# Kioti NX transmission issues



## Darryl S.

Apparently Kioti has been plagued with electronic issues in the transmissions of the NX models. This was verified by my dealer post purchase unfortunately. Some owners have reported a violent surge in direction while moving either forward or reverse and some, such as in my case, have experienced a failure in change of direction. Either scenario could be potentially hazardous. Imagine a helper guiding you closer to a structure as you inch forward and suddenly the tractor lunges and either hits the structure or worse yet crushes your helper. In my case I inched to the edge of a ditch around my house to dump a load of stone but when I tried to reverse direction the tractor wouldn't move. I still had fwd but no rev. This required the assistance of another tractor to pull it away from the edge of the ditch before it gave away and crashed into the house. My issues have been sporadic since I bought it 3 months ago. During the 50 hour svc the dealership couldn't duplicate the failure so they couldn't fix something that wasn't broken. When it happened as I was dumping stone against my foundation the tractor had less than 90 hours on it. The dealership came and picked up the tractor but again it worked fine when they checked it out. Again they didn't know what was failing since it was working at the time so nothing was fixed. If you decide to purchase a Kioti consider one to the models that operates mechanically and not electronically.


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## Dale Erickson

Just purchased an NX5510HST and apparently the dealer and area rep know of the issue with the hst but didn't tell me. I noticed the jerking right away and they played it down and said just to drive it. Did get a little better. They say there is a program being worked on to correct the problem.
I dont know how they can knowingly sell a faulty product and i am pushing for an answer. Maybe a class action lawsuit will get their attention.


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## Dale Erickson

There are apparently two computer programs that run the hst system. An older 404 version and a newer 500 version. I have heard changing from one to the other can help. It doesn't fix the problem but keeps you going. I have the 500 program and it is working for me. Hope the new program comes soon.


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## Darryl S.

My dealer never told me about the issues with the HST transmissions in the NX models either. They actually "pretended" to be stumped about what I was reporting. Only after reading numerous posts on different forums and finding out for myself that it has been an ongoing issue, since the creation of the NX model, did they finally admit that they knew about it. They never said anything about a computer program being the faulty component. They actually said that the problem is an electronic control valve that changes direction of travel which can only be fixed by splitting the tractor in half to access it and replace it. I'm going on my 13th month of owning this thing and they still haven't repaired it. I've found that by stabbing the pedal in the direction that it will move then immediately stabbing the pedal in the opposite direction usually corrects it. I'd love to see a class action lawsuit on this and want to be at the top of the signature list.


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## Dale Erickson

The Territory Manager for kioti in my area was very up front (not like my dealer) and said this happens to various degree in all NX models. He has been over to Korea to encourage them to get a new program. Have your dealer try the program that you don't have and see what happens. I couldn't use the old program because it gives a jerk when first applying the hst pedal. Was hard on my back and neck. I went back to the 500 program and he recalibrated the pedals and it is livable. 
I'm really pissed they were not up front with the information so I could have made an informed decision when I bought it. My dealer won't even talk to me now because in his words, (I could get used to it so you should be able to)... They know about the issue and they keep pushing the tractors out. 

I would like to find a way to reach out to all NX owners and see who might be willing to do a class action lawsuit.


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## Darryl S.

"You should be able to get used to it"? That's worse than my dealer! I tried to get my dealer to give me my money back so that I could go buy something reliable and he refused, said that they should at least have a chance to try to fix it first but here I am 13 months later. I was hoping to draw out a few more owners too with this post but since nobody replied I figured that I was one of only a few that was having problems.


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## Dale Erickson

I took mine off my trailer and noticed the issue right away. Only 1.6 hours on it. I called the dealer and he said his mechanics were too busy to look at it and just use it. Hindsight I should have taken it back . After 50 hours I called and took it in. Thats when he informed me of the issues . I also asked for my money back and he said it was now used and he couldn't give me what I paid for it. He assured me it was a minor issue. 

I like everything about the tractor except the issue with the hst and the uncertainty of when a fix will come. I tried a lot of tractors and for power and comfort you can't beat it. 
This less than honest dealer and Territory Manager is my biggest beef. If GM or Ford said they had a vehicle with a faulty transmission and you were told up front you likely wouldn't buy it. If they were caught selling it without informing you there would be lawsuits galore.


