Please Help!!!!

[platinum01]

Hi everyone,

I purchased a 1996 Q45 and i have nothing but problems. The 2 current issues are as follows:

1st- the car wont start, only starts when jumped. When i turn the key it just ticks. Maybe the starter? (Not the battery)(New Alternator)

2nd- The transmission starting slipping after i did a transmission flush & and differential change.

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

[qship96]

explain the transmission flush method and fluid used,please. How many miles on car?

[elwesso]

I would try replacing the battery first, if it runs when the jumper cables are taken off the alternator is probably OK, but not for long if the battery is bad.

How do you know the battery is good?

[maxnix]

Presume the was no pre-purchase inspection by a qulified Infiniti technician?

So what have you done to correct the deferred maintenance?

I would start with a test of the battery and alternator, and not a superficial one either.

Please help yourself and othere board members by reading the stickies above each Forum before you post, like From here out, please use more descriptive thread titles!. AS you can see, your plea won't be much help for future searchers, but "1996 Q45 Won't Start" \would have been.

Reading the Articles will get you started on some of your problems. Studying the FSM and reading the previous posts via searches will help you on the others.

Good luck and be sure to post back your solution.
Modified by maxnix at 6:19 PM 6/29/2009

[silkysmoothyjud]

ticking, battery terminal connectors bad (been there)........transmission, why did you flush it???? It should be done very slowly with high mileage (if at all). Try a bg flush to compensate, check your fluid level, too low=slippage....Quart or so low=lock up in a gear (been there, many times)

One transmission flush per transmission @ 60k. Then do it slowly (1 quart per month) when problems arise. Its a big gamble (ph/detergent shock factors). If your car does not overheat, you can go a looooooooooooooong way on MERC III if you dont mess with it....

"OH my transmission is hard shifting, jerking me around, its going out." NO ITS NOT ITS YOUR FREAKING FUEL SYSTEM. Injectors on this car (94)are troublesome to say the least. The injectors (not to mention the fuel pump) will cause all kinds of hard shifting issues, especially if more than one is failing hard....I should know, Ive replaced them all. One failing injector will make your knock sensors act like they are hung over....

I now barely press the accelerator, rpm never goes over 2.5 with a NICO ECU under normal driving. I cant afford new tires or to speed anymore for the time being....

Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 9:35 PM 6/29/2009

Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 9:36 PM 6/29/2009
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 9:38 PM 6/29/2009

[platinum01]

I started off by draining the differential. After I put the drain plug back in. Finally I filled it with the oil.

For the transmission I drained it. Next I dropped the pan, change and lubed gasket and applied it to the trans oil pan. After that I swapped out the oil filter for the transmission. And then put the pan back on transmission. I filled the transmission with the specified levels.

Oil used:

transmission: chevron mdr dextron 3/mercon

Differential: mobil 1 synthetic

UPDATES: I jumped the Q this morning, drove it around for 10min. Then parked it, then I turned the ignition over 1 hour later. And it started up fine. But the transmission is still slipping when cold.

Thanks again guys!

[qship96]

Check transmission fluid level EXACTLY as specified in owners manual.....bet it is low

Battery should be charged using a battery charger.....10 minute drive is hardly sufficient and will leave you with same problem{ needing a jump start} over and over- if battery is correctly charged and dies again,toss it as it is no longer capable to hold a charge

[platinum01]

Ok... I will check the oil levels when i get home tonight. and update you guys in the morning.

[Epod]

Since you are in California and it is mid summer, I'll suggest that if you do need to charge the car by driving it after a jump, and for some reason you can only drive it for 10 minutes, you should leave the air conditioner off. The electromagnetic clutch on the air conditioner pulley draws a fair amount of current, and that's current you would rather have charging your battery.

That's a general rule I learned (the hard way) on a different car, but I think it has general applicability. If I'm wrong and it doesn't apply to your Q, I'm sure the more knowledgeable folks in the community here will correct me.

(And Qship is right, too, that it would be far better to use a charger that draws wall current.)

[silkysmoothyjud]

And it may slip for a while after a flush like that, it could be a minute. My 04 Neon had that prob after it's 58k flush. You could put it in drive and it would take a couple of seconds to engage when cold, first and second for about four months. The Neon did not like it at all!!! I was like, oh please fail, oh please: it was still under warranty or I NEVER would have done the mechanical fluid exchange in that fashion, even on a newer car......

Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 8:02 PM 6/30/2009
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 8:05 PM 6/30/2009

[platinum01]

Ok guys so i checked the trans fluid level this morning. And it is at the very top of the cross etched section of the dipstick. I followed the fluid level check exactly as the manual describes. Could it be something else? What else should i look for?

Thanks,

[Q45tech]

14 years is EXTREMELY long service life for a 90-96 RE4R03A transmission.

Every 8 year old car used V8 car will have at least $3,000 worth of defects, some will need $10,000 and still have pristine paint, body, and interiors.

The best and least expensive thing to do is pay the dealer a few hours to list all the defects, their proposed solutions, then bring the list here to hear the best solutions.

[qship96]

How many miles are on your 1996 Q45???????

[lino]

The best and least expensive thing to do is pay the dealer a few hours to list all the defects, their proposed solutions, then bring the list here to hear the best solutions.

