Help with dealer repair dispute on Clutch shudder
 

I have been having a running dispute with my dealer on the clutch action on my 370Z roadster. I complained a few months ago and the dealer insisted it was normal. I am getting drivetrain shudder when I start off in 1st. I have to slip the clutch above 1500 rpm to hide it and sometimes that does not even help. Now the dealer is insisting that they cannot feel anything and don't want to do anythiing to the car. Over the weekend I test drove 3 other 370z's with 8-10k miles on them and they were all very smooth with no shudder and felt very different. I know all the Z manual transmissions make chattering noises but you should not feel any shaking in the drivetrain. The car is in the dealer now and I getting pretty frustrated with all of this. What does everyone else think?

Call Nissan HQ and complain.

The clutch shudder is VERY normal! There is really nothing you can do other than learn to live with it / work around it. It happens from time to time if you don't slip the clutch just right.

I currently have a case number with them (since early June) on this but I cannot get back in touch with them as none of the regional reps answer their phone they always let it go into voice mail. They also take several days to return calls so we have been playing telephone tag for nearly 2 weeks. The last response on this from Nissan was that they "Cannot Do anything if the dealer says there is not a problem" so I have been going around in circles. I don't know who to escalate it to at this point.

Honestly I feel like you're fighting a losing battle. This happens on all of the MT cars if you don't get the clutch action right. It's been brought up many times before on the boards and it's widely accepted as normal. I'm sure the dealership feels the same way so it's going to be tough to get any sort of warranty service for something that the service dept (and most likely NISSAN) does not think is a problem.

try another dealer and see what they say. And dont mention that you have been to another dealer before.

I would try another dealer first. But if it's a normal chatter, there isn't anything Nissan can do with out having a diagnosed problem documented by the dealer. Another dealer may be able to hear it or feel it, and document it, then nissan will step in to help.

Generally most people on the forum have told me that physical drivetrain shudder (chatter noise yes, shaking no) is not normal and that also is what I have experienced in driving the other used 370's last weekend. None had noticeable shudder.

I can make the clutch shudder AND shake pretty hard if I decide to slip it incorrectly.

If you test drove other 370'z and did not experience this, then there is something wrong. Maybe the clutch pedal needs some adjustments. Good luck, keep us posted.

its normal

Take it to Feldmann

Mine does it from 1st to 2nd. It seams really sensitive between these two gears. I have to release the clutch really slow to make it smooth. I only have 211 miles so I am sure with time the clutch will break in and my foot will learn the feel to make it smooth. Good luck with your issue :hello:

Grab a camera and see if you can record it. It's really difficult to understand what you mean, especially with this transmission. Then at least people can compare it to the way their cars drive. Good luck.

My car is at the dealer now and I'm going in tomorrow morning to drive it with their "master tech" who they say know these transmissions. I will be able to exactly describe what it is doing.