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## Dale Erickson

Send a message to the customer service on line reporting and have them pass it on to your Territory Manager. The more we put this out there maybe something will get done. 

I hope other NX owners do the same.


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## Dale Erickson

Darryl. Not sure why we are the only two nx owners that seem to have an issue. Don't know how else to get their attention.


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## broncobilly_69

I'm glad I came across this post! The Kioti NX5010 was in my top 3 that I'm considering to purchase. I think it just lost out after reading this. Thank you for the information!


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## Dale Erickson

broncobilly_69 said:


> I'm glad I came across this post! The Kioti NX5010 was in my top 3 that I'm considering to purchase. I think it just lost out after reading this. Thank you for the information!


It has been since September that I purchased the tractor. Still no fix. I like the tractor but I really wish they would have told me before I bought it. I use it everyday and like the tractor but won't buy another kioti..


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## broncobilly_69

That is too bad, you would think they could fix that. I hope you guys are able to get some sort of a class action suit that may force them to address the issue.


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## Dale Erickson

Unfortunately not a lot of owners of the nx series a familiar with how the tractor should run and so don't know any better. If you've never run a hydrostatic you wouldn't know it should be jumpy. As my deal said (you will get used to it). He doesn't talk to me anymore...


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## Possum01

Dale Erickson said:


> Darryl. Not sure why we are the only two nx owners that seem to have an issue. Don't know how else to get their attention.


I have a 2015 NX 5510 and it keeps moving after I let off the pedal. It just creeps along forward very slowly. It's been our of warranty for a few months and they want $3800 for a hydro plus the labor.


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## broncobilly_69

Any chance that is an adjustment somewhere to correct that? Or maybe just a sensor that needs replaced?
Do you have any of the issues mentioned above in this post? I’m actually considering at a 2015 nx4510 in my area on craigslist. I was hoping it was maybe pre-the issues the posters above were experiencing. 
Do you know if your hydrostatic control is electric or if the pedals actually work a hydraulic valve?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dale Erickson

Have not had the creeping issue yet so can not comment on that. 

When I bought my NX I had them put Rim Guard ballast in the rear tires. The other day I took my front tires in and had them filled as well. What a difference it made especially hauling balls on the back with an unroller or spike. 

Had a conversation with the dealer about the hst issue. Of course now with Covid that is the excuse why no one has an answer for that issue now. Nothing on the horizon. I really don't think he is pushing the issue either. I wrote to the North American President of Kioti as well and nothing from that either. Tractor is still running and 150 hrs so far so as my dealer told me, "You will learn to live with it". 

Take Care and be safe out there.


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## Green to orange??

Dale Erickson said:


> Just purchased an NX5510HST and apparently the dealer and area rep know of the issue with the hst but didn't tell me. I noticed the jerking right away and they played it down and said just to drive it. Did get a little better. They say there is a program being worked on to correct the problem.
> I dont know how they can knowingly sell a faulty product and i am pushing for an answer. Maybe a class action lawsuit will get their attention.


I purchased a NX5510CABHST in May 2020 and have had issues with jerky transmission. My dealer has tried to resolve this issue and he has tried different things, last time he tried the old program and it is somewhat better but still starts the jerking from time to time(mostly in reverse). I bought this tractor to replace a John Deere that I sold and I still own two John Deere’s, all with HST, so I know how a HST transmission should operate. Like some of y’all I really like the NX but am disappointed with Kioti not stepping up to resolve this. A class action suit might be in order?


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## Dale Erickson

I like the tractor and am working around the issue. I am not an aggressive operator so stay away from the top end where it appears. Still no word from the dealer on what kioti is doing. I'm kinda thinking if they haven't fixed it by now it won't get fixed. I sent a letter to the north American president of kioti but didn't hear back. I bugged my dealer enough he won't take my calls now.


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## marc_hanna

So, are these drive by wire? There’s definitely something to be said about doing things the old fashioned way. The most sophisticated electronic components on my Kioti are the solid state relays.


