[Devius1]

I was searching Nissan service bulletins for another issue and came across this one...


Classification:AT07-006a
Reference:NTB08-049a
Date:August 8, 2008

NISSAN; SPECIAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID REQUIREMENT

This bulletin has been amended to apply to all current production models.
Please discard all earlier versions.
APPLIED VEHICLES: 2004 to current Nissan vehicles
SERVICE INFORMATION
If Warranty repairs are being done on a transmission listed in the chart on page 2, the listed fluid must be used. A claim to Nissan for warranty, service contract, or goodwill repairs to the transmissions listed below may be denied if Genuine Nissan ATF/CVT Fluid is not used as specified by the part number in this bulletin.
If Customer Pay service or repair of the transmissions listed below is done, the fluid type listed in the chart on page 2 must be used. Nissan recommends the Genuine Nissan ATF/CVT fluid part number listed below be used.

**********************************************************

A/T DESCRIPTION__ FLUID TYPE_ FLUID DESCRIPTION___ PART #
CVT.................... NS2 (1) Nissan CVT Fluid NS-2______ 999MP-NS200P
4 SPD FWD.......... Matic D (2)... Nissan Matic D________ 999MP-AA100P
4 SPD RWD.......... Matic D (2)... Nissan Matic D________ 999MP-AA100P
5 SPD FWD.......... Matic K (2)... Nissan Matic K________ 999MP-MTK00P

5 SPD RWD.......... Matic S (2)... Nissan Matic S (3)_____ 999MP-MTS00P
......................... Matic J (2)... Nissan Matic J_________ 999MP-MTJ00P

NOTE: Nissan ATF/CVT Fluid and all chemicals are ordered through the Nissan Direct Ship Chemical Care Product Program: Phone 1.800.811.0502, Fax1.770.218.0148,
Website order link via dealer portal www.NNAnet.com or order directGenuine Nissan Automotive Chemicals.
(1) CAUTION: Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2. Do not mix with other fluids. Using transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 will damage the CVT transmission, which is not covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
(2) CAUTION: Use only the Genuine NISSAN Matic ATF specified here. Do not mix with other fluids. Using transmission fluid other than the Genuine NISSAN Matic ATF specified here or its equivalent may cause deterioration in drivability and automatic transmission durability, and may damage the automatic transmission, which is not covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
(3) Use Matic J if Matic S is not available.

Here it is.. NTBs/NTB08-049a.pdf

 

[devious1]

That is what they say. If an aftermarket happen to be the same color how would they know? They going to send it to a lab for testing? Bastards, they will try to get out of paying for anything.

 

[09Fronti6sp4x4]

Well I'm a 6SP 4x4 so I guess this doesn't involve me or any of the other 4x4s. LOL But seriously it looks like this is only for autos.

 

[Higgs Boson]

try to get out paying, lol..... they spend hundreds of millions a year fixing warranty problems. if the failure is not due to a defect in materials or workmanship, which is part of the non-negotiable contract you signed when you bought the car, why should they have to pay for it? if manufacturers just fixed everything no matter what they would literally go out of business. we all know people monkey with their cars constantly trying new things, trying to "improve" on the factory engineering (me included) and that behavior is just not warrantable all the way down to the fluid used. why don't you try water for the trans fluid? what's the difference? it's not the spec'd fluid just like anything else that isn't listed. am i running the listed fluid? no.... but if my trans fails because of the fluid, I am willing to assume responsibility. that's the difference. if you want your parts covered under warranty no matter what, follow the manufacturers instructions on how to maintain your vehicle. everything in life is a choice.

 

[Devius1]

Just thought I'd give CF a heads up.

I was planning to go Amsoil this year... plans have changed.
Maybe there is something/nothing "special" about Matic J, but while it's still under warranty I'll leave this $3800 part not incl. labor thingy alone.

 

[ttugrad]

The Magnuson Moss Act prohibits the manufacturer from requiring a consumer to use their product unless that product is provided at no charge. Other products meeting the manufacturer's specifications can be used and the warranty must be honored.

It is like Nissan requiring you to buy their oil filters or coolant to maintain the warranty...one word..ILLEGAL.

Using this logic, I will be going to the local dealership and picking up my free Matic J...

 

[ffips]

...Using this logic, I will be going to the local dealership and picking up my free Matic J...

Lemme know how many quarts that gets ya. (wait, lemme tell you ----> 0.0)

Reality would be that Nissan would be required to prove that the fluid caused the failure. If they can do that, then the bill is on you. If not, they get the bill.

