Well, I may have reached the final square on my Infiniti G37s, which I love(d). For a luxury vehicle, Infiniti wants to avoid more warranty repairs than they actually want to perform by blaming anything they can OTHER than the vehicle. In fact, my dealer has now resorted to actually confirming THEY believe there is a problem before they write up a service ticket (thank god I communicate with them through email so I have documentation).

Warning: If you have a problem that you believe is substantial enough, do NOT let the dealer call the Engineering Hotline as that closes down ALL other avenues of persuit for recourse, except for the BBB or Lemon Law persiut.

Here's the situation and some important information for those that have severe shift delays on the 5AT:

* At 6k miles, in DS mode, I was slowing down on a freeway exit and as I approached 3-5mph and traffic sped up, I pressed the accellerator and the car did not move. Instead, the vehicle continued to slow. I increased pressure on the accellerator and after a total of 5+ seconds, the car suddenly made a LOUD thump, dropped into gear and LURCHED forward almost causing me to rear end the vehicle directly in front of me. I contacted the dealer who immediately did a check for codes and found nothing - they could not verify the concern otherwise.

* At about 9k miles, I noticed an intermittant problem began wherein the car felt extremely sluggish, both off the line and during accelleration. I again mentioned this problem to TWO different dealerships, both verifying the complaint, but blaming it on either bad gas or my HFC's that they had JUST installed about 1000 miles prior.

Both problems continued to get worse over time and I enjoyed 2-3 visits to my dealer with continued inability to diagnose the problem, albeit they performed ECU reflashes and a few other "guesses."

Two weeks ago, the problems became even worse (added to the fact that the shifting began to take 3x-5x as long to shift from 1st to 2nd gear and/or back) and I was able to both find a commonality and a way to reproduce the most serious of problems which the dealer was never able to verify/witness - the "neutral drop" shift lag problem. I placed the vehicle into DS mode, and using the paddle shifters as I slowed to a stop and traffic began to speed up, I downshifted to first as I accellerated. Suddenly the car acted as if it were in neutral, revved to 4k RPMs, did NOT accellerate, waited 5 seconds, made a loud (read LOUD) thump and then LURCHED forward. As this occurred, the sluggish behavior started to occur again as I would accellerate from stops. I suspected that the vehicle was not consistantly entering 1st gear at a stop, so I used DS/Paddle shifters to FORCE a downshift out of a stop - sure enough, the car downshifted to first, and took off with all the power one would expect from this vehicle! This provdes to me that there is a tranny problem which is exaggerated between 1st and 2nd gears.

Yesterday, I brought the vehicle to my dealer who was now able to confirm all of these "concerns." And by confirm, they admitted they experienced the issue, but were careful not to imply something was wrong. I find the latter funny - what vehicle is operating as engineered when you step on the gas and it waits about 5-10 seconds before lurching forward at 20-30mph!

The dealer immediately called the Infiniti engineering "hotline," the so called experts. These "experts" are apparently able to diagnose a problem over the phone - something NO car dealer or other mechanic, even Fonzy, would be able to do, but yet - they persist! These experts actually told my dealer to photocopy for me the section of the manual (I believe it's 5-12 and 5-13) that indicates the vehicle may not shift into gear to prevent an unsafe condition or damage to the vehicle. They further told the dealer that in manual mode, I was apparently confusing the vehicle by forcing a shift into 1st when the vehicle was already going to do that itself based upon speed and, instead, shifted into a "limbo" condition. And lastly, my personal favorite, they told the dealer that the ECU had learned my driving habits and were causing this issue. They told the dealer there was nothing they would be able to do as the vehicle was performing as engineered. Notice the "hotline" never asked the dealer to confirm that another vehicle on the lot performed simililarly.

Well, the dealer conveyed to me this news simultaneously admitting it was somewhat nonsensical and contradictory. They suggested I would need to call Infiniti consumer affairs because the deealer could not, themselves, engage a Regional Specialist via a DCF process and corporate could. So, I made the call and here's the chronology:

*Jonathon contacted the dealer and got details. He came back on the line after placing me on hold for 20 minutes and explained to me that the dealers file concluded that the dealer could not validate the concern at all (Lie #1) but called the engineering hotline anyway. He proceeded to repeat for me the same nfo as the dealer, repeatedly stating he "didn't like repeating himself." I told him this was unacceptible, wherein he again repated that there is nothing Infiniti would do - even though this is now a safety related concern. He stated that I was, however, welcome to get another dealer's opinion on the situatoin even though the next nearest dealer is 60 minutes from my home. I stated that the hotline diagnosed a problem without actually inspecting the vehicle and did not ask the dealer to do ANY diagnosis whatsoever... NOTHING. ZERO. They checked for a code and that was it. Does Infiniti really believe that the computer captures ALL problems with this vehicle????

**So, I called another dealer and explained the above. The dealer stayed clear of making a diagnosis but did, in fact, state that it was unusual and they had NEVER heard of this problem from any vehicle owner and they are the highest volume service dealer in my state. They indicated that the dealer should have done, at least, some minimal diagnosis against a like car or checked the transmission fluid, etc. They also said that the condition was highly unusual and the hotline didn't sound right...

** I called Consumer affairs back (Jonathon) and was immediately greeted with a fairly condascneding tone and an opening statement that included such lovely terms as, "I hate repeating myself," "there is nothing Infiniti is going to do," and my personal favorite, "How could another dealer diagnose this over the phone???" To which I replied, the same way the engineering hotline was able to diagnose over the phone without asking the tech to perform any investagative work. I told him that their policy was somewhat hypocritical. I further stated that I would not pick the vehicle up and that Infiniti wa assuming liability for a condition they claim was normal with no documentatoin that any diagnosis or validation was done, other than verbal.