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## Dale Erickson

Yes old school is something we could fix for sure. Unfortunately technology is good for some things but when it goes wrong it needs a computer to fix it. The hst pedals work on a reostat system with sensors. Somewhere along the line the top end of the reostat is not communicating with the sensor and it takes a computer program tweak to fix it. Sounds simple so why can't they do it. I'm questing not a high priority...


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## marc_hanna

Dale Erickson said:


> Yes old school is something we could fix for sure. Unfortunately technology is good for some things but when it goes wrong it needs a computer to fix it. The hst pedals work on a reostat system with sensors. Somewhere along the line the top end of the reostat is not communicating with the sensor and it takes a computer program tweak to fix it. Sounds simple so why can't they do it. I'm questing not a high priority...


It’s the special software that gets me. Each manufacturer has proprietary software that makes it impossible to fix one’s self, unless you have computer science degree and 600 hours of free time to crack the code. And what is the benefit in the end? A less reliable technology that is doomed to fail in place tried tested and true technology that will operate flawlessly for decades.


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## KSN1495

marc_hanna said:


> It’s the special software that gets me. Each manufacturer has proprietary software that makes it impossible to fix one’s self, unless you have computer science degree and 600 hours of free time to crack the code. And what is the benefit in the end? A less reliable technology that is doomed to fail in place tried tested and true technology that will operate flawlessly for decades.


I have a 2019 nx4510 and it sometimes pauses when attempting to change directions. Once I’ve been working it for awhile the transmission gets super jerky. I am all about filing a class action lawsuit if my dealer doesn’t fix the issue. I currently have 190hrs but it’s been doing it since under 20hrs....


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## dkd

I have a 2017 NX4510. I believe it has around 250 hrs on it. I started having issues with it being extremely jerky in reverse. At first, it was only when it was hot after using the hydros for over an hour. Now it's every time I operate the tractor. Reverse always works but the ground speed will be very slow at say 1/2 pedal travel then all of a sudden it will go full speed in reverse and it is extremely delayed to stop when you let off the pedal. I never have anyone stand behind the tractor for anything as I do not trust it. Been to two dealers multiple times. Kioti said its a hydraulic temp sensor and the dealer said they replaced it and recalibrated it and it was fixed. Picked it up and after an hour the same problem was back. Looked under the tractor and the sensor wasn't replaced. Come to find out they did not have the sensor in stock. When it came in they sent it to me since they are over an hour away. I installed it and it did not help. I called Kioti customer support and the guy I spoke with was a complete A-hole and said it's not a problem that they have ever seen and said the dealer screwed up because it should have been calibrated once the new sensor was installed. I haven't had time to take it back but I highly doubt it will fix the issue. I will never buy another Kioti I can tell you that much.


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## dkd

Found this on another forum: NX 5010HST Cab reverse intermittent and jerky page 4 has an update with how the tractor was fixed.


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## Frank2016

dkd said:


> Found this on another forum: NX 5010HST Cab reverse intermittent and jerky page 4 has an update with how the tractor was fixed.


The company I work for just purchased the NX6010. We are experiencing the low gear jerking when the peddle is pushed to the ground. Not a big issue, but not expected. The more troubling issue is not sensing when it is out of neutral and the transmission does not engage or when the transmission does not engage after using the bucket or when it only goes in reverse or only in forward. It seems to correct itself after restarting the tractor but it is weird. I have mentioned it the dealer and they have not offered any solutions other than to let them know when it is happening. And due to the sporadic nature that's going to be difficult. Thanks for the link! A class action lawsuit sounds great but I think there are a number of setps before we get there. The attached link is a great starting place and if we all do this we can probably get to a class action lawsuit. Filing a Consumer Complaint | USAGov

I'm going to follow up with my dealer on Monday to get the process started.

Thanks again!


