[lapriester]

I just bought a like new used 2005 KC 4X4 Frontier with the auto tranny and 78K on the truck. The former owner had a full flush done at 76K. I'm usually not a big fan of auto trannys in smaller trucks but my wife is not a stick driver and my 94 Toyota 4X4 was 8" high, a stick and getting old. Plus it was on it's third 3.slow V6 and still not getting more than 15 MPG on a good day with a tailwind, downhill.

My question is this: I've searched the forums and reviews on my new to me Frontier and I see nothing concerning auto tranny reliabilty. How reliable is the tranny, how well does it hold up to moderate towing (say towing a 4000#boat and trailer) and what are the known issues with it, if any.

It doesn't look like the truck has ever done any towing (the paint in the receiver hitch wasn't even scratched and the electrical plug has never been used) or hauling (the spray-in bed liner looks like it was put in yesterday with only a couple of scratches on the tailgate plastic and the cleats have never been moved in the rails). It even has the sliding bed extender brackets in it that have never been used.

The other question whether the transfer case fluid needs to be changed since the dealer that did the tranny flush did not do it. I might as well ask about the differential fluids also. With 78K of apparent highway miles, do I need to change out all those fluids yet?

I'm a lot anal about my servicing and I like to know where I stand on any vehicle I get used but, I also don't like to spend $ needlessly.

Thanks for any input you all can give me.

Larry

 

[OkieScot]

Consumer Reports shows the 2005 Frontier 4x4 tranny to be much better than average on major repairs and average on minor repairs. I have an '05 4x2 that I bought new and have had no problems so far. I am not a very good case study since I only have 18,800 miles on it so far and I do baby it.

 

[colin123]

its a very good tranny, the same one thats used in the auto 350z and titan. only real problems that i've seen is if people have the radiator failure that mixes coolant into the in radiator tranny cooler causing damage to the tranny but other than that its great.

 

[dubie2003]

Yup, like Colin said, only real issue is when the trans cooler inside of the radiator fails, the fluids mix and the trans is toast. Past that as long as you are not racing it at the track or overloading it for towing/hauling it should last.

Side Note: There is a simple bypass for the internal trans cooler. Don't worry you still have an external cooler infront of the trans so if you don't push it to the limits, you should be okay with it, if not replace it or add a fan.

 

[lapriester]

I'm not entirely sure I even need the radiator cooler. Sounds like a problem waiting to happen. Mine has the towing package and a large stacked plate auxiliary cooler out in front of the radiator. I have an F250 Ford diesel and the cooler is almost as big as the 20K cooler I installed on it as an auxiliary. Except for the warming properties of the rad cooler I'm not sure it really serves much of a purpose anyway.

Heck, if you all still think the radiator cooler could be necessary for towing how about just dubbing in another auxiliary cooler to take it's place over on the driver's side of the rad. Plenty of room for a smaller version of the stock cooler and an easy install.

Good idea?? Or not?

Thanks,

Larry

 

[dubie2003]

I would do the simple bypass to start and then see from there. I think Penski decided to bypass the rad one, then removed the aux one but added a similar sized one with a fan and switch for when it is needed. He did this because he is out in AZ and wheels a lot so there is very little air flow over the front end when you are crawling up rocks, lol.

 

[explorerman]

I've got an '05 4x2 auto with 144k on it. No real problems with the tranny up to now. How ever, all my driving is interstate and I don't tow anything.

 

[colin123]

bypass that rad and upgrade the aux to a b&m tranny cooler with tstat activated fan

 

[Frontier2]

I would get the transfer case serviced,its just a drain & fill with ATF.It's one of most over looked item's to get serviced.

 

[colin123]

^x2 and it burns that atf pretty quick. it probably burns fluid twice as fast as the other components