Shudder at 40mph (~60km/h)
Shudder at 40mph (~60km/h)
Hey guys, I need some help...please. 
The car "shudders" while cruising around 40mph (60km/h). It's intermittent, not always doing it, but does happen daily, and often enough to make me go nuts trying to figure it out.
I had this issue for a long time and it's driving me nuts. After thorough forum research, I see I'm not the only one. Problem is, no one has a definitive answer on either how to fix it or how to approach the dealer with this problem.
I already brought it in to the dealer, they said they couldn't replicate the issue and charged me $60 for apparently wasting their mechanic's time
.
Some people claimed the following could fix it:
1. Cruise Control reflash. (I don't understand how cruise control module has anything to do with me holding my speed at 40mph/60kmh). Can someone elaborate?
2. ECU reflash. (apparently the "touchy throttle" flash fixed it for someone. I have an 08 model bought in January 08, I thought I already had the newest flash installed stock.) Am I wrong-is there updates?
3. Transmission reflash (someone mentioned it but I don't believe anyone confirmed it fixing the issue).
So guys, I am desperately asking you all to give a moment of your time, ANY comments are welcome.
Any suggestions on how to approach the dealer?
Are there any TSBs you heard of that can help me out, even to convince them?
Has anyone here had this problem?
THANKS GUYS!
The solution (Copy/Paste from page 3)
The car "shudders" while cruising around 40mph (60km/h). It's intermittent, not always doing it, but does happen daily, and often enough to make me go nuts trying to figure it out.
I had this issue for a long time and it's driving me nuts. After thorough forum research, I see I'm not the only one. Problem is, no one has a definitive answer on either how to fix it or how to approach the dealer with this problem.
I already brought it in to the dealer, they said they couldn't replicate the issue and charged me $60 for apparently wasting their mechanic's time
.Some people claimed the following could fix it:
1. Cruise Control reflash. (I don't understand how cruise control module has anything to do with me holding my speed at 40mph/60kmh). Can someone elaborate?
2. ECU reflash. (apparently the "touchy throttle" flash fixed it for someone. I have an 08 model bought in January 08, I thought I already had the newest flash installed stock.) Am I wrong-is there updates?
3. Transmission reflash (someone mentioned it but I don't believe anyone confirmed it fixing the issue).
So guys, I am desperately asking you all to give a moment of your time, ANY comments are welcome.
Any suggestions on how to approach the dealer?
Are there any TSBs you heard of that can help me out, even to convince them?
Has anyone here had this problem?
THANKS GUYS!
The solution (Copy/Paste from page 3)
An update:
Went to the dealer, they said the couldn't feel the problem. Came back in, went for a drive myself with the service manager and I was able to reproduce the shudder on a road where I remember it always happening. The manager agreed that it wasn't normal and I suggested to him that a member here (treacherous) fixed the issue with an ECU reflash with newer software<--Thanks Treacherous!
So I gave the manager the TSB for the '07s for the "throttle sensitivity - ITB08-017a", seeing as it involved reflashing ECU to newer version software. This didn't apply to my 08 as I apparently 08s have a whole different revision of software. ie: no JK69_a,b,c,or d in the software version number). Those with 07s, just for your reference, the latest flash is 23710-JK69D to fix this issue.
So for those with the 08 as opposed to the 07, the latest flash version is # 23710-1NA8C. The old version I had was 23710-1NA8A.
So now for the driving experience...I felt no difference in respect to throttle response, shifting, etc. The car drove pretty much exactly as it did when I brought it in. I guess the 08's never had that touchy throttle in the first place. Driving home, I felt no shudder at 60 (VERY EXCITED). I decided to wait for the girl to come home and we went out for a nice long cruise, holding 40mph (60kmh) as much as possible...no shudder, even on the same road that would almost guarantee it to shudder.
Guys, I think I nailed it. It's been a great day, the dealer was great to deal with and the car drives smooth as it should. I'll chime back in a couple weeks to update if all's still good, but appears that the reflash fixed it.
Thanks again to Treacherous for the help, I don't think they believed it themselves that the ECU reflash would fix the problem.
