Question for other CVT Pathfinder Platinum owners

[cwilliamsws6]

My 2014 Pathfinder just got its 3rd CVT at 114K miles. The original lasted 87K miles, the second one lasted about 27K miles. The third one has about 500 miles on it so far.

Being a Platinum, it has a transmission cooler.

I was wanting to know if there's any other Platinum CVT Pathfinder owners on here, and if any of you have installed a larger/upgraded transmission cooler and if so which one did you use.

Edit: I live in Lewiston Idaho, one of very few places where there's NO FINE for using a runaway truck ramp, I regularly travel roads that are anywhere between an 8 and 11% grade, so my CVT gets run HOT and HARD.

I know the tiny little cooler in the drivers side wheel well isn't cooling it good enough.

 

[JavierH19]

What cvt fluid do you use and how often do you change.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

What cvt fluid do you use and how often do you change.

CVT #1 never had the fluid changed and it failed at 87K. The previous owners traded it in because they didn't want to pay to replace it, so I bought it right after CVT #2 got installed.

CVT #2 was installed at 87K. I got the fluid changed at the local Nissan dealer for the first time at 110K. At 114K it started juddering and failed.

CVT #3 currently has about 500 miles on it.

 

[JavierH19]

CVT #1 never had the fluid changed and it failed at 87K. The previous owners traded it in because they didn't want to pay to replace it, so I bought it right after CVT #2 got installed.

CVT #2 was installed at 87K. I got the fluid changed at the local Nissan dealer for the first time at 110K. At 114K it started juddering and failed.

CVT #3 currently has about 500 miles on it.

Let's hope the 3rd time's the charm. I'd use amsoil cvt and spill and fill every 20k which might be yearly so it's not too much hassle. Cvt's hate torque and the 3.5 makes plenty of it. No idea if upgraded coolers exist but using a better fluid and changing frequently helps.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

Let's hope the 3rd time's the charm. I'd use amsoil cvt and spill and fill every 20k which might be yearly so it's not too much hassle. Cvt's hate torque and the 3.5 makes plenty of it. No idea if upgraded coolers exist but using a better fluid and changing frequently helps.

I'll definitely look into the amsoil CVT fluid because I have a coworker who is also an amsoil dealer

 

[supton]

I wonder if the Nissan dealer botched the fluid change. How I don't know; I know when I inquired about doing my Toyota's CVT, the dealership was really really reluctant to even sell me fluid for it. Maybe that dealership just tossed the wrong fluid at the trans--if so, hopefully the cooler was flushed when the 3rd trans went in.

I wonder if you could get a temp sensor into the trans outlet line? that's going to read hot, but is the worst case I guess. I would think there is some way to get a Scanguage or similar on there to read the trans temp, surely there is a sensor somewhere on it...

 

[cwilliamsws6]

I wonder if the Nissan dealer botched the fluid change. How I don't know; I know when I inquired about doing my Toyota's CVT, the dealership was really really reluctant to even sell me fluid for it. Maybe that dealership just tossed the wrong fluid at the trans--if so, hopefully the cooler was flushed when the 3rd trans went in.

I wonder if you could get a temp sensor into the trans outlet line? that's going to read hot, but is the worst case I guess. I would think there is some way to get a Scanguage or similar on there to read the trans temp, surely there is a sensor somewhere on it...

I've questioned it, given the general reputation of this particular dealership. There's a trans temp sensor from the factory (or at least I believe so, there's something that reports as trans temp from the ECU.) I have the Torque app and CVTz50, and in both apps I have been able to watch my CVT temps while driving.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

sounds like you should change the CVT fluid every OCI

The good news is that CVT fluid isn't that expensive. Here is a 2.5 gallon jug of Transtar CVT, which is the correct green color.

Here is the CVT fluid change procedure, for those interested.

 

[uttadms31]

I'm worried too about the fluid changes at the dealer; I've heard some of the CVT failures are due to them slightly overfilling it. So yes I've been following the recommendations of every 60k (I'm around 120k) but I'm hesitant about doing it every 20-30k as some say to do, since that's more chances for them to screw it up once. 60k is probably alright if you don't drive it real hard or tow a lot.

