ANYONE GET THE NEW TRANSMISSION UPDATE

[Kerbear]

UPDATE*

I have now had the new replacement krom for 2000 miles and it too has the same issue of not moving when coming from a stop. I have done some research on more informative wesites and it comes to a new issue of late 2009 2010 rogues having new parts for these years. The transmission will not kick down to a low gear after highway speeds and will rev to the moon just to move. Some fixes are a lamp switch but ultimitly its a communication error between these newly used parts for the 2010 model year. This issue is becoming more widely as the newer models are being bought.

Thanks for your help and bashing as you guys didn't seem to think it was a new issue. I have been on more welcoming sites with better service than this site that thinks they know it all but lead you in the wrong direction.

[philipa_240sx]

Thanks for your help and bashing as you guys didn't seem to think it was a new issue. I have been on more welcoming sites with better service than this site that thinks they know it all but lead you in the wrong direction.

Kerbear,

None of us are mechanics, so we try to offer the best advice we can. I don't think anyone's comments came across as bashing, at least I didn't think so.

Hopefully the dealer resolves your issues so you can enjoy your Rogue! The problems you are experiencing are definitely not the norm for most Rogue owners out there.

[greenscreen]

UPDATE*

I have now had the new replacement krom for 2000 miles and it too has the same issue of not moving when coming from a stop. I have done some research on more informative wesites and it comes to a new issue of late 2009 2010 rogues having new parts for these years. The transmission will not kick down to a low gear after highway speeds and will rev to the moon just to move. Some fixes are a lamp switch but ultimitly its a communication error between these newly used parts for the 2010 model year. This issue is becoming more widely as the newer models are being bought.

Thanks for your help and bashing as you guys didn't seem to think it was a new issue. I have been on more welcoming sites with better service than this site that thinks they know it all but lead you in the wrong direction.

Kerber,
Two brand new Rogues with same issue ? hard to believe.
I have 2010 Rogue SL AWD, and has no problem at all. It is running good and I am so happy to have bought Nissan Rogue.
As correctly said by phillipa_240sx, all members here are owners and no body is here to " serve " you. We are here to help each other and share our experiences. God luck with the new site you found with better " service" !!

[kerrton]

UPDATE*

Thanks for your help and bashing as you guys didn't seem to think it was a new issue. I have been on more welcoming sites with better service than this site that thinks they know it all but lead you in the wrong direction.

I take offense to this, what's up with that? Go back and read this thread, we donated our time to try to help you out and now you say we were bashing you? How so? That makes absolutely no sense, just because we didn't immediately have a perfect solution doesn't mean we were in the wrong, like Philip said we aren't mechanices . And no where in any of those threads were we even remotely disrespectful to you, quite the opposite.

I think you misunderstand the intent of this forum, we don't provide a "service" to you, this is just an Owner's forum, we all own Rogue's and discuss issues the best we can but we aren't experts. It's just a discussion, you ask for help we do our best to offer advice, if you don't like the advice or disagree that's fine, that's called a conversation but don't take hold it against us if you don't agree with the advice and feel free to contribute your own ideas.

I understand that you're upset about your faulty vehicle but it is wrong of you to direct that frustration at us and be disrespectful.

[walt227]

I recently purchased a 2011 rogue sv awd.... I also have the vibration, rumbling, lag or whatever which I notice mostly at speeds of 20 to 40 mph. It is noticable in my ears, the gas peddle, and steering wheel (vibration). It is more than just annoying. In any event, it sounds (no pun intended) as if the "fix/upgrade" has not extended to the 2011 models or is just a continuation of the same. Before I read this thread I thought maybe it was related to "break in period issue" but I'm now sure that is not the case. Probably will call the dealership this week and see what they have to say. Any new advice?

[philipa_240sx]

Welcome to the NICOClub Rogue Forums walt227!

The vibration you are experiencing is normal. Have a read of this thread:

concerns-about-cvt-trans-t295532.html

The CVT reprogramming only effected earlier model ('08-09) Rogue's only deals with a specific rattle/noise issue and not any vibration.

