Nissan has informed US dealers that a running change will be made to its GT-R that will reduce transaxle stress, it has been reported.
According to Edmunds Inside Line the modification has already been built into 2010 models and it is being offered as a free update to current cars in the US. Nissan UK has not yet confirmed whether the changes will affect cars in this country.
Marty Hussey, GT-R model-line manager for Nissan North America, explained the update to Inside Line as a ‘running change to the software which alters shift points to improve acceleration by reducing transaxle stress.’
Nissan is calling the change an ‘incremental improvement’ that will ‘improve the car and improve customer satisfaction’.
Although they are not officially linked at least one car in the US has suffered a blown transmission after using the launch control – something that the changes may help to eliminate. Nissan has claimed that less than 1% of the GT-Rs in the US have suffered any such problem.
In a letter to its dealers yesterday the carmaker said it will 'provide this MY [model year] 2010 specification upgrade to MY 2009 GT-R owners at no additional cost.
'Nissan has already incorporated this programming into the GT-R vehicles in its US inventory and will resume shipping of those vehicles to dealers. We will advise you soon on how to install this new program into all MY 2009 GT-Rs.'
What the magazine goes on to say is that the new software affects the vehicle in two ways. It has increased the maximum rpm the vehicle will allow at launch with the VDC on from the current 2,000 rpm.
It will also decrease the maximum rpm the vehicle will allow at launch with the VDC off from the present 4,500 rpm to between 3,000 rpm and 3,500 rpm. It seems that the warranty is still void if the car is launched without VDC – something that came as a shock to at least one owner – but the chances of damage appear to be reduced.
The onboard computer modification will supposedly offer 'acceleration similar to that with the current launch control,' but will do so without disabling the VDC.
'Repairs for damage caused by driving with VDC OFF are expressly excluded under the terms of the Nissan GT-R New Car Limited Warranty,' said the document to the dealers. US owners of ’09 GT-Rs will be asked to voluntarily opt for the changes.