# 2009-2010 gearbox issues



## Stansamg (Jun 30, 2014)

Hi all have started the search for a Gtr. With my budget il probably fall into a 2009 plate. However after doing much reading in here I've come to the conclusion that the earlier cars are a ticking time bomb wrt gearboxes.

I have seen a few 11 plates for 47-50 k and my question is that a much better car to drive? The early 2009 models can be had for 35 k now.


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## Ja5on (Nov 18, 2009)

Never had any issues with my MY10.

Some of the very early 09 cars had issues, but I don't think you could turn around and say the older cars are a ticking time bomb.

David Yu had done many a track day in his car at various levels of tune and not had any issues. I think he has circlips done and that's it, I maybe wrong.


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## Takamo (Oct 18, 2005)

Stansamg said:


> Hi all have started the search for a Gtr. With my budget il probably fall into a 2009 plate. However after doing much reading in here I've come to the conclusion that the earlier cars are a ticking time bomb wrt gearboxes.
> 
> I have seen a few 11 plates for 47-50 k and my question is that a much better car to drive? The early 2009 models can be had for 35 k now.


It's luck of the draw, not all 09/10 my cars had gearbox issues, I had an 09 and had not a single problem with it but I know a few guys that have but I think it's down to abuse and lack of letting them warm up before ragging it. I'd buy a low mileage and well maintained car and pay that little bit more for it.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Some do, some don't.

My 59 plate GT-R gearbox went 3 days after buying it, luckily I had extended warranty and was looked after very well by Middlehurst during the claim and repair process.

Repair ended up being a 2013 box


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## donski D (Jan 10, 2004)

Had my early 09 for 3 years, done a couple of track days, covered 20000 miles and had no issues (2 years with y-pipe and Cobb custom tune)....


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## SamboGrove (Jun 27, 2010)

All you need to do if worried about the box is when it next gets a tranny oil service get the circlips done + uprated magnets, gear stoppers and piston clips etc. not a significant outlay for the peace of mind.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

SamboGrove said:


> All you need to do if worried about the box is when it next gets a tranny oil service get the circlips done + uprated magnets, gear stoppers and piston clips etc. not a significant outlay for the peace of mind.


^^^^ This, any 09-10 owner should get this done, I don't care if your car done this that track days etc etc and it's been fine, same could of been said about mine till it went.


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## The Zedhed (Oct 25, 2013)

As has been said on many occations you never get a post saying "I have a GT-R and it's gearbox is great" things only get reported when/if they go wrong!

I have a Litchfield 650 stage 4.25 and it's gearbox is great


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## stixGTR (Sep 24, 2013)

My 59 plate gearbox is perfect.
no uprated software either. I drive her everyday and track her too.
Well serviced and maintained, always warmed up and cooled down.

Best thing I've ever spent money on is my GT-R


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

It does not make sense, there is clearly a weak point with the 09-10 GT-R gearboxes, those that are saying "oooo I have a 59 GT-R and never put a foot wrong, always maintained, tracked etc etc" blah blah blah.

What you got to remember is all the 09-10 GT-R gearboxes that have gone kaput were also "fine and fault free and looked after" before they went wrong.

If you have 09-10 GT-R for the love of god spend the small amount to get the clips, stoppers etc fitted.


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## Stansamg (Jun 30, 2014)

Agree with deankenny. All this I've never had a problem talk is premature. From my extensive research the early 09 cars are more likely to suffer with failures. Despite the mechanical sympathy etc. I for one cannot risk 40k on one and either will buy an 11 plate or look for one that has had a gearbox replacement!


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## barry P. (May 9, 2010)

You are being far too paranoid about the gearboxes! Just buy a decent 09 or 10 car and get one of the independent specialists to clean the solenoids, fit a magnet kit and a set of solenoid clips to stop them rotating. It will probably cost you about £400, if you have it done at a service when the gear oil is due for a change that will save you paying £150 for another load of trsndmission oil.