[walt227]

Thanks for the welcome. Stumbled upon the thread you referenced (as well as the forum) while doing a google search on the "problem" and it was helpful. Still, at most, I'm concerned. At the least, annoyed and/or disappointed. Philipa, your response seems to suggest that my "problem"--more of a vibration (my words), than rattle-- is not something that can be fixed via a CVT reprogramming, OR it should not be present in newer cvt transmissions,AND/OR it is simply an artifact of the cvt and nothing much can be done. I'm not sure exactly. Are you saying that if I call the dealership they well say that is how the cvt should function or will they see it as on ongoing concern still being reported by owners? Guess I'm just looking for the right thing to do and not be "put off" by the dealership if, in fact, I should not be put off. Once again, thanks for the welcome

[philipa_240sx]

OR it is simply an artifact of the cvt and nothing much can be done.

It's the way it works and nothing can be done. The dealer has no way to 'adjust' or tune the CVT to eliminate this.

So what's happening?

The engine fires at every 180deg of crank rotation for a 4cyl, so you get a power 'pulse' occurring at a frequency of half the engine rpm. This pulse produces a vibration through the drive line. The amplitude/intensity of this vibration depends on engine load and rpm. It is usually strongest at low rpm and high loads. It's very similar to driving at low engine rpm in high gear with a manual transmission.

The CVT uses high gearing and early torque converter lockup at the speeds you mention, which loads the engine up at low rpm's. This maximizes fuel efficiency but amplifies the vibration. Nissan made an engineering choice/tradeoff to achieve the best fuel efficiency from the engine and CVT. The vibration was a byproduct they had to live with.

Personally, I am used to it and it does not bother me. But I can see how it would be very annoying to some. The vibration does not increase/decrease with mileage either... I have 70,000mi (118,000km) on the odometer in my Rogue.

If you are still concerned, then by all means speak to the dealer.

[walt227]

Thanks again. While I truly do not understand the mechanics of it all, I do get the gist. I will call the dealership and see what they say but at least I am forearmed or forewarned. Perhaps, what is still a bit troubling is that, based on comments in this forum, some owners have this "problem" while others do not report it or maybe even notice it. So, I'm thinking, if that is how the cvt is suppossed to perform why do some owners not even notice it even when they seem to be paying particular attention to look for it. Seems like it should be a constant rather than variable (no pun intended) from one vehicle to another. Not trying to be argumentative or anything like that just trying to expand my understanding of what, for me, is becoming a truly unenjoyable driving experience.

[kerrton]

Hi there Walt, I understand where you're coming from and would really like to help.

I'm curious, how long have you owned your Rogue? The reason I ask is because for most of us, myself included, this characteristic is most troubling and annoying in the first few weeks of ownership but once you accept that your car is working properly as designed and there is no problem, you quickly get used to it.

Everything Philipa240sx said is correct - this vibration is what you get in return for having THE BEST city fuel efficiency of any mid-size crossover, with the exception of the Ford Escape hybrid. Literally no other crossover comes close, which is why they all focus on highway efficiency numbers which some now do exceed that of the Rogue (ex. Hyundai Tucson, Chevy Equinox), but the Rogue beats them all by a good margin in town thanks to the CVT and engine tuning.

Great question regarding why some Rogues experience this vibration while others do not, and over the years the answer I've always arrived at is the CVT "adaptive logic". The CVT will learn your driving habits and make slight adjustments to the tuning to anticipate your needs and give you what you want from the vehicle. If you consistently drive aggressively, hard on the gas/acceleration and hard on the brake, the CVT will select a slightly lower gear ratio and as a result you'll experience higher rpms - at higher rpms you don't get the vibration that you're experiencing at the speeds you noted, and when I've experimented with this over the years I've realized that it's only a matter of a couple hundred rpms between having a distinct vibration and having it totally disappear (ex. cruising at 25 mph, rpms at 1300 and vibration very noticable, step down on the gas slightly more and increase rpms to 1500 and vibration completely disappears). On the other hand, if you drive conservatively and very light on the accelerator, the CVT will select the highest gearing as quickly as possible and you'll experience the vibration regularly when cruising at a constant speed, flat ground. People who are always accelerating, then braking, then accelerating, then braking etc. and never holding a constant speed also won't normally notice the vibration.

