This just happened to me although my wife says it has happened to her 3 times over about 2 months, she's blonde so thought it was her imagination until tonight.

Car was driving great 1994 convert with 99K mileage on it. Stoped at Dairy queen and put it into Park while waiting at the window. Drove away and the tranny stuck in like 1st gear, slipped it into Neutral and back to Drive but it was as if almost no drive, slipped it into 2nd and still the same. Pulled over, into Park and it did the same again. Pulled over again and switched off the car, restarted and it was OK.My wife said she just slipped it in Neutral the last time and then it was OK.

I just went through the dealer OEM book and self diagnostics checked everything out OK. I think tomorrow I will change the fluid. If anyone wants to know how to do self diagnostics I will post it. As the Overdrive on light number of flashes tells you what is wrong.

Any ideas is more than welcome.Cheers.

i have the same problem with my automatic transmission. it irritates the crap outta me.

i've tried flushing it and changing the filter, but it didn't solve the problem. my last resort is to switch to nissan atf. there's a tsb out that applies to all nissan automatic transmissions. it's refers to slow shifting before the car warms up to normal operating temperature. switching to nissanmatic "c" atf (part# 999MP-A7013QT) is supposed to solve the problem. i know this isn't what happening to you, but it may help. if it doesn't work for me, then a 5 speed swap is in the future.

-demetrius

I received an email telling me about this new addition (240sx Convertibles) to the forums. I am so glad to see that there are a lot of us owners still out there!

Anyway, I have had this same automatic transmission problem for the last 2 years. It seems that whenever I first get in the car and drive for about five minutes or so, sometimes the transmission will not shift out of first gear. I usually have to turn the car off and restart it to clear this problem. Sometimes, it will shift into second if I continue to drive in first gear while the tach is somewhere near '5'. If it's going to shift it will shift in about five seconds after crusing in first. This is very annoying as I will be at a stop light waiting for the light to change, and when I take off, it wll not shift into second gear. I then have to get up enough speed so I can put the car in neutral and then turn the car off and restart it and put it back into drive before the car behind me gets on my bumper!!! It usually happens at the same stop light everyday. Anyway, the other day I decided to take the car out od overdrive and drive it like that for awhile. So far, the transmission has been shifting fine. Coincidence???? I don't know...but I'm really confused. It seems that after the car has run for about 10 minutes or so, it is fine.

Here is a little more history on this. When I first started having the problem two years ago, I decided to have the transmission drained and flushed. After I did this, the problem increased dramatically. I then took it to a Nissan dealer, who couldn't find a thing wrong, cause it wouldn't act up for them. They suggested a tranny flush, but couldn't guarantee it would fix the problem. Sure enough, after picking the car up I drove it home and on the way home it wouldn't shift into second. I was so mad, I was hoping that maybe that the flush would have done the trick. I then took it to a transmission shop. The tech drove the car around the block and it didn't act up for him either. He suggested that maybe the TPS was bad, so I had that replaced. Nope...that didn't fix it either. So...here I am two years later with the same problem, only now it happens almost evertime I get in the car, where before it was just once every three or four days.

Do you guys think maybe that it could be the type of ATF? When I had the tranny flush done it was at my local Nissan dealer. Shouldn't they have put in the "Nissanmatic C" ATF??? I'm wondering now, since I have seen the postings on this forum if this might be a possible problem. Also, like i mentioned before, it doesn't do it when the overdrive is turned off!!!!

What do you guys think?

Glad to be back!!!!!240rocker

240rocker. One possible problem you may be encountering is a bad Auto Control Unit. Have you looked into replacing it yet?

if the auto control unit is that green box under the dash on the driver's side, I have an extra one of those. I noticed it up there when installing my clutch pedal but left it in place. email me and I'll let it go for free. just pay for the shipping.

Ben

the green box is the shift lock control unit. you need that to get your key out of the ignition.

the ACU is located right above the ECU and ASCD on the passenger side kick panel.

My 'vert does the EXACT same thing.

It's almost as if it can't build enough line pressure to shift. Mine's worst JUST after it reaches operating temperature...

5-speed parts are ALMOST all collected.

Today, I was coming home from work and about 10 minutes into my ride home, the transmission would not shift into second. So I let up on the accelerator and continued to drive along and then it slipped into second gear! I also had the Overdrive off, so I guess I can't attribute that to my problem.

I also went back to the Nissan dealer today to find out what transmission fluid they used when they did my tranny flush last year. They told me that it was a Dexron fluid. It wasn't the "Nissanmatic C" that everyone is talking about on here. I asked him if he was aware of a TSB for this auto tranny and he said he did not, but that he would check for me. he told me to call him back tomorrow and he would let me know what he finds out.Does anyone here have a copy of the TSB that came out on this auto tranny? I'll keep everyone posted!!!!

Thanks for everyone's opinion! I was so hoping that maybe it was the Automatic Control Unit as I was ready to jump on your generous offer 'demcj'. Thanks!!!!!

240rocker

Well I hope the problem each of you are having is not the same I had. I did experience the exact same issue each of you list. This went on for over a year. I did the complete flush and changed the filter. Some weeks it ran great then others it would stick 3 for 4 time that week.

Well this night it stuck in the broken gear. The gears were changing but the car would not go over 30, on flat ground. I went ahead and drove it slowly home but it is gone. The fluid was burned so I am sure that it will not be recovered.

Now I have to find a used tranny or a used car.