Transmission Fix

Actually had the 6spd manual, which was one of the smoothest shifting manuals I've driven but I have heard the stories on Acura forum.

I love driving the new FX, I take the long way home now and go thru some fun local roads :)
 
Glad to know your happy man!


I guess this must only be certain FX's only. I've seen 2009/2010 FX reviews on car blog websites and some haven't complained of the transmission and some have. My 09 hasn't had the software update at all but it shifts buttery smooth with no lagging or gear searching. I guess this must be certain early vin# batches that have this.
 
^^ I believe that is true too. Which makes me mad because I was one of the early adopters..... U guys think this is a purely a software problem or problem with the whole transmission?
 
P

threezero said:
^^ I believe that is true too. Which makes me mad because I was one of the early adopters..... U guys think this is a purely a software problem or problem with the whole transmission?
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I think it has something to do with the software not the transmission itself. If it took a reflash to somewhat help the transmission, I guess it must be software related. The transmission in the late 2009 and 2010 models have all the same parts of the 7 speed transmission as early built 2009 models, but the late models don't have the problem.


Mine was built in March 2009 of last year. I guess this must have something to do with it not having any of the problems you guys are having since mine has a later build date.


I've had other people drive it too and everyone said it shifts smooth. From what I heard is that you would definately know it has the hard downshifting and gear searching right away. My friend's 09 G37 on the other hand definately has it though. I've driven it and noticed it. His ofcoarse has the 7 speed auto.
 
We bought our '10 FX35 in September and we've started to notice our tranny having the same issues. Shifts to higher gears below 40 as well as the lag and having to press the accelerator about halfway in order for it to not lag. It also has a tendency to shift a tad bit rough when decelerating to a stop, mainly around 2nd to 1st gear. I just ignore it because my wife drives it. I'm perfectly happy with my '04 G35x's tranny. :smug:
 
FNGee said:
We bought our '10 FX35 in September and we've started to notice our tranny having the same issues. Shifts to higher gears below 40 as well as the lag and having to press the accelerator about halfway in order for it to not lag. It also has a tendency to shift a tad bit rough when decelerating to a stop, mainly around 2nd to 1st gear. I just ignore it because my wife drives it. I'm perfectly happy with my '04 G35x's tranny. :smug:
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Ehhh kind of a trait of cars with a higher number of gears. With all the 7 gears, sometimes the tranny has a hard time deciding which gear it wants to be in. This is a known problem on the 8 speed trannies in the newer BMW's. I had this problem on my 2009 FX35 and got my reflash done and it's alot better. Unfortunately there is no reflash for 2010 models since they already come with updated software.

It's just something to get use to though. Transmission is what it is. Since the transmission has a driver's learning algorithm (adaptive shift learning), it can only learn one person at a time. During that time it shifts gears depending on one's driving habits and learns from it. So if your wife drives like a granny and then you go drive like a maniac, the car isn't use to your more agressive driving style and use to your wife's more, so shift mapping patterns feel different and jerky. That's why some say to drive more agressively so that the tranny learns to shift more agressively and get use to you. I noticed my 2011 G37 sedan loaner the dealer gave me did this too cause different people are always driving it. Then after driving it all day long and abusing the hell out of hit, the jerky downshifts went away. Same goes for my 2009 FX also. Sometimes the car needs a good day or two to re-adapt to a different person.

---------- Post added at 11:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 PM ----------

You can also delete the previous driver's driving style quicker by just disconnecting the battery, then go and take it for a spin yourself. You'll be amazed at the difference.
 
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Wow, never knew something like this existed (transmission shifting problems) or I just thought thats how the cars are. My mom has a Lexus RX330 that seems to do the same thing...the gears are all over the place. Wonder if Lexus had problems like this on their cars? But anyway the picture of the new car looks great congrats
 
Fire0nic3 said:
Ehhh kind of a trait of cars with a higher number of gears. With all the 7 gears, sometimes the tranny has a hard time deciding which gear it wants to be in. This is a known problem on the 8 speed trannies in the newer BMW's. I had this problem on my 2009 FX35 and got my reflash done and it's alot better. Unfortunately there is no reflash for 2010 models since they already come with updated software.

It's just something to get use to though. Transmission is what it is. Since the transmission has a driver's learning algorithm (adaptive shift learning), it can only learn one person at a time. During that time it shifts gears depending on one's driving habits and learns from it. So if your wife drives like a granny and then you go drive like a maniac, the car isn't use to your more agressive driving style and use to your wife's more, so shift mapping patterns feel different and jerky. That's why some say to drive more agressively so that the tranny learns to shift more agressively and get use to you. I noticed my 2011 G37 sedan loaner the dealer gave me did this too cause different people are always driving it. Then after driving it all day long and abusing the hell out of hit, the jerky downshifts went away. Same goes for my 2009 FX also. Sometimes the car needs a good day or two to re-adapt to a different person.