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## R35Audio (Jul 9, 2002)

I thought the chocolate gearbox rumors came from the early import cars, especially 2007-2008 cars which did have problems but I believe the issues were resolved in the official UK cars onwards. That's my understanding. 

Of course, these are torque monsters and even more so once you get a stage 1-4.25 tune so there will always be a risk but with so many happy un-modded gearbox owners out there, I don't think its a massive problem.

With our friends at Litchfields, SVM, ACSpeedtech etc, gearbox issues are never real re-mortgage bombshells like they were with Nissan's huge replacement cost scare stories from the early days.


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## Stansamg (Jun 30, 2014)

barry P. said:


> You are being far too paranoid about the gearboxes! Just buy a decent 09 or 10 car and get one of the independent specialists to clean the solenoids, fit a magnet kit and a set of solenoid clips to stop them rotating. It will probably cost you about £400, if you have it done at a service when the gear oil is due for a change that will save you paying £150 for another load of trsndmission oil.



That's exactly my point. I know of one who had his circlips and magnets done etc but still broke his gearbox!


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## TomS (Mar 21, 2012)

1? Out of how many?

Anything can break, at any time, with any amount of power, for an abundance of reasons.

If you're this worried about the gearbox now I'd hate to think how paranoid you are going to be once you start hearing the ridiculous number of mechanical clunks that the car makes on a daily basis.


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## Stansamg (Jun 30, 2014)

Speak to the people who are in the know. Ie specialist tuners and even Nissan. They will fill you in as to how many gearboxes are failing and it isn't just a few. I think I'd rather stick with one with a warranty or an 11 plate onwards.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Barry, exactly, nothing about paranoid, £400 like you say for the potential saving of an item which could cost close to £10000 to replace is a no-brainer.

Again for those that keep saying my box is fine, and those that say well you only hear about the bad ones not the good ones.

Lets put it this way, how many newbies keep coming on here and bring up this same old subject 09-10 gearboxes etc etc, I see at least 1-2 threads a week made about it, there is CLEARLY a problem otherwise they would not be asking about it from the research they have already done. Which clearly shows a widespread problem hence the worry and come ask on the forum themselves. You don't see the noobs raising issues about the 2013 boxes do you, because when they are googling about the car the results are clearly showing a huge problem and issues with the early cars gearboxes, from all round the world, not just UK.

Get your early boxes done if not, tick tock tick tock tick tock.


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## Chronos (Dec 2, 2013)

deankenny said:


> Barry, exactly, nothing about paranoid, £400 like you say for the potential saving of an item which could cost close to £10000 to replace is a no-brainer.
> 
> Again for those that keep saying my box is fine, and those that say well you only hear about the bad ones not the good ones.
> 
> ...


I got my 09 done a month after I bought it...For safety reasons... ohh and stage 4 at the same time :chuckle: as said circa 400 to save a potential failure is a no brainer..

if there is a known problem, Nissan should be giving all the 09-10's a new gearbox on recall ... that'll be the day! opcorn:


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Good Chronos, nice to see.

I may sound abrupt, but I speak from direct experience so I deserve to be.

I only had the car 3 days before my gearbox went, didn't even own it long enough to get the clips, stoppers etc done.

Imagine if I did not have Middlehurst warranty when I bought it, spending 40k on a car and 3 days later gearbox goes like it did. I was upset enough as it was WITH the warranty changing it, I dread to imagine how I would have reacted without warranty.

So people I'm not being harsh, or digging holes at the car, I speak from experience and truly do not want to see other cars come to this tragic conclusion.