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## Magtechy

Hi, I am new here, I bought slightly use 2019 nx4510 (48 hours)a year ago and after a month it began to not going forward and reverse was jerky a little for maybe 5- 10 minutes.
Sometimes it stays in reverse and I had to wait until the next day to be able to go forward.
The technician came and try to recalibrate the hydro unit but say the solenoid was sticking and they had to change the hydro unit because many Kioti Nx are having the same issues.
Last week they change the hydro unit for a new one, its now a new model with switchplate, (like for the excavators drive) so far so good.
I talked with others kioti sellers in the area and they told me that they never sold Nx models because they were aware of the sticking hydrostatic transmission !!!!


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## unsquidly

Magtechy said:


> Hi, I am new here, I bought slightly use 2019 nx4510 (48 hours)a year ago and after a month it began to not going forward and reverse was jerky a little for maybe 5- 10 minutes.
> Sometimes it stays in reverse and I had to wait until the next day to be able to go forward.
> The technician came and try to recalibrate the hydro unit but say the solenoid was sticking and they had to change the hydro unit because many Kioti Nx are having the same issues.
> Last week they change the hydro unit for a new one, its now a new model with switchplate, (like for the excavators drive) so far so good.
> I talked with others kioti sellers in the area and they told me that they never sold Nx models because they were aware of the sticking hydrostatic transmission !!!!



Yeppers......I have never owned a NX model but I have heard horror stories from those that have.....I guess it just goes to no brand is immune to a total model failure....


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## PolishPrince

Hey guys, name is Chris. First post on the forum here. My Wife and I own a campground in Ontario Canada and 3 years ago bought a Kioti Nx4510 . I LOVE IT.... Just turned 600hrs on the clock.... my tractor has never let me down till 2 weeks ago where it threw a code ef0001 and ef0002 ... I did notice the tractor was disengaging from gear and I'd have to stop and re-engage from neutral back to medium.. don't know if this is related to the hydro issue but I also noticed it does sometimes " slip " or catch up to itself after going full pedal to the floor it randomly speeds up .... I have learned the dealer support is not as good with these units when I accidentally broke the joystick whilst flying off the side of the tractor. Took a month and multiple phone calls to get through to someone to get the part in. I am happy with the tractor thus far, it does have low hours having said that i hope to get many more out of it.Anyways , I'll keep reading everyone's updates it was nice unofficially meeting you!!!


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## pogobill

PolishPrince said:


> Hey guys, name is Chris. First post on the forum here. My Wife and I own a campground in Ontario Canada and 3 years ago bought a Kioti Nx4510 . I LOVE IT.... Just turned 600hrs on the clock.... my tractor has never let me down till 2 weeks ago where it threw a code ef0001 and ef0002 ... I did notice the tractor was disengaging from gear and I'd have to stop and re-engage from neutral back to medium.. don't know if this is related to the hydro issue but I also noticed it does sometimes " slip " or catch up to itself after going full pedal to the floor it randomly speeds up .... I have learned the dealer support is not as good with these units when I accidentally broke the joystick whilst flying off the side of the tractor. Took a month and multiple phone calls to get through to someone to get the part in. I am happy with the tractor thus far, it does have low hours having said that i hope to get many more out of it.Anyways , I'll keep reading everyone's updates it was nice unofficially meeting you!!!


I'm not sure the following web page will help, but it does have a trouble shooting chart and a list of error codes that describe what the issue is that is causing the error. Just seems the explanation of the code is in some direct translation into english. Welcome to the forum, BTW. II don't follow your comment on "full pedal to the floor"? Do you do that often, or just to sort out the transmission?





Kioti Tractor Error Codes | TractorErrorCode.com


Kioti tractor error codes and fault list with troubleshooting steps. View Kioti error list with descptions, symptoms and possible fix ways.




kioti.tractorerrorcode.com


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## PolishPrince

pogobill said:


> I'm not sure the following web page will help, but it does have a trouble shooting chart and a list of error codes that describe what the issue is that is causing the error. Just seems the explanation of the code is in some direct translation into english. Welcome to the forum, BTW. II don't follow your comment on "full pedal to the floor"? Do you do that often, or just to sort out the transmission?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kioti Tractor Error Codes | TractorErrorCode.com
> 
> 
> Kioti tractor error codes and fault list with troubleshooting steps. View Kioti error list with descptions, symptoms and possible fix ways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> kioti.tractorerrorcode.com


What I meant , was when I'm doing something in a hurry ( pedal to the floor ) sometimes there's a delay in the tractor actually going full speed because a little while after it catches up and speeds up even though my foot hadn't moved... almost like it would be slipping but it's really not slipping ....


