AWD-rough,choppy,bumpy turns

[HVT]

Originally Posted by Halwg

What I can't believe is that the TC is so "anemic" that putting it into lock is going to tear it up. I find that almost inconceivable.

And you'd more than likely be correct. You're more likely to wear out the tires due to scuffing than the transfer case. Those who have blown their transfer cases surely didn't do it by hitting a lock button that turns itself off at about 6 MPH. So I'm not buying the hype either. For 2011, the Transfer case and CVT, have both been redesigned due to past reliability/design problems...not because some numb-nuts left their lock switches on and blew up their transfer cases. If that were the case, Nissan would have properly schooled customers on how to properly use it, not redesign it.

[jeffs3232]

I have pressed the AWD switch once in the 4 years I've owned my 04 SE. Then I found this site and now I pretend the button no longer exist. I always have to remind my wife to make sure she hits the seat warmer, not the AWD lock by mistake. Everything about the AWD system is poorly designed - even the placement of the switch.

My Mo has seen better days, but she's showing her age at 104k.

About to put new struts and mounts on he front and new shocks on the back. Will consider trading it closer to 120k for obvious reasons.

I bought it four years ago with 54k and has truly been a joy to drive, but once it hit 100k, all the wear and tear items started rearing their ugly heads.

[njjoe]

HVT-

Keep in mind that 2003 and 2004 MOs were set-up to allow AWD LOCK engagement up to 19 mph and the rocker switch could be permanently left on. The 2005 MOs were the first to incorporate a "momentary-on" switch and reduced the engagement limit to 6 mph.

A TSB (NTB04-129) was released in late 2004 that instructed dealers to replace the switch and AWD controller whenever a MO was brought in and "the transfer case is cracked and/or the internal gears are damaged." They knew then what the root cause was.

Nissan knew back in 2004 that the transfer case was not robust enough to meet the operating conditions it was originally designed for. That is why for the 2005 model year they redesigned the system, changed the switch and remapped the controller.

The other problem appears to be the seals. Seal failures and the resulting loss of oil may be responsible for some of the failures.

-njjoe

[nitely]

I even think that they knew it right off the bat. Referring back to the owners manual warning not to use the awd lock button on dry pavement. Well, if you compare the behavior of the car on dry and wet or even light snow pavement, most of the time they are practically the same. (If you drive according to the road conditions anyway) They only change when you start spinning a wheel or two and not moving or hydroplaning or skidding. This is the time you need that awd lock to help you out. But when you are driving, say in a snowy road and there is alot of stop and go, you feel a slip here and there but most of the time you are moving without any problems. Here is the gray area, you turn on your awd lock button because you felt a slip on a stop. You decide to leave it on because it might happen again on the next stop. In the meantime, while you are moving without slipping and you drop down to the speed range of engaged awd, you are practically driving similar to the conditions of dry pavement. So in esssence, you are straining your TC when you leave it on for extended period of time. That is why its recommended to engage the awd button only when slipping from stop and released right after you get moving again.

[HVT]

Originally Posted by nitely

I even think that they knew it right off the bat. Referring back to the owners manual warning not to use the awd lock button on dry pavement. Well, if you compare the behavior of the car on dry and wet or even light snow pavement, most of the time they are practically the same. (If you drive according to the road conditions anyway) They only change when you start spinning a wheel or two and not moving or hydroplaning or skidding. This is the time you need that awd lock to help you out. But when you are driving, say in a snowy road and there is alot of stop and go, you feel a slip here and there but most of the time you are moving without any problems. Here is the gray area, you turn on your awd lock button because you felt a slip on a stop. You decide to leave it on because it might happen again on the next stop. In the meantime, while you are moving without slipping and you drop down to the speed range of engaged awd, you are practically driving similar to the conditions of dry pavement. So in esssence, you are straining your TC when you leave it on for extended period of time. That is why its recommended to engage the awd button only when slipping from stop and released right after you get moving again.

Other than vehicles with a full time AWD or 4WD setup, they ALL say that in the owners manual. It says it in my Nissan Titan owners manual. I'm just gonna put more stress on the entire system and wear my tires prematurely if I left it in 4WD on dry pavement. Although (thanks njjoe) I didn't realize how the earlier Muranos worked, now they can't be left in AWD lock above 6 MPH and the TCs have been strengthened.
As for your theory about slipping while coming to a stop, 2nd gen. Muranos all start out from a stop in 50/50 AWD. My guess is earlier models didn't do this.