Nissan is a company in deep financial trouble, not least with scandals surrounding a particular fellow named, Ghosn. The last thing they need then is people wondering if their cars, all fitted with a Nissan CVT transmission, are going to fail from underneath them. But indeed, these are the very problems that have haunted the owners of Nissans for very nearly two decades!
Although not an early pioneer, Nissan popularised the mass adoption of the humble CVT transmission, as a new way forward. Other carmakers, such as Subaru, have also since followed suit. But this path seems far murkier now, with issue after issue cropping up over cars fitted with Nissan CVT transmissions.
Transmission failure for a Nissan, then, isn’t a new thing. There have been lawsuits, expensive recalls, and even entire websites created around them. So, if you have a Nissan, you might be curious about whether you’ve been impacted, or how it could get fixed. So, read along to find out more about Nissan CVT transmissions, and maybe figure out what to do next.
- Transmission Failure Symptoms
- What Is A CVT
- History Of CVTs
- Why Are They So Bad
- Repairs And Costs
- Recalls
- Warranties
- Final Conclusion
- FAQs
CVT Transmission Problems Symptoms
There are a lot of questions to look at as we discuss the Nissan CVT transmission. But before we can dive straight into what it is, or how you can fix it, it might be prudent to know if you’re suffering from these issues. We’ve written a wealth of articles on transmission failures before.
There are some very clear tell-tale signs then your car’s transmission is about to fail. Owing to the difference in the design of a CVT, compared to regular automatics or manuals, there are some unique symptoms to be on the lookout for. So, first and foremost, let’s take a quick look at the signs of CVT failure.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #1: Sluggish Response
While driving, notice how the car responds to your inputs while accelerating. Is the car pulling away nice and steadily, or does it hesitate? If it’s struggling to get up to speed, then it could be a sign that your CVT transmission is failing.
This can be dangerous when you’re driving along. For example, you won’t be able to quickly get up to speed while overtaking, merging, or going around a junction. The disconnect between your car’s speed and the relative speed of the traffic around you can cause accidents.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #2: Vibrations While Accelerating
One fault with Nissan’s CVT transmissions is their cooling solution. Experts have said that their cooling design is inadequate, thus potentially causing overheating. This overheating will cause certain mounts and bearings to wear out quicker, thus causing the vibrations, or shaking you feel while driving.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #3: Transmission Running Hot
Again, this relates to the poor cooling system of the Nissan CVT transmission. You can easily notice this by an excess of heat from within the interior cabin footwell, or burning smells.
Normally, when parts of the car, such as the engine or transmission, are overheating, it will trigger its fail-safe mode. This is otherwise known as the ‘limp home’ mode, where the car will limit the speed and operations of those components. This is done to prevent further damage.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #4: Transmission Fluid Leaking
This links back once more to the tendency of Nissan’s CVT transmission to run hot. With its excess heat, the transmission wears out parts of the surrounding cooling system, such as the cooling lines or hose. If you notice a puddle underneath your car, it could be coolant.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #5: Transmission Being Loud
CVTs, by their design, are ordinarily louder than regular transmissions. You can hear them while in operation, although it’s usually very faint. If your CVT is failing, however, the noise becomes far more noticeable. If you hear a whining or rattling sound, then your car’s CVT transmission might need a check-up.
Nissan CVT Transmission Symptoms #6: Transmission Stalling Without Warning
Another clear sign of a failing transmission is the car stalling or shutting down while driving. Alternatively, it might enter its ‘limp home’ mode. This, again, is another hazard while driving. Imagine if the car shuts off while you’re driving at speed on the highway.
CVT Transmission
Right, so now we have a better idea of what to look out for if your Nissan CVT transmission is failing. If you notice any of the symptoms above, then it may need a trip down to the dealership or workshop, and it will certainly necessitate a replacement. We highly recommend that you do not drive your car if its transmission is failing.
Drive it only as a last resort, and only when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, you should call a tow truck to pick it up. Now, we can try to learn more about what a CVT transmission is, how it works, and its respective pros and cons relative to ‘traditional’ transmissions.
CVT stands for ‘continuously variable transmission‘. It functions similarly to a regular automatic transmission, in that it changes gears automatically. It doesn’t necessitate you, the driver, to undertake manual input. However, the key difference is that regular automatic transmissions – like manuals – have gears.
These gears, in their varying gear ratios, are what regulate the power from your engine, and then translate it into usable and controllable torque to the wheels. Vehicles today can have anywhere from 1, all the way up to 10 gears being placed in their transmissions.
But a CVT, instead of using fixed gears, uses a system of two pulleys, joined by a belt or a chain. There are many different types and forms of CVT transmissions, but the pulley with a belt or chain is the one most used in cars. One side of the pulley is attached to the engine. While the other end is attached to the transmission, thus connecting with the rest of the drivetrain.
