Question regarding servicing a leased vehicle.

[louie0406]

Originally Posted by IShootNikon

I don't think there is even a dipstick to check the tranny fluid. Most newer cars don't

And this is what sucks. In order to have it just checked you have to pay nissan whereas on a traditional transmission you can just pull out the dipstick and visually check the oil and smell it to see if it smells burnt. No need to pay a dealership $100+ just to inspect the fluid.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by deevel79

Well according to the service manual, the first scheduled required cvt fluid replacement for my vehicle is at 60k miles. The power train warranty is 5yrs/60k miles. I currently have 38k miles on the vehicle. Therefore I don't see how I can be held liable if the tranny were to fail prior to then.

Again, the manual tells you to get the fluid inspected at 30k miles. If it's deemed bad, it has to be changed at 30k.

[alpha_1976]

Originally Posted by deevel79

Well according to the service manual, the first scheduled required cvt fluid replacement for my vehicle is at 60k miles. The power train warranty is 5yrs/60k miles. I currently have 38k miles on the vehicle. Therefore I don't see how I can be held liable if the tranny were to fail prior to then.

No - I just checked it. It says inspect transmission fluid at 30K. It also says replace if you drive under some conditions. This also means you have to replace it if it doesn't look good.

[louie0406]

Took it in to Koepel Nissan yesterday and thankfully it was coverered under the warranty. Reason being?....I was experencing an obvious transmission issue that they were able to duplicate during a test drive. Had I just brought it in for a regular cvt fluid change then I would have been charged as it would have been considered "preventive maintanence". Havent had a chance to drive it long enough to see if the whine comes back. If so then so be it. Turning this thing in Jan anyway and taking my business back to Honda. These Nissan/Jatco cvt's are terrible.

[exhdo1]

Originally Posted by deevel79

Took it in to Koepel Nissan yesterday and thankfully it was coverered under the warranty. Reason being?....I was experencing an obvious transmission issue that they were able to duplicate during a test drive. Had I just brought it in for a regular cvt fluid change then I would have been charged as it would have been considered "preventive maintanence". Havent had a chance to drive it long enough to see if the whine comes back. If so then so be it. Turning this thing in Jan anyway and taking my business back to Honda. These Nissan/Jatco cvt's are terrible.

Nissan had to extend the warranty on the 2003-2010 CVT's to a 10-year /120,000 mile warranty . What did they actually do the trans? Either way, your on record that the trans has an issue and they recognize it. If it fails it should be on them. Just curious, did they try to sell you all the other 30K recommended service items when they had your car?

[louie0406]

Originally Posted by exhdo1

Nissan had to extend the warranty on the 2003-2010 CVT's to a 10-year /120,000 mile warranty . What did they actually do the trans? Either way, your on record that the trans has an issue and they recognize it. If it fails it should be on them. Just curious, did they try to sell you all the other 30K recommended service items when they had your car?

They did a basic cvt fluid flush and refill. All other maintenance up till this point was done by my local mechanic. Mine is a a 2012 and doesnt have the extended 10yr/120k mile warranty. Nissan claims they fixed all the kinks in the older cvt's. All one has to do is google "nissan cvt" and you will see page after page of all the problems owners are having with these transmissions. I cant even recall how many people are on their 2nd and 3rd trannys with less than 60k on the odometer. Apparently these cvt's are extremely sensitive to heat and can easily malfunction and/or fail suddenly.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by deevel79

They did a basic cvt fluid flush and refill. All other maintenance up till this point was done by my local mechanic. Mine is a a 2012 and doesnt have the extended 10yr/120k mile warranty. Nissan claims they fixed all the kinks in the older cvt's. All one has to do is google "nissan cvt" and you will see page after page of all the problems owners are having with these transmissions. I cant even recall how many people are on their 2nd and 3rd trannys with less than 60k on the odometer. Apparently these cvt's are extremely sensitive to heat and can easily malfunction and/or fail suddenly.

The final bearing is extremely heat-sensitive.
The whining noise occurs after prolonged periods of driving when the fluid has lost some of its cooling capabilities and the transmission gets hot.
Changing/flushing the fluid prevents that from happening.
Most drivers are oblivious to this, because they don't know better, and most service shops neglect to inform them about the service.
From my experience, the CVT fluid breaks down approximately every 30k miles. Quite frankly, that's the average breakdown period for any transmission fluid, be it ATF, Manual Transmission Fluid, or CVT fluid.

I had a 2008 Altima, drove it until it had ~200k miles, original transmission. I first changed the fluid after I heard the whine from commuting to school (80 miles away) after about an hour of cruising at 80mph on the highway. From that point on, I decided to change the fluid every 30k. Every time, it was severely discolored and smelly.

Nissan just needs to change their recommended service interval, or maybe redirect the transmission lines into the radiator, like ATs do.