2015 Nissan Altima Cutting Out

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ET16

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I'm posting for a colleague of my daughter, so I don't have as much info as I'd like.

She is in a bind with a dealer, and I am trying to help. Here's what I know:

The car has been cutting out randomly, leaving the driver stranded. The car jumps, but cuts out again after a while.

The battery was changed to no effect, and then the alternator was changed by the dealer. The car still cuts out.

The latest from the dealer is that the transmission is bad and needs top be replaced for $5,000. I'm hugely skeptical.

I am going to talk to the owner today and try to see if we can get codes from the dealer.

Any known issues with these cars with cutting out?
 
You need to find out what is happening when it cuts out, is it losing mains electricity, spark or fuel. If the engine is stopping it is probably not the fault of the transmission, that would take some sort of weird issue that would not allow the engine to idle stopped at a light, etc almost like a manual transmission with a clutch that would not release.

Chances are it is in the main electrical system possibly a main fuse box connection, main relay, bad main fuse connection, a bad cable/wire, fuel or engine sensor related or a host of other things. Take that car somewhere else.
 
Sounds like you might have a transmission problem. I did a quick google search and this is what I came up with. Not sure if this is what you are experiencing.
You definitely want to see the codes. If you know the VIN, you can check for recalls.

topclassactions.com

Nissan Altima Class Action Says Vehicles Have Stalling Defect

A Nissan Altima stalling defect class action lawsuit alleges that the vehicles contain defective continuously variable automatic transmissions that leads to shuddering as well as stalling and can cost more than $3,000 to fix.
topclassactions.com topclassactions.com
topclassactions.com

Nissan Altima CVT Class Action Settlement

Nissan Altima owners have secured reimbursements, an extended warranty, or a $1,000 voucher under a recent class action settlement.
topclassactions.com topclassactions.com
 
That dealer seems to have a bad case of parts canon. A torque converter issue is the only transmission-related issue that will kill the engine, and it would be very obvious on a test drive if that was the case. Like Trav said, if the engine bucks the car, and dies when coming to a complete stop, the torque converter could be to blame. It would feel pretty much like idling along in a manual transmission car, and applying brakes without depressing the clutch. If that's the case, a transmission replacement won't fix it. She needs to pay her tab, and get that car to a dealer that will actually diagnose the issue.
 
I saw something like that once, one of the coils was intermittently shorting inside and sending what should have been the spark "back to the control system" (?).

Engine management was somehow picking up that and turning on/off a brief moment (some sort of surge protection apparently), cutting the engine (but you could start it back right away and it would work for a while until cutting again).
The dials would occasionally go crazy for a brief moment, then return to normal.

After chasing it for a while, and even tried a new engine control unit...nope, it was just a $50 coil.

While I doubt that could be the case here, I think that's still a funny story.
 
Had a friend whose car did this. Nobody could fix it. Then one mechanic was backing it out of the garage and heard the speedometer cable clicking. Turns out it made enough vibration at speed that the knock detector picked it up and started retarding the timing. When it kept up, it shut the engine off. New cable.....problem solved.
 
Whats bothering me about it being a transmission is if that was the case why the jump start? I have no idea, there is not enough info and its third hand info at that.
 
I got more info from the owner. The replacement of the battery and alternator was at a different shop, not the dealer where the car presently is.

The dealer says that the torque converter is bad. The owner has a third party warranty, so they are hoping the repair will be covered.
 
ET16 said:
I got more info from the owner. The replacement of the battery and alternator was at a different shop, not the dealer where the car presently is.

The dealer says that the torque converter is bad. The owner has a third party warranty, so they are hoping the repair will be covered.
Click to expand...
Since when does a CVT have a torque converter? Someone is either giving you bad information or getting bad information. Also, didn't Nissan have to extend the warranty on CVT's to 10 years and 120,000 miles?
 
Is it a 3.5 or the 2.5? Both are plagued by camshaft and crankshaft position sensors heating up and crapping out leaving you stranded on the side of the road. There are other things that can do it but that's definitely the place to start
 
You need to confirm what cutting out means. Is it the engine stalling and losing power, or a sudden failure to move. The dealer seems to think it's the transmission which is not surprising. Nissan uses a Jatco CVT which may be the most unreliable transmission ever built. I belong to some Nissan groups and CVT failure is the biggest complaint. If you don't change the fluid early and often they fail. It's there one minute then it's gone and you're just revving. which could be what they are calling cutting out..
 
By cutting out do you mean the car turns off?

If so, has the battery fuse that sits on the battery cable been replaced yet? These are very problematic on Altimas for many years now.
 
jhs914 said:
Since when does a CVT have a torque converter? Someone is either giving you bad information or getting bad information. Also, didn't Nissan have to extend the warranty on CVT's to 10 years and 120,000 miles?
Click to expand...
Quite a few types of CVTs have torque converters. Subaru and Nissan have both had their share of bad TCs in CVTs.
 
Way too confusing.

Like said, we need more info.

Such as; Does the vehicle run and drive perfectly normal, then out of the blue stall and not restart? When it doesn't restart does the starter crank the engine over at full power, but the engine doesn't fire like it's missing ignition or fuel?

There's lots of Nissan specific problems, such as shorted tail-lamp sockets that make the vehicle think you are hitting the brakes while under-way. This will automatically idle the E-throttle as a 'safety' measure. IIRC, there's also a brake switch issue associated with that.
 
I'll post more info when I have some. Thanks for the help.
 
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