Depending on your input to the engine, the coned pulleys will move in, and out accordingly. The movements of the cones will determine what “gear” you’re in. Thus, a CVT can theoretically have an infinite number of gear ratios. This is familiar with what you might find on a snowmobile or farm machinery.
Advantages Of A CVT
Here are some of the advantages of continuously variable transmissions, and what makes them special.
1) Smooth, And ‘Step-Less’ Driving
Traditional automatic transmissions need to change up or down, otherwise known as ‘hunting’ for gears. It does so depending on the input it receives from you, and the car. But a CVT is technically a single-speed transmission. With its infinite gear ratios, it ensures that gear changes are velvety smooth.
2) Lack Of ‘Shift Shock’
Normal transmissions have what is known as, ‘shift shock’. This is essentially the momentary loss of power in between gear changes. Owing to a CVT’s design, it merely needs to move its coned pulley inwards or out. This maintains a smooth power delivery and seamless gear changes.
4) Simple, And Efficient Design
A CVT can be configured for much simpler construction, and have fewer moving parts compared to a regular automatic transmission. This should then be able to (theoretically) extend the lifespan of a CVT. This is due to there being less friction between moving parts, and thus emitting less heat. This also has the benefit of bringing more space to the interior.
5) Better Fuel Efficiency
CVTs can also be more fuel-efficient. Firstly, it is able to maintain the engine’s smooth power delivery more effectively, especially under acceleration or changes in speed. Secondly, the simple and relatively compact nature of a CVT means that its more lightweight.
Disadvantages Of A CVT
For all its benefits, there naturally are some inherent flaws with CVT transmissions.
1) They’re Noisy
The way a CVT is designed, it will naturally make more noise than most traditional transmissions. You’ll be able to notice a slight whirring, or humming. This is also due to the fact that a CVT’s variable ratio often prefers to hold the ‘gears’ in higher RPMs.
Granted, this doesn’t cause as much wear and tear, or an increase in fuel consumption as automatics normally would. The added noise might also be caused by some manufacturers intentionally programming a ‘step’ functionality into their CVTs. This is to make it feel and sound like the CVT is changing gears as a normal gearbox would.
2) Lack Of Interaction
Even objectively, CVTs might be devoid of the interaction that some people might want in a car. Their smoothness in gear changes might be an advantage, but some might find it a bit boring.
3) Expensive Maintenance
As we’ll learn later on, CVTs can be expensive to maintain. This is dependent highly on the make and model of your car. Its simple design makes CVTs easier to manufacture. This would then allow carmakers to sell cars at a lower price point. However, it may cost far more than a regular transmission down the line in the car’s lifecycle.
This is owing to the lack of experts and technicians that know how to service CVT transmissions. Moreover, there aren’t as many parts for CVTs, by comparison. The way it’s been designed is another variable as well. For example, CVTs might require a changing of their transmission fluid every 60,000 miles, instead of 70,000 miles or more for automatics.
CVT Transmission Nissan
Nissan has been credited, for better or worse, as the bringer of CVTs to mass appeal in its cars. However, they are certainly not the first to have created it or even adopted the idea. The first conception of a step-less method for transmitting power was in fact developed by Renaissance do-it-all man, Leonardo da Vinci.
This was first invented in 1490, which is 531 years ago! Early automotive pioneer, Milton Reeves, adopted a CVT transmission in an automobile, back in 1879. This was before Karl Benz created the famous Benz-Patent Motorwagen, which became the template for the modern car. Other early cars and motorcycles have used CVTs since the early 1900s and 1910s.
CVTs began gaining traction in mass-produced cars since the 1958 DAF 600. It even made its way into the world of motorsport. The Formula 500 series in the US started using CVTs in their open-wheeler race cars in the 1970s. Formula 1 even banned CVT use in 1994 (to learn more, you can check out our guide on Indy Car vs Formula 1), for potentially negating driving engagement, and possibly even giving an unfair advantage.
The first Nissan CVT transmission-equipped car was the Nissan March, or Micra in some markets, back in 1992. Nissan was initially hesitant of increasing the use of CVTs in their other models. But eventually, they saw its potential. The first Nissan introduced in the United States with a CVT transmission was the Murano SUV, in 2002.
Since the Murano, Nissan has been continually improving and updating its ‘XTRONIC’ CVT. It has since been fitted to most of Nissan’s staple cars. This includes the Altima, Juke, Maxima, Pathfinder, the aforementioned Murano, Qashqai, Rogue, Sentra, X-Trail, and more. Infiniti, the upmarket brand for Nissan (much like Toyota‘s Lexus) has also adopted Nissan’s CVT transmissions.