I'm now a more happier G driver!
Went to the dealer, they said the couldn't feel the problem. Came back in, went for a drive myself with the service manager and I was able to reproduce the shudder on a road where I remember it always happening. The manager agreed that it wasn't normal and I suggested to him that a member here (treacherous) fixed the issue with an ECU reflash with newer software<--Thanks Treacherous!
So I gave the manager the TSB for the '07s for the "throttle sensitivity - ITB08-017a", seeing as it involved reflashing ECU to newer version software. This didn't apply to my 08 as I apparently 08s have a whole different revision of software. ie: no JK69_a,b,c,or d in the software version number). Those with 07s, just for your reference, the latest flash is 23710-JK69D to fix this issue.
So for those with the 08 as opposed to the 07, the latest flash version is # 23710-1NA8C. The old version I had was 23710-1NA8A.
So now for the driving experience...I felt no difference in respect to throttle response, shifting, etc. The car drove pretty much exactly as it did when I brought it in. I guess the 08's never had that touchy throttle in the first place. Driving home, I felt no shudder at 60 (VERY EXCITED). I decided to wait for the girl to come home and we went out for a nice long cruise, holding 40mph (60kmh) as much as possible...no shudder, even on the same road that would almost guarantee it to shudder.
Guys, I think I nailed it. It's been a great day, the dealer was great to deal with and the car drives smooth as it should. I'll chime back in a couple weeks to update if all's still good, but appears that the reflash fixed it.
Thanks again to Treacherous for the help, I don't think they believed it themselves that the ECU reflash would fix the problem.
I'm now a more happier G driver!
Last edited by johnnyzee; Feb 4, 2010 at 03:42 PM.
Does "shudder" mean "vibration", or do you mean keeping the gas pedal at the same level and the G bucks slightly?
If it's the former, even if it's intermittent, go get your wheels balanced.
If it's the latter, not sure what to tell you
If it's the former, even if it's intermittent, go get your wheels balanced.
If it's the latter, not sure what to tell you
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
I have the same exact thing. Do you have an auto?? I have an x so it is auto. It shudders the most going up a small hill at between 38 and 40. My passengers can even feel it if they ate quint attention. It feels exactly like the gear is too high or the torque converter is locked and shouldn't be. If you put t in sports mode it stops. I don't think sport mode uses torque converter lockup. I am going to have the dealer lok at it next rme I go in.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 665
Likes: 4
I have the same exact thing. Do you have an auto?? I have an x so it is auto. It shudders the most going up a small hill at between 38 and 40. My passengers can even feel it if they ate quint attention. It feels exactly like the gear is too high or the torque converter is locked and shouldn't be. If you put t in sports mode it stops. I don't think sport mode uses torque converter lockup. I am going to have the dealer lok at it next rme I go in.
Trending Topics
Exact same thing happens to me when going up small hills. Also happens maybe once every 2 weeks driving on level ground going around 30-40 mph.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Yeah. Really is different than a tire balance problem. It is annoying. I wonder what the dealer will say.
There was a TSB for the 07s where the car would surge or shudder when going down a hill in cruise. The fix was a reflash that would also stop the sensitive throttle by wire. My X did that once in a while also but I liked and had gotten used to the sensitive throttle and I did not want to lose it, so I never got that re-flash.
Hey guys, definitely not a wheel balance issue. In fact, just to be sure, I had them rebalanced in the summer. From what I've read, and what my mechanical knowledge tells me, is that the torque converter is locking/unlocking at that speed range.
To answer your questions:
-Yes it's an auto, 5AT w/AWD (this problem is not with the AWD though).
-By shudder I mean holding the car at 40mph (60kmh) at a steady cruising speed (but not in cruise control)
-It feels as if the car is going over ripples on the road, slightly bucking forward and back really quickly, mossman said it best: it feels like you're in a manual car in 5th gear when you should be in 3rd, the car bucking and "shuddering"
-I attempted swapping over to DS (sport) when I feel shuddering, and it does not go away (unless the gear changes)
-It happens on level roads, and inclined roads. you definitely feel it more on inclined (uphill) roads. haven't noticed it going downhill.
