Auto Trans 2009 D40

Hi all....the auto in this is shuddering when the car is in drive and just moving, best way to describe it is a shuddering like a manual clutch. Once it's doing about 2 to 3 kph it stops. More of an annoyance than anything. It's worse when the car is cold and also does it in reverse.
Any ideas? Thanks

We've heard of them shuddering at about 75-80km/h - that's because the torque converter clutch is locking and unlocking rapidly instead of just engaging - it's a fault in the torque converter.

I would imagine that yours would be similar. It's unlikely to be the gear itself because it does it forward and in reverse, but let's get a bit more info first.

If you are on a gentle downward slope and put the vehicle in neutral and start rolling the car (with the engine running so the brakes work) do you experience the shudder then too? If so, it could be propeller shaft or unis. Don't roll the car too far, just enough to determine if the problem exists in neutral as well.

If it doesn't appear in neutral while rolling the vehicle, bring the vehicle to a halt, put it in neutral or park and rev the engine just marginally to the point where would normally shudder. Do you still get the shudder? That engine speed should be turning over the input shaft of the gearbox at the same rate as when the gears are engaged. If there's shudder, I'd look at engine or torque converter. If there's no shudder while stationery, it's further in the gearbox/prop shaft or diff/cv joints.

When it's cold the oil's thicker, even the ATF will be ... knowing that, I'd be guessing a torque converter, but there's nothing saying it's not an issue on the engine side either.

My 07 does it too and has since I got it at 20,000km.
I had the torque converter replaced because of the shudder Tony talks about above at approx 70,000km and it solved that shudder but it still has your shudder even with the new TC.
I now have 152,000km on the clock and nothings given up so I just put up with it.

Hi....got stuck in the traffic this morning and had plenty of time to play. The shuddering is not there when the trans is in neutral and the car rolling. Tried increasing the revs slightly while in park, no difference as well. It only does it when you increase the revs slightly in drive or reverse to move off. One thing i did notice when i was stopped in the traffic, i was facing up hill and when i increased the revs to move off the shuddering was there without the car actually moving due to being on a steep hill. once the car got past about 3kph, shuddering stopped.
Cheers.

It would seem like it's related in some way to the input shaft of the gearbox.

It's hard to imagine the torque converter doing it under light load and low RPM and not doing it at higher rates.

Does the frequency of the shuddering seem to be in time with the engine RPM? Just as it starts, if you squeeze the accelerator a little harder (or softer) the RPM ought to change and if the frequency changes WITH the RPM, then it's definitely torque-converter or input-shaft related.

In any case, it's going to go back to Nissan eventually. Diagnosis of this sort of problem is really difficult in text!

Tony...it happens as well when i am coming to a stop in traffic and the car gets down to 2 to 3kph without my foot on the go pedal.
Car has just had its 30k service ($295). Bit of a weird one this.
I'll let Nissan know when the 40K service is due.
By the way the car has a grumbling noise, like it's laboring at around 80 to 90kph. Is that what you refer to above?

Thanks & Cheers

The faulty torque converters caused a vibration because the TCC solenoid was activating and releasing, which engaged and disengaged the locking mechanism in the torque converter, so the connection between the engine and the gearbox kept flipping between the fluid drive of an auto to the locked "solid" drive like a manual. It only happened just as the car passed through the speed required for the torque converter to lock - once you were beyond that it settled down.

I'd guess either it's a completely different problem to yours, or your TCC solenoid is behaving erratically without a command from the Transmission Control Module in the gearbox. It'll be interesting to find out what has caused your problem.

Rang Nissan a couple of days ago to explain what was happening as the 40k service is some time off, they asked me to bring it into them today. They have rang back to say the car has not shown up any codes as to why it's doing what it's doing. They did say that the bottom of the air cleaner was broken and needs replacing. They are going to do this under warranty. I don't know how that has happend and would that have any bearing on what the car is doing?
Guess i will find out when i pick it up today.
Let you know tomorrow if there is any difference.

Cheers

Back again...Nissan replaced the bottom part of the air cleaner along with the s-bend that goes into the side wall. Has not made any difference to the shuddering problem. The problem seems to be getting worse when the car is cold and i can actualy feel it when the car is just sitting in drive now when it's cold and the car is stationary. I will go back to Nissan and stand on the counter when i'm discussing it with them this time. Just a question, do the mechanics in these places actualy solve any problems nowadays or do they just plug the cars in and if no codes come up everything is fine as far as they are concerned?

Most of the time, they follow a "recipe". It's not a bad way to deal with 99% of the problems that could occur.

Unfortunately you're in the 1% right now. If you point it out to the service manager and he can see the problem, he will drive the move to get it fixed. He'll be more eager to do that if offered honey rather than vinegar too, so maybe standing on his counter will be counter-productive!

Hi all...Tony, only being tongue in cheek about the counter bit, although one feels like doing it some time.
Anyway back to business. Went back as the shuddering was becoming worse, explained what was happening again and i noticed a slight smile on his face, said to the service guy, you have heard this before. He said yep, sounds like your injectors. Well they changed the injectors and the car now performs better than it did when i first got it. (purchased it new)
Having only traveled 32,000k is this normal?
Anyway i have to take it back as the tech who did the job did not put the top cover seal in properly and oil has leaked all over the back of the motor, down the trans and blown down the length of the car. That stuff is sure hard to get out of the concrete in my driveway as well.
Cheers

Hi all, went back to Nissan (no i did not stand on the counter) as the problem was getting worse, Nissan has now changed the injectors. Car now runs as smooth as silk and more get up and go, better than when i picked it up new.
Question, injectors at 32 thousand k, is this normal, car has only been on the road for 14 months
JPMC...might be something for you to look at. Cheers

Water in the fuel can destroy injectors fairly quickly. The fuel is coming in at fairly high pressure - up to 315psi, if memory serves - and water behaves badly under high pressure, possibly causing the failure.

I agree entirely with Tony on re the water....in fact I'm what might be described as paranoid on this issue. Water will quickly kill a old dinosaur diesel but with a common rail engine coupled with the low sulphur diesel we run these days the demise can not only be quick but hugely expensive. I've fitted a water watch (Responsive Engineering | Water Testing System | Diesel Filtration | Water Watch - Water Watch System). Couple of photos attached.

I also use a Mr Funnel (Pro Quip Mr Funnel Fuel Filter Funnels) when filling up away from my normal servo. I usually only use Mr Funnel for the first 15-20 ltrs as I figure that if there is no water by this then it is a pretty safe bet there ain't any. If you get a Mr Funnel then you will need to get a length of diesel friendly hose to enable you to angle it into the filling point. I also carry it in double plastic bags inside a carry bag I got from Punkinhead Airsports (Punkin Head Air Sports - Makers of Quality Microlight Covers, Ultralight Covers, Rotor Aircraft Covers & Accessories).