This adaptive tuning is subtle but seems that it is enough to create two groups of Rogue owners, one who experiences the vibration and one who does not. I've had the vibration for 3 years, was worried at first but now am confident it's normal and actually if you look at the Altima and Sentra CVT threads (who share the same powertrain), they experience this too. I had a bad CVT from the factory and it rattled badly, the new replacement CVT runs beautifully and silent, and I now know that this vibration is nothing to worry about.

I'd recommend that you call your dealer and discuss the issue with them, if they're a good shop they'll be familiar with this aspect of the Rogue powertrain and be able to provide some reassurance and more details to put your mind at ease. Good luck and let us know if you learn anything new or if we can help with any more info..

[walt227]

Thanks again for all the good feedback. I am in a rural, mountainous region of Tennessee. Because of the winding and hilly roads with related lower speed limits I drive at reduced speeds and typically below 45 mph unless driving on an interstate. It is almost always within the mph range where I notice the "problem." Maybe that fits the "conservative/light" driver profile but I also feel I am in the "accelerating/braking" group also. In any event, I am becoming more relieved that it is not a malfuntion but an anomoly on the cvt. Nevertheless, it is sufficiently annoying that I become defintely unhappy if not mildly angry each time I drive the vehicle. I only have only driven the vehicle about 500 miles so I don't know if I will get used to it with time but based on my general personality---I doubt it but hope so as I may not have any alternative. I certainly did not notice it during my test drive but was in any area where faster speeds were required (quickly getting on the expressway) and I may have mistaken any sounds I did experience as tire rumble.

I did call the dealership this a.m. to set up an appt. The tech taking my call at first suggested it might be a tire out of balance. However, after a bit, he asked if I thought it might be coming from the transmission. I indicated it could be the transmission due to the consistency of the speeds at which the "vibration/rumbling" occurred and did not seem similar to my experiences with tires that were out of balance. The tech offered that he was asking because they have had some "problems" with the cvt transmission in the past but as I had the "new engine" that should not be occuring. Anyway, I am taking it in next week. Will provide more feedback afterwards.

A quick question, a bit off topic, if I might. I was thinking of taking a trip up North for the holidays. The salesman told me cars no longer have the same break in period that they used to and that a trip north would not be a problem. However, after perusing the manual, Nissan recommends a 1200 mile break in periods before taking extended trips of high milage/high speeds. Any thoughts?

Again, I appreciate people taking the time to respond.

[kerrton]

Hey Walt, I'm interested to see what your Service guys are going to tell you about this issue, in particular the statement about "the new engine". I can't imagine what he meant by "new engine", if you could find out and share with us it would be much appreciated.

Regarding engine break-in period, yes you absolutely need to pay close attention to this as a new engine still requires break-in. It really mkes me angry when uninformed or careless salesmen give inaccurate and potentially damaging information to customers. It is not difficult to break in an engine, but if it does not occur properly you can have engine troubles down the road. I would most definately recommend following the procedure in your owner's manual which only states that you should vary your speed often, don't accelerate full throttle or brake really hard, and don't take extended highway trips at one speed. In your case, you can definately take your car on the highway, but you should vary your speed occaissionaly - among other things this varying speed will allow your piston rings to seat properly.

There is an extensive thread on this with lots of good advice - this and many other great threads can be found by perusing the Glossary/FAQ at the top of the main Rogue Forum page. Prior to creating a new thread or asking a question you can quickly search the Glossary and chances are you issue has already been discussed. Here is the thread on "break-in period":

what-is-break-in-period-what-do-you-nee ... 93586.html

[walt227]

Thanks. Will check the glosary/faq. Also, will difinitely post back after my appt and hopefully it will be a way I can give something back to the forum.

[walt227]

I am sorry to have taken so long to reply but will try to summarize. I have been to the Nissan dealer 2x since my last post. Regards the "new engine".... Whoever was at the service desk when I brought the car in apparently was not the person who scheduled my appt and said he was not aware of anything relating to a new engine. So, much for that.

