Nissan Frontier Forums: 2018 manual transmission clunking noise

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Topic: 2018 manual transmission clunking noise

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NorthWoods001
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Posted: Sep 01 2019 at 6:49pm \| IP Logged

Hello – I’m new to the forum and am looking for input from anyone who may have experience with an issue I’m experiencing with my new Frontier. Here’s the story; I purchased a 2018 Fontier Pro 4x with only 8500 miles this past July and it has a 6 speed manual transmission. If you drive it normally (not like an old lady) and take the rpm’s up to around 1600+ and shift from first to second there is a very disturbing clunk as soon as you push the clutch pedal down. It will also do it again shifting from second to third gear but not as bad. If you keep the RPM’s low when shifting and drive it like an old lady then it does not do the clunk. It’s got factory warranty so I took it in for service last week to a big Nissan dealer in my area and explained the clunking noise. The mechanic drove it and determined it’s outside his area of expertise so they got the Nissan Tech Line involved because the local dealership couldn’t determine what was wrong. The official explanation from the Nissan Tech Line (as I was told) is that this is a new design manual transmission and they are learning that the ‘clunk’ is not uncommon. Therefore, there’s nothing wrong but please let them know if it gets ‘louder’. To say I’m upset is an understatement so I’m getting ready to sell or trade this thing off. Unfortunately, I really like the truck and it took one hell of long time to find a low mileage 6 speed manual. Does anyone know if this is this a new designed transmission? I think they’re lying about that since I read the manuals were being phased out next year. Either way, nothing should clunk when shifting gears and when I pull my 17 fool aluminum fishing boat out of a boat launch and shift from first to second gear it clunks so hard you’d swear someone smacked the frame of the truck with a hammer the instant you push the clutch down! Any ideas or advise would be welcomed…..Thanks ahead of time.

Rubble
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Posted: Sep 01 2019 at 9:51pm \| IP Logged

NorthWoods001 wrote:

Hello – I’m new to the forum and am
looking for input from
anyone who may have experience with an issue I’m
experiencing with my new
Frontier. Here’s
the story; I purchased
a 2018 Fontier Pro 4x with only 8500 miles this past July
and it has a 6 speed
manual transmission.
If you drive it
normally (not like an old lady) and take the rpm’s up to
around 1600+ and shift
from first to second there is a very disturbing clunk as
soon as you push the clutch
pedal down. It will
also do it again
shifting from second to third gear but not as bad. If you keep the RPM’s
low when shifting and
drive it like an old lady then it does not do the clunk.
 It’s got factory
warranty so I took it in for
service last week to a big Nissan dealer in my area and
explained the clunking
noise. The mechanic
drove it and
determined it’s outside his area of expertise so they got
the Nissan Tech Line involved
because the local dealership couldn’t determine what was
wrong. The official
explanation from the Nissan Tech
Line (as I was told) is that this is a new design manual
transmission and they
are learning that the ‘clunk’ is not uncommon.
Therefore, there’s nothing wrong but please let
them know if it gets ‘louder’. To say I’m upset is an
understatement so I’m
getting ready to sell or trade this thing off.
Unfortunately, I really like the truck and it took
one hell of long time
to find a low mileage 6 speed manual. Does
anyone know if this is this a new designed transmission?<s pan
style="mso-spacerun:yes">
I think they’re lying about that since I read the
manuals were being
phased out next year.
Either way,
nothing should clunk when shifting gears and when I pull
my 17 fool aluminum
fishing boat out of a boat launch and shift from first to
second gear it clunks
so hard you’d swear someone smacked the frame of the truck
with a hammer the
instant you push the clutch down! Any
ideas or advise would be welcomed…..Thanks ahead of time.

NW,

I would contact Nissan Consumer Affair's and tell them
what has transpired and ask if you can take it to another
Nissan Service Department to get another opinion.

I would talk with the Service Manager of Service
Department about this and ask if he would schedule a time
for the Nissan Master Tech to check your truck out.

I suspect that the previous owner abused your truck and
then turned it back in,, after he heard the Clunking as
well.

The Frontier's are the cheapest new truck,, and therefore
we have a # of Punk's that buy these Truck's to ABUSE
Them, then turn them back in before the warranty run's
out.

If you can't get any satisfaction, then if it were mine,,
I would get the Dealership that Sold You the Truck to do a
Trade for a Brand New Nissan Frontier. IMO The Frontier's
are Good Truck's,, but they are Lite Duty and won't stand
up to Abuse in Mud, Water, Rock's, and Rough OffRoading.

If used as intended for Transportation, Hauling, and
Towing within the Rateing's Posted in the Owner's Manual,,
includeing the Maximum Frontal Area, I think these truck's
will do ok. If Abused they will be plagued with Repair's
and unusual Noise's, which is why IMO the previous owner
got rid of it.

Hope this helps YOU.

PS: I did think of something else that just might be
makeing the Clunking Noise ~ Crawl under the rear end of
your truck and see if the Spare Tire has some SWING/PLAY
in it. Possible that someone didn't wind the chain up all
the way or possibly mounted the spare wrong side down and
the chain can't wind it up snug. Just maybe it is
something simple like this and isn't something that needs
repairing. It would be good for Your Sake if it is.