Some of the only models that are not equipped with CVTs include high-performance cars such as the Skyline GT-R and the Fairlady 370Z. Recently, Nissan has been stepping back from further use of a CVT transmission. The new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder has already switched to a regular automatic transmission.
Nissan CVT Transmission Problems
Right, so now you know what to look out for, and have learned a bit about how the CVT works. Now, it’s time to look in-depth into the problems facing Nissan’s CVT transmissions. Since Nissan first introduced its CVT into the US-bound Murano in 2002, it didn’t take long for problems to arise. Customers have increasingly reported cases of transmission failures over the years.
So, this issue has in fact been going around for a very, very long time. It has even resulted in a wide number of class-action lawsuits filed against the company. This is not to mention the significant financial losses for Nissan to cover the cost of replacing customers’ broken CVT transmissions.
Nissan had originally offered a ‘5 years or 60,000 miles’ warranty to cover their CVTs. This covers the cost of towing, repairs, and replacements for issues related to a faulty transmission. But even going back to 2009, Nissan has extended that warranty offer by doubling it. It now stands at ’10 years or 120,000 miles’.
However, this varies by car, as some could only get 7 years’ worth of warranty coverage should their CVT fail. If you live in the US, you can refer to their website for a more comprehensive look into how long your warranty would last. You could also contact your Nissan dealership to find out if your car qualifies for the extended ’10 years or 120,000 miles’ warranty.
CVT Transmission Replacement Cost
Now, we get to the painful part of this guide on Nissan CVT transmissions – discussing how to get your CVT fixed, and how much it will cost. If you are unlucky enough to be among those that are not covered under Nissan’s warranty, then this might apply to you.
As we discussed earlier, unlike a normal automatic or manual transmission, CVTs are more expensive to repair. This boils down to the fact that parts and qualified technicians are more scarce. Moreover, unlike needing to fix your transmission slipping, or replacing a car’s clutch, repairing a CVT isn’t nearly as straightforward.
Sometimes, depending on the model of the car, it might even necessitate having to remove the entire engine to get to the transmission. The labor costs alone will be hefty. We would highly recommend that you call a Nissan dealer to acquire a more accurate estimate as to how much it will cost for your car to have its CVT replaced.
You might even want to consider buying an extended warranty service from them if they have one available. The best source we’ve found where you can roughly get an average cost for a Nissan CVT transmission repair or replacement is CarComplaints.com. We can browse through the entire lineup of Nissan, across a varying number of model years for each of their cars.
Here, they’ve compiled complaints from customers, filed either on the website directly, or through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Quickly, we can see that CVT problems are the most common for a lot of Nissan models. To give you an idea of how much it’ll cost, we’ve summarised a short list below.
Nissan Altima
The Altima has among the highest number of complaints on CarComplaints.com and leads the pack for Nissan. At the time of writing, the overall lifespan of the Altima (since 1993) has accumulated a total of 4,814 individual complaints. It consequently wins the “Avoid Like The Plague” badge on its website (fun fact, go check out our guide on how to debadge a car).
The 2013 Altima, in particular, has suffered a lot of transmission problems. It notes there that the average cost for repairs is around $3,000. More worryingly, the average mileage before transmission failure starts is only around 53,000 miles.
Nissan Pathfinder
The Pathfinder faces the same overheating problems. This causes coolant to leak into the transmission case and then causes the entire CVT to fail entirely. Pathfinders of the same model years – 2005, 2006, and 2007 – are most impacted by this. It costs on average $3,900 to fix and can start happening at right around 100,000 miles.
Nissan Murano
Being the first to introduce CVTs in the US, the Murano naturally has been affected by CVT problems since the very beginning. Throughout its lifespan, the worst impacted model, according to CarComplaints.com, is the 2011 Murano. CVT failure can start from just an average of 73,000 miles, and costs $4,000 on average to have fixed.
Nissan Maxima
What started as jerking while shifting the car, could eventually lead to full transmission failure down the line. The 2004 Maxima had the worst of its history of CVT failures, but the 2005 and 2006 model year cars are badly affected too. It costs an average of $3,000 to have it fixed and can start happening around 106,000 miles.
Nissan Rogue
Even the very recent Nissan Rogue has had its share of problems, and the CVT is no doubt among the most major ones. The 2008, 2011, and 2013 model years Rogues had their worst with CVT issues. It can start happening from just as few as 77,000 miles, with an average $3,500 repair bill.
Nissan Sentra
Although a fairly innocent, mass-market car, the Sentra is among the most expensive when it comes to CVT failures. The most heavily impacted are the 7th-generation Sentras that ran from 2013 to 2017. Taking a 2015 Sentra as an example, CVT failures can start from a very low 49,000 miles on average, and need an eye-watering $4,700 to fix!
