G37Obsidian

Any update?

G35Rhino

I freaking knew it....they had my car all f'ing day and in the end they drove it a whopping 4 miles and told me that the tech noted a lag in shifting but nothing that would be considered a problem. They asked me what grade fuel I was using (I always the highest grade) and basically told me that since the car isn't throwing codes that there is nothing they can do. They also told me that Infiniti would not pay for them to flash the TCM back to the original code as 1) Infiniti already paid to flash it to the current program and 2) the car isn't throwing trouble codes so Infiniti won't cover it under warranty. The advisor invited me to come back and take a drive with the tech when I could come in during normal hours.

The service advisor gave me some speech about "swell" and I cut her off and told her I didn't want to hear it because the car didn't act like this for the first 9k miles (before the flash) yet has had the lag (i.e. what she was trying to tell me was swell) only since the flash. I guess my car wasn't equipped with "swell" from the factory and they had to program it in...that's a joke by the way.

My loaner was a 2008 EX35 RWD (AT 5 speed). No lag....just press the gas and go (quickly). The EX35 would blow the doors off my car from a dead stop, not doubt about it. I would say the problem is the AT-7 but I drove my buddy's 2009 FX35 RWD and his doesn't lag like mine either...guess he asked them for no "swell" on his vehicle (another joke).

Long story short....I'm not happy and not really sure where to go from here.

Mockenrue

Just keep nagging them. A tech I talked to said that Infiniti has been known to do custom programs in certain cases. He told me a story of a guy who was in a high altitude town and a fast throttle was giving him problems (can't remember the details). Infiniti actually set him up with a de-tuned program.

Alex57r

Sucks. Sorry to hear that. Another dealer? Lemon law?

SOLISIMO

iTrader: (7)

Yeah man, take it to another dealer

Fespy09

Leased '09 in August. Didn't noticed these issues in the test drive but can now say that after 2,500 miles, I love every aspect of the car EXCEPT the transmission.

I am the proud owner of flare and downshift issues. I typically drive in "D" and the flare is very annoying. Could probably live with the downshift but overall experience makes you feel like a 16 year old girl learning to drive a stick. Also have a odd issue on right hand turns only. The transmission just wants to stay in the higher gear regardless of how where the pedal is.

Last night tried driving home in "DS". I know what it is supposed to do but Holy Crap! I have never felt anything sooooooo confused. After hard acceleration, the transmission stayed in a lower gear absoltuley refusing to shift up after I left off the pedal. There I was going 40mph running about 5,000 rpm. Apply a little throttle at that level and you are on your way in a hurry.

In the end, the only way I can have smooth operation is to completely baby it or drive in "Manual" mode. Neither of which is why I wanted the G37 or the auto.

My last car was a '06 G35 and because of certain issues there, I almost went a different direction but the newer styling, interior, exterior won me over. Now I'm thinking the extra $$ for another car spread out over 3 years wouldn't have been so bad.

First service is in 3 weeks so I will see what the dealer has to say.

G35Rhino

Lemon law wouldn't be applicable. The car runs...just not like it used to (i.e. without hesitation).

G35Rhino

You said it correctly "The transmission just wants to stay in the higher gear regardless of how where the pedal is.". If I baby it....slowly press the accelerator all the way to the floor it finally downshifts but sounds like it is drowning in gasoline until then (bogging down). If I suddenly floor...nothing for a second or two and then it slams into gear which can't be good for the transmission especially when you are going 65 mph when it happens (does it around 40 mph and coasting as well). It's like being with someone in a manual transmission their first time driving it.

Also, I get the confusion (downshift, upshift w/ torque lockup, back down again in rapid succession) if not fully into the accelerator at low speeds...again that can't be good for the car and people riding with you think you can't drive.

I know I have beat this topic to death but I didn't have this experience before the flash to the new TCM program. I had >9k miles on the car before the flash and have 4.5k since....night and day difference FOR ME and NOT IN A GOOD WAY!!!!

trey100

Anyone here with a just produced/just bought G37 7AT that can opine on whether their car has the bumpy downshift (20mph)? I got mine off a truck last day of August and it shifts so much better than teh cars I test drove. No nasty downshift as you slow down to a stop (none that you can tell at least) and in everyday driving it is quick to downshift when you put your foot into it even slowly.

I'm just wondering if my car has the new programming like g35rhino's and just works better or if I'm on the old version (in which case I will make sure I tell the techs to not re-program anything when I bring it in).

Mockenrue

Not everyone has the problems that rhino does with the updates. When they checked my car, I already had the latest TCM (down-shift fix), and they flashed me to the latest ECM (flare fix). I don't have a harsh down-shift or noticeable throttle lag. It does have some engine breaking, but it's pretty much the same as the 07 Altima that I drove, and that is a CVT transmission. The DS Mode is especially fierce with acceleration. As others have said, it does sometimes hold the low gear/high revs too long when you take you foot off the gas after mashing it. If that happens, I just manually up-shift. I think it's kind of fun to drive with a mix of DS and manual.

KLB

I am surprised the dealer does not offer to back rev it for you. Good customer service would say that was the thing to do. It would not really cost them anything, and it would make you happier thus stopping you from spreading a bad word about their car. Have you tried writing the General Manager of the Dealership? Explain the whole thing, what happened, what you are wanting done, how unhappy you are with his dealership, etc..

G35Rhino

Two different dealers involved....one did the flash (I do not normally take it there b/c they are usually huge a-holes on both the sales and service side) and the one I regularly go to who is usually pretty good with their customer service. It's my regular dealer that will not retro flash the car.

My service advisor at my regular dealer is a real pitbull (I'm sure the dealership loves her) in terms of protecting them from spending money (theirs or Infiniti's) which I can respect from a professional standpoint but not from a personal one. To give some perspective, my TPMS lights have been coming on since day 1 usually after 2 - 3 hours of higher speed (highway) driving. First time I took them in, they reset codes and told me to let them know if it didn't work. Second time they reset codes and told me that if that didn't fix then they'd replace rears TPMS sensors. This time they told me that codes had been stored but the code was for "no code" whatever that means. They reset and told me write down exactly what is going on (conditions, etc.) when the lights come on so I can "help them diagnose the issue" because as of right now Infiniti won't pay them to cover the replacements under warranty because they can't diagnose it properly. Lights came on 2 days later so I called and left her a vmail shortly after midnight and will do so every time I see the thing light up......

I guess I will have to go back to the dealer that did the flash when I have hours to kill and see what they say/do about it. What a pain.

ry317

So I had the hard downshift update done a while ago (the second day it was official), and my car drove much better. Well, recently the transmission really has been getting bad, flaring, and out of the blue this "lag" that others have mentioned. It scared the crap out of me; I had to move quick, slammed the gas, and the car didn't do anything for two seconds! Thought it may have been an isolated incident, but it has happened two more times since.

So, I found a thread about resetting the ECU. I tried this on Friday, and I must say the car drove MUCH better over the weekend. I still really dislike the transmission in this car (the trans in my rental chevy impala right now shifts much much better!). BUT, resetting the ECU seemed to help. Has anybody else given this a try?

ozzypriest

iTrader: (2)

If you can wait, I understand Cobb is working on a transmission tune. Why don't you just go to the dealer and insist they backrev the tune for you?

G35Rhino

I've noticed the flare getting worse on mine as well....much more pronounced than it used to be.