 

[dfarr67]

I avoid cvt's so I know nothing except nissan had/has a reputation regarding these. I have a hard time believing a cvt rated oil (especially oem) makes or breaks one of these- I would be looking at the quality of rebuild, ecu tune.

 

[tbm5690]

Do you tow? Also, was it belts that caused failure #2?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Is fluid temperature a big factor in CVT failure? Its a steel type belt in a pulley, so I was under the impression that changing fluid frequently was your best bet - getting any abrasives out.? Am I wrong on that? Does higher fluid temperature lead to more slippage or something?

I avoid CVT's also but its getting harder so I am trying to absorb any wisdom for future reference.

 

[researcher]

My 2014 Pathfinder just got its 3rd CVT at 114K miles. The original lasted 87K miles, the second one lasted about 27K miles. The third one has about 500 miles on it so far.

Being a Platinum, it has a transmission cooler.

I was wanting to know if there's any other Platinum CVT Pathfinder owners on here, and if any of you have installed a larger/upgraded transmission cooler and if so which one did you use.

Edit: I live in Lewiston Idaho, one of very few places where there's NO FINE for using a runaway truck ramp, I regularly travel roads that are anywhere between an 8 and 11% grade, so my CVT gets run HOT and HARD.

I know the tiny little cooler in the drivers side wheel well isn't cooling it good enough.

I've also heard of Nissan not using the correct cooler, small, cheap. Remember.. Nissan had been losing money for a long time, the cheapening of their products shows in lots of areas. Now you say you have a trans cooler, maybe look into an aftermarket one that is larger to shed more heat? That would probably be the best route since fluid, any kind, would get cooked if the temps don't get reduced in a CVT.

 

[dfarr67]

You need to look at it the other way- forget nissan, good maintenance needs to built on a good transmission. I don't even like honda's cvt attempt and elected to row gears instead.

 

[svtrit]

I'm worried too about the fluid changes at the dealer; I've heard some of the CVT failures are due to them slightly overfilling it. So yes I've been following the recommendations of every 60k (I'm around 120k) but I'm hesitant about doing it every 20-30k as some say to do, since that's more chances for them to screw it up once. 60k is probably alright if you don't drive it real hard or tow a lot.

On the Rogue forum we have a Nissan tech that cautions that it’s way better to overfill than it is to underfill a CVT. No damage will occur with an overfill, but an underfill will destroy the transmission quickly.

I just do a spill and fill on my Rogue and don’t do temp checks or use the burp hole. 3.75-4 quarts covers it every time. It’s really easy to do as well, as the transmission has a drain plug.

Good luck!

 

[Barkleymut]

Do you tow? Also, was it belts that caused failure #2?

He lives in a VERY mountainous area. Forget towing, going straight up 10% grades is way harder on a tranny than a 2k lb trailer

 

[GSCJR]

The cartridge filter is often overlooked; there's a filter?

The shift adapt and/or relearn is also an important step after a tranny replacement.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

He lives in a VERY mountainous area. Forget towing, going straight up 10% grades is way harder on a tranny than a 2k lb trailer

Bingo. Also I never tow.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

I've also heard of Nissan not using the correct cooler, small, cheap. Remember.. Nissan had been losing money for a long time, the cheapening of their products shows in lots of areas. Now you say you have a trans cooler, maybe look into an aftermarket one that is larger to shed more heat? That would probably be the best route since fluid, any kind, would get cooked if the temps don't get reduced in a CVT.

That's what I'm wanting to do, get a bigger cooler to swap in I was wondering if anyone else on here has already done it and if so which cooler they bought

 

[cwilliamsws6]

On the Rogue forum we have a Nissan tech that cautions that it’s way better to overfill than it is to underfill a CVT. No damage will occur with an overfill, but an underfill will destroy the transmission quickly.

I just do a spill and fill on my Rogue and don’t do temp checks or use the burp hole. 3.75-4 quarts covers it every time. It’s really easy to do as well, as the transmission has a drain plug.

Good luck!

I am honestly wondering if the dealer underfilled it when the fluid got changed because the P17F0 showed up about 500 miles after the fact. Then 6 months later, zzzzzing BOOM.