__________________
Barney
2013 SV V6 Frontier KC/AT/2WD; Previous 20 yrs ~ '93 I4 Hardbody KC/AT/2WD, Sold.

NorthWoods001
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Posted: Sep 03 2019 at 3:17pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for the input - I did check out the spare but it's tight. I also suspect the previous owner abused it as the rear tires were far too worn for only having 8500 miles on them but the truck is otherwise in mint condition and looks fantastic. He (assuming a male) must have been trying to squeal the tires at every stop sign. My options are limited so I've opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs and will wait for their direction. I had a member on another forum reply they think it's the dual mass flywheel DMF based on my description. After googling it I've found so many similar issues with the Frontier's DMF that I wish I'd bought an automatic. I read many folks claim that Nissan rejected fixing their clutch even thought it was under warranty due to the fact it is a wear item. I find it hard to believe the DMF only made it 8500 miles on my truck, either the stock OEM clutches are just not that great or the previous person really beat the hell out it.

frontierguy
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Posted: Sep 04 2019 at 5:37pm \| IP Logged

I find mine shifts smoother if I completely release
the throttle, with a slight pause before shifting to
the next gear. Kind of old lady style, but I'm 65!!!!
As far as abuse, I have 113K on mine and haul firewood
all winter, have had 1980# of hickory in it. Might
want to check the rear spring brackets that wrap
around the springs, may be stretched out. You
mentioned the rear tires being badly worn is not a
good indicator of easy use. The clutch disc should be
a normal wear item, but the flywheel and pressure
plate should be covered under power train warranty. It
all depends on how big a prick the dealer wants to be.
Definitely get Nissan corporate involved.

__________________

'10 Altima SL
Traded 08 Frontier for 16 Frontier SV CC Long box, quite an upgrade. I do miss the 6 speed and Dynomax ex.

Nissan Technician 25 + years
2011 John Deere X720SE

Rubble
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Posted: Sep 04 2019 at 6:56pm \| IP Logged

NorthWoods001 wrote:

Thanks for the input - I did
check out the spare but it's tight. I also suspect the
previous owner abused it as the rear tires were far too
worn for only having 8500 miles on them but the truck
is otherwise in mint condition and looks fantastic. He
(assuming a male) must have been trying to squeal the
tires at every stop sign. My options are limited so
I've opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs and
will wait for their direction. I had a member on
another forum reply they think it's the dual mass
flywheel DMF based on my description. After googling
it I've found so many similar issues with the
Frontier's DMF that I wish I'd bought an automatic. I
read many folks claim that Nissan rejected fixing their
clutch even thought it was under warranty due to the
fact it is a wear item. I find it hard to believe the
DMF only made it 8500 miles on my truck, either the
stock OEM clutches are just not that great or the
previous person really beat the hell out it.

NW,

If you didn't buy from a Nissan Dealer, then I suspect
that's where the Rub is at.

Nissan and Nissan Dealer's don't want to warranty a
Truck that has been abused,, especially if purchased
from a Non Nissan Dealer.

I've read where a Nissan Owner Romped on his,, just to
make the tire's squeal and damaged his rear end.

I would continue to see if Nissan can give you any
recourse,, but Nissan fall's back on the advice of the
Nissan Service Department.

Once you've gotten what relief Nissan can give you,,
then I would get a New Nissan Frontier by either
Tradeing your current Nissan Truck or by Selling your
Truck and then getting a Brand New Nissan Truck from a
Nissan Dealer.

In some area's I agree that the Nissan Truck is
possible to be used over the Rated Limit's in the
Owner's Manual,, and no damage,, but it's a big gamble.
When I had my '93 Hardbody I also hauled way over the
rated maximum,, but I knew I was gambleing,, and drove
the Truck with Much Care,, takeing it really easy over
Rough area's like RailRoad Track's. It's a miracle I
didn't damage the Rear Axle, cause the weight was all
the way down to the bump blocks. That was only a
couple time's and after that I thanked my lucky stars
that no damage was done.

Jerking under Heavy Throttle can easily damage the
Drive Train. Might get away with it Time or Two,, but
eventually something has got to Give.

I prefer an AT, but like anything,, The Auto Trans has
it's weak point's and has to serviced and driven in a
manner to last, IMO.

I'm not a pro mechanic (Never have been), however I try
and do all the preventative maintenance that I can and
some minor repair's if I think I can do a Good Job.
Haveing said that I'm not comfortable buying a Used
Truck. Seem's like in the past when I did,, I had to
wind up repairing what the previous owner caused or
didn't do.

I've came out much betting buying a New Truck at the
lowest price possible, doing my part to take real good
care of the Truck,, and Keeping it for a Very Very Long
time. I read one time that the longer a Vehicle is
kept the Better we come out Financially. I would say
yes/maybe,, but only if preventative maintenance is
done and driven with care, IMO. My '93 Hardbody KC AT
2wd bought New, drove 20 year's/176K Mile's, Paid 10K
New, sold easily for 4K cash. IMO it's all about
condition and they'll pay good money for Used in Real
Good Condition.

I used Truecar.com this time to find out WHAT the
LOWEST PRICE PAID was (That's Out The Door). It took
me a while,, but eventually I got the Lowest Price Paid
as shown on TRuecar Out The Door.

Winded Post,, but I wanted to help you best I could.

Best of Luck and keep us posted,

__________________
Barney
2013 SV V6 Frontier KC/AT/2WD; Previous 20 yrs ~ '93 I4 Hardbody KC/AT/2WD, Sold.

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