RE5R05A Tcc Solenoid

Highway RPM creeping up, a buzz through the floor when the truck settles into fifth, or a lockup code on the scan tool are the usual reasons Nissan truck owners go looking for an RE5R05A TCC solenoid. This one is a new Bosch 0260130031 (interchange 173428A), the same solenoid that sits in the converter lockup bore of the Frontier, Titan, Armada, Xterra, Pathfinder and Infiniti QX56 five-speed automatics.

How converter lockup works in the RE5R05A

Once the vehicle is cruising in the upper gears, the TCM decides the converter can lock, and it does that by modulating the TCC solenoid. The solenoid bleeds a controlled oil signal to the lockup control valves, which apply the clutch inside the torque converter. The result is a direct mechanical link between engine and transmission, so the engine is no longer slipping through the fluid coupling. When the solenoid sticks, leaks past its seat or its coil goes out of range, lockup either never happens, happens harshly, or chatters on and off. The RE5R05A uses this identical Bosch body for its line pressure and front brake positions too, so the same part answers three different faults.

Signs the TCC solenoid is failing

• A shudder that feels like driving over rumble strips, usually under light throttle at 40-60 mph
• Tachometer reading a few hundred RPM higher than normal at a steady cruise
• Worse fuel economy on the highway with no other engine fault
• Lockup codes such as P0740 (circuit) or P0741 (stuck off)
• Transmission running hotter on long pulls or when towing, since an unlocked converter makes heat

Rule out the look-alikes

A worn converter clutch and coolant-damaged fluid cause the same shudder. On these trucks the transmission cooler lives inside the radiator, and when it fails, coolant gets into the ATF. Transmission Digest covered an RE5R05A that kept shuddering even after the radiator was replaced, because the converter had already been damaged. Pull the dipstick or check plug and look for pink, milky fluid before you replace anything. Then check the solenoid resistance and the connector at the valve body. The steps are laid out in our RE5R05A service guide. If more than one circuit is acting up, a full RE5R05A solenoid kit for the Titan costs less than chasing them one at a time.

Fitment

This Bosch 0260130031 fits RE5R05A transmissions in the TCC, line pressure (EPC) and front brake positions. The listing carries no year limit because the body did not change across the RE5R05A run; it is the same part on a 2005 Pathfinder and a late Frontier. Do not use it in the direct clutch, input clutch, high and low/reverse or low coast bores, which take different solenoids. The same Bosch number also appears in some later Nissan applications, so check the tag on your transmission and match the silver cap and connector to your old part. We can confirm fitment from your VIN. Browse everything for this unit on the RE5R05A parts page, or see the Bosch-boxed version listed as the RE5R05A TCC solenoid 2002-up.

Installing the TCC solenoid

• Work with the engine cold. Drain the pan, remove it and the filter, then unplug and unbolt the TCC solenoid.
• Look at the old O-rings and the screen. Torn rubber or metal flakes tell you more about the transmission than the solenoid does.
• Coat the new O-rings with ATF and seat the solenoid straight; do not use the hold-down bolt to pull it in.
• Install a new filter and pan gasket, such as our RE5R05A filter and gasket kit.
• Fill with Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF to the hot level, clear codes and road test at steady highway speed until lockup engages smoothly.

Which trucks and SUVs take this TCC solenoid?

RE5R05A-equipped Nissan Frontier, Titan, Armada, Xterra and Pathfinder plus the Infiniti QX56. Confirm with the transmission tag or your VIN.

Is this an original Bosch part?

It is listed as Bosch part 0260130031, interchange 173428A, the Bosch number used in the RE5R05A TCC, line pressure and front brake bores.

Can a bad TCC solenoid cause overheating?

Yes. If the converter never locks, it keeps slipping and generating heat, especially when towing or climbing grades.

Do I need to drop the valve body?

The solenoids are on the valve body inside the pan. Remove the pan and filter for access, and keep track of which bore each solenoid came from.

How do I test it after installing?

Clear codes, then drive at a steady 45-60 mph. Engine RPM should drop as lockup applies with no shudder, and no lockup code should return.

• Nissan/Infiniti RE5R05A Transmission Service Guide: Pathfinder, Armada, QX56