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## barry P. (May 9, 2010)

Dean it is people like you that perpetuate the myth that all early gearboxes fail and cost £10,000 to sort out. There is a known problem with the early gearboxes where bits of metal stick to the solenoids, if the gear oil is changed at regular intervals, bigger magnets are fitted to collect the particles and the solenoid clips are fitted the boxes are just as good as the later ones, the gearboxes are not different. The early cars, and where these horror stories originated, were because independants had not identified this issue and the NHPCs were not allowed to strip the boxes, so if the car was in warranty the NHPC would check you hadn't modified your car and then fit a new box.If your car was modified the NHPC would say tough luck, hand over your £10K as you need a new box! In probably 95% of the cases if the box was stripped it could have been sorted for a few hundred pounds. The OP perhaps needs to speak to Iain at Litchfields or Andy at AC Speedtech who can perhaps reassure him that '09 gearboxes with a few cheap mods are not "ticking timebombs"


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Exactly Barry, I shall quote you

"the gearboxes are not different"

Someone was trying to argue with me that the later gearboxes were different, they are not, all that is different is the parts to make it stronger.
As for the earlier boxes that is all that is needed to be safe, should not deter you from buying the car, just get the parts fitted as soon as you can if not already.

As for costing £10,000 to sort out, again personal experience first hand.
When my car threw up the TM error, it went to Middlehurst and had all those parts fitted, less than a week later I got the exact same problem and error code again. Gearbox was un-salvagable, and had to have a new 2013 box fitted to get it back on the road. If I did not have warranty, I would have had an extremely hefty bill.


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## barry P. (May 9, 2010)

deankenny said:


> As for costing £10,000 to sort out, again personal experience first hand.
> When my car threw up the TM error, it went to Middlehurst and had all those parts fitted, less than a week later I got the exact same problem and error code again. Gearbox was un-salvagable, and had to have a new 2013 box fitted to get it back on the road. If I did not have warranty, I would have had an extremely hefty bill.


Probably all those launches in McDonalds car park! :chuckle:


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

I didn't even do my first launch till 4-5 months owning the car, I kept phoning John at Middlehurst asking about the launch as I did not want to void any warranties.

By the way, I don't launch in mcdonalds what you talking about !!!! It's Matalan car park I do it  haha


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## KAT (Apr 7, 2011)

I don't beleive for a second that the box was "unsalvageable" Dean. 
Dealers are incapable or unwilling to try and repair faulty boxes and have created this myth that they are unreliable. 
It has been a stupid move for them as far as marketing goes but then its Nissans money thats being wasted on all the warranty work (or lack of it) and they are happy to go along with it. 
Has there ever been a case of a sensibly modded car outside the warranty period having the whole transmission replaced ?
Unlikely. 
J


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## TREG (May 20, 2004)

stixGTR said:


> My 59 plate gearbox is perfect.
> no uprated software either. I drive her everyday and track her too.
> Well serviced and maintained, always warmed up and cooled down.
> 
> Best thing I've ever spent money on is my GT-R




Likewise but the software has been updated recently.I think a minority of cars had an issue but its not a common fault.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

KAT said:


> I don't beleive for a second that the box was "unsalvageable" Dean.
> Dealers are incapable or unwilling to try and repair faulty boxes and have created this myth that they are unreliable.
> It has been a stupid move for them as far as marketing goes but then its Nissans money thats being wasted on all the warranty work (or lack of it) and they are happy to go along with it.
> Has there ever been a case of a sensibly modded car outside the warranty period having the whole transmission replaced ?
> ...


They did repair it first time round, adding the circlips, stoppers and all that.
But too many teeth had been knocked off from the common fault we know about, so the car threw the fault again, so a new box was then the only viable option.


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## KAT (Apr 7, 2011)

If the box on my Evo was to turn to mince inside I would get either a service exchange unit or have it rebuilt, I wouldn't even consider throwing it in a skip and buying a new one from a Mitsubishi dealer.
The same goes for any car, why would a GTR be any different ?
You have clearly been taken in by Nissan "HPC" excuses for their lack of effort/talent but what you are saying to owners and prospective buyers of certain ages of cars is wrong.
Your car could have been and probably was badly treated and overly launched by its previous owner(s) and that's why it failed so early but it is in no way the norm.
I never even launched my car while I had it so never expected any transmission issues but the way launch control has been been extensively used by the media when testing and reviewing the cars many people will want to use the launch control feature as well, some will use it a lot and some will use it too much.
A GTR will end up like any other car if abused, broken.
J


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## Kabz r35 Gtr (Sep 27, 2012)

I've had my09 for over 2 years now and not a single issue, it's been launched several times also.


