2009 Nissan Sentra Transmission Problems

Your transmission has been making grinding noises since fall 2016, especially when you start moving after the car has been sitting still for at least 30 minutes. The Nissan dealership in Columbus couldn't reproduce or hear the noise during multiple visits, even though it's noticeable to you—it sounds like someone isn't fully engaging the clutch before shifting, but your car has an automatic transmission. Your car was under warranty when the problem started but is no longer covered now at 123,000 miles. The transmission may need internal inspection or replacement to diagnose the source of the grinding noise.

Your transmission is showing error code P0744 and experiencing rough shifting — the engine RPM fluctuates, the car jerks, and speed drops then increases unexpectedly. Nissan has issued a service bulletin for older vehicles to replace the transmission valve body assembly, but your 2009 Sentra (with 145,500 miles) is outside the warranty period and Nissan declined to cover repairs. The repair is estimated to cost over $1,200 and will likely involve replacing the valve body assembly inside your CVT transmission.

Your engine is stalling when you come to a stop at traffic lights and apply the brakes. After it stalls, the car restarts normally. This has happened a few times over the past month. The issue may be related to the fuel system, ignition system, or engine idle control and could require a diagnostic scan to identify the root cause.