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## pogobill

My nephew punched the forward pedal to the floor one time while helping me do some chores.... almost killed the engine! I always easy the pedal to the floor if I happen to be travelling to the tractor shed from the barn for instance, but that's about it. Not something I do very often, as I am generally responsible for the cost of repairs to the tractor. Is there any correlation between driving with the pedal to the metal, and the issue you had with flying out of the tractor?


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## PolishPrince

pogobill said:


> My nephew punched the forward pedal to the floor one time while helping me do some chores.... almost killed the engine! I always easy the pedal to the floor if I happen to be travelling to the tractor shed from the barn for instance, but that's about it. Not something I do very often, as I am generally responsible for the cost of repairs to the tractor. Is there any correlation between driving with the pedal to the metal, and the issue you had with flying out of the tractor?


No correlation lol ... me flying out of the tractor was just meant as me jumping off the tractor too fast to get a task done and not paying attention to my clothing and it catching the joystick


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## RoJoGo

Dale Erickson said:


> The Territory Manager for kioti in my area was very up front (not like my dealer) and said this happens to various degree in all NX models. He has been over to Korea to encourage them to get a new program. Have your dealer try the program that you don't have and see what happens. I couldn't use the old program because it gives a jerk when first applying the hst pedal. Was hard on my back and neck. I went back to the 500 program and he recalibrated the pedals and it is livable.
> I'm really pissed they were not up front with the information so I could have made an informed decision when I bought it. My dealer won't even talk to me now because in his words, (I could get used to it so you should be able to)... They know about the issue and they keep pushing the tractors out.
> 
> I would like to find a way to reach out to all NX owners and see who might be willing to do a class action lawsuit.


I wish I had known about this problem sooner! Same story...... Dealer never informed me of any HST problems. 13 hrs and no reverse. Also, I'm still waiting on a safety switch so I don't have to start the tractor with a screw drver by jumping the starter solenoid.


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## jake552

I traded a 2016 NX 6010 with a backhoe last year Jan 2021 for a new NX 6010 they had a great deal on trade ins with a new Backhoe, anyways, I have had terrible issues with the HST, hitching and Jerking, at 20 Hours, after the 50 Hour service things just got progressively worse. When it starts acting up the I can pull the dipstick and the Fluid will run out. There is now 100 hours on it and I have even had the Fluid changed and another set of hydraulic filters put on, as everyone knows they are not cheap. I am at my wits end, I either want it fixed or my money back so I can shop around and get something that won't give me issues for years to come, not a couple months after I buy it. Don't get me wrong I love my tractor and use it a lot, I have to be very careful when I'm close to something, sometimes it will Lunge ahead, very scary. Just my rant. I have contacted my dealer asking them to find a cure.


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## unsquidly

jake552 said:


> I traded a 2016 NX 6010 with a backhoe last year Jan 2021 for a new NX 6010 they had a great deal on trade ins with a new Backhoe, anyways, I have had terrible issues with the HST, hitching and Jerking, at 20 Hours, after the 50 Hour service things just got progressively worse. When it starts acting up the I can pull the dipstick and the Fluid will run out. There is now 100 hours on it and I have even had the Fluid changed and another set of hydraulic filters put on, as everyone knows they are not cheap. I am at my wits end, I either want it fixed or my money back so I can shop around and get something that won't give me issues for years to come, not a couple months after I buy it. Don't get me wrong I love my tractor and use it a lot, I have to be very careful when I'm close to something, sometimes it will Lunge ahead, very scary. Just my rant. I have contacted my dealer asking them to find a cure.


I am guessing that you didn't have this same problem with the 2016 model?


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## jake552

No, should have kept it.


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## unsquidly

jake552 said:


> No, should have kept it.



Those NX series are about the only ones that I have ever heard of people having transmission trouble out of.....


