How's your CVT holding up?

Those whom I know with Nissan CVTs have close to, or over 200K miles without doing a single fluid change before the tranny fails. They also drive easily. So, I figure if I change the fluid out on a regular basis and drive like a human being instead of like I stole the car, I should do OK. Same for the Civic.


You know I have 315,500 miles on my CVT... Did the first of 4 drain and refills at 283,500 miles.

The last drain and refill the fluid the fluid still had a bit of the blueish color to it. Eneos CVT fluid has the blue color.

And I drive my car hard at times... Today I hit 5,000 rpm getting up to 55 mph. And I do that pretty much daily. I have gotten up to 6k rpm a times has well.

95 percent of my driving has been open highway cruising miles.
 
Not a testament to longevity, but we had something like 80K miles on our 2016 Nissan quest minivan w/ CVT before we traded it in. It lived it's first year and 32K miles as a rental. Traded it in for a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder ex-rental w/ CVT w/ 23K miles on it. Currently at 36K. For me, with newer Nissans, the CVT is not my biggest worry. Rust, A/C issues, E-steering or electrical concerns is. I know how to service Nissan CVTs myself cheaply and easily, but like said above, I'm not sure fluid is always the issue with them.
 
"hey BETTER as replacement costs similar to an engine replacement $$$. like anything new the beta testers help sort out the issues $$$$$. i am a manual only guy + recommend conventional automatics as a second choice WHY take an EXPENSIVE chance for a little better mpgs + poor performance. my sisters 18 Impreza is a real PIG, not a dog because i love dogs!! "

CVT's seemed to also be used in applications where cost containment or reduction is also a goal for the final product. I still think all of the bugs may not be worked out.

I'm in agreement....BUT it isn't like the modern traditional maintained transmission is truly as reliable as most maintained engines! I like having a truck and a car. I like the F150. I'm keeping my 15 F150 as long as I can because it's 6 speed trans and it's 5.0 NON DI engine I feel much better long term with than the DI and 10 speed alternative to a newer model. And it's paid off and not a fan of the monthly bills!
 
our CVT is fast approaching 62K miles on the CRV and it will outlive the engine IMO

i'm doing drain and refill on my own each 30K, thus I did it twice so far
 
I purchased my ex-rental Pathfinder with 16K. It now has 39K with no problems. I did a drain/refill at 30K. I do enjoy driving this vehicle. My favorite car so far. We've had my granddaughter's rogue 2 1/2 years but it only has 19K on the clock. No problems with it and I will do a drain/refill at 30K.

I had a 16 Altima that did a little jerking once and gave a transmission code another time, both at the same location, a very steep hill. One of the possible causes for the code was low fluid. It did all of this with less than 2K. I took it back to the dealer and of course they could not find any problems. I talked to the tech that was working on it and asked if he had checked the fluid and he said "No, It's a brand new car and the fluid cannot be low". I got a quart of NS3 and did some research on how to check the fluid and found that the fluid was about 12 ounces low. I topped it off and did not have any more problems. Fluid level on any automatic transmission is critical.

In my research I also found out that you cannot check the fluid on a hot Nissan CVT. It has to cool off to a certain temperature and that can take hours. Most likely the reason the tech did not want to check the CVT fluid level on my Altima.
 
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My coworker 2013 Versa failed at 90k miles. I don't believe they changed the fluid yet though. He was talking about wanting to get it done, but never did, then it failed.
Another co-worker has 120k on his rogue and no problems yet but he drives almost 100% highway and probably has changed his fluid at least once.
 
my 2015 nissan is at 30K miles but the CVT fluid doesn't even have a hint of brown or grey after 5 years. Does that mean I can go another 30K miles before changing the fluid? Do you rely on the color before deciding when to change? Mainly short drives 5 miles each direction, 3 to 4 times a week with little on highway.
Drive is very smooth and quiet. CVT is a drivers dream.
 
My CVT fluid looked good as well(I made my own dipstick) in my '15 Altima @50K miles but was very dark when I drained it. Color isn't the only factor(just like oil) when it comes to fluids. Does this mean that you can go another 30K miles? Sure, but should you?

I don't think that every CVT with a bad reputation will fail. It just means that there are too many that will. Just like any vehicle with a known high failure part(s). Many will motor on without issue.
 
I made my own dipstick as well, that's how I knew the fluid was clear on a white napkin. So are you saying that once it is drain, it actually looked dark? i.e. color of fluid from dipstick is not reliable?
Is that the same for all of you that has done your own CVT fluid change and had check with dipstick before the replacement?
 
