Hi, two questions as I recently returned from a TSB visit and the dealer recommended all kinds of things.

The car: 2003 sedan, non-sport
Miles: 44,000, original owner

This is one of the early production cars and did not have the trans dipstick, just the plug. So I went to my Nissan dealer and obtained partnum 31086-CD10A, which they tell me has superseded the original stick, 31086-CD100.

On taking the reading I was alarmed to see, on a DEAD COLD car, that the fluid is up well beyond the HOT mark and crosshatches, and pretty much at the level of the bend about an inch up from there.

Now as far as I know no one has filled anything here as I have had the car since day one except for a few hours at the dealer for minor issues and TSBs. Also, this last visit they told me they "recommend" a trans fluid flush (I suppose not doing one would be bad for their financial health). But the fluid is still pinkish, has no particular smell.

Should I even bother with changing it? It's not a big deal and I'd do it myself using the video from bythabay (great vids btw). Also thinking I'd go with Castrol multi-vehicle import.

Any thoughts on the above? Can someone verify what the COLD level should be? At cold I was almost expecting to see no fluid at all so this was a surprise. I will check it hot the next time I drive the car a fair distance.

 

^ I am in the exact same boat, fluid level was at that same spot when I checked mine cold the other day.. Quite surprising since I always feared it was low just because I was paranoid but too lazy to unbolt it

 

I believe you're supposed to read the level with the engine running at normal operating temperature. I don't think cold readings mean much but correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yeah its just an assumption that it would be higher when warm, but maybe not necessarily