Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

As the title states, my transmission in my 2011 Maxima went on this pass Friday. As I was heading home from work, I went to slow down (traffic ahead); at the same moment, I went to accelerated my car slowly, the rpm gauge flew to 7k and the gas pedal sunked to the floor. All at that moment I hear I loud whine and like a metal band breaking.

My car wouldn't move. I had it towed to the dealer. Saturday morning they confirmed that the transmission needed to be replace. It's being covered by my extended protection plan.

I purchased my car last December as a CPO with 31k. She has 51k now.

I haven't heard much issues with our maximas regarding the CVT transmission. While it won't deter me from buying other nissan/Infiniti products or even maximas, I'm pretty sure however this is my last CVT transmission car..

I wanted to provide the org with any info that could help. I just wish I had signs before it happened.

I should have my car back tomorrow or Monday the latest

george__

iTrader: (1)

no video ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V9lhh8Kros
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3jvYG52ZjY


Altima CVT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOM5cIBoqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1DYcEkOBZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNjw7Yf_SRU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ToZMXQQAys

other
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWTpukwl5QM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMJr62zw_88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG_Zf1eo0Pw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqYTZGHjEhM (KIDS IN THE CAR. SO DANGEROUS)

yup. Nissan has been messing with cvt since the 1990s and still crap

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

Sorry no vids, this happen in traffic and that was the last thing on my mind... I know nissan have been at it for awhile, but I personally had not heard any major issues. Especially on the 7th gen.

lightonthehill

Any vid would probably have shown only your disappointed face. We can survive without that.

There have been only a very limited number of 7th gen CVT failures posted here. I am sorry you are one of those select few.

Took me a year to feel I was driving this CVT optimally, but now that I feel I am doing it correctly, I will probably stick with CVTs for the remainder of my days (which, as an octogenarian, are probably not that many).

KGMtech

I feel for you. I've grown to really like the CVT in my 2013, to the point when I drive my other 2 cars, I find their shifting annoying!

I'm really hoping you will get some feedback from Nissan as to what part failed first?

ThinBlue82

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, this is the risk we take when owning a car. Some never require major repairs and some due. Like you, my cvt crapped out on me at 56k but Nissan replaced it under warranty for free. For me, this is the biggest selling point and determining factor when it comes to sticking with Nissan. The service department has always been good to me. I know there are other who feel differently but I can only speak for myself. I love my 7th gen Maxima as is with its rocking seat, weird cvt, failing wheel bearings and all of the other gremlins these cars have. OP sorry for your bad luck with your cvt but glad to hear its being replaced for free

george__

iTrader: (1)

Booo what do you do with your left foot!?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

i see it all the time at work, people get newer Nissans towed in with blown CVT and we just tell them to go to Nissan and get it replaced under warranty. CVT are the worst thing to hit automobiles in a long time

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

I bet that vid would show a lot more than disappointment on his face if the CVT was not covered under warranty.

Shipwreck

It sounds like yours had a total failure over those videos (or at least the ones I watched) where it looks like they went into limp mode.

Really sorry to hear that man. I'd bet everything should be covered by warranty. Thanks for keeping us posted!

george__

iTrader: (1)

Then nobody would be buying Nissans

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

I will ask when I pick up the car... chances are they don't even know and we're just glad to shove the bill to nissan.

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

I gotta agree, over the years with my family owning 7 plus nissan's, whenever I had to go the dealer, I got exceptional service and didn't feel cheated if you can believe that. Lol..

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I went through this as well. Glad your warranty took care of it. I also had a positive experience trough nissan when this happened.

lightonthehill

Glad to see a few dealers get a little credit here.

I realize there are really bad dealerships around, but, having driven since the 1940s, I have had only two dealers I felt really cared about me, and who took care of me in every situation. One was a Nissan dealer I used from 1978 until 1995 (at which time I moved), and the second was a Nissan dealer I have been using since 1995.

Both those two Nissan dealers have made repairs for me free of charge after my warranty expired as a 'customer appreciation courtesy.'

I respond to this good service by buying my tires, batteries, accessories, etc, from my dealer, who then responds by beating the lowest price I can find on whatever I am buying from him.

lightonthehill

I take my left shoe off and rest my tired left foot (tired from having driven many manual trannies between the 1940s and 1984) on the dash so I can wave to passing county mounties with my toes.

Actually, the only three things I use to drive my CVT are my eyes, my brain and my right toes. I have always 'driven ahead', in that I remain very aware of the roadway I will be travelling the next quarter to half mile - especially the gradient. I then know the acceleration/velocity I will need to be at the speed I want to be at during that stretch.

The difficult point is being able to judge exactly what pressure to apply to the accelerator pedal in order to attain/maintain the needed momentum without causing the engine to rev any higher than necessary (which wastes fuel).

bk2k3max

I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to your car but the great thing is that you are still under warranty. I hate to hear things going wrong with folk's cars.

Good luck and hopefully you'll be on the road soon.

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

Nice!