I am at wits end.. this has now almost caused 3 rear end collisions and, I imagine, is not doing much good for the transmission.

The technician was kind enough to indicate that the tranny is solenoid driven and there is some delay. SOME delay, but when I asked him if 3-5 seconds was reasonable he didn't reply. So, I'm now in the Infiniti G loaner which I've put through its paces without an ability to create anything close ot a similar situation. I am bieng told that I will likely have to sue infiniti to resolve this problem as, I can only assume, a 2nd opinion will result in a similar reflection of Infiniti corporate policy - the engineering hotline's word is gold and past that, there is nothing but legal recourse.

In a $45k plus vehicle, I cannot believe that Infiniti thinks they have designed the worlds best car computer which could detect every problem that could and should ever exist. Furthermore, if their logic were accurate, we would never see a TSB on a vehicle - all cars would be compared against each other, and because they all had similar problems, they would dismiss it as "performing as engineered."

Anyone want to confirm their vehicle has a simlar "neutral drop" shift problem and help me out? Any suggestions? I am concerned about driving this car, letting even a car wash technician, let alone a valet drive this car for fear they would be more suprised by this and unable to react, running someone down in the process!

Signed,

Frustrated

 

Take it to the dealer, say your having this problem and give him this TSB #VIAITB07-0487-048A.
https://www.myg37.com/forums/tsb-technical-bulletins/178988-ds-mode-ecu-tsb-5at.html.

Sounds close enough it may also be the fix for what you're seeing.

G37 TSB's http://x.infinitihelp.com/forum/loca...s.php?catid=86

Register on that site and you can download the TSB in PDF and print it.

 

I appreciate it, but this isn't it - they've already performed this TSB. It's not a surge in the RPMs, it's the transmission in Neutral and THEN dropping into gear at 3k-4k RPMs. The TSB relates to a condition wherein as you are slowing the RPMs jump and the speed of the vehicle may jump proportionally, typically while on the brake. I had this issue and they performed this TSB at about 1.5k miles. This problem, while similar in the net effect is a surge, the difference is that it's only BETWEEN 1st and 2nd gear and it actually involves the transmission NOT in a gear at all because of a substantially increased delay in shifting.

L

 

Yea, I was hoping reprograming it for this issue would also address what you were seeing. Have you tried resetting the ECU?

 

i had similar problem and after dealer perfromed that TSB my vehicle is fine
and shifting delay between 1st to 2nd is normal... not sure what kind of delay you are talking about, but 1st to 2nd gear definitely shift slower than other gears but that's because 1st to 2nd gear will stress out the transmission the most... so the computer forcefully make delay during shifting in 1st to 2nd gear so it gives less stress to transmission

 

Yep....2x personally, dealership cleared all learned codes in EVERY possible ECU when they reflashed for the valve noise problem and the surge while braking problems... the issue persists. This is most certainly a solenoid that is sticking in the transmission or a torque convertor problem.

Lee

 

Take it to a Nissan/Infiniti certified repair shop, not the dealerships and have them look at it. If they find the problem and fix it you have documentation to take to the dealer to have them pay for it and if not proof to sue. Don't forget to add stress and assocaited costs... some extra funds to get you a nice mod.

 

I believe he is talking about downshifting from 2 to 1, am I correct?

 

he's in DS mode and at 3-5mph which should be 1st and gave gas, no response then thud the transmission engaged and lurched forward. NOT a normal situation.. never happend to me.

 

I do have the lag on downshifting as well. Let's say I'm doing 35 in 4th gear and I want to make a turn. I brake to get the car to slow down a bit and at the same time downshift to 3 and when right when I'm entering the turn I shift to 2. At that time, exactly what you explained happens, the car doesn't move and it takes about 3 4 5 seconds for it to respond!!!! Very dangerous indeed, especially if there is car behind you and he is expecting you to speed up when you made the turn!!!

By the way, does your car have a hard shift from 2 to 3 in manual mode?

 

He said he is in DS mode and then shifts it manually to 1, no?

That's not DS mode, that's manual mode!

 

You are correct, during the downshift the vehicle loses the gear... it's horrible. And I'm not talking a lag, I'm talking a complete 3-5 seconds without a gear.

The problem with a "certified" repair shop is that this problem is likely a tranmission rebjuild problem. Cost - $2-$4k in costs for a veihcle, under warranty, that I will have to sue to recover. Possible recovery = yes... Likely recovery = maybe. Add this to the cost of my car, the associated inconvenience and stress and I end up with a Lexus....lol.

I need to determine if this is something anyone has seen AND fixed in their vehicle.

Lee

 

No mention of manual shifting in the 4th paragraph original post.

 

No difference - I happens in DS mode naturally, but I can FORCE it to occur in Manual mode. I also use manual mode to prove to the dealer that the sluggish problem is an issue wherein the car isn't in 1st when pulling away from a stop... obviously, it should be.

Either way, I called it "paddle shifting" which should imply manual mode, but it really doesn't matter...it's pretty much any mode.

Lee

 

Right now your dealers and Infiniti Customer Service is telling you it's not a problem it's "By design" which is BS, as you've seen with the loaner. Why they won't look at this to fix it is beyond me. Go back to the dealer and explain Infiniti customer service was not a solution. This problem doesn't exist on the loaner or the hundreds of other G37 owners I've contacted online that are SHOCKED at this response. Please fix.