si_driver

According to Nissan the fluid in our transmission does not need to be changed. I guess if it fails after 70,000 Nissan wouldn't fix it under warranty and we would be stuck paying for any problems.

Well my transmission started to shift a little funny lately and since I am at 53,00 miles even right now I decided to drain some fluid and replace it.

Well the fluid that was drained was completely black but it did not smell like it was burned..

However I would not trust the fluid to be okay past 100,000 miles. I def. needs to be replaced sooner if one is planning to keep the car for a long time.


Now the tranny is shifting a little bit better. Will drain and fill again in the spring when it gets a little warmer.

04G35NYC

The manual states, transmission should be changed every 30k miles with Matic S grade only

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Actually the manual is pretty vague, it states only in the "Premium Service" column that it's optional to flush the ATF every 30k miles, not required. And for the Service 1 and Service 2 sections it never states the Transmission fluid needs to be flushed. It says Automatic Transmission Fluid checked (except 7 speed Automatic Transmission), lol.

And FWIW I just DIYd mine a couple thousand miles ago, I did the 14.5 qt 3x drain & fill. I used Valvoline Max life ATF, it's one of the only aftermarket ATFs that has Nissan Matic S on it's label. Pulling the pan to clean the buildup and cleaning the magnets is one big plus to going that route. Shifts and overall transmission performance has improved somewhat.

Here's the DIY
https://www.myg37.com/forums/d-i-y-i...rop-clean.html

qmantran

How many miles was on your vehicle when you did it?

What was the condition of the fluid?

So you did a 14.5 qt x3 fluid change meaning you bought 43.5 qts total for the flush?

krazyfiend

^ all the answers you seek are in the DIY thread blnewt created and linked to.

takeapieandrun

iTrader: (2)

I got mine changed at 72K (I know, previous owner never did...). It was definitely in need of a change as it was brown in color, but I noticed no difference in shifting.

g37Frost

I had mine changed at 52,000 and it took care of a problem I was having with the engine that nobody at Infiniti could figure out.

The engine runs much, much smoother now. Absolutely glad I had this done.

I did not see the old fluid myself. All I know is, the car's shifting problem vanished immediately, and no longer loses the gear when stopped.

G37xsfun

Subject: SB Infiniti; Information For 7 Speed ATF
Summary of ITB11036:
SERVICE INFORMATION When inspecting or servicing a 7 speed transmission, you may find that the fluid color is darker than expected. In the first 2,000 to 3,000 miles of operation, the fluid (Nissan Matic S - 999MP-MTS00P) will become darker in color than new fluid. The photo in Figure 1 shows an example of fluid darkening after 3,500 miles of operation in a 7 speed transmission. - This fluid darkening is a normal condition. - The fluid does not need to be changed because of the darkening. - Thefluid's lubrication properties and quality are not diminished because of the darkening. NOTE: The 7 speed A/T requires special tool J-49829 for transmission fluid fill and level check. The level check procedure is included in this bulletin on the nextpage. See this bulletin for further detail.

socketz67

Interesting. So what is the reasoning behind the transmission not needing to be serviced at any regular interval? Recall that the 5AT in the earlier model was required to be serviced at 30-40K intervals, and it used the same Matic S fluid (i.e. no magic in the fluid used). Hydraulic fluid degrades with exposure to moisture/heat, so are they saying this is unlikely to occur in the 7AT? Are there other brands aside from Infiniti that discourage fluid changes as well (BMW?)? Seems unrealistic to think that the transmission will never need to be serviced, and it is in the best interest of the manufactures and dealers to service the transmission - so I am wondering what value this adds.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Agree 100% ^^^
Maybe this is their way of eliminating DIY transmission service.
Saying it's a "sealed" unit like I've read on several postings, or stating that it doesn't require service.

You then take it to the dealer and upon further review they find it does indeed require service, but should ONLY be done w/ their equipment, And since you're here we might as well get it done, for this very special price

ryanwhite74115

I just called up my local dealer and they told me that they recommend a flush every 60k on the 7-speed. he admits that the task is arduous (about 2 hours) but they only charge $250 total (which I'll pay considering the complexity of the DIY).

socketz67

Interesting. I looked around online and could not find any service specials/coupons linked to servicing the transmission either.

This one notes the cost of a fluid drain and refill, but it excludes the 7AT: Beshoff Infiniti | New Infiniti dealership in San Jose, CA 95122

g37Frost

This is what my local Nissan dealer charged me for mine:
So your dealer is in the general ballpark of mine. I don't remember how long it took them, but they did not complain about it being "arduous".

socketz67

This pricing appears to be inline with what I paid to have the service done on my 04 Sedan (5AT). The arduous comment is odd, as it the mystery surrounding the immortal trannie that never needs serviced.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

I had mine do at 58k( part of my 60k) and I'm at 81k now. But since 70k or so the first few shifts into 5th the tranny slips a little, after that its fine, no other issues. BTW I don't drive the car cold and I don't hit 5th gear till about 5 mins of driving( HYW).