AWD-rough,choppy,bumpy turns

[biggijohn]

While in AWD Lock, I've experienced, during tight turns, ie: making a U-turn on the boat ramp, (right or left), that the front wheels feel as if they are skipping, choppy, bumping. Very strange. The front wheels do not feel like they are rolling smoothly.
This is at slow, less than 5mph, on dry or wet asphalt suface.
Any thoughts out there?

[HVT]

That's normal. There is no center differential so only use AWD lock when needed. While turning on dry surfaces, turn the lock off. What you're feeling is the inside rear tire scuffing.

[njjoe]

bj-

If it was my MO, I would NOT be making any slow-speed turns with the AWD LOCK engaged, especially on dry pavement. Doing so places a lot of stress on the drivetrain, especially the anemic (and expensive-to-replace) transfer case.

If you need traction hauling your boat/PWC out of the water then the AWD LOCK can help, but I would disengage it before making any U-turns.

-njjoe

[biggijohn]

HVT/NJjoe
Copy that.
It sure does feel like the front wheels though.
There is also a loss of acceleration/power during this manuever.
I'll leave it open to any additional comments.
Thanks for your help.

[nitely]

Unless you are stuck in snow...I would not touch that AWD button. I would rather use the "manual shifting" if you have that option when pulling your boat. Never run the car with your AWD button engaged on dry pavement. Sure way to mess up that TC and CVT real fast and I mean FAST. Didnt you just had those repaired? Disengaging the traction control/VDC will help with the boat pull.

[nafddur]

Originally Posted by biggijohn

While in AWD Lock, I've experienced, during tight turns, ie: making a U-turn on the boat ramp, (right or left), that the front wheels feel as if they are skipping, choppy, bumping. Very strange. The front wheels do not feel like they are rolling smoothly.
This is at slow, less than 5mph, on dry or wet asphalt suface.
Any thoughts out there?

I say you need an SUV or possibly a truck for this type of service. Certainly not a Murano! You might get lucky and not fry your drive train, but this forum is filled with people who have subjected their Mos to severe service conditions and NOT been lucky.

[biggijohn]

I have no problems with the drive train. Never had untill I overheated it one day driving like Ricky Racer. After an hour cool down I was back in business.
I guess I got a good CVT and TC.
When I was a new (2004) "ignorant" MO owner, I used to drive in AWD lock on the freeway.
I never serviced the CVT or TC untill 99K. I didn't know any better.
Factory tow package. Been pulling my 2000lb boat for two years up and down the mountains.
My post was regarding.......well it,s no use repeating it, it's plain as day in my thread.
Thanks!

[nitely]

Driving in freeway speed with the AWD lock on does not really affect the TC/CVT its when you slow down and hit that speed mark 7mph or so is when it engages back to AWD and starts grinding on those gears. You must not like reading/following your manual even after your cvt repair you are still using the AWD lock. Good luck with that.

[HVT]

Originally Posted by nitely

Driving in freeway speed with the AWD lock on does not really affect the TC/CVT its when you slow down and hit that speed mark 7mph or so is when it engages back to AWD and starts grinding on those gears. You must not like reading/following your manual even after your cvt repair you are still using the AWD lock. Good luck with that.

LMAO, I like how you think! Buggijohn, he's right. Even with the LOCK button in the on position, it won't engage unless your going below a certain speed...I believe the 04 was something like 14 or 15 MPH. Newer models are even lower. I still wouldn't make it a habit of leaving it on. For 2011, the AWD is 50/50 from a standstill and 70/30 while turning so I can't see the need to even use the lock unless stuck in snow/mud/sand.

[biggijohn]

Originally Posted by HVT

LMAO, I like how you think! Buggijohn, he's right. Even with the LOCK button in the on position, it won't engage unless your going below a certain speed...I believe the 04 was something like 14 or 15 MPH. Newer models are even lower. I still wouldn't make it a habit of leaving it on. For 2011, the AWD is 50/50 from a standstill and 70/30 while turning so I can't see the need to even use the lock unless stuck in snow/mud/sand.

Guys, I fully understand and agree. Like I said, I've been lucky. And I'd rather be lucky than good. I've done things in this SUV I probably shouldn't have, but all is well and it was hella fun doing it.
I know now to not touch the lock button (something I never knew prior to joining this forum). Thanks to this forum I've learned more about the MO in the last two months than I have in the 7yrs I've owned it.
I know the TC is on borrowed time.
HVT, thanks for anwering my original question and saving the lecture(s).
I love my MO....I love everything about it other than I can't really off-road it. But it pulls like a dream.
Now I have a 100K+ miles and a new CVT...
I think it's time for a Range Rover Evoque! Accepting donations now...LOL.

[nafddur]

Originally Posted by biggijohn

I've been lucky. And I'd rather be lucky than good. I've done things in this SUV I probably shouldn't have, but all is well and it was hella fun doing it.

Not to beat the proverbial dead horse (and you HAVE admitted to mistreating your poor car, biggi), but luck would have been not losing your transmission at only 100K miles.

My 04 SE (now with 95K) will be going on that mileage soon, and I sure hope to get many more miles and years of life out of the original drivetrain. Of course it was a different animal, but the MT in my 95 Maxima gave me zero problems in the 17 years (and 221K miles) I had that car. I'm wondering how many people have hit 200K on a CVT?

[biggijohn]

I wouldn't say I mis-treated it, but I definently put it through it's paces.
And it performed amazingly.
The CVT never did go out. It apparently was a safety shut down as I unintentionally overheated it.
I drove it all the way back to the dealership (50+miles) after it had cooled down for an hour or so (part of the way in AWD lock...LOL-only because the tow truck was following me).
I'd still be driving it had it not been for the dealership offering me a "new" CVT under warranty.
How could I turn that down?? Especially given the fact that the CVT had never been serviced, -I drive the dickens out of it -AND it had over 99K miles on it.
I hope you get many more miles on yours. The LUCK will come into play when your CVT goes out at 119,999 miles and not 120,001.
I feel fortunate that I got as much use out of it as I did and now I have a new CVT with 20K miles left on the warranty. I'm happy!
It's the transfer case I'm worried about...how much longer will that last???
That's the million dollar question. More to follow.....

[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.

[njjoe]

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.

There is no center differential. Most AWD systems incorporate some type of center differential to enable the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds which is required when turning.

Without the center differential, if you engage the AWD lock on dry roads the drivetrain will bind when making turns, and can cause the weakest link to fail. In the MO's case, the weakest link is often the $2,000 transfer case.

-njjoe

[nafddur]

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.

Granted that, based on appearance, many people still think they are buying an SUV (or, worse yet, a truck) when they buy a Murano. Muranos are modified Altimas!!

The AWD systems we have work great when needed (and they automatically activate) on wet or slippery roads. The lock is only meant to be used at VERY low speeds - ie to keep from getting stuck on icy, snowy or sandy terrain. Those of us who realized from the beginning what kind of car we bought, have had no transfer case (nor CVT for the vast majority of us) problems.

What is more inconceivable to me than the fragility of the transfer cases, is that Nissan isn't more upfront to customers about using the AWD lock when they buy the car in the first place. But, I guess they don't want to scare people away.