-It's doing it at approximately 1500RPM
Wayne (gee35x): So this surging/bucking only happens when you're in cruise control?
So some of you guys are having this issue as well, you know what I'm talking about then, hopefully all our minds and efforts together will get this dealt with.
To answer your questions:
-Yes it's an auto, 5AT w/AWD (this problem is not with the AWD though).
-By shudder I mean holding the car at 40mph (60kmh) at a steady cruising speed (but not in cruise control)
-It feels as if the car is going over ripples on the road, slightly bucking forward and back really quickly, mossman said it best: it feels like you're in a manual car in 5th gear when you should be in 3rd, the car bucking and "shuddering"
-I attempted swapping over to DS (sport) when I feel shuddering, and it does not go away (unless the gear changes)
-It happens on level roads, and inclined roads. you definitely feel it more on inclined (uphill) roads. haven't noticed it going downhill.
-It's doing it at approximately 1500RPM
Wayne (gee35x): So this surging/bucking only happens when you're in cruise control?
So some of you guys are having this issue as well, you know what I'm talking about then, hopefully all our minds and efforts together will get this dealt with.
Hey guys, definitely not a wheel balance issue. In fact, just to be sure, I had them rebalanced in the summer. From what I've read, and what my mechanical knowledge tells me, is that the torque converter is locking/unlocking at that speed range.
To answer your questions:
-Yes it's an auto, 5AT w/AWD (this problem is not with the AWD though).
-By shudder I mean holding the car at 40mph (60kmh) at a steady cruising speed (but not in cruise control)
-It feels as if the car is going over ripples on the road, slightly bucking forward and back really quickly, mossman said it best: it feels like you're in a manual car in 5th gear when you should be in 3rd, the car bucking and "shuddering"
-I attempted swapping over to DS (sport) when I feel shuddering, and it does not go away (unless the gear changes)
-It happens on level roads, and inclined roads. you definitely feel it more on inclined (uphill) roads. haven't noticed it going downhill.
-It's doing it at approximately 1500RPM
Wayne (gee35x): So this surging/bucking only happens when you're in cruise control?
So some of you guys are having this issue as well, you know what I'm talking about then, hopefully all our minds and efforts together will get this dealt with.
To answer your questions:
-Yes it's an auto, 5AT w/AWD (this problem is not with the AWD though).
-By shudder I mean holding the car at 40mph (60kmh) at a steady cruising speed (but not in cruise control)
-It feels as if the car is going over ripples on the road, slightly bucking forward and back really quickly, mossman said it best: it feels like you're in a manual car in 5th gear when you should be in 3rd, the car bucking and "shuddering"
-I attempted swapping over to DS (sport) when I feel shuddering, and it does not go away (unless the gear changes)
-It happens on level roads, and inclined roads. you definitely feel it more on inclined (uphill) roads. haven't noticed it going downhill.
-It's doing it at approximately 1500RPM
Wayne (gee35x): So this surging/bucking only happens when you're in cruise control?
So some of you guys are having this issue as well, you know what I'm talking about then, hopefully all our minds and efforts together will get this dealt with.
my 07 did the surging when in cruise going downhill. Here is the TSB to correct it: http://2007.infiniti.g35x.googlepages.com/ITB07-028a.pdf But I opted to live with it because it also got rid of the sensitive throttle, which I liked.
As I said earlier my 07 did surge in drive sometimes also, it was almost like it was lugging. It was around the same speeds as you are experiencing.
Thanks Wayne, I appreciate the help (and the link). I don't have the Intelligent Cruise Control, or an '07, but it's definitely a great start and definitely looking more and more like the ECM flash is the culprit. Your symptons are similar.
I should just do what you did and trade her in for an FX (good job on that by the way!)
___
Does anyone know a way for us to to find out which flash version we have, and which flash is the newer one? Does it say this anywhere?
I should just do what you did and trade her in for an FX (good job on that by the way!)
___
Does anyone know a way for us to to find out which flash version we have, and which flash is the newer one? Does it say this anywhere?