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## Karls (Jul 12, 2010)

59 plate since July 2010 (running Stage 4.25 for 2 years) and not one problem. I did have the Dodson magnets fitted when the transmission oil was changed but that's it. I have never been tempted to launch the car (I'm an Engineer, so mechanically sympathetic I guess). I will get the solenoid clips done at the next service though but that will be all.

Maybe the early boxes that failed had a very hard life; wasn't the early launch software very aggressive on the box?


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Like I said mine was also 

"for over 2 years now and not a single issue, it's been launched several times also."
"59 plate since July 2010 and not one problem"

Until it went Kaput. Everything is always fine till it goes, might never happen, but for the sake of a few clips and several hundred £ to get them fitted, it's not worth the risk.


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## pulsarboby (Nov 3, 2012)

Mine was also recently ok up till cadwell park the other week when 4th started making a not very nice noise. Still had drive but finished the track day just after lunch.

That had circling mod and everything else too
Luckily I've got another box to go in car but will find out what has failed with that one, my guess is broken or bent 3rd 4th selector fork
I've heard of a few fail on higher torque cars and mines stage 4

As the man above said.........everything is always fine until something breaks, just gotta bite the bullet and fix it
The fun and joys of modded cars lol


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## Stansamg (Jun 30, 2014)

Exactly my thoughts. All this mine is a 2009 and it has run perfect etc etc etc is premature talk until it goes bang. Everyone's by definition is perfect before it fails. In my opinion I will hold out for a car that's had the box replaced.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

pulsarboby said:


> Mine was also recently ok up till cadwell park the other week when 4th started making a not very nice noise. Still had drive but finished the track day just after lunch.
> 
> That had circling mod and everything else too
> Luckily I've got another box to go in car but will find out what has failed with that one, my guess is broken or bent 3rd 4th selector fork
> ...





Stansamg said:


> Exactly my thoughts. All this mine is a 2009 and it has run perfect etc etc etc is premature talk until it goes bang. Everyone's by definition is perfect before it fails. In my opinion I will hold out for a car that's had the box replaced.


Finally some sense. Please don't ignore the early boxes just because "yours is fine in 2 years or its been launched 1000 times and never had a hitch"
My teeth have been fine for 28 years, till toothache, now tooth removed, could have been prevented by more care of my teeth, but simply took it for granted because it's been "fine" for 28 years!
Everyday I log on, whether it be a facebook group, personal friend, or even this forum I see a new Transmission Faliure and 99% of the time it's a 09-10 car, that again has been "fine" until now, for the love of god just get the clips, stoppers etc done. They are all the same boxes and when issues occur it's always the same, your 09-10 is no exception and no different!! . There's clearly a problem and any that say there isn't are just being ignorant. 

Un-launched cars boxes have gone, un-tracked boxes have gone, launched cars boxes too have gone and tracked boxes, there's no specific way it can be made to happen by driving hard or not. Infact mine went when it was parked!!!! I parked the car up with no issues whatsoever, went in B and Q to get some bits for about 30-40mins come back outside started the GT-R up and whollop it failed the transmission check and I didn't have 1st Reverse etc etc.

Like I said few hundred squid to potentially stop a disaster is something not to be dismissed. I was a lucky boy and had extended warranty with my car, Middlehurst fixed the box with all the clips etc and sent it back to me, all fine for 5 days and it went again! I ended up having a new 2013 box fitted on warranty.


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## Funbobby (Jun 29, 2014)

I've looked at 10 car that had new bell housing done under warranty last year but when I spoke to litchfield they said it would have only fixed to standard spec so what is involved ref clips etc? I'm no gearbox expert, what sort of money to get the preventative work done?


