Need Urgent Help

[Guest 1999.5Path]

Hello all,

 

I have a 99.5 LE and I am in big trouble with it. I am having repeated troubles with the auto transmission. The check engine light comes on and the transmission goes into fail safe mode. I went to the dealer and they put in a new solenoid valve body... it failed again 3 days later. same code same problem. I went back again and they "sold" me a new TCM unit transmission control unit... 2 days later it failed again. I went back again they had the truck for 4 days... put in another solenoid and it failed again 2 days later. I am almost $3000.00 dollars in repairs on the truck. What else could this be? I am starting to think the dealer is just guessing.

 

thanks

[88pathoffroad]

I bet they ARE guessing. They can't diagnose more problems without removing the tranny totally, is the thing.

[Precise1]

2 solenoids, and a TCM unit in 2 weeks ? For $3k ? I'd be putting a cancel on some checks, and ringing some necks !! I don't know what the problem is, but obviously neither do they. Point being, part swapping in the dark at your expense is VERY bad form...

Good luck Bud...

 

B

[Guest 1999.5Path]

Well I limped the truck back to the dealer today. I am now back in a rental car...again. I told them they should just refund my money and drop a new tranny into it. They said they will take care of me. I will give them one more chance before I get nasty. I may call Nissan as a back up plan.

[MaritimeMan]

Yah, that ain't right. Sounds like they are stabbin in the dark. Presonally I know very little of the innards of an auto tranny, but what I don know, is that if it's not easily solved, get you wallet out, and make sure you have some room on the 'ol credit cards. I'd agree and say you might have a bum tranny, and a replace will solve that, but that ain't cheep either. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

M.M.

[lgranch]

Ok first off I am more of a WD21 guy, so my statements about a 99 tranny may not be perfectly accurate. If good parts were put in, they just do not go bad that fast. Based on what is being replaced I suspect that there is an electrical malfunction. Most likely this is a wiring short or a voltage spike to the component. There is nothing that I no of inherently in the tranny that would blow the TCM.

 

The mechanical portionof the tranny could be replaced < even by a dealer, for $3000 or less. This would only fix the problem if the short was in the tranny connection. ( if you ever open a Nissan tranny you will find alot of electrical wiring and components under fluid in there.)

 

This Nissan dealership obviouly does not work on many trannys and their diagnostic skills are poor. We have discussed on this forum before that there are very few honest transmission repair shops. I would suggest that you get you money back from the dealer and try someone else. Recognizing that this is not probable then start complaining to Nissan district managers right now. It will take a long time to get someone to help you. You can try a local TV consumer advocate, but this is not an interesting story for them because is happens all the time.

 

Keep the forum posted on the outcome