Transmission Slipping @ 42,000mi?

[ZGadson]

Today I made the 2 hour trip to my closest Infiniti dealer to discuss a transmission issue and to have it repaired while my warranty is still in effect (a clutch pack and/or cylinoid is malfunctioning). As I expected, the dealer is not permitted to tear out the transmission untill fault is proven, and as luck would have it, I wasn't able to make the transmission screw up during our test drive and ended up driving all the way home only to have the transmission screw the minute I hit my driveway.

My 02 I35 has 42,000mi and the transmission doesn't like to perform as it should being that its in a performance vehicle. It lags between gears sometimes and catches to give a nice whiplash effect other times. After a $120 transmission flush it shifted nice for about 100 miles, but then it was right back where it started.

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. Getting this fixed while still under warranty (for the next few months) would save me about $1300 and I'd love ya'll for ever.

-Zach

[maxhopper]

I work for a dealership (as a warranty administrator and service writer), and this is what I would do:

First: Keep a log each day (for about 7-10 days) of when the problem occurs; when you first start out, or after the transmission is warm/hot. I imagine a good portion of your trip home was spent in overdrive (being two hours away). After/If you got off a freeway, how long/how many miles did it take for it to slip? The more specific you can be about when it happens, the better. If it only happens once every couple of weeks or less, you're more than likely out of luck.

Second: Call Infiniti Customer Service, and let them know that you are having this problem, it's been in service once already, and when/what dealership you plan on taking it to. See if they can make a loaner car available, because you will probably have to leave your car for multiple days.

Third: Take your car and all your info into the dealer (having made an appointment). They probably will have been made aware of your concern by that point by customer service. You can also authorize the dealer for the technician to take the vehicle home, this basically amounts to free diagnostic time...all you do is pay for the gas. The key is for someone at the dealership to feel it slip just once. Once the problem has been confirmed, they have to take action.

[Beancooker]

That is some sweet advice Scott. Might consider rewriting that into a seperate article, and adding it to the FAQ's.

[ZGadson]

Thanks for the info, Scott! I'll keep that in mind when Im driving. I think it depends on the way I accellerate, but I can pretty much make the transmission slip 70% of the time. Continuously give it more gas from a stop all while in 1st gear but making the rpms get nice and high before 2nd gear seems to do the trick.

I don't like to floor it because I like my tires, so I take off fast, but minus the burnt rubber smell- transmission doesnt like that.