Nissan Versa
The Versa is among the more common cars you’d see on sale. But just like its siblings, it’s not immune from CVT transmission failures. Every Versa from 2012 to 2017 can suffer from it. It could bill you an average of $3,600 for repairs and could see symptoms from just 81,000 miles.
Nissan Transmission Recall
Although there have been numerous Nissan CVT-related recalls, here are some of the most prominent which you should be aware of:
- Recall NTB16-121a (January 2017) – This recall impacts Nissan’s Altima (2013 to 2016) and Rogue (2014 to 2016). Particularly, those fitted with Nissan’s RE0F10A CVT transmission. The fix, as suggested in this recall, is for owners to have their CVT’s TCM (transmission control module) receive software reprogramming at a local dealer.
- Recall NTB15-038 (April 2015) – It impacts Nissan’s Altima (2015), Rogue (2015), and NV200 (2015). This also applies to Nissan models fitted with the RE0F10A CVT. It appears that the underlying issue is a faulty, from-the-factory torque converter. It can be fixed with a replacement torque converter if deemed that it’s malfunctioning.
- Recall 15V775000 (January 2016) – This recalls solely impacts the Nissan Rogue (2015). The problem here is due to a fault where the transmission could easily shift itself out of Park when the brake pedal wasn’t depressed. The NTHSA demanded that Nissan replace all affected shifter assemblies with a revised one for free.
For context, here are some of the Nissan (and Infiniti) models that are most likely to feature Nissan CVT problems, including some fairly recent examples:
- 2018 – 2022 Nissan Sentra
- 2017 – 2022 Nissan Altima
- 2016 – 2022 Nissan Maxima
- 2015 – 2022 Nissan Murano
- 2019 – 2021 Nissan Pathfinder
- 2015 – 2017 Nissan Quest
- 2019 – 2022 Nissan Rogue
- 2012 – 2018 Nissan Versa
- 2013 – 2017 Nissan Juke
- 2015 – 2018 Infiniti QX60
Nissan Extended Warranty
Nissan did at least provide an extended warranty to somewhat ease the pain. Here’s what they’ll cover, in their own words…
“First, to provide you with additional assurance regarding your overall cost of ownership we have doubled the warranty period for the Continuously Variable Transmission in your Nissan. The existing powertrain warranty coverage of 5 years/60,000 miles will be extended at no cost to you, for CVT repairs, replacements, or related towing, to 10 years/120,000 miles, whichever comes first.“
It’s worth noting, that the abovementioned text doesn’t apply to every single Nissan model out there. To clear up the confusion, Nissan’s CVT extended warranty program is split into those cars built between 2003 and 2010, to the ones built between 2012 and 2017. Thus, the terms for these two periods differ:
- 2003 to 2010 – From 5 years or 60,000 miles, now extended to 10 years or 120,000 miles (whichever comes first).
- 2012 to 2017 – From 5 years or 60,000 miles, now extended to 7 years or 120,000 miles (whichever comes first).
So, why is it different between Nissan models manufactured from 2003 to 2010 and those built from 2012 to 2017? Well, the 2012 and later Nissans used a newer CVT design, including the third-generation XTRONIC CVT, which features their new Logic Step Control system.
In general, this gearbox is a step in the right direction, and it’s more reliable than the earlier CVTs. However, owners still noted issues with the later third-generation Nissan CVT transmissions. Thus, Nissan was forced to provide support, including a warranty extension, even though it was not as long.
This 2012 to 2017 warranty extension is applicable to every owner of a:
- 2012 to 2017 Nissan Versa Sedan
- 2013 to 2017 Nissan Juke
- 2013 to 2017 Nissan Sentra
- 2013 to 2016 Nissan Altima
- 2014 to 2017 Nissan Versa Note
Meanwhile, the 2003 to 2010 warranty extension (which should have long expired already) covers the:
- 2007 to 2010 Altima
- 2007 to 2010 Maxima
- 2003 to 2007 (and 2009 to 2010) Murano
- 2008 to 2010 Rogue
- 2007 to 2010 Sentra
- 2007 to 2010 Versa
Nissan CVT Transmission Problems: Facts You Need to Know
- Nissan CVT transmission issues include delayed acceleration, lurching, jerking, slipping, shaking, and stalling, which can increase the risk of accidents.
- Nissan still uses CVT transmissions in newer models, including the Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, Quest, Rogue, and Versa.
- Nissan settled multiple class action lawsuits related to CVT transmission problems, but still equips newer models with faulty transmissions.
- Nissan’s CVT transmission uses a system of belts and pulleys to adjust the gear ratio, but the transmissions are prone to overheating and have shorter lifespans.
- JATCO Ltd., in which Nissan has a 75% equity stake, makes Nissan’s CVT transmissions.
- Nissan has attempted to fix CVT transmission problems by reprogramming the Transmission Control Unit, replacing transmission assemblies and valve bodies, but these solutions have been ineffective.
