should approach the dealership because quite frankly, I don't know s***. Blonde trophy wives probably can explain s*** better to a service department better than I can.

I just bought it so it's got the factory warranty on it but I'd like to give them a general idea of what to look at. I don't want to have to keep taking it back after they tell me "well it's not pulling any codes" or "we looked at it and it looks fine". I have the benefit of going to 3 different Nissan dealers in my area so if worse comes to worse I can always take it to another dealer for a second or third opinion. Is this something I should take in right away or something I can put off until the first 3000 mile scheduled service?

Appreciate any insight you guys can offer.

[AlexM.]

Its your brand new baby! Don't wait for 3k miles, thats too long! I'd take her in ASAP. But I have no clue what's wrong. Sorry and good luck

[DJ_B_Easy]

Dont bring it to Denville Nissan whatever you do...please.

[dldjros69]

i could be wrong but it sounds like the engine is in brake mode. This feature can be turned off at the dealer. This would let you coast down hill instead of the engine holding you back. There is a thread on here about it.

[jsutan]

Dont bring it to Denville Nissan whatever you do...please.

Go on... that is one of the 3 options I have. Any other dealer/non-dealer suggestions?

[bundy26]

Lynnes in stanhope, decent dealer compared to denville.

[jsutan]

i could be wrong but it sounds like the engine is in brake mode. This feature can be turned off at the dealer. This would let you coast down hill instead of the engine holding you back. There is a thread on here about it.

Just read that thread and that sounds like it could be it. Northwest Jersey is pretty much nothing but up and down. I take it I can just take it to a dealership and ask them to turn the engine braking from "0" to "off" and they will understand what I mean? I very rarely, if -ever- use cruise control (and when I do it's only on the Garden State Parkway or I-95 late at night).

Great info, thank you sir.

[jsutan]

Lynnes in stanhope, decent dealer compared to denville.

Yeah my only concern is I work in Denville and bought it from Denville, they were both easier and cheaper. Lynnes has their 2010 2.5's marked at 28-30k, Denville had theirs marked at 24... Not sure if Lynnes just hadn't marked down for the upcoming 2011 inventory yet or what but a little out of my price range. I do get free 2nd and 4th services, worst case scenario is I just switch over after the free ones.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Dont bring it to Denville Nissan whatever you do...please.

Go on... that is one of the 3 options I have. Any other dealer/non-dealer suggestions?

I have had VERY good and VERY bad experiences with them.

Good: My master cylinder blew and I was right around 40,000 miles, past the 36,000 warranty coverage I had. The one service manager asks me how many miles I have on it and I say 40K, he says "so 35,000?". I say no, 40K not thinking about it. He says, "alright 35,000 it is." He was entering it under the warranty mileage, saved me about $800.

Bad: I called to get a quote for them to install new brake pads for me, front and rear all 4 corners. I get an awesome quote over the phone, bring it in to have them do the work. When I pick the car up, the rear brake pads are still sitting in the box in my front seat. I go back in and say what gives? They said the quote was for 2 axles only, meaning front left and front right. I proceed to flip a sh*t asking why I would bring them 4 sets of pads if I only wanted 2 sets installed?..why didnt they call me when they saw the extra set of pads?...F this, F that, etc. They eventually made it right and only charged me like $30 for both rear sets installed so that was points but still a huge fight that didnt need to happen.
On other occasions I have brought the car in for 15K, 30K maintenance and whatever pieces of said maintenance I can do myself I tell them not to do, for example wiper blades, air filter (pre-intake), etc. Of course in more than one event they just do it anyway and charge me for it which is total BS.

So...I think it all depends on which service manager is there. Unfortunately I forgot the dudes name who hooked me up real nice, he was the man. I bought my car from Hilltop in East Hanover and had a few things done there, they were pretty quick and reasonable. Never any major work though.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Lynnes in stanhope, decent dealer compared to denville.

Yeah my only concern is I work in Denville and bought it from Denville

Where do you work? I grew up in Denville, lived there until last December.

[jsutan]

You guys are good :p. I had them disable engine braking and the thing runs so much smoother now. Feels like I'm actually in control .

Small secondary question if anyone is still reading this, are there instructions (pictures would be a plus) anywhere on how to remove the center console to replace a head unit? iPod aux cable just doesn't cut it.

[DJ_B_Easy]

I dont think there are pics but its easy to do.

1) Remove the HVAC vents above the OEM radio, making sure to disconnect the airbag and hazard cables behind them. Just use a small flat head screwdriver to pry it up a little, then pull straight back and it will pop right out.
2) Remove the plastic trim piece below the OEM radio. Its in between the bottom of the radio and that little cubby things door, its rectangular (stick your head down there you will see it). Again just pop a small flathead behind it and pry carefully.
3) Remove two screws at top of the OEM radio that you uncovered when you removed the HVAC vents.
4) Remove two screws at bottom of the OEM radio that you uncovered when you removed the rectangular piece.
5) Gently pull the entire assembly straight back and disconnect 3 OEM connections behind it.

Thats it...easy.

[jsutan]

Yep, simple enough. I just pulled it out but I don't have the Torx screwdriver atm so I couldn't remove the unit from the front panel. Even if I did it looks ilke I might need some to fit the old unit into this weird form (with the power button and all those things on the bottom, looks like those are attached to the stereo?)

I got this (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/ ... 00UB?tab=C) from Circuit City's car stereo department like ... 2 or 3 years ago. It looks like even if I can get the unit out and get this one in, it looks like I'm going to have holes in the front panel where the previous Power button / radio buttons were?

*edit* On top of that the power connector for my old unit is different than the Altima's so I'll probably need an adapter for that, too. I can probably take it to a car stereo shop and see what they say.

Thanks for the help guys!

[DJ_B_Easy]

You cant just pop that head unit into the stock trim, you are going to need a dash kit or have to buy the OEM trim piece for the nav and a tray and do it like this. And yes you will need a wiring harness as well. Honestly since you already have it out, I wouldnt pay a "shop" to do anything for you. Do it yourself, save the money.