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## unsquidly

TheHonkingWillContinue said:


> I have an NX at the dealer ready to pick up, but Kioti won’t let it off the lot. Dealer says they’ve halted all NX hydrostat sales until the transmissions are fixed.



Good............That makes me feel better about them as a company that they actually do give a crap about their product.....


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## unsquidly

I would probably go with a DK model vs a NX model right now for this very reason.....


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## jhrobert

Back in June of this year I had issues with my 2014 NX4510HST. It has 900 hours on it now. Regardless of the gear that I was in it showed L in all 3 speeds. The N worked in neutral. I took apart every connector on my tractor and plugged them back in. I looked for branches stuck up under the tractor. There were none to be found. The Calibration light was on and my tractor did not move. It took many times of running the calibration sequence before it finally took and I had my tractor moving again. This happened again on Saturday to me. This time the H light was lit in all positions including the nuetral. After many times of reseting the calibration sequence I was up and running again for a short period of time. I must have run that program 40 times yesterday to get my work done. Now I have a flashing Cal. light. The tractor will run in this mode but is very jerky to start off. Anyone have any ideas on this before I bring it to the dealer. I also should mention that while the H light is on I also have a dim L light on and no N light in nuetral. To start my tractor I have to jump the solenoid.


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## jhrobert

This morning I went out and turned the ignition on on my tractor. Ha, my N light in neutral is working again. I went thru the gears and they are all working. I used my tractor with my or my s moving logs for 3 hours with any issues. WTF is all that I can say.


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## MinnesotaEric

jhrobert said:


> Back in June of this year I had issues with my 2014 NX4510HST. It has 900 hours on it now. Regardless of the gear that I was in it showed L in all 3 speeds. The N worked in neutral. I took apart every connector on my tractor and plugged them back in. I looked for branches stuck up under the tractor. There were none to be found. The Calibration light was on and my tractor did not move. It took many times of running the calibration sequence before it finally took and I had my tractor moving again. This happened again on Saturday to me. This time the H light was lit in all positions including the nuetral. After many times of reseting the calibration sequence I was up and running again for a short period of time. I must have run that program 40 times yesterday to get my work done. Now I have a flashing Cal. light. The tractor will run in this mode but is very jerky to start off. Anyone have any ideas on this before I bring it to the dealer. I also should mention that while the H light is on I also have a dim L light on and no N light in nuetral. To start my tractor I have to jump the solenoid.


I also have a 2014, a very early NX6010 HST with a cab. My machine has 775ish hours and is approaching the 800 hour service. When cold it has frequently surged on the transmission but the issue immediately cleared itself up or I traveled slow enough so as to not trigger the issue until there was a tiny bit of heat in the trans/hydro oil at which point the issue always cleared itself up. This late summer, the issue became stupid. The HST surges in all ranges sometimes with the CEL flashing and sometime not until the trans/hydro oil is fully warmed up. It acts like the charging pump is trying to go out, but then works fine.

I brought the tractor back to my level 2 trauma center to lift my side by side that I need to weld on. Checking the hydro fluid when cold, the dipstick said it was low. But then fluid came pouring out moments later. The next day the dipstick again said low, but with the dipstick out, the build level came back up to full. I'm hoping my issue is something really stupid, so I popped off the trans breather (the candy cane looking thing to the left of the remote valve stack on the back of the tractor) and although it appeared to not be clogged, I blew out a big chunk of cogging whatever it was. I kind of doubt case vacuum or pressure is the cause, but malfunctioning breather can do all kinds of weird things in other transmissions. I haven't bothered firing up my tractor to see if clearing the breather helped or not as I'm waiting for my wireless microphone to charge up (YouTube stuff).

Since I'm orphaned without a dealer who knows about NX's, I put in a call to a long established dealer in TN to learn if there are any updates or software flashes I've missed out on as well as if updates can be applied by sending off the ECU rather than the entire tractor or if the mothership could add any color to our HST surging problem.

As I understand it the newer NXes had a batter ground strap between the trans hand the frame issue and there are two different transmission programs floating around.

EDIT: jumping the solenoid wise, be sure your midpoint PTO isn't on. It has happened to me twice. Also, I think your gear position switch is shorting out on itself.


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