Regards the vibration... Day 1: The tech who took the car for a test drive said that he noticed no "vibration." They did allow the tech to go back out with me and he was able to feel the vibration. He could not say whether it was normal or not. However, as it was late in the day, by now, and I had to bring the car back in anyway (defective ambient temperature sensor) they said they would look at it again.


Day 2: Mmmm. Still could not fix the ambient sensor so another part ordered. The tech again took vehicle out and noted the vibration. He suggested that this was "probably" nomal. I took the devil's advocate position as I did not think that was the case and asked if all Rogue CVT's did that? He really did not have an answer. So, he found a similar, new Rogue AWD on the lot and took it out for a drive. I did not go with him, but when he returned, to my surprise, he stated that the car he drove did not have the same vibration. However, he did point out that the similar car he drove only had 3 miles on it while mine had almost 1000 miles on it. Woooo! Anyway, we both went in and talked with the service manager. Basically, the manager handed the service request back to the tech and told the tech that he would have to do some research, call Nissan, etc. to see if there were any bulletins out on the "issue" and any recommended fixes. Reprogramming the transmission was mentioned. This made me think that, in somebody's mind, this is not a totally foreign complaint. Anyway, I extended the conversation by asking what would happen if "nothing" new was uncovered. The service manager said that if I were not satisfied that, most likely, the next step would be to request for a District Representitive to come out and review the situation. The service manager and tech were both pleasant and indicated that they wanted me to be a satisfied customer and would do what they could for me. I think the tech looked a bit sheepish as I think he perhaps felt himself caught in the middle.

While not ignoring or discounting all the good information offered so far, both in this forum or at the dealership, I still have two arguments, concerns, or whatever which I voiced to the service staff. The first, I guess, is how can a transmission "vibration" (or whatever) be "normal" if it does not occur on all vehicles. Don't know what kind of qualtiy control that can be. It's not like we're talking about slight variation in the seat color fabric. If's it's normal, it should happen on all vehicles which clearly it does not. Second, and I am quoting from the Rogue promotional brochure at the dealership: "Rogue's virtually 'gearless' and AMAZINGLY SMOOTH (caps & bold added) CVT transmission keeps you in the sweet spot." Gotta be somethingly oxymoronish about and amazingly smooth transmission that vibrates, lags, and drones enough to be heard and felt in the gas peddle, steering wheel, and as the tech pointed out "in the shifter."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I may be out of town for the better part of a month so I informed the dealership that I may not be able to get back for an extended period of time.

On a slightly related note, I did query the service manager about the 1200 mile engine break in period mentioned in the manual and all I can say is he unequivocally stated that I should not worry about that and pretty much take the vehicle for as long as a highway trip as I would like. Mmmmm! Now this has become less of a critical issue for me as I will have passed the 1200 mile mark before my upcoming trip begins. Still, makes you wonder.'

Hope everyone had a good holiday season.

[walt227]

I couldn't just shut up and stop after one. Kerrton, I went back and was re-reading some of the posts in this thread and of course your post relating to the adaptive tuning makes sense. But, I kinda chuckled to myself in re-reading the following sentence: "This adaptive tuning is subtle but seems that it is enough to create two groups of Rogue owners, one who experiences the vibration and one who does not." I guess what I'm chuckling about is that I, as an owner, do not vibrate. Rather, I think the adaptive tuning creates two groups of "Rogue transmissions"--one group that vibrates and another that does not.


Wonder if the promotional brochure should state that " depending on your driving habits, the amazingly smooth cvt transmission may vibrate while for others it may not." Of course, not.

Ok, I'm a little over the edge here, But, I am very appreciative of all those here who take so much time to help others. While this topic is personally frustrating for me, I have read the FAQ's as suggested and have found lots of good information on other questions related to owning, driving, and maintaining my Rogue. Thanks.

[philipa_240sx]

Glad you are enjoying your time here walt227.

I did want to comment again about this vibration issue:

It's highly subjective. There will be those who notice and those who do not. Without making quantitative measurements and/or have the same driver experience several vehicles, we cannot say that only some Rogue's have the 'vibration'... or even if all of them do.