Why someone would go against a corporation in court over a transmission is beyond me. The corporation could simply stall the case to death and run your attorney's fees high enough for you to drop it and go away.

Sort of boils down to do you want to spend 100K to get nissan to fix your 4K transmission just so you can sleep at night knowing they got theirs?

Now, if there were a large number of people filing suit against the corporation, that is a different story....

 

[cwcarrera]

ttugrad, you are correct. The three little words that connot be neglected in foot-note 2 from the service bulletin in the OP are "or its equivalent".

 

[bobblehead]

The service bulletin is supposed to be for Nissan techs eyes only right? So the way I interpret the bulletin is that when the dealerships do any transmission work THEY must use Nissan Matic J or S but if a customer were to do their own work, they can use any fluid as long as it fits the requirement. "A claim to Nissan for warranty, service contract, or goodwill repairs to the transmissions listed below may be denied if Genuine Nissan ATF/CVT Fluid is not used as specified by the part number in this bulletin."

Further down in small print it says, "Using transmission fluid other than the Genuine NISSAN Matic ATF specified here or its equivalent"

All that being said why not use their fluid? It may be more expensive than some other brand but at least you know you're covered. Or are some people just trying to prove a point and stick it to them?

 

[ffips]

The "or its equivalent" in the bulletin makes the statement

The Magnuson Moss Act prohibits the manufacturer from requiring a consumer to use their product unless that product is provided at no charge.

hold no meaning. Since the equivalent of Nissan ATF is available on the market. Nissan doesn't have to provide an ounce or drop of ATF fluid to anyone replacing fluid.

The nuts and bolts of this whole thread is that if nissan was to drop the fluid from an automatic transmission and it was neon green, the first thought would be "oh my god! it isn't nissan fluid." At that point they would have to prove tha the neon green fluid did NOT meet minimum requirements of nissan spec for the fluid. If the fluid doesn't meet the spec, then Joe User buys a transmission on his dime. If the fluid meets the spec, nissan then pays for the repair.

Why must everyone turn it into more than it is?

 

[shinermiller]

I see a whole bunch of CVT. Seeing as how the frontiers aren't CVT... or FWD. I dont see how this applies to us.

I also do not see anything mentioned about 4WD A/T's.

 

[kannibul]

I was searching Nissan service bulletins for another issue and came across this one...


Classification:AT07-006a
Reference:NTB08-049a
Date:August 8, 2008

NISSAN; SPECIAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID REQUIREMENT

This bulletin has been amended to apply to all current production models.
Please discard all earlier versions.
APPLIED VEHICLES: 2004 to current Nissan vehicles
SERVICE INFORMATION
If Warranty repairs are being done on a transmission listed in the chart on page 2, the listed fluid must be used. A claim to Nissan for warranty, service contract, or goodwill repairs to the transmissions listed below may be denied if Genuine Nissan ATF/CVT Fluid is not used as specified by the part number in this bulletin.
If Customer Pay service or repair of the transmissions listed below is done, the fluid type listed in the chart on page 2 must be used. Nissan recommends the Genuine Nissan ATF/CVT fluid part number listed below be used.

**********************************************************

A/T DESCRIPTION__ FLUID TYPE_ FLUID DESCRIPTION___ PART #
CVT.................... NS2 (1) Nissan CVT Fluid NS-2______ 999MP-NS200P
4 SPD FWD.......... Matic D (2)... Nissan Matic D________ 999MP-AA100P
4 SPD RWD.......... Matic D (2)... Nissan Matic D________ 999MP-AA100P
5 SPD FWD.......... Matic K (2)... Nissan Matic K________ 999MP-MTK00P

5 SPD RWD.......... Matic S (2)... Nissan Matic S (3)_____ 999MP-MTS00P
......................... Matic J (2)... Nissan Matic J_________ 999MP-MTJ00P

NOTE: Nissan ATF/CVT Fluid and all chemicals are ordered through the Nissan Direct Ship Chemical Care Product Program: Phone 1.800.811.0502, Fax1.770.218.0148,
Website order link via dealer portal www.NNAnet.com or order directGenuine Nissan Automotive Chemicals.
(1) CAUTION: Use only Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2. Do not mix with other fluids. Using transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-2 will damage the CVT transmission, which is not covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
(2) CAUTION: Use only the Genuine NISSAN Matic ATF specified here. Do not mix with other fluids. Using transmission fluid other than the Genuine NISSAN Matic ATF specified here or its equivalent may cause deterioration in drivability and automatic transmission durability, and may damage the automatic transmission, which is not covered by the NISSAN new vehicle limited warranty.
(3) Use Matic J if Matic S is not available.

