Nissan - Sentra :: 2002 - Gears Not Shifting Sometimes, Primarily From A Cold Start
Oct 19, 2011
I've been driving my daughter's Nissan for the past week, trying to figure out what's going on.
Car has about 124K miles. Automatic transmission. Two things happening, neither with total consistency:
(1) Sometimes, primarily from a cold start, car will not shift gears. You'll go past the speed and RPMs where you would have expected the gear to shift, but engine whines on. When you let off the gas, it then shifts. Same from 2nd to 3rd. While in this mode, would not seem to stay in 4th - would briefly shift in (for about a second) , then return to 3rd.
(2) Other item - more frequently, primarily from a warm start, but also from a cold start - car shifts gears at proper time, but there is a distinctive "jolt" as it shifts from 1st to 2nd; not really noticeable in higher gears and the "jolt" can vary in intensity. Almost feels like a broken motor mount, but don't think that's it.
Doesn't happen with scenario (1) described above. Also, while in this mode, I noticed, while highway driving, that if I was at the bottom of a long hill, going 60 and floored it, there would be no power surge. It was not downshifting into 3rd like it should. I would have a long and slow acceleration , with the tachometer holding steady at about 2700 RPMs, not climbing as you would expect.
But, if I was going about 50, then you would get normal hill climb acceleration.My mechanic - whom I've dealt with for a long time and trust - had wanted me to drive it awhile and see what was happening before bringing it in. When describing these symptoms to him, his reaction was "Hmmm - doesn't sound good" but without the quick diagnosis I'm accustomed to from him.
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I recently bought my Nissan Sentra from Carmax, and drove it cross-country from Maryland to New Mexico for a job. I noticed along the way that from a cold engine start, whenever I would reverse, shift to drive, and turn the wheel to straighten, I would hear a noise that sounds like pulling the parking brake coming from the tire area. The engine also makes a knocking noise when the accelerator is pressed, but gets better as the engine warms up (which I'm told is a gasket). Finally, when driving from a cold start and the transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd, I hear a metallic clunk that sounds like someone hitting a metal shaft.
Any thoughts/concerns? I've read something about a premature bearing failure, if that's relevant.
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I have a 2002 Nissan Sentra. In Nov. 2010 had inspection done and replaced upper radiator hose at that time. Right after that, I had no heat and the temperature gauge would go up to hot but then come right back down. Brought it back to mechanic, changed thermostat and both things ok only part way home. Started riding with coworker only driving to her house 7 miles away and still temperature gauge up and down, stopped driving completely in Feb. Just brought it to dealer who replaced thermostat and worked fine all the way home and then started all over again the next day. Seems to happen faster at higher speed but will eventually do it in any driving conditions. Today service engine soon light came on. Obviously not thermostat problem. Could it be water pump? Dealer did pressure test and that came back fine so no head gasket problem although don't have a lot of faith in that since problem still exists and they thought thermostat would fix it.
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I own a 1993 Nissan Sentra (2 Dr, SE, red:-). I've owned it for 17 years and has been a fantastic car. until March of this year when I had to replace the transmission at odometer reading of 121,xxx. Everything has been fine up until about a month ago when I returned to my car after working out at the gym...and it refused to start. No clicking, no hemming or hawwing, just nothing. The lights worked, the seat belt alarm worked, all dashboard lights worked. But absolutely no connection to anything. I tried moving the steering wheel, juggled the key, etc. but nothing.
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