7AT - First Gear Lag
 

Hey everyone -

Been dealing with a slight issue lately. Don't know if its normal and I just never noticed it, but when I downshift into a turn and then slowly accelerate to get over a bump or get into the turn, the car lags and revs up but doesn't go anywhere. Then after about a second or two it kicks back into gear and lets the car move again...

Makes me only want to take turns into shopping centers and exits in "D".

Anyone else experience this little lag? Not a serious issue.. but didn't know if there was a reason for it.

Any help is appreciated :tup:

are you downshifting into 1st? you shouldnt be doing that even in with a 6MT

What's wrong with downshifting into 1st? :confused:

Hmmm... torque converter maybe trying to catch up??:confused:

Weirdaadada, but seriously change ur fluid man to Redline w70 or 80 cant remember check ur manual for the weight #.


Also ur solenoids need lube/changing, but that one is tricky cuz if u dont know how to do it dont do it, give it to the pros.

The first thing I'd check is the trans fluid level and condition. If the fluid is good, I'd look into the torque convertor as Wonka2581 mentioned. Since you seem to like spirited/hard driving, changing to a "high-performance" fluid (per DOOMMONKEY777) would be worth looking into.

Change his trans fluid to redline? He's got an auto.

Having the dealer drain and fill the tranny is about all you can do, right?

definitely not for a 7AT the redline D6 shows it is for use with NissanMatic S systems though if you change the fluid on the sealed system and your transmission craps out, good luck getting them to cover it under warranty

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=115&pcid=9

Are you serious or kidding? Can't tell sarcasm over text.

It's almost the worst thing you can do to a transmission, even with a double clutch. Just use 2nd.

So first gear is there for what exactly?

To op there's no reason to downshift into grocery store parking lots. What the hell are you even doing?

Starting the vehicle once its stopped.

:iagree:

:icon18:

I have a base model and the brakes are terrible.

When i am going 40mph on a city street and theres someone riding my butt, my brakes will give me wiplash, so i generally engine brake on most of my stopping. Also, who doesnt do that? You're telling me no one else downshifts to help them slow down?

Anyways, fluids were all done around 8k ago. But I will look into trans fluid & torque converter

Also, this happens in first or second gear. The car will lag, rev up, lag again, and then click into gear and will go forward.

I am not sure why all of you are getting so angry about the 1st gear thing.

1st gear rage? :icon17:

7AT - First Gear Lag
 

I've had pretty experienced drivers/mechanics tell me that it's way cheaper and safer (for the engine) to replace brake pads from overuse than trying to figure out, possibly expensive, transmission issues.

I use 1st gear to go over speed bumps, dips, etc. very slowly almost every day. 2nd gear would stall.

I generally slow down so much though, that SRM doesn't even engage.

/shrug

I also downshift a lot to slow down. I like to hear the exhaust too. :D

:iagree:

While downshifting a 7AT might sound cool, it seems to me to be kind of hazardous to the engine. Pick the wrong one and engine goes boom. :eek:

I'd much rather replace brake pads than transmissions.

Seriously, get someone competent to ride along with a scanner to read what's going on. You might have an electrical issue.

It's not really an angry thing. You should just never actually downshift into first. You should let the car do it for you.

Besides not being good for the car (use the brakes, they're cheaper to wear out):

1- It's not very nice to the guy behind you that doesn't see any brake lights. (This is why engine braking is prohibited in some areas). The last thing you want is to get rear-ended and have the other person be able to claim they didn't even know you were braking. This is not a defense, ultimately, but it might convince someone to make you share responsibility.

2- It's a very, very, very bad habit to develop. Our Z has judicious protection from trying to drop down into first too early (this might be what you're experiencing, even), but not every car has this. You'll potentially get whiplash in some other cars if you get used to dropping to first while moving.


The intention of first gear is to get the car moving from a stop. After that, it should see no further use.

(Yes, I'm in first when I go over speed bumps, but only because I'm not going up to speed to move to second yet. That's probably about the only time you should drop down, if you're just barely rolling already. I admit, I do it on speed bumps at work since they're next to a building that bounces back the rev. And I almost always downshift early to 3rd or even 2nd when stopping, just to hear it.)

To me, a valid complaint is how the 7AT doesn't have much grace time in downshifts. In other words, if I'm in 4th and slowing down and I click down to 3rd, it may happen just as the car clicks down to 3rd and then my click makes it go down to 2nd. That's quite annoying. You kinda try to get used to it, but every now and then it surprises me.

Um, maybe slow down earlier, thus forcingbthenguy behind you to brake as well?

The brakes on the base is certainly not terrible. Did you buy the car used? Consider new brake pads. Stopping power has never been a problem for me.

downshifting is perfectly healthy. I know a 350z owner, 200k on original trans and motor....downshifted the car everyday he drove it. Replaced first set of brake pads at 124k. So how exactly do you prove that it is bad for the engine and trans? I have 63k on my z and no probs with trans or diff. Every car I have driven for the past 11yrs have been manual and have yet to shred a trans. If you don't know how to PROPERLY operate a manual trans car then don't buy it.