---------- Post added at 11:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 PM ----------

You can also delete the previous driver's driving style quicker by just disconnecting the battery, then go and take it for a spin yourself. You'll be amazed at the difference.
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I wonder if after awhile the reflash feels good because after awhile with so mich shifting adaptation that it doesn't feel right sometimes? Like right now I drive slow as he'll because the roads are snow and ice. Maybe sometimes it gets to a point where so much custom shifting has been adapted that it just doesn't feel right and so a reflash just resets it basically back like a reboot on a computer is good sometimes. They should have had some reset for this through the maintenance nav or something then.
 
Well my wife used to drive like a maniac until I told her to slow down because it was costing so much in gas. The awful shifting is fairly prevalent now. I, too, have noticed shifts improve after a few days of robust driving. Just wanted others to know that just because they may have the newer '10 tranny doesn't mean that the shifting problems have been corrected. I can live with it though. Thanks for the info Fire.

Forgot to ask: maybe you know Fire, but does disconnecting the battery restore all the default settings for presets, Nav addresses, comfort settings, etc?
 
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FNGee said:
Well my wife used to drive like a maniac until I told her to slow down because it was costing so much in gas. The awful shifting is fairly prevalent now. I, too, have noticed shifts improve after a few days of robust driving. Just wanted others to know that just because they may have the newer '10 tranny doesn't mean that the shifting problems have been corrected. I can live with it though. Thanks for the info Fire.

Forgot to ask: maybe you know Fire, but does disconnecting the battery restore all the default settings for presets, Nav addresses, comfort settings, etc?
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Yup, just disconnect the battery for a few minutes.
 
I had brought my fx to the dealer yesterday for the final attempt for them to fix the transmission issue with the lemon law process. Brought it in @ 9am and there was a Infiniti specialist that Nissan of North America of Tennessee had sent out to figure out the problem. We went for an hour test drive on some main back roads and I couldn't really demonstrate the shifting issues as much as I wanted ( of course with my luck )but got to show him a few times how jerky and not smooth it can be. We headed back to the dealer. He said hes going to install a new software Infiniti had just came out with but has "not been released". Also said he will install a flight recorder in with my permission (if fedex bring it soon enough) to see how it shifts.. records everything so I would just push a button on it it would record 10 sec back until I press it to end the recording. The flight recorder never showed up so it was never installed.
They gave me a 09 g37x loaner for the day which shifted better than my fx and was a lot more responsive in throttle just so he can work on my fx for the day.
Got a call around 1:30 said he installed the new software and everything seems to be ok ( software uploaded correctly, no dtc lights or anything ). Said to drive it and let him know how it is.
I haven't really got a chance to drive it yet but so far it still seems the same. Maybe it will take a while to notice a difference ?
I'll keep you guys updated but I'm sure if there are more complaints about the 09' transmissions then they will release the new software on the TSB bulletin.
 
Jmess86 said:
I had brought my fx to the dealer yesterday for the final attempt for them to fix the transmission issue with the lemon law process. Brought it in @ 9am and there was a Infiniti specialist that Nissan of North America of Tennessee had sent out to figure out the problem. We went for an hour test drive on some main back roads and I couldn't really demonstrate the shifting issues as much as I wanted ( of course with my luck )but got to show him a few times how jerky and not smooth it can be. We headed back to the dealer. He said hes going to install a new software Infiniti had just came out with but has "not been released". Also said he will install a flight recorder in with my permission (if fedex bring it soon enough) to see how it shifts.. records everything so I would just push a button on it it would record 10 sec back until I press it to end the recording. The flight recorder never showed up so it was never installed.
They gave me a 09 g37x loaner for the day which shifted better than my fx and was a lot more responsive in throttle just so he can work on my fx for the day.
Got a call around 1:30 said he installed the new software and everything seems to be ok ( software uploaded correctly, no dtc lights or anything ). Said to drive it and let him know how it is.
I haven't really got a chance to drive it yet but so far it still seems the same. Maybe it will take a while to notice a difference ?
I'll keep you guys updated but I'm sure if there are more complaints about the 09' transmissions then they will release the new software on the TSB bulletin.
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Did he tell you when that software will be released to the public?
 
Fire0nic3 said:
Did he tell you when that software will be released to the public?
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No, and said it may not even be released. He could be bullshitting me also because I haven't noticed a difference. His name is Matt Bratsos. Only thing they did to was re-program my TPMS to my 18's because they were programmed to my 21's.
 
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