The Nissan CVT has come a long way, averaging under $500 a year in maintenance costs. But early CVTs were another story, demanding careful maintenance and prone to malfunction and premature failure.
Key Points
- CVT-equipped Nissans, like the 2013 Nissan Altima, have a reputation for being unreliable. But, with proper maintenance, newer models are better than you might expect.
- Overheating is among the leading problems for owners of early CVT Nissans, with cars going into limp mode on extended highway trips.
- Premature belt wear was a major issue in 2012 and 2013 model Nissans, owing to poor lubrication and computer malfunctions.
- No car will last without proper maintenance, but Nissan CVTs have been especially sensitive to skipped fluid changes, with rough shifting and total transmission failure being common at under 100,000 miles.
- A used Nissan with a CVT under the hood can be a smart buy. But stick to certified pre-owned models.
Nissan CVTs May Be Prone to Overheat, With Earlier Models Suffering the Worst
Overheating, which sees the car going into limp mode, is among the most common problems you’re going to face with a Nissan CVT. It can happen at highway speeds and usually has to do with the transmission fluid.
Nissan CVTs are cooled by the CVT fluid, and the cooling process is managed by the onboard computer. If your fluid is leaking or dirty, you’re going to get overheating. Same goes if something’s wrong with the computer.
The easiest way to prevent overheating is to make sure that you get your CVT fluid changed every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
CVT transmissions require a fluid change twice as often as a typical automatic transmission. Skipping scheduled maintenance leads to early failure for one-speeds.
However, missed fluid changes don’t explain the whole overheating problem. Nissan issued a technical service bulletin on some early CVT models, instructing dealers to install external coolers.
Premature Belt Wear May Result From Inadequate Lubrication or Computer Malfunction, Especially in 2012 and 2013 Models
Rather than having a set of gears to shift between, CVTs use a series of cones and a single belt. The cones move closer or farther apart to increase or decrease diameter.
The CVT belt is a complex chain of links that can adjust to grip the cones as they change in diameter. That’s a lot of moving parts, and everything needs to be orchestrated with precision.
If the belt isn’t well-lubricated, it starts to wear out and you’re going to have trouble shifting gears, as reported on the Mechanic Advice subreddit. Eventually, you’re looking at total transmission failure.
If you look at early 2010s Nissans, particularly from 2012 and 2013, you’ll find a lot of NHTSA complaints of early transmission failure owing to premature wear and tear.
The Wear and Tear of Lax Maintenance is Amplified by the Delicate Parts of Early Nissan CVTs
If you look at the NHTSA pages for newer Nissans, like the 2017 Altima, listed here, you’ll find that they tend to have a fraction as many complaints as Nissans from the early 2010s. This owes to a couple of factors.
First, Nissan has had more time to work out the kinks. A 2017 Altima is going to be better built than a 2013 Altima. But, secondly, a 2017 Altima has been through fewer owners than has a 2013 Altima.
When you buy a used car, you’re inheriting the impact of the previous owner’s driving and maintenance habits. If you buy a used Nissan from someone who drives safely and never skips a CVT fluid change, it’s going to feel like new even at 100,000 miles.
But, buy from someone who gets around to routine maintenance when they get around to it, and every mile they put on the odometer is going to feel like five.
A Used Nissan With a CVT Can Be a Great Buy, But Don’t Risk it Without a Warranty
Nissan CVTs have a bad reputation–but that reputation is somewhat overblown. Early CVTs were problematic, and you want to avoid any Nissan from 2012 or 2013. But, newer Nissan CVTs are among the more reliable, efficient transmissions on the road today.
If you want to have a good experience buying a used one-speed Nissan, buy certified pre-owned. With a CPO, you’re skipping past the worst model years, getting a full inspection, and you’re protected by warranty should something go wrong.
In short: A used Nissan with a CVT can be well worth the price. But if the previous owner neglected basic transmission maintenance, it’s probably too late to save it.
Photos: Nissan
