Nissan Maxima CVT nightmare /Fixed it so far

[volsboy1]

I have a 2017 Nissan Maxima Platinum with 121,000 miles on it. Its been a great car had all my service done at the dealer ship . My Dad bought it for his X girlfriend but when he found out she was all you can eat/bang  buffet he took the car back and sold it to me for a killer price. 

On my way back from Macon the rpm spiked to 3600 and I was on the interstate and then it was fine.

I took it buy the Nissan dealer in Atlanta and they could not find no codes or anything.Well two days later going to the farm up the mountains it started lurching and groaning and slipping and the check engine light came on. I called Allstate and the sent a wrecker and had it towed to Marysville.

They told me the transmission was shot and  it was going to be around 6000 bucks for a new transmission. I called Uber and had them drive me to Autozone and I bought LUBE-Guard CVT synthetic fluid and a large aftermarket transmission cooler. I drove my car to a non dealer and had everything cleaned and flushed and that cooler with a fan installed. I have had no further issues with the car and I have been ragging it out bad and this was 4 months ago.I have had no codes or anything I am trading the car in next month.

I kept that Maxima trans fluid changed out right on time but I think it should be done every 15 to 20 k if you don't have a aftermarket cooler. I will never own another CVT transmission, unless its a Toyota .

So if you have a Nissan Cvt and the belt has not snapped you might can save yourself a ton of money.

 

 

 

[imperial70]

Toyota CVT

They have gotten cleaver. They actually have a 1st gear then switch to CVT. Takes a lot of wear and tear off the CVT when starting up from a dead stop.

Another thing that toyota has done (as well as others now) with respect to Direct Fuel Injection: They actually have both port and direct fuel injection so that the valves get cleaned and avoid the carbon build up problem. I have a ford 4 banger with GDI and a turbo. Can't wait for the fun to begin with carbon build up.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Nissan CVT transmissions are widely known to be junk and something to stay clear away from when buying a vehicle. I would avoid them in any brand.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

imperial70

Very impressed with your knowledge!

robbinsandmyers, good move on trading it in!!

 

[eurekastar]

When I totaled my 2019 Accord, I had a Nissan Altima rental for a couple of weeks and really liked it.  Nissan programs simulated shift points into the CVT, making it feel like a traditional transmission.  I seriously considered buying an Altima until I read about all the CVT issues with the brand.  I went with a Toyota Camry instead, and I'm very happy with it and its 8-speed transmission. 

 

BTW, my Accord had a CVT and I HATED it!  I thought I would get used to it, but it was frustrating for the entire 2 1/2 years that I owned it.  The CVT lag, combined with the turbo lag made it feel sluggish off the line and the CVT constantly droned.  The car was loud and ride was rough too.  It's brake pedal was always spongy feeling too.  Glad I have the Camry now!

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Reply #2

I dont own one but have a few friends that did but bailed on them quickly before warranty was up. One had the service manager tell him when the trans was failing a second time that they couldnt do anything until it failed and to do brake torques until it shit the bed then have AAA tow it back for a new trans.

 

[mopar65]

Modern transmissions

Pretty much all modern transmissions have major issues, most are related to the extreme heat. Manufacturers recommending little to no service doesn’t help the problem but then again a lot of the transmissions nowadays are non serviceable.
Rebuilding transmissions is very relaxing imo, especially old trannys.

 

[mopar65]

A904

 

[mopar65]

46RE

 

[mopar65]

A727

 

[mieleforever]

Modern transmissions

I tend to agree. I had a Toyota Corolla, 1800, regular autobox - did not have any problems with it, but it when going uphill, it was constantly gearing up or down, really irritating. (hunting) But I guess the car was having a difficult time.

Next up was the VW Passat with DSG gearbox. It was an absolute nightmare, and we had to change the clutch system on 25 000 kilometers, again on 55 000 kilometers.
AT 75 000 kilometers the gearbox was starting to act up again and the maintenance/motorplan was wearing thin. So we sold it.

