2015 Nissan Sentra 🙈🤬

[Jarpin]

My cousin lives 3 hours away but wants me to look at private sale used 2015 SV model with 55k original miles for purchase in my city. I've got half a mind to just tell him to forget it because of the known CVT issues. He likes it because it's just a husband and wife who have been driving it and the miles are low for the model year.
Does the car have a dipstick that can show telltale signs of impending tranny failure? Any other issues besides the CVT to look for like head gaskets?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Corroded door hinges and pins especially on cars that are exposed to salt air for sustained periods. You already made the point about the CVT. I personally will never own a vehicle with one. Too much risk and unknowns especially on a used vehicle.

 

[Trashman]

Corroded door hinges and pins especially on cars that are exposed to salt air for sustained periods. You already made the point about the CVT. I personally will never own a vehicle with one. Too much risk and unknowns especially on a used vehicle.

☝ @Wrenchturner44 hit the nail on the head. CVT's are risky, Nissan CVT's are REALLY risky. What part of Texas is he in?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

☝ @Wrenchturner44 hit the nail on the head. CVT's are risky, Nissan CVT's are REALLY risky. What part of Texas is he in?

@ Trashman......as a famous Seinfeld character would say " You Got That Right"

 

[Passport1]

To be fair, my Suzuki has a JATCO cvt and it was troublesome at first. Overheated a few times and went into limp mode. I've changed the fluid once and the problem has not recurred but it can. If this Sentra has one of these, best to steer clear. As always, Caveat Emptor.

 

[JavierH19]

They're probably getting rid of it because it's at the end of the factory extended 7 year 84k mile warranty up from 5 years 60k. But if it drives perfectly fine just tell him to change the cvt fluid. I've done that once on both my civic and outlander just about 2 years ago. Used the valvoline cvt fluid. got in it gallon jugs for $23 if i remember.

 

[gregk24]

He might get lucky, or he might not. Nissan CVT’s have a reputation. Toyota and Honda make some very solid ones though. As long as you inform him of the CVT issues let him decide.

 

[Chris142]

Nobody that I know of rebuilds those transmissions. Used ones are junk too. The dealer can sell you a brand new one for a lot of $$$.

 

[Bird's_Garage]

Having owned 2 different Nissans (Altima and Sentra) with the CVT, I say don't even look at it. They both had issues for me.

Sentra lasted 15k miles before I had problems with it and the dealer refused to do anything about it. They said Nissan told them as long as it continues to drive, it's fine. Replacement only when it completely fails.

Altima was a 3.5 and got the infamous shudder. It was the final straw for me and Nissan CVTs.

And as Chris142 said, there really isn't a rebuild option. It's a remove and throw in the junk pile sort of transmission. Jatco even says to replace with new.

 

[ecotourist]

As I said recently, my SIL's 2016 Nissan Rogue with 125,000 Km (78,000 miles) recently coughed up its CVT transmission. It cost well over $5000 to replace as no-one rebuilds them. That vehicle is too new to have a transmission replacement in my humble opinion.

This sounds a lot like the late 1950s / early 1960s when automatic transmissions failed early and otherwise good cars were written off.

Stay away from Nissan's CVT transmissions.

 

[ecotourist]

They're probably getting rid of it because it's at the end of the factory extended 7 year 84k mile warranty up from 5 years 60k.

Which Nissans have a 7 year 84K mile extended warranty?

My SILs 2016 Nissan Rogue with 125,000 Km (78,000 miles) recently coughed up its CVT transmission. That would put it within the extended warranty period. And it cost her big bucks to replace it.

Would the dealer have said the vehicle had an extended warranty? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[Coastie05]

I'm not anti CVT by any means, shoot I have one now and it's the 3rd one I've had. However, I would steer clear of the Sentra completely. My coworker had a 2014 Sentra SR (never changed the transmission fluid even though I kept telling him to) well the transmission blew at 104k miles and these were all highway miles. It's not worth it no matter how good the price is.

 

[JavierH19]

Which Nissans have a 7 year 84K mile extended warranty?

My SILs 2016 Nissan Rogue with 125,000 Km (78,000 miles) recently coughed up its CVT transmission. That would put it within the extended warranty period. And it cost her big bucks to replace it.

Would the dealer have said the vehicle had an extended warranty? Maybe, maybe not.

Nissan CVT Transmission Warranty Explained [Top Hacks]

Find out everything about Nissan CVT transmission warranty and how to claim it! Claim your car warranty NOW! Featured in BBC, CNN, and more!

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Did Nissan Extend the Warranty on CVT Transmission? | North Dakota Nissan Dealership | Rydell Nissan

The Nissan continuously variable transmission warranty extension covers a variety of items. Learn more below with Rydell Nissan of Grand Forks.

www.gfnissan.com

Looks like your rouge sadly wasn't on the list.

2012-2017 WARRANTY EXTENSIONS​

Nissan is now using a third-generation XTRONIC continuously variable transmission with Logic Step Control. This technology made its debut in 2017 and has since received accolades for its smooth, efficient, and responsive performance. Yet, as the technology progressed some issues affected a small percentage of continuously variable transmissions in vehicles from 2012 through 2017 model years.

