RE4F03A Transmission Master Rebuild Kit with Frictions and Steels

This kit is for the owner or shop with a 2007-2013 Nissan Versa, Latio, Livina or Bluebird four-speed automatic that now slips between gears, flares on the 2-3 or 3-4 upshift, or takes a long moment to grab Drive and Reverse. If the fluid on the dipstick is dark and smells burnt, the clutch packs have given up. The box holds 19 friction plates and 20 steel plates plus the overhaul set of lip seals, gaskets, sealing rings and rubber rings for the pump, drums, servo and case, so every pack in the unit goes back together new.

What the master rebuild kit does in an RE4F03A

The RE4F03A is the Jatco-built small front-drive four-speed Nissan used for more than twenty years, and the late versions in the Versa are run by solenoids on the valve body. Clutch packs and a band hold different parts of the planetary gearset for each ratio. When the frictions wear, the pack takes longer to lock, the engine flares between gears, and the heat from that slip cooks the rubber seals that hold apply pressure. Renewing all frictions and steels at once means you do not stack fresh plates against glazed or heat-blued steels, which is how a rushed repair comes back in a few thousand miles.

Symptoms this kit addresses

• Slipping or flaring on the 2-3 or 3-4 upshift, worse once the car is hot
• Delayed engagement into Drive or Reverse after a cold start
• Dark, burnt fluid with friction material in the pan
• Leaks at the axle seals, pan or case after years of heat cycles
• Erratic shifts after the clutches wore, because the debris has been through the valve body

That last point matters on this unit. Gearboxlist describes the RE4F03A failure chain the same way most rebuilders do: clutch wear debris spreads through the system, settles in the solenoids and valve body passages, and oil starvation then damages the hard parts.

How to confirm before you buy

Not every bad shift on a Versa four-speed is a worn clutch. A hard, banging 1-2 shift with code P0745 is often the line pressure solenoid or a loose crimp at its ground eyelet, as Transmission Digest's ATSG column documents, and the Versa solenoid assembly is the fix for that. Pull the pan first. Clutch material and a burnt smell mean a rebuild; clean fluid with harsh shifts means electrical or hydraulic control. Our ATF color and smell chart helps you read the fluid, and the slipping diagnosis guide walks through a road test.

Fitment

The listing covers the RE4F03A, also tagged RL4F03A, in the 2007-2013 Versa, Cube, Latio, Bluebird, Livina and Grand Livina. Be careful with the nameplates. Many Versa and US-market Cube models of these years were built with a CVT, and this kit does nothing for a CVT. The four-speed Versa owner's manual lists Matic S ATF for the automatic transaxle and NS-2 for CVT models, which is a quick way to tell which one you have. Check the code on the transmission ID tag and compare the plate count in the photos with your old packs, or send us your year and VIN. If you want a different kit for the same unit, compare our other RE4F03A Versa master kit or browse all rebuild kits.

Install notes

• Lay the old frictions out in order as they come out so you can see which pack failed first.
• Soak every new friction in fresh ATF for at least 30 minutes before stacking.
• Set each pack clearance with a feeler gauge against the factory spec and air-check the drums before the case closes.
• Lube the rubber rings and lip seals with assembly gel such as Filtran TransJel so they do not roll or cut on install.
• Clean the valve body and flush the cooler and lines; burnt-clutch debris left in either will starve the new packs.
• Refill with Genuine Nissan Matic S, the fluid the Versa four-speed manual calls for. Our Matic S 6-quart kit covers the fill.

The kit is soft parts. Inspect bushings, the pump gears and the drums while it is apart and replace anything scored.

Will this fit my Nissan Versa?

Only if your Versa has the four-speed automatic. Many Versas from 2007 to 2013 use a CVT, which takes completely different parts. Check the transmission ID tag or your owner's manual: the four-speed lists Matic S fluid, the CVT lists NS-2.

What is the difference between RE4F03A and RL4F03A?

They are the same basic four-speed. RL4F03A is the earlier designation with a throttle cable to the valve body, and RE4F03A is the electronically controlled version. The kit is listed for both tags.

My Versa bangs into second and shows P0745. Do I need this kit?

Probably not first. That pattern usually comes from the line pressure solenoid or its ground eyelet. Fix the control side, and only rebuild if the fluid is burnt or the transmission also slips.

How many clutch plates are in the box?

The listing specifies 19 friction plates and 20 steel plates, plus seals, gaskets, sealing rings and rubber rings for a full overhaul.

What fluid goes in after the rebuild?

Genuine Nissan Matic S ATF, which the Versa four-speed owner's manual specifies, with Matic D listed as the alternate. Check the level hot after the road test.

Are bushings, a filter or solenoids included?

No. This is a soft-parts kit of frictions, steels, seals and gaskets. Inspect the hard parts and replace the filter and any worn bushings separately.

• ATF Color and Smell Diagnosis Chart
• Transmission Slipping Diagnosis Guide
• How to Flush a Transmission Cooler After Failure
• Valve Body Cleaning and Inspection