2004 Nissan Sentra Transmission Filter

Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
1,674
Location
Morrow, Georgia
Anyone ever replaced the transmission filter for these automatic transmissions before? This is a picture of it:
 -


I have no problem removing the pan, as this one has a drain plug as well to make drains easier, but does this filter just pop off or is it a bolt on? With all of those hole locations, it would appear to me that there is a set of bolts needed to hold it in place.

There is no mention of replacing this filter in the maintenance section of the owner's manual. It only mentioned to drain/replace the transmission fluid.
 
That is an unusual looking trans filter with 11 (I assume) bolt/attachment holes! I never removed the pan from my 1993 or 2001 sentra. Just did periodic drain/fills which was easier than an oil change!

Joel
 
don't change the filter! apparently, there is some kind of bolt that is needed for the tranny and it will come out.

per ryansride2017
"I believe this one falls under your category:

I was changing the tranny fluid/filter on my 2003 Sentra. While removing the last bolt holding the filter cartridge onto the valve body, I realize the last bolt is unlike any of the others. In fact a nut came down from the upper end of the valve body (where I couldn't possible get my hand up there to replace it). I had to get it towed to a local tranny shop.

After my car gets to the tranny shop (well-known, national company - but independent) they go bankrupt. I lost the $125 that I spent to get it towed to this business. I had it towed to another tranny place (Aamco), costing me another $100. They state that the bolt was installed incorrectly at the factory. They said the nut should have been on the bottom side of the valve body to allow easy removal of the tranny filter.
They charged me $500 to drop the valve body of the transmission and correctly install the bolt.

Nissan Corporation would not reimburse me for any charges because I didn't tow it to a Nissan dealership (closest is 50 miles away) even though I have the receipt stating it was installed incorrectly. I called the Nissan dealership but they wouldn't be able to look at if for a couple weeks...they were that backed up. I couldn't wait that long. But hey, I got a tranny fluid/filter change for $725! Drank a beer or two that weekend.

Even if my Nissan lasts to 400K miles, I don't know if I will buy another one just because of this experience."

found here
scroll down to find post
 
JTK,
I will leave the filter in there, and just do a few drain-and-fills to do a "flush" and continue to drain and fill at set intervals.

Cutehumor,
I'm glad you showed me that post, I recall finding that post a few months back when my wife bought the car. Would you see any harm with removing the pan and cleaning it off, along with the magnets?
 
I really don't think it is necassary to remove the filter...it is just a screen...just stick witrh your plan of many drain and refills...I drain my Altima all the time ...easy...and if you really want to get it filtered ...and a inline filter..or a bypass filter ( I put a bypass filter )
 
Yep, its just a screen. Install a real aftermarket ATF filter. Dropping pan is for inspection purposes and magnet cleaning.

$500 for VB R&R is nuts.
 
Thanks everyone.

I won't touch that screen they have, but I will take the pan off and clean it, as well as the magnets, but I was reading through the manual and it suggests replacing the pan bolts.

Does anyone know how necessary that is? If it is, where can I get the bolts, other than the stealer?
 
Not necessary. But, you'll need to clean or wirebrush the old sealant off and use a thread sealer. Torque wrench is also mandatory!
 
Thanks Cutehumor,

For bringing this topic back up when I finally "talked myself off the ledge" regarding my fiasco.
banghead.gif


According to Nissan, the filter is designed to be maintenance free. Just drain the fluid and refill. But it still FRUSTRATES me that the auto parts stores sell a kit for this car which includes a filter when it shouldn't be changed!!
O.k., now to find my medicine again.
 
ryansride2017,
Why should a filter not be changed? The manual doesn't say to not change the filter does it? They simply claim that it's not necessary (in their eyes).
 
If you take your sentra to a Nissan dealership for a transmission service, they drop the pan, remove any obvious particles from the underside of the wire mesh filter (without removing it), install a new gasket, re-install the pan and refill with fluid.

Nissan likes using "maintenance free" filters in the transmission and fuel tank. While many people have problems referring to a filter as "maintenance free", I haven't heard of any failures because of it. I have 138K on my Sentra and other than my transmission fiasco, I haven't had any out of the ordinary repair fees.
 
benjamming,
The Nissan service manual states nothing about replacing the filter as maintenance. From what I have read it only includes it with the disassembly of the transmission.

ryansride2017,
Thanks for making that post about your experience.
 
What was the nut size? I just did a drain & fill (dropped the pan looking for a filter) and found a 10 mm (?) nut stuck to a magnet.
don't change the filter! apparently, there is some kind of bolt that is needed for the tranny and it will come out.

per ryansride2017
"I believe this one falls under your category:

I was changing the tranny fluid/filter on my 2003 Sentra. While removing the last bolt holding the filter cartridge onto the valve body, I realize the last bolt is unlike any of the others. In fact a nut came down from the upper end of the valve body (where I couldn't possible get my hand up there to replace it). I had to get it towed to a local tranny shop.

After my car gets to the tranny shop (well-known, national company - but independent) they go bankrupt. I lost the $125 that I spent to get it towed to this business. I had it towed to another tranny place (Aamco), costing me another $100. They state that the bolt was installed incorrectly at the factory. They said the nut should have been on the bottom side of the valve body to allow easy removal of the tranny filter.
They charged me $500 to drop the valve body of the transmission and correctly install the bolt.

Nissan Corporation would not reimburse me for any charges because I didn't tow it to a Nissan dealership (closest is 50 miles away) even though I have the receipt stating it was installed incorrectly. I called the Nissan dealership but they wouldn't be able to look at if for a couple weeks...they were that backed up. I couldn't wait that long. But hey, I got a tranny fluid/filter change for $725! Drank a beer or two that weekend.

Even if my Nissan lasts to 400K miles, I don't know if I will buy another one just because of this experience."

found here
scroll down to find post
22B8DAB3-64AC-4358-A01A-0E989EF57C77.jpeg
 
My parents had an old Quest that used the Maxima/Altima variant of that trans. I’ve replaced the filter once in it but I did see in the Nissan documentation about that bolt. Luckily, I didn’t had to face the misfortune of a missing nut since that bolt holds the valve body halves together.
 
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