The Nissan Path

So yesterday I became the proud owner of a 1998 pathfinder se 4x4 with 170k on the clock. It drives great but I have noticed the hard 1st to 2nd shift and also when at highway speeds if I let off the gas quickly there is a slight jerk I guess would be the best way to describe. I'm an owner of a land cruiser and heard these vehicles are close in reliability but I wanna figure out these problems before they become big issues

These transmissions come with NissanMatic Type "D" ATF from the factory, which is the same as Dexron II. If Dexron III/Mercon was used during servicing over the years, it could cause sticking in the valve body. So, you could try flushing the trans fluid and replacing it with either NissanMatic Type "D" ATF or, what I would use, a synthetic ATF recommended for Dexron II applications, such as Valvoline Maxlife ATF or Castrol Transmax Multi-import ATF. If after some time it still operates the same way, it could be that some seals have hardened or there is an accumulator issue. The transmission section of the factory service manual has a symptom chart which will give you possible causes in order of likelihood and diagnostic procedures, including the self-diagnostic test. Nico Club's site has free, downloadable service manuals if you need one.

I have been using dextron 3 on my 2001 since the beginning and it is what is suggested in the nissan manual for canada vehicle... Is there a difference between the usa and canada transmission ?

Nissan put out a service bulletin years ago. Essentially, they said Dexron III/Mercon was okay to use for "topping off" the level, but should not be used to service the transmission as it could cause sticking in the valve body. Dexron III/Mercon ATF has a thicker viscosity than "original" Dexron and Dexron II and older Jatco transmissions were made to use the earlier formulas of Dexron. Now, Asian transmissions are designed to use ATF that complies with the Japanese JASO-A1 standard, most of which are synthetics and include NissanMatic Type J and S ATF, Castrol Transmax Multi-import ATF (which is the same thing as Nissan Type J) and Valvoline Maxlife ATF, among others.

Great info.. Thank you!