Currently we drive a Mercedes R class with the regular slushbox - no problems so far.

But I think the gearboxes these days are not intended to last very long, well that is my experience with it.

Regards

 

[askolover]

Honda has the most trouble free CVT's out there currently...but I won't buy one...got burned with an Audi FWD CVT a few years ago.  My friend at work replaced the CVT in her Rogue and it was like $6 grand!!!!  I told her she should have traded it in.  She said even the dealership was amazed she got so many miles out of it before it failed.

 

[estesguy]

Nissans most problematic CVT was in the Pathfinder, which for 2022 has been replaced with the 9 speed auto. Overdue smart move. I kinda believe that CVTs should be limited to service in lighter vehicles with 4 cylinder engines/less torque. The Maxima and Pathfinder had V6s. Also people are notorious for not doing any maintenance, and then upset when it fails. I would change the fluid at 50k maximum. CR doesn't show excessive problem rates in Rogue CVTs until at least several years out, which again could be due to, in part, lack of servicing.

 

[jamiel]

I rented a Pathfinder and noticed it was a mighty heavy, powerful SUV to be run by the CVT. GM had problems with their first one which they used on the Saturn Vue SUV--they set up a plant in Hungary to produce them in the early 2000s and I believe ended up recalling them all. They mated it with the 2.2 4 cylinder (the V6 was the Honda V6 and had a standard automatic transmission) and it was just too big a vehicle for the CVT. They've started using a 20 year newer design with the smaller (1.5 liter and smaller) engines; believe it is again an in-house design.

 

[maytag85]

The biggest weak point in modern vehicles is the transmission, literally all modern automatic transmissions I can think of with the exception of a few always have major problems and can’t be rebuilt since they have gotten that complex as of late. Give me a Chrysler TorqueFlight or GM Hydromatic 4 speed or even Ford Cruise-O-Matic 3 speed automatic over anything made today!

 

[qsd-dan]

I find it odd that the big 3 made bulletproof transmissions such as the 904/727, C4/C6, TH350/TH400, but fail...miserably...at making an automatic transmission with an overdrive.

 

Chrysler A500 was basically a 904 with overdrive. Bunch of problems.

 

Chrysler A518 was basically a 727 with overdrive. Bunch of problems.

 

Chrysler 4 speed Ultradrive transmissions were crap when introduced in 1989 when they first debuted and were still junk today. Hell their 4 speed platform was having the same problems over a 23 year span. Really Chrysler?? You can't fix design flaws over the course of 2 decades? Their 6 speeds used from 2007 to the present are still junk.

 

Chryslers 9 speed has class action lawsuits pending. Enough said there.

 

GM 700R4/4L60E/4L80E were "alright" but still had their issues. If you treated them kindly and changed the oil according to the severe maintenance schedule, they would last pretty long. Towing in overdrive would kill them off pretty quick.

 

GM's 8 speed transmissions are so shitty there's currently a class action lawsuit on them.

 

Gm's 10 speed trans débuted in 2020 and already have a bunch of issues which can be seen here https://www.mylemon.com/lemon-law-blog/gm-10-speed-transmission-problems-what-you-need-to-do-now/

 

Ford AOD is sort of crude design and lasted 120-150K for the average driver. There's a plastic throttle bushing that likes to shear which will smoke the trans instantly. Their shaft designed lockup was pretty ingenious though. I've seen a couple of these transmissions make it to 200K if the oil was changed every 20,000 miles or when the fluid got dark.

 

Ford AODE/4R70W had several issues that didn't get fixed until 1997 with their accumulator and valve body designs. They had some other issues but those transmissions would last if the oil was changed religiously. Torque converter shudder is also problem if the oil isn't changed often. The neutral safety switches in these are kinda weak and will cause the transmission to occasionally drop out of gear when they fail. Lots of shady transmission shops will insist on and charge for a complete rebuild, change this sensor for $50, and make a handsome profit.

