370z...worst auto trans ever..among other things...
 

I've had the z for awhile now, and even though car and driver raved about this transmission in their short take article, I absolutly can't stand the way this car operates in "D". Sure the manual mode shifts fast, but "d" is so horrible. I'm beginning to think my transmission is just broke. Anyone else have the following issues? First, going uphill cruising light throttle....car needs to downshift, but it hesitates, revs go up, then down, then it shifts...takes a second and a half to execute a downshift. Second, full throttle downshift in d floor it...wait wait...revs go up slightly (revmatch?) then shifts down...but it doesn't grab the lowest gear available, no passing power with a downshift that only puts me at 3500 rpms. Most other automatics select the right gear...not this one. Third reason...terrible operation when trans fluid is cold. Jerky shifts, tach bouncing, seems like it misses shifts the first time it tries, then tries again and gets it. Ive had the car shudder and shake going uphill in stop and go traffic. No check engine light. I hate how it doesn't tell you what gear you are in when you are in drive...cmon nissan, you have a special spot in the cluster to tell you what gear you are in in manual mode, but not d? I hate how when you are cruising and put it in manual mode that it selects 5th gear instead of 7th which is the gear you are cruising in.

The list goes on...other quirks about this car I can't stand....headlights dont auto level up and down hills like my vw did....going down hill? Well your headlights are aimed straight into the ground and I cant see. Retained accesory power for the radio after you shut off the car until you open the door? Nope not from nissan...you must hit the start button to turn your radio back on. Oh, then you only get power to the windows for 1 MINUTE after shutting the car off...try that on a 100 degree day. Speaking of windows...sometimes the window doesn't roll down that 1/4 of an inch when i open the door, and sometimes it does't go up after I shut the door. I've tried the window reset trick, it didn't help .

I thought this car was a good buy, but now I can see why so many show up on used lots after the first year of ownership. Nissan cuts so many corners...not acceptable on a car priced like the Z. How about no brake cooling ducts on a sports car. How about insane oil temps without an oil cooler. Unfortunatly you don't notice these things till you own the car.

I have only had my Z for about a month and a half and love it 100%! Sorry you are having these problems.

Maybe you should get the transmission checked out? I dont experience any of those problems with mine. I do agree with the annoyance of the manual mode selecting 5th instead of 7th, but i got used to it.
For the quirks, the headlight leveling seems highly unnecessary. I wouldn't pick it as an option if it was available. The fact that you have trouble driving without this feature seems like an issue as a majority of cars on the road do not have this feature. I like the fact that the radio shuts off when the car shuts off. 99% of the time when I shut the car off, I exit the car so that just saves time by not having to turn the radio off as well. Power window deactivation is to save power and 1 minute is more than enough. All you have to do is press the start button once to activate it again. It was over 100 degrees a few days ago in Texas and it worked flawlessly. As for the window problem, I would consult the dealer. I have never had a problem with brakes nor oil temps from daily driving. Even during autocross the brakes were fine and oil did not reach critical levels.
Honestly if you think you made a bad purchase and consider a trade in and buy a more proper car rather than complain about having to push the start button one more time.

As for the transmission however, from your experiences it seems the unit might be faulty. Consult with your dealer and try to get it fixed or replaced.

The headlight cut off only bothers me because the xenon cut off is so sharp. Normal headlights fade out over distance, but not projector xenons.

7 gears is too many for the ecu to choose. That's why I usually drive in M.

Sounds like you should trade it in for a 335i.

Speaking of headlights, my driver side light seems to be aimed lower then the passanger side. Is this nornal?

been using my Z as my DD for over 4 months now, and i take a canyon road to work so there are a lot of up/down hills. I never experience the problem you are experiencing, not yet anyways.

if you want more precision when it comes to shifting, a manual would have been better cause you will be in more control.

Hi.

What's wrong with using the paddles in M mode? Then 99% you will be making the decision when to change gear. Must make the driving experience more interesting!

P.S Did you not test drive the auto before buying it?

Both G37s and 370z transmissions used in 7at. I actually love the transmission. I have experienced a little gear confusion on a rare occasion, but it normally happens when my acceleration behavior becomes schitzophrenic. But what you are describing is way more advanced than anything I've felt. The 7at is the best slushbox on the market imho.

Ive been daily driving my 7AT for almost a year and a half now and I, very happy with the 7AT. Its one of the best auto trannies out there on cars in this price range. Yeah, youll get that oddball gear hunt once in a while but from what youre describing, you might have a faulty transmission.

As far as the rest of the "problems" youre having.... Sounds like a bunch of BS man. Sorry to rag on ya like this but seriously... headlight leveling?? Ive never had even the slightest issue driving at night, and believe me I do it a lot.

And when you turn off the car, yeah youre supposed to close the windows right away, no? Like man what are you doing in the car without A/C on a 100 degree day? Rolling the windows down wont stop ya from sweating like a ************.

Retained accessory power is really not necessary at all. I really dont know anyone who turns their car off and sits in it to listen to the radio. And anyways, its a push button, its not that hard to press. Its not a key where you go to turn the radio on and WHOOPS! you just cranked the engine. You will get used to that fast.

And your window not rolling down that 1/4 inch might actually be a real issue. If its really happening. Take it back to the dealer, tell them about your tranny and window issues, and please stop complaining about non-existant problems. Thank you.

I didn't know there were hills in chicago. :D

I'd suggest he move to Texas, no need for auto leveling headlights, although his issue with only having a minute to use the windows would still be a problem. :tup:

Yes. That step-off on the driver's side is normal.

I was intrigued by this whole HID concept when my wife got her first Murano a few years ago. I was annoyed by the sharp cut-off and the step-off on the driver's side and so was she. That car had a little dial where you could raise or lower the aiming, though. After a couple of months, neither of us ever bothered, and it wasn't until I read this post that I was even reminded that both the Z and her current Murano have those same HID side effects. You get used to it.

He would be forced to trade his Z in for a horse. :tup:

PETA wont allow a sacrifice of 331 horses to please Walker the Texas Ranger.