I'm starting to think the lore of the dreaded Nissan/Infiniti CVT woes are a bit exaggerated
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JTK
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Are all Nissan CVTs create equal? I would imagine a Murano would have a more robust tranny than a Versa. Are they all problematic?
Spoke to a 2018 Murano today who was boasting his vehicle has been nearly problem free as he approaches 150k miles.
Spoke to a 2018 Murano today who was boasting his vehicle has been nearly problem free as he approaches 150k miles.
Supposedly the V6 variant had a cooler that the 4 cylinder models are missing, and the cooler makes a big difference.
A mechanic I used to work with (at an independent) works at a Nissan dealership. He just got an older Murano (probably a trade in at the dealership he works at) with no rust in like new condition for $3500 i think he said. Would be much easier for him to deal with a transmission failure but he seemed to think they had less problems with that model and some older model years in general.
Do you think the used/wreckers price is determined by the replacement rate of transmissions? I assume there is a strong correlation. It seems some of the RAV4 transmissions have the same price as the Altima CVT, so there is about the same replacement rate and demand?
I guess if there's a significantly higher accident and write off rate, then there is a bigger supply available, which could be true for the Altima at least!
I think so. Another example of high prices on parts with high failure rate is the GM ecotec 2.4L - they are averaging $2000-2500 with 100k miles.
This is a different engine than the original 2.4 ecotec that was the optional engine in Chevy Cobalts and Pontiac G5 and Saturn ion's back in the mid 2000s right? The earlier ones had timing chain failures when oil changes were neglected....but later ones burn oil. I never looked into it but assumed they were different.
Yes, I was referring to the later DI engines. The earlier ones were much better overall!
I’ve had cvts for awhile and always serviced them so no real problems, and always do a spill and fill every spring regardless of mileage. My soon to be niece brought her 2017 Altima over yesterday and asked me to service the tranny. She bought the car new and literally has done nothing but oil changes, brakes and tires and the car sits at 152k. I took it for a drive expecting a whine or some sort of shutter…nope. When I drained the factory fill I had to double check to make sure I didn’t pull the oil drain plug it was so black. The smell had me gagging. I did a double drain and fill with valvoline cvt fluid, drove it and it was absolutely the same. So either she got a really good cvt or I’m over servicing. This experience made me a believer that they can actually last with absolutely zero chits given. Also she went to college at duke, so this thing has had some serious hard miles put on it.
Man, my 09 Altima CVT was a hilarious car to drive. Nothing like pinning it on a highway on-ramp and having the tachometer sitting at 6000RPM. My friends with torque converted automatics who had any knowledge of cars would ask if it was broken. Never had a problem with the CVT when I got rid of it around 150K miles. Another torquey 4-banger that made more twist than horses.
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The conventional automatics used in the Altima and Maxima from that time frame did have a reputation for this happening to them.
I don't see a reason to reward Nissan for fixing their design when they should've engineered it properly from the start.
You never hear of Honda or Toyota CVTs failing as often as Nissans.
And why did Honda do a 7 year or 150K extended warranty for the CVT in their HR-V's? They can go out from 20K to 70K miles.
Nissans or Jatco CVT failure mode is one of 2 things, either to guide balls, or worn flow control valve then the destruction begins from slippage etc. Everyone uses the wrong materials for valve bodies, especially a micro metal particle maker like a CVT.
But then that is the norm for the last how many years wrong materials and all the problems with transmissions and engines.
I wonder how the occasional JATCO in a Sentra or Versa makes it past 200,000 mi with 100,000 mi fluid changes? Is it just light throttle leaving stops?
Wasn't that the same issue that Toyota had with their new Truck Engine? Machining debris?
I don't see how you can call a demolished push belt "machining debris" ?
Oh and with I'm thinking 30 years of machinist experience, I have never drilled holes that had any machining debris left in them.
Most always when doing modern CNC machining the drills used for high production are through the spindle cooled which means high pressure coolant exits the drill point can that sprays all the chips out of the hole and clears them for the drilling operation.
The truck engine deal seems like an excuse for some engineering failures.
I was thinking I saw a statement about metal contamination in the Honda CVT that were failing very early a few years back.
The guys at Toyota tell me they made them change the wash and inspection procedure on the new engine as the old procedures were not working. I would assume that would be because of the design difference.
I have a friend who had an Altima that was used for ride sharing. It received regular engine oil and filter changes, but that's about it for maintenance. CVT failed at 160K miles. Car deemed a loss and scrapped.
I have another friend who is currently on their 3rd Murano. 215,000 miles combined on the first 2 and never a single transmission issue. Both were very religiously maintained exclusively by Nissan dealers. The 3rd is a brand new 2024, so too early to tell.
I wouldn't have any issues getting a new vehicle with a CVT, but I would also make sure to replace the fluid every 30,000 miles just for peace of mind. That way if it did fail, I would know it was not for lack of maintenance.
I have another friend who is currently on their 3rd Murano. 215,000 miles combined on the first 2 and never a single transmission issue. Both were very religiously maintained exclusively by Nissan dealers. The 3rd is a brand new 2024, so too early to tell.
I wouldn't have any issues getting a new vehicle with a CVT, but I would also make sure to replace the fluid every 30,000 miles just for peace of mind. That way if it did fail, I would know it was not for lack of maintenance.
In my experience, 30k is too late at the beginning and too soon after break in.
I would drop the pan in the first year to clean, and again one year later. After that you might be good every 3-6 years depending on how clean the transmission is.