187max

A mechanic that works at nissan told me why CVT's fail .. The reason is most drivers start and go without warming up the car ... Overall once it's warmed up you can beat on it and won't fail .. Never accelerate in neutral drop it drive .. They had many clients that there kids did so

Akiyukio

iTrader: (1)

Good to know. I define "warmed up" as in the coolant needle is fully on the lowest mark before I start gently driving the car. Of course, this is only engine coolant and not transmission fluid temperature.
Once it's in the normal middle area is when I drive it normally.

How does one check the temperature of the transmission fluid?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

The best way to warm up an engine and a transmission is to actually drive the car. Other than waiting a few seconds to give the engine oil and trans fluid a chance to reach certain areas. I would just make sure I drive in a reasonable manner and take it easy on the car until it was warmed up.

Dudemaine

iTrader: (1)

I always wait until the car is at 1K RPMs before I take it out of park; it usually starts up and is around 1,500 (it might be a bit higher for only a few seconds on a cold start) and gradually makes its way down.

That is an always must-do for me.

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I rarely warm up my cars, even with my other Maximas that went over 200k miles. I just take it easy at first.

Nitehawk11sv

Now that its cold here in las vegas, im always getting on my gf to let her rogue warm up for a second lol. She just starts it and goes and im like nooooooooo. I always let the max warm up until it drops down in rpm and sound. Just healthy.

fame126

i keep mine in sport mode 90%of the time hope this wont prematurely sabotage my cvt

BronxSleeperMax187

2000 Maxima original tranny still alive thank god with 187,000 miles....bought with 116,000 seven years ago. Scared to ever buy A used 7th gen after seeing this.
I can't beat this tranny dead for A swap lol....JK

Richard66

Tranny failure is a very, very rare occurrence in the 7th generation world. With normal driving conditions and you change the transmission oil on schedule there is no reason why 250K miles is not obtainable. If you buy a 7th gen and have no record that the tranny's oil was ever changed it would be a good idea to get it done. otherwise don't worry about it. The 7th gen car is one you will enjoy.

ThinBlue82

iTrader: (1)

I'd have to agree. Even though I had my cvt replaced I'd have to say its the exception and not the norm. I'd certainly have no problem buying another used 7th gen in the future.

zoemayne

iTrader: (4)

i've been on this 7th gen section for a few years and i've probably seen less than a dozen cvt failures.... only one i can recall was not replaced by the warranty. I finally got my max in december w 30k miles and i've put 15k miles this year without a problem!

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

I wanted to provide everyone with an update on things so far. Since the transmission was replaced, I've put another 10,500 miles (61K now) on her without any issues. I have also shorten my commute to work a few months ago as I took a position that is currently close to home, so the miles on her won't go up as much as it did when I first got her. I still don't think I would want to do another CVT car but who knows. Lol

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I've put 48k miles since the CVT was replaced in my car....so far going ok.

BronxSleeperMax187

Do you have A time machine we don't know about to predict these things Two dudes here are probably driving it like 4dSC while others are granny rolling...

BronxSleeperMax187

I would beat that thing to death before the warranty runs out and they break anyway lol

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

I can't speak for everyone else, but I don't beat on my daily driver. I have other vehicles for that.

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

At how many miles did your car have when the cvt failed?

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

57k miles. I was not a catastrophic failure, but some symptoms that made me get it checked.

RR5

iTrader: (6)

Makes me wonder if you can send off a CVT fluid sample to BlackStone for analysis. I'm betting there are certain metals that when the concentrations start increasing would predict CVT failure. However I'd also mention the driver would (or should) feel the CVT acting "weird" as in jumpy RPM needle or other behavior.

The problem then becomes getting the stealership to agree there's a CVT problem and correct it. Sadly dealers don't crack open transmissions anymore, its more cost effective to swap 'em. Been that way for a long while now.

Nitehawk11sv

My dealer is swapping mine out today for a new one. There was no loss of power. My conditions were (in my opinion) 1. The heat, 2. Had a significant whine after 20 mins driving, and i had changed the cvt fluid just 4 k miles ago,this is with ac on, 3. In Ds mode it would not shift down sometimes, same in regular d mode. All that combined my dealer hooked up a computer to the cvt and sent diagnostics to nissan corporate engineering who determined to replace the cvt now before it failed. I will report all specs later today if its done at that time.

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

What made you get it checked? I only ask because I am certain I didnt get any warnings, until literally as it was happening.

Excalibur23

iTrader: (3)

I agree. I am curious to know. For me, I didnt get a warning. At that period, I was driving my car 2-3 hours a day for work. I know I wouldve or even shouldve got a warning. But nothing until right as it was happening. The dealer did say there is issues with the cvt, but it isnt enough for nissan to say anything about it. Because I am under warranty it go replaced by Nissan, but for anyone who isn't its 6-8k. I just think that nissans Auto/CVT vehicle have been hit or miss the pass decade. Whether with was the issue with 6th gens auto or the pathfinders with coolant leaking into trans..