How do you cool a Nissan Frontier transmission?
To cool the transmission fluid, it’s pumped through a special cooling chamber in the bottom of the radiator, then cycled back into the transmission. However, a design flaw in the radiator causes that chamber to crack and allow antifreeze to mix with the ATF as it flows back to the transmission.
What kind of transmission does a Nissan Frontier have?
There was a highly capable off road version called the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X, and each model could be spec’d with the 5-speed Nissan RE5R05A transmission. Unfortunately, the little Datsun’s cooling system had a design flaw that often led to early transmission failure. There’s also several more gearbox related issues that can drain your wallet.
What causes a Nissan Frontier transmission to overheat?
Heat is the natural enemy of your Nissan RE5R05A transmission, and it increases every time you tow/haul heavy loads, or drive in environments like traffic or the mountains. The stock cooling system isn’t capable of removing this excess heat, so the transmission will overheat just like an engine.
What causes a Nissan Frontier to slip on the upshift?
Two more common Nissan Frontier transmission problems are slipping on the 4th-5th upshift, and rather abrupt 2nd-3rd shifts. The first issue can usually be traced to a bad shift solenoid, worn transmission bands, or even using the wrong kind of transmission fluid (the viscosity and chemical makeup varies between the different types of ATF).
Can a remanufactured Nissan Frontier transmission be repaired?
And to correct the factory design flaw, every remanufactured RE5R05A transmission comes with a brand new upgrade radiator that features a reinforced transmission cooling chamber. So in a sense, this transmission can fix your current problems, and prevent new ones for many years/miles.
Why is the transmission on a Nissan Frontier RE5R05A?
However, a design flaw in the radiator causes that chamber to crack and allow antifreeze to mix with the ATF as it flows back to the transmission. The chemicals in antifreeze are highly corrosive to the metal parts, bearings and seals inside the Nissan Frontier RE5R05A transmission.
To cool the transmission fluid, it’s pumped through a special cooling chamber in the bottom of the radiator, then cycled back into the transmission. However, a design flaw in the radiator causes that chamber to crack and allow antifreeze to mix with the ATF as it flows back to the transmission.
What kind of radiator does Nissan Frontier use?
The radiators used from 2005-2010 (with a few 2011’s) in the North American Nissan Pathfinder and V6 Frontier/Xterra, which were made by Calsonic, were prone to a possible seal failure in the trans cooler located in the bottom tank of the radiator. When it failed, it caused cross-contamination of engine coolant and ATF.
And to correct the factory design flaw, every remanufactured RE5R05A transmission comes with a brand new upgrade radiator that features a reinforced transmission cooling chamber. So in a sense, this transmission can fix your current problems, and prevent new ones for many years/miles.
How much does it cost to replace Trans fluid in a Nissan Frontier?
The integral cooler will warm the fluid more quickly and better maintain it in the ideal range. The other options include radiator replacement. The genuine Nissan radiator is around $550 ($450 online) and they have a value line option for $350, which is still a lot for a plastic tanked radiator.