Again, Nissan’s response was swift and decisive as they looked to relieve the burden of repairing these continuously variable transmissions. They extended the original manufacturer’s warranty from five years or 60,000 miles up to seven years or 84,000 miles.

This Nissan continuously variable transmission warranty extension covers a variety of items. Torque converters, Transmission Control Module reprogramming, seals, gaskets, and more are all covered under this extension. Rental vehicles or loaner vehicles are also covered while your vehicle undergoes these covered repairs.

Which Models Are Covered by the Nissan CVT Extended Warranty?​

If you are an owner of one of these models, then your car is under the Nissan CVT extended warranty. The models that are eligible for a warranty extension are:

• Nissan Versa Sedan (2012–2017)
• Nissan Juke (2013–2017)
• Nissan Sentra (2013–2017)
• Nissan Altima (2013–2016)
• Nissan Versa Note (2014–2017)

 

[ecotourist]

Which Models Are Covered by the Nissan CVT Extended Warranty?​

If you are an owner of one of these models, then your car is under the Nissan CVT extended warranty. The models that are eligible for a warranty extension are:

• Nissan Versa Sedan (2012–2017)
• Nissan Juke (2013–2017)
• Nissan Sentra (2013–2017)
• Nissan Altima (2013–2016)
• Nissan Versa Note (2014–2017)

They covered some and not others. But they likely all had the same transmission.

I wouldn't touch a Nissan CVT.

 

[JavierH19]

They covered some and not others. But they likely all had the same transmission.

I wouldn't touch a Nissan CVT.

i believe they now beefed up the torque spec more very recently. There's a gentleman on here who uses his Nissan pretty gently and religiously changed the fluid and claims to have gone over 300k which i can believe. These cvt's hate very fast sudden acceleration and torque. But slow acceleration and low torque makes them last. Especially the Mitsubishi mirage. Those make like 72 lb ft torque peak and do nothing to the cvt and they've been in production since 2014 and its rare to hear of issues from them. But the Nissan versa makes around 105-120 lb ft of torque and abuse the trans way more which is the exact same JF015E as the much weaker Mirage so go figure. Same exact trans but one's with a weaker engine that doesn't beat it hard.

 

[Bird's_Garage]

i believe they now beefed up the torque spec more very recently. There's a gentleman on here who uses his Nissan pretty gently and religiously changed the fluid and claims to have gone over 300k which i can believe. These cvt's hate very fast sudden acceleration and torque. But slow acceleration and low torque makes them last. Especially the Mitsubishi mirage. Those make like 72 lb ft torque peak and do nothing to the cvt and they've been in production since 2014 and its rare to hear of issues from them. But the Nissan versa makes around 105-120 lb ft of torque and abuse the trans way more which is the exact same JF015E as the much weaker Mirage so go figure. Same exact trans but one's with a weaker engine that doesn't beat it hard.

It's sad that 120 lb ft is deemed too much for any automotive transmission.

A big issue is Jatco/Nissan don't provide nearly adequate cooling for any of their CVTs. This burns up the fluid and diminishes the life of the transmission as well. Add in the weak design of a metal "belt" and conical pulleys and you have the absolute worst idea of a transmission. The design is fine for the Mirage or a golf cart. But put it in a 3000+lb car, especially one with 250+hp (Altima, Maxima 3.5s, Pathfinder) and you have to wonder what Nissan was thinking.

 

[The Critic]

Nobody that I know of rebuilds those transmissions. Used ones are junk too. The dealer can sell you a brand new one for a lot of $$$.

Reman ones from the dealer are actually quite inexpensive compared to conventional transmissions. My cost on one for a 11 Rogue was $2200.

 

[WeyounDS9]

I know a Nissan tech who swears the CVTs will last just about forever as long you change CVT fluid often, like every 30k which is twice as often as manual states.
Says he has customers with over 300k on them.

Says in a CVT the fluid takes the role of the clucth bands in a regulars AT.
When the fluids is old/bad you get metal on metal contact (this is how i remember his explanation).

However the vast majority of drivers will struggle to even meet the Nissan recommendd 60k (which my buddy says it way too long and should not be in the manual like this), so with a used vehicles unless receipts of Carfax say frequent changes were done , it could be an issue.

On this note a few years ago I rode in a Taxi in Washington DC that was a Versa with 484,000 miles on it original engine/CVT , but the Taxi driver said he did all his ATF maintenance (and rad coolant) at half than recommend intervals .

 

[GSCJR]

Sentras are the worst, according to a colleague who owns a transmission shop. When I owned a VQ with a CVT, I asked him if I should install a CVT fluid cooler and he said, you don't need it unless you're towing or racing; it was a flawless CVT until I sold it.

 

[JavierH19]

Sentras are the worst, according to a colleague who owns a transmission shop. When I owned a VQ with a CVT, I asked him if I should install a CVT fluid cooler and he said, you don't need it unless you're towing or racing; it was a flawless CVT until I sold it.

cvt's have a lot of friction compared to regular automatics and are known to roast oil so even if you're not beating it hard lower trans oil temps are always welcome.