- Nissan allegedly denied the existence of CVT transmission problems until after warranties expired and failed to acknowledge the vehicle defects.
- California Lemon Law may entitle owners of Nissan vehicles with CVT transmission issues to cash compensation, vehicle replacement, or full refunds.
- Nissan owners can opt-out of class action lawsuits to retain their Lemon Law rights.
- Federal regulators have received numerous complaints about Nissan CVT transmissions, including stuttering, jerking, loss of power, and erratic shift points, leading to safety concerns.
Nissan CVT Transmission: In Conclusion…
To answer the question we post in the title of this Nissan CVT transmission guide article, the answer would be, ‘not entirely’. A CVT has its benefits and its downsides. Although in Nissan’s case, it has been more of the latter. We’ve seen carmakers either make the switch back to regular automatics or have put more money into developing their CVTs.
Even Nissan themselves may be scaling back on their XTRONIC CVT gearboxes in the future. The newly announced 2022 Nissan Pathfinder has moved away from its CVTs, to a more ‘standard’ 9-speed ZF automatic gearbox. This, of course, is seeing how expensive and a hassle it can be to solve problems with Nissan’s CVT transmissions.
The best tip that we can give you is to be vigilant. Don’t just be attentive to how the car drives and behaves, but keep on top of your car’s warranty. Try to maintain close contact with your local or preferred Nissan dealer, and maybe try to sort out an extended warranty. If you have a Nissan right now, consider having it checked, just in case. It’s either that or filing for another lawsuit.
FAQs On Nissan CVT Problems
If you still have some lingering questions about Nissan CVT problems, our FAQs here might have the answer…
What Is A CVT Transmission
A CVT transmission functions similarly to that of a conventional automatic, in that it shifts gears automatically. However, the key difference here is that both traditional automatics and manuals have physical gear sets within them, with varying gearing ratios in between. But instead of physical gears, CVTs use two pulleys which are connected in the middle by a belt or chain. One pulley is joined to the engine, while the other is mounted on the output side of the transmission. Based on your input on the engine, those coned pulleys will oscillate in and out. The movements of the cones will thus impact how much power is transmitted through the transmission. Essentially, it determines what ‘gear’ you’re in. In theory, a CVT can vary gear ratios infinitely, hence its name, Continuously Variable Transmission.
Are Nissans Reliable
Despite its poor reputation with Nissan CVT transmission problems, the brand as a whole makes some pretty reliable cars. According to a recent RepairPal reliability survey, Nissan scored a respectable 4.0 out of 5.0. This ranks it in 9th place out of 32 other automakers. And, the latest 2022 surveys were carried out and averaged across 345 unique Nissan models on the market. Consumer Reports also has good things to say about Nissan’s reliability. They’ve nominated the Murano, Altima, and Maxima as the most reliable of the Nissan range. In the past, Nissan is well-known for its cheap build quality and haphazard dependability, especially concerning its problematic CVTs. While that hasn’t yet gone away completely, it’s certainly a marked improvement.
Is It Worth Replacing A Transmission
If your transmission has failed, you have the option of either replacing, repairing it, or rebuilding it. If the issue isn’t severe and has only impacted just one or a few select parts of the transmission, a repair should be your go-to option. However, depending on the underlying problem, repairs can still be pricey, setting you back an average of between $3,500 to $5,000. The high cost is mainly due to how limited your options are, as CVTs are relatively new tech. Thus, there aren’t that many technicians, workshops, or spare parts made for CVTs, and they aren’t as widespread. If the issue is rather serious, you may instead consider rebuilding your CVT rather than replacing it outright. Both options are very expensive, possibly costing you upwards of $5,000 to $8,000, depending on the exact transmission you have.
Are CVT Transmissions Bad
CVT transmissions have a lot of upsides if done right. They’re smaller, lighter, simpler in design, smoother to shift, more economical on fuel, and easier to drive than conventional automatic transmissions. We’re seeing a growing number of automakers transition to using CVTs over automatics, owing to their oft-respectable fuel savings. However, that’s not to say that CVTs aren’t without flaws. While running, they can be rather noisy, and their lack of response or feedback can feel rather dull. For car enthusiasts, it can often feel like you’re lacking any form of interaction with it. Moreover, CVTs are more costly to maintain. This is mainly due to a general lack of skilled technicians that know how to work on new-age CVTs compared to more traditional transmissions.
How Long Do Transmissions Last
Transmissions, owing to their importance in the general operation of your car, are often made to last the lifetime of the vehicle. In the case of CVTs, and despite numerous Nissan CVT transmission problems over the years, they should last nearly as long as more conventional automatic transmissions. Specifically, most CVTs should run reliably for at least 100,000 miles before any serious rebuilding work or restoration is necessary. However, this depends on several crucial factors. For example, how diligent have you been with changing the CVT transmission fluid? If you take good care of it, a CVT can last far longer than just 100,000 miles. In some instances, it could keep running well for over 200,000 or even 300,000 miles.