So many people here would be shocked if they followed your advice on this. A lot of people really don't know the truth. I think it's the best advice you can offer.

[silkysmoothyjud]

Just keep your fingers crossed and leave it alone for now, only time will tell at this point bro. I would say let it warm up for a while before you drive it if it bothers you. If it stops doing it when its warm, you have hope. However, if its the other way around (slips when hot, ok when cold) SELL IT YOUR TOTALLY SCREWED. But it will make it past a test drive....You didn't pull the radiator cooler line to flush it did you? Please say no, you cant do that with this kind of car, it will fry your planets. instantly.
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 5:41 PM 7/1/2009

[silkysmoothyjud]

I will give my Neon till 150k (for sale) for the transmission (if I catch the water pump failing). I will give Niqole 275000 (she will be for sale)

Avoid the "flush of death" every 20k-30k as its been MURDERING Q's (most older vehicles) at 75k for a long time. Keep up on that transmission flush!!! Do what they tell ya....yeah, yeah right..

Also, a dealer "flush" cost 230$ for the neon. Do the math of regular flush (every 20k) vs. rebuild even @ 100k. You could pay for a rebuild after four of em, and trust me, you'll be paying for that rebuild and those flushes: or you can roll the dice with smooth.....93 Lebaron 180k (sold) leaked, drained through radiator. (learned a lot about trannies w/ this one)89 Nissan truck 225k (sold) though the dipstick04 Neon 85k and still going (impressive) dealerflush @ 58k94 Q45 186k and still going topped off (one quart) 3 times in the past three years through the dipstick...with original OEM trannies in em...

Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 9:59 PM 7/1/2009
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 10:02 PM 7/1/2009

[Shogun2301]

227,000 on the car. rebuilt transmission 50k ago

[Shogun2301]

No, i didnt pull the radiator cooler line when i changed the trans oil.

[Shogun2301]

It can't be the alternator or battery cause i bought them both a the same time. And they are brand new componenets. Unless they were faulty from the box.

[silkysmoothyjud]

and you are platinum?????
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 12:34 AM 7/3/2009

[Shogun2301]

Ya... i forgot that i created to accounts! oops....

[silkysmoothyjud]

50k flush.....typical transmission shock then, no biggie, just take it easy on it till it recovers....

[qship96]

50k flush.....typical transmission shock then, no biggie, just take it easy on it till it recovers....

SAY WHAT???? Nothing is "typical" or "normal" for a transmission to slip after performing either a drain/fill or machine based fluid exchange.....there is a BIGGER problem here causing the transmission to slip- my guess is either the rebuilt transmission is failing or possibly faulty install of 0 ring/internal filter screen causing fluid starvation.

[silkysmoothyjud]

My POS 04 Neon did the same thing when it was cold for about four months after its flush. I know we are comparing apples to oranges here, but he is saying it is going back to normal when warm. I am just going on past experience here. It's hard to diagnose anything w/o seeing it myself, but lets not ruin his 4th of July weekend.....

I disagree with that statement though. Typically after a flush it will run fine for a couple of months, and then start slipping and completely fail due to detergent shock, especially in a high mileage vehicle.. This has been the case in many instances with x-members on this site. Some of these guys did the flush every 20k religiously, only to have it fail at 75-78k, just out of warranty in most cases. How convenient...
Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 2:44 PM 7/3/2009

[qship96]

Please explain how my transmission is still operating perfectly with 230,000 miles on it after having its ATF replaced every 25,000-29,000 miles SINCE BRAND NEW ????????

Fresh fluids never killed a transmission,never!!!!

[silkysmoothyjud]

Perhaps a Q's transmission is different and you have been lucky. If that is true, then why do I see these kids on here, missing gears, slipping, when you put it in first, its really in reverse after a flush? Even Drew (mr. flush every oil change) lost his after 170k (I think it was his second one). Also, there are so many arguments against it, especially with a high mileage vehicle. Please be advised that mine is also shifting fine just doing one quart per year. After what happened with my neon, I wont do it unless its under warranty period the end. It is a big roll of the dice, and wouldn't you agree, that if it is running ok and has not overheated, you shouldnt mess with it.


Modified by silkysmoothyjud at 9:42 AM 7/4/2009

[Q451990]

silkysmoothyjud... I think you're putting too much weight on your Neon experience. There's not much in common with economy FWD Detroit metal and a Japanese Luxo-sport RWD car.

Heath

[texasoil]

A 96 Q45 with only 50K on 'new transmission' should have fluid changed every 3 years or 30K miles, and it will remain in like new condition and performance. Why the now 'slip when cold'? Sticky valve' in transmission--I would recommend a BG or Seafoam treatment followed within a week by a complete transmission fluid exchange.

[BadQ45t]

I have flushed my Q's transmission 3 times in the last 9 years and never had anything different after the flush. I would be very concerned if it did slip, this is not a "normal" thing.

[silkysmoothyjud]

Im so dam scared to death to do a complete flush on my Q. The search button on transmission fluid exchange is very sad, very sad indeed. Too many people with toasted trannies directly after a fluid exchange/ pan drop. Please search for yourself. The neon is the only flush I have ever did in my life, I always do it gradually....