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## pulsarboby (Nov 3, 2012)

The bell housing is a separate issue altogether nothing to do with gearbox, it's an annoying rattle but relatively cheap fix but it doesn't necessarily stop the rattle on all cars as I've heard a few still rattling (including mine) even after it's had the mod 

What I'm saying is circlips, stoppers and solenoid clips are just a few faults with the box there's other things can break just as easy such as the weak alluminium selector forks which can then in turn take the edge off the gear set on whichever ones at fault (suspect this with mine) all will be told soon.
If this is the case I'm gonna look into getting some billet steel selectors made up as don't want to have the same troubles again.
Some people are just lucky and may never have a problem (this goes for any car) I on the other hand have obviously upset someone in a past life so have a curse bestowed upon me with any performance car I drive:flame:


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## Funbobby (Jun 29, 2014)

So is there a preventative fix for it ?


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

I'm not sure of the exact price, but I know Litchfield, SVM and Middlehurst all provide the service to prevent faliures.

If someone who recently had them installed recently can chime in would be helpful


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## SamboGrove (Jun 27, 2010)

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/206330-r35-gtr-transmission-upgrades.html

Judging by the above link (AC speedtech prices) looks like £300 + fitting for the front circlip, piston clips and gear stoppers.

Litchfield - Nissan GT-R Gearbox Upgrades - Litchfield Motors

Litchfields do the uprated magnet set up for £147 + vat (above link)

If you do this all at a planned tranny fluid service you'll save yourself an unnecessary £150 on fluids compared with doing it at a random time too.

So all in your looking at regular service cost + approximately £450 + labour (ish) by my reckoning.

I've only had the magnets done as got it done before all this other stuff surfaced. Next tranny service I will get the lot done.


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## deankenny (Feb 5, 2013)

Thanks *****, excellent.

There you go then, not even a four figure sum, and quite far from it, be stupid not to get it done at least on Trans Service. Piece of mind has no value !


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## Funbobby (Jun 29, 2014)

When are the fluid change intervals for gearbox ?


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## SamboGrove (Jun 27, 2010)

Every 18 months.

Or sooner if you track it and go above 120 degrees I think


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## Skint (Oct 11, 2014)

There's not much that differs between early and late boxes.

Regular oil changes help and a clean of the solenoid pack.

Nissan dropped the biggest clanger ever by not selling filters, must have cost them a fortune in warranty claims.


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## mzivtins (Sep 13, 2020)

Hi OP,

My experience with an 09-10 gearbox recently is something I suspect many, if not all owners will have one day.

My gearbox was fine, had absolutely no issues, at all.

Long story short, I had expensive preventative maintenance done on my Evo X (SST) by autotorque and I wanted the same peace of mind with the gtr.

Remember the gbox was absolutely fine... I sent my GTR to autotorque for circlips, selonoid clips, dodson and albins internals etc. Autotorque even asked me "is there something wrong with the box or is this purely just preventative stuff you want?" (making sure im fully aware that i was asking for thousands to be spent for no reason!)

Once they opened the gearbox up they found the selector rings had shredded their teeth off and caused scoring on the solenoids. Also one of the main drive gears was knurled over on all faces. Long story short, all of the preventative parts I wanted, were needed, the car had just been driving fine without any issues but was on the verge of going bang!

Anyone without the preventative upgrades and servicing is just lying to themselves, or trying to sell on quickly to avoid the bill


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## TREG (May 20, 2004)

mzivtins said:


> Hi OP,
> 
> My experience with an 09-10 gearbox recently is something I suspect many, if not all owners will have one day.
> 
> ...



What spec is your car?


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## mzivtins (Sep 13, 2020)

TREG said:


> What spec is your car?


Before rebuild: stock. 
After: stage 2 with substantial suspension changes like poly bushing, arms, arb's etc etc and some KW hls4.0s that i never use as much as I thought I would.

I believe its just a mileage, I don't know the history, but with every car with any DCT its one of the first things i do and its always surprising what is found


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## SKNAM (Nov 30, 2018)

History is very important. Car could have been ragged around endlessly causing it to wear faster by previous owner(s). All components will wear over time, and some of it is down to pot luck. Sounds like you made a good call getting the upgraded parts


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## Skint (Oct 11, 2014)

Why they did’nt include gearbox filters on servicing is beyond belief. They could have earnEd money on parts and labour but chose to give in to huge warranty claims.


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