Transmission, A/C and intermittent hard start issues.

[Black B15]

So I called Nissan today and scheduled an appointment for possible transmission issues and possible A/C issues. I didn't even get a chance to tell the rep about the hard starts, but I will when I am there in person.

With the A/C....I will be sitting at a stoplight with my foot on the brake and car shudders (like we all know they will when the A/C cycles or the cooling fans kick on)....but it REALLY shudders. To the point where it is almost stalling and then it catches itself. Problem is, at a 3 minute stoplight this might happen 5 to 8 times. Neither the cooling fans or the A/C should be cycling that often.

With the transmission. I have noticed the "loss of power" thing several others have talked about. It feels like transmission just becomes unresponsive. Here is how it works for me. Say I am at a stop light, in traffic. When the light turns green I don't accelerate like crazy....I give it a little gas and slightly go, keeping up with traffic. WHEN THIS HAPPENS....it feels like the Rogue won't go. I press the gas like normal and it acts sluggish. I push the gas pedal further and it doesn't respond, further and it doesn't respond, until the point where I am pushing the gas pedal damn near to the floor and the transmission like catches itself and takes off.

The other part of the transmission issue that I notice is when I am putting, say at 45 mph through town....I can feel the transmission like bog a little and then sort of catch and I feel a little PUSH.

The hard starting: I don't just putt around town. I get the vehicle above 3500 rpm daily, and give the vehicle more than enough time to recharge itself. It typically happens after sitting overnight. Turn the key to on, let the fuel pump prime for a second, and then try to start it....it hesitates like the battery is low and then catches and starts. I am going to have them check the battery while at Nissan.

Additionally, and some may remember, my Rogue had a rear main seal leaking at like 8000 miles that was covered under warranty. AS SUCH...I am assuming there is either some permanent mechanical issue with the transmission as a result of operation with lost fluid, or they over or under filled the fluid itself causing the issue that was talked about in another thread. At any rate, I am not really happy that my Rogue has 12000 miles and I am headed to Nissan again. The good news is, the Nissan dealership I go to is really top notch as far as the service department goes.

[Black B15]

Even though I appear to be talking to myself, I thought I would post an update....well, for just me I guess. It has been an interesting morning so far.

When I called to make the appointment last week, the Nissan dude told me that I needed to bring the vehicle over and "drive it for them to try and replicate the issues". When I get there today, I wait for about 5 minutes by my vehicle as Nissan reps are walking back and forth past me.

When my rep comes over to assist me, I can tell he is all over the place. He is talking to me, writing down information on another customer's warranty paperwork, and just overall looking generally confused.

Here is how the conversation goes.

Nissan Rep: Ok, give me the keys
ME: Why, I thought I was going to drive you around to replicate the issue?
Nissan Rep: No, we are taking in to check it out repair whatever we find
ME: Oh, okay, no problem. Is there a loaner car ready for me?
Nissan Rep: A loaner car, no...you don't get one.
ME: What....I don't get one? You expect me to look at new nissans for the next 8 hours?
Nissan Rep: Okay, you can have one since you have such low mileage on your car....but I don't like to let people know they can get a rental, otherwise everyone would assume they can just have one.
ME: (confused and with I am sure a very animated "what?" look on my face) Oooookay.....?

So fast forward about 2 hours.

I am back at my place, with a loaner Nissan Rogue, and I get a phone call from the Nissan Rep.

NISSAN REP: Hey we found the problem, we took off the plastic panels on the hatch and we need to redo the wiring and window hardware behind the plastic trim....all told you are looking at about $150 out of pocket.
ME: Ummmm....I think you got the wrong # bro....I brought my Rogue in with transmission and air conditioning problems, not interior issues. (I am thinking you BETTER not have done that to my f**king car!)
NISSAN REP: Oh, you are right, sorry about that.
ME: Hey, while I have you on the phone...it was clear driving this loaner Rogue that mine has transmission issues and fuel consumption issues. This loaner was getting almost 10 mpg better gas mileage than mine on the way back to my house from Nissan, and the transmission was much more crisp on this loaner....clearly mine has some issues.
NISSAN REP: (sort of impatiently) Well how do you know what your MPG was, it was just a short trip, you only went like 8 miles?
ME: Ummm......you obviously aren't familiar with the Rogue. It has a real time MPG display on the dash, and even though it isn't perfectly accurate it still gives you a pretty good idea of the MPGs. 10 mpg difference between two identical vehicles, driven the same way, indicates there is an issue to me.
NISSAN REP: OH.....you are right, i'm sorry. I will let the guys know.

At this point, I am cringing thinking of calling these guys back. They have had my Rogue for going on 5 hours now, and hopefully they haven't torn apart the back hatch instead of fixing the transmission and a/c.

BUT...as I said...no one seems to care.

I will update myself as myself gets more information. Thanks self. You're welcome.

[Rogue One]

Thanks for the update. I almost didn't read this because you were having transmission issues, but obviously you meant something else.

[Black B15]

Thanks for the update. I almost didn't read this because you were having transmission issues, but obviously you meant something else.

LOL. Thankfully not THOSE kind of transmission issues. lol.

At any rate, I just got back from the dealership. They said they were unable to reproduce the issues, but they did notice the CVT fluid was a little low so they added some.

On the way home (all 65mph) I felt no hesitation during acceleration, from various speeds and inclines/declines.

I know in another thread that Nissan technician stated that having an incorrect amount of CVT fluid would cause this exact thing. I am hoping, in my instance, that is correct.

EDIT**** After reading all the paperwork included, it appears that the service adviser misinformed me. Per what the technician entered into the system, it appears my transmission was OVER filled slightly and they removed some fluid. It should be pointed out that THEY are the ones who filled the transmission fluid to that level when I had the rear main seal replaced 3500 miles ago.

[ImStricken06]

EDIT**** After reading all the paperwork included, it appears that the service adviser misinformed me. Per what the technician entered into the system, it appears my transmission was OVER filled slightly and they removed some fluid. [/b] It should be pointed out that THEY are the ones who filled the transmission fluid to that level when I had the rear main seal replaced 3500 miles ago.

i have been quietly following along (as i am sure others have too) and i have been telling this to folks all along: IF YOU HIT LIMP MODE, HAVE transmission ISSUES, OVER HEAT IN THE SUMMER OR MOUNTAIN DRIVES = ODDS ARE YOU HAVE TOO MUCH FLUID.

glad it was resolved.

[Black B15]

Thanks I'mStricken.

I am hoping that it is resolved, and I have to say that it does feel more crisp as it pulls through the RPM band and picks up speed.

As you can imagine, I am going to be watching the Rogue closer than ever. We are at almost 1.5 years on a 3 year, 36000 mile warranty. The way it 's going, we will hit 3 years far before we hit 36000.