What Nissan Cars Have CVT Transmission
Nissan was among the earliest automakers to have made a huge pivot towards adopting CVT gearboxes. As such, and being a firm believer in the technology, most of their cars since the 90s, and throughout the 2000s and 2010s used CVTs. The only Nissan models that don’t have CVTs are their heavy-duty and high-performance models. These include the GT-R, 370Z, Leaf (an exception, since it’s electric), Armada, and Titan. Elsewhere, their other models like the Altima, Pathfinder, Murano, Maxima, Rogue, Sentra, Versa, and so on are all equipped with CVTs. Although, it seems like Nissan is starting to move away and toward more conventional automatics.
What Is The Warranty On A Nissan CVT Transmission
Nissan’s old powertrain warranty, which encompasses transmission-related problems, used to cover just 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first). Owing to backlash and significant complaints about the unreliability of its CVTs, Nissan has since extended this warranty program by double the original coverage. Now, CVT gearbox issues will be covered for up to 10 years or 120,000 miles (whichever comes first).
Did Nissan Extended The Warranty On CVT Transmission
Due to heavy criticism over the unreliability of its CVT gearboxes, Nissan has extended their powertrain warranty. This also includes any repairs or replacements regarding your Nissan’s CVT gearbox, as well as associated towing fees. The extension now covers up to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first.
When Did Nissan Start Using CVT Transmission
Nissan first started using CVT gearboxes in the March (aka Micra in other regions), back in 1992. It was one of the first mass-produced cars in the world to offer CVT transmissions for the masses. Although, Nissan was somewhat reluctant to extend the CVT gearbox to their other models. Still, they saw the popularity of the CVT and soon launched the Murano with a CVT for the US market for the first time in 2002.
Is Nissan A Good Car
Despite the bout of CVT transmission-related issues over the years, Nissans are generally pretty solid cars. They’ve consistently ranked comparatively high in reliability rankings, although not as high as its Japanese compatriots such as Honda or Toyota. Nissan’s cars are well-priced and offer a lot of technology, comfort, refinement, practicality, and value for the money. They also offer a wide range of vehicles, from sports cars to economical hatchbacks, or even big SUVs and hardy trucks. The most important factor in determining whether or not Nissan is a good car is how well you care for your car. With regular maintenance and diligent servicing, it shouldn’t be too much of a headache.
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I’ve just dropped my Nissan Versa Note 2014 in again to the dealership with a failing CVT, after having had it replaced for the 3rd time one month ago, and it has only 223miles driven. First time approx 56,000miles, second time 19,000mile, today 223miles. I literally could get it to drive over 5mph. Thankfully I was not on the freeway or too far away from my dealership, Universal City Nissan.
Nissan CVT’s are JUNK. Avoid at all costs!!!
Does the 2016 370Z Have the CVT transmission?
No. No
Thanks for pointing out that newer Nissan model from 2022 onwards wouldn’t have too many problems anymore. I’m currently looking for a Nissan repair shop because my car’s transmissions seems a bit stiff and it’s hard to shift gears at a moment’s notice. As such, that might cause problems during some niche situations that might lead to an accident.
Thanks for the comment, Alice Carroll!
Best of luck with getting your transmission repaired – the sooner the better, as that issue with gears being hard/rough to shift might be fixed relatively simply. If you have it looked into and fixed soon enough, it can still be repaired, rather than letting the issue fester until the transmission’s condition becomes even worse.
I have a Nissan 2013 Pathfinder SUV which only has a 55,000 KM on it and I was told the CVT Transmission has to be replaced at a cost of $6,600.00 . I am a 79 year old widow on a Pension with limited income this is out of the question, what am I supposed to do now?
Hi Esther,
Sorry to hear that. 55,000km is a very low mileage for the CVT gearbox – or any transmission – to be failing, or to necessitate a replacement. $6,600 does sound rather expensive for a replacement, too. Were you told as to why, more specifically, it needs a replacement? I’m imagining the $6.6k figure comes out of the dealership, which does charge more than third-party – but nonetheless reputable – workshops and specialists.
Assuming you no longer have any warranty coverage, or have not qualified for any recent recalls, then you should ask around to see if you can get a cheaper quote. Websites such as YourMechanic (although there are plenty more great ones!) can let you quote for an estimate from the many workshops around you, without needing to call around individually. It ought to save you a lot of time. In any case, asking around could yield you likely cheaper options for a repair or replacement than $6.6k. A refurbished, but still in working condition gearbox for your ’13 Pathfinder can net you even more savings!