 

Ford AXOD/AXODE were toast by 120K miles. This was the main reason so many Ford Taurus's ended up in the junkyard.

 

Honda automatic transmissions are pretty weak but if the oil is changed every 20-30K miles, they can actually last a long time.

 

Toyota (AISIN) knows how to build quality automatic transmissions.

 

The era of dipstickless auto transmissions is complete bullshit. 100K to lifetimes fluid changes is complete bullshit. The more gears in a transmission, the more it's shifting. The more it shifts, the quicker the fluid gets contaminated, the more often it needs to be changed. I changed the oil on a 6 speed Toyota Avalon at 30K miles and it was DARK. No fucking way that trans is going to last a long time with 100k mile service that the factory recommends.

 

Driving modestly and changing the fluid according the severe maintenance schedule is the magic potion to a long service life. Adding a cooler helps since heat is the #1 reason for failure. As a rule of thumb, every 10 degree increase in operating temperature above 175F cuts the life of the fluid in half. Every 20 degree increase cuts the life of the transmission in half.

 

Rant over.

 

[maytag85]

Reply #15

The only conclusion I have to make a modern automatic transmission last is to literally change the transmission fluid as often as you would change the oil since the engineering of modern vehicles had gotten quite piss-poor since servicing and repair is a afterthought on a majority of modern vehicles, not all but a good majority of them.

 

[volsboy1]

I have always been a Honda person. I have 2009 Honda Ridgeline  4x4 that has been one of the best cars I have ever had. I have 326,000 miles on it and very hard miles at that, I use it on the farm towing everything cause I hate hate driving our 2010  Dodge 3500 diesel. Its like driving the Titanic or trying to..

My Ridgeline has never giving me any trouble but, I only use Lube-guard transmission fluid and Atf cooler.

 Honda until recently used very different automatics than most there automatics where basically a manual transmission with automatic clutch packs. They just now started using planetary gear types with the new turbo accord I think.

 My Maxima has been wonderful until now. I hate Cvt transmissions even when they try to mimic shift they still suck. They could engineer one that would last but they don't.

I remember when G.M. made there Tornado/Cadillac front wheel drive transmission with that huge 500 v8 that where worried about that chain drive. They came up with a  pre-stretch chain called Hy-yo I think and it was so strong they used it in those strange huge front wheel drive mobile homes.

  I am trading my Maxima in on a Toyota Camry Hybrid Awd. I don't know if I can call it a Awd sense the rear wheels are driving by a electric motor only there is no connection to the gas engine at all.

 It does not have near the power of my Maxima but,there is a ton of torque from the electric motors and even though it says Cvt. There is no chain or anything in the transmission now.

The car basically uses the electric motors to get it up to cruising speed and the gas engine takes over.

 My boyfriend lives in Vermont and plane tickets are not cheap and it snows up there alot and that Maxima was nothing but tire spinning paper weight. Not to mention a gas hog with my lead foot.

 Funny thing about transmission fluids. For years they used oil from whales and it worked great until 1973 then the ban went into effect and fluids was changed.

Transmission problems  went through the roof cause they couldn't make a fluid that could take the heat away.

That has always been a problem then Lube-guard came out with LXE which is a synthetic whale molecule

and worked better than dead whale fat.

I have never had a transmission fail using it  engineers and everybody swear by it. I used what Nissan wanted cause of the extended warranty and now I am having problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[askolover]

What makes me angry is when Mfgrs tell consumers that the trans fluid is LIFETIME and does not ever need changing.  Car people and others with even a little mechanical knowledge know this is a crock of hooey.  My Volvo has an 8 speed Aisin in it (same one used in some Lexus, Toyota, VW, Audi cars) and it says in the owner's manual that it's lifetime.  I do a partial change every time I do an oil change.  Simple to do and keeps the fluid blood red.  It only gets out like 2.5 quarts each time but that's still cheap and easy to do as it has its own drain plug.