[r35.2010]

You never imagine that it could happen to you, and then...

Halfway through the cooldown lap of my last session of the day today at an HPDE event, my car went into limp mode, and only gears 2, 4, and 6 were available. MFD said "T/M failure, visit dealer." I was able to limp back to the paddock, park, and let the car cool down. After 30 minutes, it started up without problems, and both clutches worked, but a few miles from the track on my way home I got the same message, plus a check engine light and an "Engine system failure, visit dealer" message in addition to the T/M failure message.

I am typing this from a hotel room, where I will spend the night before a flatbed comes to pick up the car tomorrow morning, and drop us off at my dealer near my home 100 miles away.

I have no powertrain mods, nor do I have a Cobb AP (so I can't get exact codes just yet). I've been running Willall WR35TM since the car had 9K miles, changed again at 18K miles. The car is a daily driver, just passed 25K miles, and I was going to change the trans oil again at 27K.

Unlike my last track day, where the ambient temps were in the low 100s, this time the weather was much nicer, and ambient temps never got above 90F. I drove the car hard, but not excessively so, and none of my MFD temp gauges (coolant, trans oil, engine oil) ever went into the red.

After the car cooled down and I started it up again, it sounded and functioned fine, i.e. it was shifting smoothly in Auto mode from 1 through 6 as I was driving away from the track. I also had the "torque split" gauge visible on the MFD, and the AWD system seemed to work fine. I am no expert, but I think this means this likely isn't a circlip failure, nor is it a completely jammed/mechanically busted transmission. That leaves the infamous solenoid malfunction issue.

Any ideas, especially from those who have experienced transmission problems? Thanks in advance.

(Too bad, it was an awesome track day...)

Edit: My car is a 2010, but one of the very early 2010s (built in January 2009, I think). Also, my symptoms sound exactly like those described by another member in this thread: http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?/topic/58883-tranny-went-to-failsafe-at-track-had-to-flatbed-it-home/

 

[[email protected]]

Probably solenoid issue like you mentioned. Hopefully Nissan doesn't give you any problems about the Willall fluid.

 

[r35.2010]

Probably solenoid issue like you mentioned. Hopefully Nissan doesn't give you any problems about the Willall fluid.

Thanks gotboost. My second trans oil change at 18K miles (with Willall fluid) was performed by my GT-R tech at the dealership. I remember him saying something about how if something breaks and Nissan thinks it's related to a lubrication issue, i'll be in trouble, but "if it's something unrelated like a solenoid taking a crap, it should be fine." Here's to hoping...

 

[rolemodel]

Good luck i had nightmeres with the stealership when i had my transmission failure.

 

[gilly6993]

Good luck i had nightmeres with the stealership when i had my transmission failure.

same here....if it's a serious issue be prepared to be without your car for quite some time....

and I would edit this post as well.....you were just cruising on the highway when this happened, right?

 

[sleepdoc]

From your description, I think it is very likely that the failure will be covered under warranty..

 

[Guest]

i posted about this in another thread a few days ago. I was actually "crusing down the road" when my car went into limp mode. car said t/m failure and engine failure. car threw about 10 codes, all power related but one was shift fork B. checked some fuses, wires, and connections. cleared the codes and car runs fine (for now) . car is a 2012 with 900 miles

 

[Goodwood]

It does sound like a solenoid failure, which should be covered, regardless, of fluid choice. The link you provided was my car. I had an internal piston seal failure, probably due to repeated exposure to excessive tranny heat, even though I always slowed down and let it cool off whenever it got at or near the red zone. I now have a Forge cooler, so that will never be an issue again. Where you went wrong, was waiting so long to change out to willall. At 9k before changing out the oem fluid, your solenoids probably already got gunked up. Hope you get good news, and ya, be prepared to be w/o your ride for some time. Mine took 2 months! I still don't understand why Nissan corp can't stock 1/2 dozen replacement trannies here in the US.

 

[Rif]

Weard

 

[seanm]

Not too weird. 2-4-6 is a normal failure mode.

http://www.2009gtr.com/2009/12/r35-gt-r-transmission-and-clutch.html

 

[wwjd]

re-install your tune, and you should be fine.

 

[leaveit2bevo]

Things like this make me nervous to get a tune, a simple solenoid failure = 14k repair bill.

 

[r35.2010]

Thanks, everyone.

Re "cruising down the highway," NNA is well aware that I track my car, and that I run Willall fluid.

Re. "reinstall your tune," I don't have a tune. The car has never been Cobbed. It is bone stock except for AP J-hooks, XP10 pads, and Willall fluids.

Dealer will pull codes today, but only the junior GT-R tech is here. The guy I usually work with won't be here until Monday. I'll know more then.

 

[seanm]

Things like this make me nervous to get a tune, a simple solenoid failure = 14k repair bill.

Why? Take it to a competent shop, or send it to a shop, and just pay for whats broken. Its really not as bad as it sounds. The Nissan dealer, really is not your only choice. If you are really worried about warranty, then leave it as Nissan made it. However if you are a realist, and want to personalize the car, then there are always less expensive options than a complete transmission.

 

[[email protected]]

Things like this make me nervous to get a tune, a simple solenoid failure = 14k repair bill.

Back in 2008 and 2009, this might have been true but these days, if the goal is to return the transmission to OEM condition it costs a fraction of that. Seal or sensor, we can replace/fix for about $3000 parts and labor. Of course, when these failures happen, most owners elect to upgrade to the much better Dodson parts which naturally drives up the costs. But then we are talking upgrading, and not simple repair.

Hope that helps.

To the OP, sounds like a simple warranty claim to me, and you should be back on the road soon enough.

 

[Shep]

Most likely a piston seal but there are a number of other problems that will do this. Codes will say for sure. Feel free to pm me or call the shop once you are able to get the codes assuming they deny warranty. Good luck, hopefully they help you out.

 

[Vega]

Back in 2008 and 2009, this might have been true but these days, if the goal is to return the transmission to OEM condition it costs a fraction of that. Seal or sensor, we can replace/fix for about $3000 parts and labor. Of course, when these failures happen, most owners elect to upgrade to the much better Dodson parts which naturally drives up the costs. But then we are talking upgrading, and not simple repair.

Hope that helps.

To the OP, sounds like a simple warranty claim to me, and you should be back on the road soon enough.

Exactly. Unless my transmissions get demolished, if it fails in the future I will just have it repaired and beafed up by one of these reputible vedors.

 

[r35.2010]

Just to close this thread, the transmission replacement was covered under warranty.

 

[s1gins]

That is great to hear!

 

[vtknight]

Just to close this thread, the transmission replacement was covered under warranty.

You must be relieved - was it the solenoid issue then?