[QUOTE=07-G35-MT/S;6026553]+1


bryman

 

I just took my '08 G35 to the dealer for a 5th gear grind. Mine only happens when cold, so I dropped the car off yesterday evening, and they worked on it this morning. To my surprise, they were able to reproduce it, but to my dismay they claimed it was normal for this transmission. They could only get it to happen when shifting below 3000 rpm (which matches my experience -- I drive like a granny when the car is cold), and they claimed that in a sports car like this you should be shifting above 3000 rpm. Argh.

I asked them to take a new 6mt-equipped G37 out for a test drive to see if it does the same thing. I guarantee it does not. Waiting to hear back.

If they refuse to fix it, what is my recourse? I'm guessing the 5th gear synchro is bad, and I don't want to be suck with an expensive transmission repair when my powertrain warranty runs out.

Edit: Just thought to look in the manual for suggested shift points. They recommend shifting from 4th to 5th at 28 mph! That should be pretty good evidence that the transmission should shift properly even at low rpms.

 

That's precisely what I was going to point out to you. They haven't got a legitimate claim that your symptom is normal. Their assertion that you need to shift at a higher rpm is horsesh*t! Why don't they just make the claim that if you would only rev match precisely, then you wouldn't even need to use your clutch (or your synchros) at all. Ask to speak to the service manager, and if you don't get satisfaction, then the general manager or owner. Give them a fair chance to make good on it (you could have just gotten a real d*ck of a service writer). Should that fail, I would proceed to contact Infiniti corporate customer service directly and make your complaint. Again, if the dealer reproduced the gear grind, clutch is functioning properly, and you've got the right tranny fluid in it, then the synchro diagnosis is virtually a lock. They HAVE to make good on it if you're under warranty. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

So they told you it is normal for this trans to shift like junk. Nice. I rememeber reading those recommended shift points as well. I would bring that for your next conversation with them. Keep at em'.

 

I have had the same issue. Going from 3rd to 6th it would grind really badly. I think the 6th gear syncro was gone. Anyways the dealer replaced the whole transmission at 12k miles.

 

I shifted from 4th to 6th and made it grind for the dealer.

They ended up replacing my whole transmission as well. Just to update this thread.

 

I think it bears mentioning (as others have commented on the subject in this thread) that the practice of short shifting from a lower gear (say 3rd) to 6th is definitely worthy of consideration with these transmissions.

With only one synchro for 6th, and depending on the rpms involved, there is potentially an increased load on that synchro such that it MAY cause it to wear faster than it otherwise may have if the transmission shafts were allowed to synchronize their relative speeds incrementally (ie. by going through all the gears in between). I believe this is the kind of issue that may produce premature synchro failure if repeated OVER TIME. I do not believe a few short shifts here and there are of any significant concern.

It may seem tedious to "row" through all the gears in between, but you don't need to actually rev through them, you just need to clutch them through so the transmission shaft speeds get more closely synch'd. If you take the trouble to do that, you more than likely will not add undue wear on what is apparently already a weak link in these trannys.

.02

 

I never skip gears. I just did that to demonstrate the grind that would occasionally happen when shifting from 5th to 6th.

The biggest time I noticed it, was if the RPMs were at 3k or over in 5th gear. Like when I am slowing down from higher speeds and put it into 6th to coast it would always grind.

 

Taking mine into the dealership monday to have this looked at, also have noticed the 5th and 6th gear inlets (or where you throw them into) are WAY more wide and flexible. And i have lost definition in reverse where i have to push it down. Happened this winter and i thought i would try to live with it, but the SO heard it and said it sounded nasty, so into the dealership it goes!

 

I agree, it is horseshit! I sent my service advisor an email pointing out the recommended shift points from the manual, and he had another technician look at it. They decided that it is the synchro, and I will be getting a new transmission. So it looks like it all will work out. Whew!

 

CONGRATS...that's great news !!


And kudos for you. It definitely pays to be persistent and not roll over to their BS.

 

Absolutely not true.

As long as the gear you're shifting into can supprt the revs (not bog the motor) your motor could care less.

 

This is awesome news Janik.

 

Bob, it is true that the MOTOR could care less, but the tranny shafts still have to synch and they rely on the synchros to do that. There's only one synchro for 5th and 6th gears, so IN TIME, it bears to reason that repeating the short shift practice will accelerate the wear placed upon them; certainly more than would otherwise be exerted upon them by fully rowing the boat.

 

Man I feel worse now, I've had multiple trips to the dealer about my 1-2 grinding and didn't achieve more than a "we'll note it in the records".

Even after dropping off the car in cold weather so it can be driven the next morning I was told "the drivetrain is 95% good" and they could do nothing about it. I'm convinced these manual trannys are problematic and for now I've been dealing with it, which is not so bad but if I bought a TL-SH or 335 I'd probably look back and shake my head. The prices we pay to drive such a sexy ride. Excessive NVH + inconsistent gear shifts = temperamental beast that works well but just doesn't compete with the best.