Hope that helps 🙂
I had almost things fixed on my 2014 juke all wheels drive n to go 3 weeks after going back to dealer numerous time to tell me later after I had my car towed to dealer n to tell me my transmission is bad even after all the tests I paid for week after week I have been with Nissan since 1999 as a preferred customer but I feel Nissan let me down after 4 cars n the complaints I have sent into company many times
I have given up n moved on to Toyota
Sorry I had to go
I loved my juke n didn’t want to give it up but Nissan gave me no choices
Hi Gwendolyn,
Sorry to hear you had some terrible experiences. The Juke is an awesomely cool car! But indeed, Nissan’s CVT transmissions have been poor in their reliability. It does seem like Nissan, moving forward, will be moving away from those unreliable CVTs, so perhaps you could give them another try someday.
On the bright side, Toyota makes some of the most reliable and trusted cars in the world! I hope your new car will be much less troublesome 🙂
I just had an external oil cooler installed on my 2013 Maxima. It sits in front of the water radiator and the air gets sucked through by the radiator fan. I also had an electric fan placed in back of the cooler and it will go on at 80C. So far, I have not seen it go on so I am assuming the oil to the cooler has been less than 80c degrees. I had an oil thermometer installed in my dash and the maximum temp I noticed the oil at after it exited the oil cooler was 63c The total cost for every thing was about $400. I am very happy with this installation and I would highly recommend it.
Hi Wayne,
Awesome! Great to hear that the new oil cooler is working out well for you. Heat is the bane of all things mechanical in a car 🙂
With all the Nissan’s on the road you going to find bad ones. I got one and I don’t have any problems. And I’m sure it is a lot more people that don’t have any problems. Google any car and you’ll find problems.
“First, to provide you with additional assurance regarding your overall cost of ownership we have doubled the warranty period for the Continuously Variable Transmission in your Nissan. The existing powertrain warranty coverage of 5 years/60,000 miles will be extended at no cost to you, for CVT repairs, replacements or related towing, to 10 years/120,000 miles, whichever comes first.” Nissan
Kind of forgot to mention that in the article.
I have a Nissan CVT and with that warranty I am not at all worried about the transmission failing. I will reach 10 years before I reach 120,000 miles. Plus I would expect that if you need a replacement transmission the rebuilt replacement will have most if not all of the bugs worked out by Nissan/Jatco.
I had the automatic transmission blow up on a new Toyota with 16,000 miles so it can happen to any car regardless of the type of transmission. If you want the most dependable transmission get a manual.
Thanks for the comment, Frank!
Good spot, that’s an error on my part (and I’ve since included that mention in the article to make it more clear). While having that extended warranty is certainly good for peace of mind, it doesn’t necessarily solve the issue that these Nissan CVTs are more problem-prone than most other cars. Even with full warranty coverage, a transmission rebuild or replacement is a hassle, nevertheless. No doubt that a rebuilt/replacement unit should be more reliable, but it’s still something that every owner (old and new) has to deal with.
I have a 2014 Nissan Maxima with 101,000 miles. Transmission went out. Is the 10 years 120,000 miles extended warranty good on my car.
Thanks for the comment, Walter Byczynski!
In theory, yes, your 2014 Nissan Maxima should be covered under the extended warranty program. It’s neither breached the 10-year or 120,000-mile threshold yet for the warranty coverage, so it should be good, given that the affected component is also the transmission. However, I recommend calling up your local dealer and confirming it with them first, just in case there’s some fine print in the warranty clause that we’re not readily aware of.
My 2009 rouges cvt transmission is completely shot. I try accelerating from a red light or stop sign and it won’t even move, meanwhile cars behind me are beeping, flipping me off or shouting at me!!! I will never own another Nissan again! Even though I don’t qualify for warranty, if they were a honest company they would help me, but they’re not so they won’t!! Trash trash trash, my bloods boiling just writing this!!!😡😡😡
Thanks for the comment, Phil D.!
Sorry to hear this has been happening to you. It really is unfortunate that Nissan has been reluctant to recall or fix their older cars like your Rogue, as most of the CVT issues seem to be concentrated right around the late 90s and 2000s. I’ve been contemplating getting a used Nissan myself, but after researching this topic a bit more, I really can’t bring myself or anyone to buy them. It’s a bad situation all-around.
My 2015 Nissan Versa Note just had its transmission die again. The car is only 6 years old, and I was just told I need a new transmission. I just had a new transmission installed in 2019 after the original one died. So that will be 3 transmissions in the course of 6 years. When on average one transmission should last 7! I’m at a loss and don’t know what to do anymore. I cant justify paying for a 3rd transmission. They offered to split the cost 50/50…but come on. This should not have happened again to a 2nd transmission. Even getting a used car right now is expensive because f the market. I don’t know what to do and I wish someone at Nissan would just say “Yea, its a big problem, let us buy you out of your car and get you in a new one from our used lot that does not have a CVT in it.” THAT would be nice.
