I have a 97 maxima with auto trans that has started shifting really sluggish between 2nd and 3rd and from 3rd to 4th when pressing the accelerator about 1/4 the way down from a dead stop. When i floor it, the shifting is much quicker and smoother. at easy acceleration i can actually see the tach jump up slightly when it shifts. I took the car to a Nissan dealer and they just acted like they didn’t even want to help me. They just said it’s an old transmission. I would really like to get a more detailed description of what’s going on. I have recently performed a fluid / filter change but the result was the same shifting behavior. Any suggestions? Could it possibly be sluggish shifting solenoids?
I also drive a 97 Maxima - it’s a great car. You might try posting your question on www.forum.maxima.org. The site has a lot of Nissan gearheads who can tell you more than you really want to know about all aspects of your Maxima. Good luck.