Master overhaul kit for the Nissan RE5R05A 5-speed with a new brake band and oil filter included, for 4.0L Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra rebuilds.
If your 4.0L Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder or Xterra is slipping or flaring in the upper gears, engaging hard or late into Drive and Reverse, or came back from a tow with dark, burnt-smelling fluid, the RE5R05A five-speed behind the VQ40DE has probably reached the point where a fluid change will not save it. This master rebuild kit is built for that job, and it goes one step further than a standard overhaul kit: a new brake band and a new oil filter are already in the box alongside the frictions, steels, seals and gaskets. Part number reference for the transmission: 31728-97X00.
The RE5R05A is a Jatco-built, electronically controlled rear-drive five-speed. Each gear is made by applying a combination of clutch packs and a front brake band, with the valve body and solenoids timing every apply. When the frictions glaze or burn, the TCM sees the slip and the shift quality falls apart, no matter how good the solenoids are. A master kit renews every clutch pack and reseals the whole unit in one teardown. Including the band matters on this transmission because a thinned or glazed band can keep a unit slipping even after every clutch pack is fresh, and pulling the transmission a second time to fix it costs far more than the band itself.
Start with the fluid and the pan. Clean fluid with a shift complaint usually points to the valve body, solenoids or wiring, and those are cheaper fixes. Burnt fluid and heavy debris mean the clutches have already given up. Milky or pink fluid means coolant got in, and Sonnax notes that roughly half of the RE5R05A cores they receive show water intrusion from failed radiator coolers. Our RE5R05A service and diagnosis guide walks through fluid checks, pressure testing and solenoid resistance so you can rule out the electrical side before buying a kit.
This kit is listed for the RE5R05A in the Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra with the VQ40 4.0L V6. Nissan used the same transmission family in the Titan, Armada and Infiniti models, but internal parts and valve body designs changed during production, so do not assume one kit covers every RE5R05A. Match your transmission tag to the 31728-97X00 reference, or send us your year and VIN before ordering. Infiniti applications in particular should be confirmed by VIN. Browse every part we carry for this unit on the RE5R05A collection page.
Bench work on a five-speed with a band is precise work. If you are not set up to measure clutch clearances, have a transmission shop handle the build.
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Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
This kit adds a new brake band and a new oil filter to the frictions, steel plates, seals and gaskets. Those are the two items most rebuilders end up ordering separately for an RE5R05A.
This kit is listed for the 4.0L V6 Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra. For the 5.6L Titan and Armada, look at our Titan and Armada master kit, or send your year and VIN so we can confirm.
Usually yes. Coolant from a failed radiator cooler damages frictions and bonded pistons, and a full overhaul is the reliable repair. Replace or bypass the cooler before the rebuilt unit goes back in.
Nissan Matic-S ATF, which Nissan specifies for this transmission. Do not mix in a generic multi-vehicle fluid.
Clear any stored codes and let the TCM relearn shift adaptation over several drive cycles. A dealer-level scan tool can reset adaptives if shifts stay firm.
