My Nissan Altima has been messing up lately. Anytime I come to a stop and then match the accelerator to start moving again, it takes a little while before my car starts moving. It’s as if the exhaust pipe is clogged or something. I have to match on the accelerator all the way. I went to the lube center for transmission drain and fill but still no progress. AAMCO transmissions wanted to charge me close to $4000 just to replace the transmission.
Is there a way this problem can be solved or at lease controlled at a reasonable cost?
Like the car literally does not move for a while when I press the gas pedal but once the car starts moving, it’s ok. This makes it difficult when I’m at a red light or when I’m stuck in traffic because these are situations where I need to come to a complete stop, and then once I start moving again, it won’t move so I match the gas pedal in a hopeless attempt to make the car start moving again.
That’s what AAMCO stands for: All Automatics Must Come Out.
I recommend against going back there. Ever.
If the engine revved and the car failed to move forward, I’d suspect the transmission.
In your case, assuming the engine isn’t revving (please clarify this) I’d suspect and engine problem. And there’s a lot that can cause poor throttle response.
Please clarify what the engine is doing when you mash the throttle. Is it revving or not?
I agree with the previous posters about AAMCO. Not only do they want to pull the transmission, but they charge top dollar. I had to have the transmission replaced in my old 2001 Accord years ago and AAMCO was the most expensive by several hundred dollars. It does sound like you have a transmission issue. I’d bring it to the dealer and have one of their mechanics test drive it. With the engine revving but nothing getting to the wheels right away, that does seem like it’s the transmission. Good luck!
In addition to answering the question about whether the engine revs or not, did you take it to the lube center before or after the problem started happening?
I ask because when lube centers actually do the transmission service they charge you for (sometimes they only pretend to), they usually use a flush machine, and do not do a drain and fill. Flushing transmissions can cause problems.
Go to a good local transmission shop, not a national chain. Nissan has been using CVTs for quite a while now, first call the lube shop and ask them what kind of fluid they put in. Have the transmission shop check the level and kind of fluid. If yours is a CVT, it will be expensive to replace, I know a few years ago CVTs had to be replaced, no one was rebuilding them but I don;t know if that is still the case.
+1
The OP should take a careful look at the tachometer on his instrument panel, observe the actual engine RPMs when this non-movement situation is taking place, and then report his findings to us.
If the engine rpms increases but the car doesn’t move, that’s probably a problem with the transmission or torque converter. If the engine rpms doesn’t increase and the car doesn’t move, but the engine doesn’t sputter and stall, that’s probably a problem with the engine’s throttle system.
It can definitely be solved. What it will cost depends on what the problem actually is. If it’s the throttle system, that might be something simple. Or it could require a throttle body replacement. If its in the transmission, It might just be a faulty transmission solenoid. Or it might require a complete transmission rebuild. Whatever the problem is, your best bet is usually to find a good, well recommended inde shop to diagnose and fix it for you. Avoid national chains if possible.