Here it is.. NTBs/NTB08-049a.pdf

What they are saying is the dealership is required to put in Nissan fluid, else tehy (the dealer) takes responsibility for any damages to the transmission.

That is all.


Same with the VQ37VHR "valve cover noise" issue - they say put in Nissan Ester Oil...at $15/qt and see if the issue persists.


Nissan with their TSB's are ***very*** stringent. They want to rule out any number of things by establishing a known test scenario - so, if you have lifters clicking - they want nissan oil in the engine, because that's what they tested with (and solved the issue with it in the engine - not that IT solved it, just it was something they want to make sure is common)

All it really boils down to is that Nissan wants a common-ground baseline established.

not that they'll blow up your warranty because you used something else.



Even that said, when it comes to transmissions, I use what is recommended in the manual and do not deviate.

It's done me right so far.

I see a whole bunch of CVT. Seeing as how the frontiers aren't CVT... or FWD. I dont see how this applies to us.

I also do not see anything mentioned about 4WD A/T's.

Given the transfer case is bolted to the 5AT RWD transmission...it applies.

 

[q-ball]

i asked my dealer about switching to amsoil...they told me great!!! good choice!!! BUT keep my receipts for oil and filters and what not just to have a record to show in case nissan ever asked for it. They said they could care less but just to cover their *** just keep the receipts for nissan.

 

[chris196]

i asked my dealer about switching to amsoil...they told me great!!! good choice!!! BUT keep my receipts for oil and filters and what not just to have a record to show in case nissan ever asked for it. They said they could care less but just to cover their *** just keep the receipts for nissan.

Keeping receipts is a good idea, but actually not necessary. It is adequate to keep a log of what service was done. If you did it, write down in your service manual:
oil change 3/10/2010 with Castrol 5W-30 at mileage 25,000 by Joe Blow.

this type of thing has been hashed out in courts before. If you can show a good log of what happened, that is sufficient, no matter how much the dealership will try to scare you.

 

[q-ball]

i have a folder at home for all the receipts, my dealer has far exceeded my expectations and bad stories from other dealers so i am more than happy to do what they ask!!! they have never *****ed about ANY mods, and they have helped me with looking up specs and taking measurements and tryin to figure out if this or that will or could work and/or what fab. work will be required! so like i said i will comply with them b/c they sure do with me!!

 

[ttugrad]

The reason I choose not to use the Nissan fluid is the same reason I choose not to but a $100 pair of jeans.......

It is a product that is inferior to or at the very best, equal to products that are sold at a lower price.

If I wouldn't pay for someone's name on my ***, why would I pay for a bottle that says "Genuine Nissan" when I am going to trow it in the trash? Hell, at least jeans can be considered a status symbol.

 

[bobblehead]

It is a product that is inferior to or at the very best, equal to products that are sold at a lower price.

How is it that you came to this conclusion? Not arguing, just asking.

 

[ttugrad]

I have researched the subject and asked my dealer. what I foud is that Matic J is a Castrol made semi-synthetic fluid similar to the Castrol multi-import ATF that you can buy at your local Autozone for $5-6 per quart. The Castol meets Matic-J specs BTW. The price magically goes to $10+ per quart when they pour it out of the Castrol bottle and into the Nissan bottle. I am comparing this to fully synthetic fluids that also meet Matic J specs such as M1, Amsoil and the like. My choice was M1 ATF; 7 and change per quart.

 

[savagehenry]

I replaced the manual transmission fluid in my 6spd at 35K with Mobil1 synthetic and absolutely hated it. Shifting gears notchy and stiff especially on a cold morning. I drained it after a week and replaced it with whatever Nissan sells and it was immediately back to a smooth shifting experience. Not sure why that is.

 

[Clint]

I replaced the manual transmission fluid in my 6spd at 35K with Mobil1 synthetic and absolutely hated it. Shifting gears notchy and stiff especially on a cold morning. I drained it after a week and replaced it with whatever Nissan sells and it was immediately back to a smooth shifting experience. Not sure why that is.

That's an experience countering what everyone says about Mobil 1 but since it's what you observed I will keep it in mind for when mine needs changing. Thanks for posting your results.

Clint