I was only 7 days past my warranty. Its like these things have a timer on them
Thanks for the comment, Brad Tarnowsky!
Sounds like a pretty bad situation, and I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been through this much hassle. No transmission should go out after just a few years like that, which points to how seriously flawed Nissan’s CVTs are. I’m not really sure what I’d do in your case, either.
Although, seeing that your car is a 2015 model year (I’m not sure how much mileage it has), but if it’s under 10 years old and hasn’t broken past 120,000 miles on the odo, you should theoretically qualify under the extended CVT warranty.
Other than that, and personally, I would try to look around at other, third-party transmission shops, and compare the prices for how much it’ll cost to get that gearbox working again. This is assuming that you depend heavily on needing a car for your daily commutes and to get places. If that gearbox could just barely be fixed and could at least be had running temporarily for cheap, it might be worth paying for a repair now.
Down the line, you could then sell or trade-in your car at CarMax (or any other used car network – some of them even buy non-running cars). Or, you could sell or trade-in your car right now, if your finances could support it. Understandably, the used car market is quite a bit crazy at the moment. I hope that might give you some clues of what to do next.
I have a 2008 Altima, with 200,000 klms, my cat transmission crapped out 2 weeks after I purchased it, I have no warranty, it was in limp mode so after finding the problem I called the seller back, no response , what can I do about it legslly
With 200,000 Mi on it nothing you can do
Thanks for the comment, terry broome!
Unfortunately, your ’08 Altima (with 200,000+ km on the odo) can’t qualify for Nissan’s extended warranty program on their CVT transmissions. I’m no legal expert, so I can’t provide any proper advice there, other than filing for a suit on the seller and/or Nissan. Though, I imagine either of those two is extremely costly.
In your case, I don’t believe there’s much else that you can do other than try to trade-in that car. There are platforms and services, such as Peddle, which could pay you to buy junk and non-running cars, even with a blown transmission. Or, you might consider scrapping it, if it’s worth more that way.
What about the newer model Nissans? 2019 and up?
Thanks for the comment, Chris!
Unfortunately, it seems as though 2019 and newer Nissans still suffer from CVT problems. On the one hand, it seems that Nissan (and their transmissions partner, Jatco) have been making improvements to solve some of the more serious issues. Yet, cases of similar CVT problems still occur despite that, even on the newer Nissans.
On the other hand, 2019 is still technically fairly new, and the bulk of any transmission-related faults might not yet have occurred. Therefore, we don’t have enough data to validate 100% that the newer Nissan CVTs are a reliable enough to make a recommendation on. For the time being, it may be safer to opt for a Nissan without a CVT, like some of their larger SUVs and trucks.
Was just told by the dealer my 2017.5 murano needs a new Trans. It only has 44,500 miles on it. Bummer.
Thanks for the comment, Dennis T.!
That’s unfortunate, sorry to hear about that. 44.5k miles is pathetically low for any transmission to suffer complete failure and need a total replacement. Hopefully, you’ve had some warranty coverage on that.
It is the worst transmission ever, 3rd transmission in this car sentra. The first went at 120km, the second went 140km, and now looking at the 3rd, 9000 per install avoid any cvt.
I have 2019 Nissan Sentra and beleive trans is going out. Will nissan pay for rental while car isin for repairs
Unlikely, however some dealers do provide a loan car, ask when you book in.
I bought my first car from a dealership last November. Was happy to have a new reliable car. Only had 10000 miles on it, now it has close to 7,000. And my transmission is completely ruined. I am 23. Paycheck by paycheck. I do know the previous owners had a accident but it was just a fenderbender. Now it won’t even drive. Just my luck. Thought it’d be a long time before I had any sorts of issues like that. Stressed and scared is an underatment. 🙁
There are a couple problems with this article, one of which are the reasons why CVTs are expensive to replace. CVTs are not more complex than standard automatic transmissions. In fact, they are significantly more simple than even a manual transmission. The problem lies in the reliance on a steel clad cable which simply doesn’t hold up to the heat and friction within that environment. They are expensive to fix and/or replace because of the labor involved in removing the transmission from the car. If the belt could be replaced while the transmission is still in the car, then CVTs might become much more popular.
Thanks for the comment, Jason!
Good spot, that’s a phrasing error on my part. True, CVTs aren’t more complex than standard autos – they’re significantly simpler, agreed. Nevertheless, the relative newness of CVT transmissions means that there are fewer mechanics out there who are qualified or skilled enough to work on them (for the time being) when compared to regular autos and manual transmissions, which have been around for much longer. Most folks who have CVT issues tend to head back to the dealer due to the lack fo support, resorting them to pay more, usually.