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Keep in mind that I changed my Altima CVT fluid at 50K.
But yes, once the CVT fluid is in the drain pan, it looked like dirty engine oil to me...IMO, just like when I check my engine oil.

On the dipstick the engine oil or CVT fluid looks OK, even smeared between my fingers. But, once in the drain pan(my drain pan is white), the oil definitely looks dark brown-ish.

However, NISSAN recommends(not requires) a 60,000 CVT fluid change whereas HONDA(for example) recommends a 30,000 mile CVT fluid change.

I changed the CVT fluid in the Honda Civic in my signature on time at 30,000 miles but did the Altima in my signature early at 50,000 miles. I may keep both of these car at the 30K mile CVT fluid change interval.

CVTs require a bit more service than regular shiftable automatic trannys, as do DSG/DCT(automated manuals). I mean, how much can we get away with is how much of a risk do we want to take.

Trannys have become the weak link in the drivetrain and the problematic item in new vehicles today(along w/electronics). Even though all vehicles are overall actually more reliable than in the past. We now have different issues according the Consumer Reports

For example, even though manufactures like e.g., HONDA or NISSAN who have fallen in the reliability ratings, they're still more reliable vehicles than the days that we considered near the top, like Toyota. It's just that other manufactures have leap frogged them.

As Consumer Reports said in a recent episode of Talking Cars. There are the less reliable brands and the reliable brands..................And then, there is TOYOTA.
 
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That video clip above, fast forwarded as suggested is interesting!

I've been following this thing for years. That's the first I've seen of that movable sheave pulled apart and that keyway / ball problem. Interesting if that's a standard failure mode.

All I've ever read about in Pathfinder/Murano world is the faulty 'pressure control valve'. Where poor materials for the valve cause it to stick, eventually leading to improper clamping pressure, belt slippage and metal fragment madness. This valve has been changed or even removed on later models, but issues still arise.

These things either fail well before 100K miles, or go 300K+ You gotta know and accept it going into it.
 
You know I have 315,500 miles on my CVT... Did the first of 4 drain and refills at 283,500 miles.

The last drain and refill the fluid the fluid still had a bit of the blueish color to it. Eneos CVT fluid has the blue color.

And I drive my car hard at times... Today I hit 5,000 rpm getting up to 55 mph. And I do that pretty much daily. I have gotten up to 6k rpm a times has well.

95 percent of my driving has been open highway cruising miles.

Your experience is the way it should be.
 
I have 127k miles on a 2016 Nissan Rouge that I bought at 103k miles. It was a sales rep vehicle and had an awesome Carfax, but no transmission service listed. I had it serviced shortly after purchasing it, and plan on doing 50k mile services from here on out. No issues at all.

I do think Nissan ruined it by adding the shifting feature. My 2015 Altima, which I sold to buy the Rouge, got 34-37 mpg on the highway. I rented a 2018 Altima for a week and only got 28-30.

They don't scare me, though I almost didn't buy my Altima due to the bad transmission reviews.
 
I'm sure the 3.5L is much more fun than our 2.5L Altima.

I think we went close to 100k before the first fluid change and then changed it again at around 150k, IIRC.

It's fine for him. We moved it over to our son in 2016 when we bought the Rav4.

He' drove it to college for another 2+ years and then, when he moved out, it's his car for work, etc.

WFH has saved him a ton of miles, so I think he gets more mileage coming home to do laundry (3mi) or getting take out food than pretty much anything else.

I don't care for the rubber band sensation of the CVT, but then I drive a manual transaxle Mazda3.

Ya know CB... My circumstance is like a alpine deer in the woods... :LOL:

A lot of miles in a short time frame. I told my lady the other day I still enjoy driving the car.
 
Yeah, our mpg is quite good in the summer months but only fair in the winter(EPA city-27/hiwy-38/comb-31). Usually ~29-32 combine. Have gone over 40 mpg hiwy with best ever of 44(actual, not the cars computer). I usually compare the cars computer and my phone calculator. However in the winter, mpg is in the low-mid 20s. But, that's the way it is when the temps are in the mid-high teens and I use the RES often.
 
Hey CB.....88K miles on my 2012 Rogue... ....drain and fills done at 40K with factory Nissan fluid....then at 60 and 70 done with Amsoil CVT fluid and I am like you....I enjoy it in most city driving.
 
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander. Amsoil CVT fluid change at 90 or 110K, I cannot remember.
Drained fluid was dark maple syrup (industrial grade) in color.
CVT operated OK then, OK now @ 175K.
 
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