Also to op, I had a lag in first gear for a while but I changed my air filters and seafoamed the car. That helped immensely. Hope this helps.

I appreciate the responses guys, but never did I state that I was downshifting into 1st gear every time.

I also never said I was ONLY using engine braking as means of stopping. I meant that I use it in addition to the brakes to help the car slow down at a reasonable and fluent rate.

This happens to me when on the freeway. In "D" and wanting to get around someone going slower. I downshift but it goes from 7 to 5 or 7 to 4 -

Also, back to the original question, I think I am now more cautions since lowering the car and when pulling to my work the curb is at a huge slant. Of course I take it at an angle, but all I am asking is why the car seems to lag & rev but not move when I try and accelerate back up the slope

I went back and read the original post again, just to make sure I hadn't missed something important. OP appears to say that when the car is in first gear (automatic trans), the car will rev, lag, rev and then drop into gear and go forward. Did I miss anything?

Unknowns: mileage on the car, transmission fluid level, fluid and filter condition (recently serviced), does the OP get an audible 'clunk' or noise when it goes into gear. Does the problem occur in D or only in 1st.

Thoughts: If fluid is okay (appropriate level and not burnt), then there is an issue with the trans. While there would be a small amount of difference (lag) from pressing the accelerator to the car going forward, the symptoms the OP describes do not appear to be normal. Before an accurate diagnosis can be made, the OP should have someone ride along with a scanner attached to see what the trans is doing. With that information and answering the questions about fluid level and condition, we might be able to better help. Just my :twocents:

race car mode.

I'm not 100% certain but I don't think the TCM will let you downshift if it would take the engine RPMs too high.

On older cars, yes, downshifting a lot could cause extra wear and tear. With a TCM protecting the trans, the throttle blip, plus VVEL reducing compression, it shouldn't be a big deal. I'm sure there is still a tad more wear but not enough to worry about. YMMV

Pick the wrong gear? Lmao does anyone in this thread even have the 7at?

Ummm...no. TCM won't allow you to over-rev the engine.

It's not any more wrong to downshift a 7AT than it is to downshift a 6MT. But, generally speaking, I wouldn't downshift a 7AT to first (just like, generally speaking, I wouldn't downshift any MT into first) while the car is moving. Not to mention that the 7AT does a pretty good job of deciding on its own when to downshift.

Well that really escalated in a hurry. Yes, @NickTurnon I have had the same lag issues with my 7AT. It seems to spike out of no where sometimes in the lower gears as well. Really hard to tell when its going to happen

This is absolutely correct. Engine no go boom if you try to down shift to too low of a gear.

The car does beep at you quite a bit though

same issue here too ,, lags way too much at high temp especially

Glad I am not the only one..

Why are the three people having this issue with 7AT's in Phoenix? LOL

Sean, how are your fluid levels.

Also, thanks Ghost... I appreciate your reply.
Unknowns: mileage on the car (81k) , transmission fluid level (??), fluid and filter condition (recently serviced) (Yes, Serviced 500 miles ago), does the OP get an audible 'clunk' or noise when it goes into gear. Yes, Sometimes it lags and then revs so much that the tires spin out from under me while trying to go forward haha.) Does the problem occur in D or only in 1st. (I want to say it happens in both, but maybe I am more aware of it in sport mode because I use that often to get over speed bumps and other high inclined exits. But maybe the others can chime in..

you put it in manual mode to go over speed bumps? you're doing it wrong. anything in a parking lot should be in D

Really? Interesting. They should just take 1st gear out of the tranny then.

I'm not talking about full redline downshift. Like it was mentioned before, going over a speedbump at say 10 mph. :rofl2:

This OP. This. So much this.


-M-

THIS or anything in general that isnt "spirited" driving, i dont see a reason to buy an auto only to shift it manually all the time

My fluid levels are fine and my mileage is only at 23k. I've seen more issues in the early morning when the trans is cold than hot. At the same time I've put 6k on the car in the last year I've had it so it rarely gets hot. There is a pretty solid clunk sometimes when the car is in manual and the car downshifts itself into first, but I'm sure its a diff mount or something like that.

nooooooo downshifting into first. thats a big dont.

i accidentally downshifted into 1st on a up hill stop and put my tranny into limp mode. thought i was one gear higher and didnt look down when downshifting. seriously thought i blew out my tranny.

also saw people saying change fluid. also a dont on the 7at from what i understand.

Holy **** guys, he's not downshifting into first in a manner that's going to even rev. the engine. Get passed that already.

And it's perfectly okay to not leave it in auto when going through parking lots. Just because you do it doesn't mean it's the "correct way", unless you can put up some stats or documents proving it.


Well, maybe there isn't a manual option for the vehicle?

Maybe the person (in general) cannot drive manual (doesn't know how or otherwise)?

Maybe the person doesn't want a manual?

Plenty of reasons...