Also, the CVT 'reprogramming' that was available only applies to 2008-09 models. Every Rogue since has had the newer updated programming. The Dealer can't do much else besides reset the CVT parameters and allow it to go through the 'learning process' again. Basically the ECU fine tunes it's operation to match the characteristics and wear of the transmission.

[walt227]

Based on this thread, I really don't expect to receive much satisfaction from Nissan regarding my personal frustration with the "vibration." I'll try to remember about the "resetting the parameters" thing and try to bring that up in the conversation next time I am at the shop. I will post here again in hopes that will help give back to the forum in some small way.

[philipa_240sx]

Walt,

Even resetting the CVT parameters may not do much. The vibration is largely a result of the way the vehicle is designed. It's not a defect or problem with the CVT.

I hope you enjoy your Rogue otherwise. It really is a great vehicle.

[crayb]

When I first became interested in the Rogue, my dealer had a loaded up 08 AWD. I test drove it for about 2 hours, it had less than 100 miles on it, and at traffic lights I noticed a strange vibration while decelerating and a definite "unsmoothness" that I didn't like. So upon returning to the d-ship, I asked my salesperson about this. He told me that they were seeing no problems with the AWD CVT's. He even went so far as to take me to the service tech to prove to me that there were no problems. She immediately named 3 occasions where they had replaced CVT's in AWD Rogues and one of them was the Rogue I was test driving!! My salesperson was crushed. This ended my desire to have the AWD. I then drove a front wheel drive Rogue which was a very different experience.

Happily 11,500 miles later my 2009 FWD Rogue is smooth and quite powerful. I do have a very heavy foot and my Rogue has learned my driving habits well.

Not discounting your problems at all Walt, but I feel the vibration/ erratic shifting with the AWD's is considered normal per Nissan specs. I certainly wouldn't call it normal.

Ray

[walt227]

I have been gone (North) for quite some time and only recently have returned and had a chance to follow up on my Nissan service appt. The long and short is that the dealership, finally, has come to the opinion that the vibration is the CVT working as it is designed. Not happy. How can a vibration and related resonating sound inside the cabin be normal operation. Anyway, I filed a consumer complaint and the gal who called back states the company line---that the vibration is a normal functioning CVT transmission. Told me to go to another dealership for 2nd opinion if I like. Yeah, fat chance.

Additionally, along with the vibration, I indicated (3 visits ago) that the outside temperature display was not giving the correct temperature. It would commonly stick at 27 or 29 degrees. 1st visit: diagnois/new part ordered 2nd visit: replaced part but told replacement would not fix problem and ordered another part 3rd visit: was told that unit is functioning properly and no need to install part and that the 2nd part which was ordered would not help anyway. Service MANAGER stated that the problem with the temp gauge is not the gauge but the location of the sensor (someplace under the car he said). Said his doesn't work all the time either.

What a crock. Filed another consumer complaint but have not heard back on this one.

I am very disappointed regards the CVT issue but it is any many have predicted would be the case. I do not know if I have any options regarding this but will possibly talk to a lawyer to see if there are any legal options particularly with respect to Nissan's advertising regarding the transmission and, maybe only in my case though I doubt it, the "relative" severity of the vibration which as I said can be felt and heard in the passenger seat.

Needless to say, the transmission issue and the temperature sensor issue have left a bad taste in my mouth regarding Nissan.

Hey this is still a great forum.

[kerrton]

Hey walt, I'm really sorry to hear of your dis-satisfaction with your Rogue. I'm just curious, what outcome are you looking for here, do you want them to buy back your Rogue? That is about the only outcome I can think of that could solve this problem for you, as there is nothing they can do to change the normal operation of the CVT, as far as I know.

[philipa_240sx]

Additionally, along with the vibration, I indicated (3 visits ago) that the outside temperature display was not giving the correct temperature. It would commonly stick at 27 or 29 degrees. 1st visit: diagnois/new part ordered 2nd visit: replaced part but told replacement would not fix problem and ordered another part 3rd visit: was told that unit is functioning properly and no need to install part and that the 2nd part which was ordered would not help anyway. Service MANAGER stated that the problem with the temp gauge is not the gauge but the location of the sensor (someplace under the car he said). Said his doesn't work all the time either.

What a crock. Filed another consumer complaint but have not heard back on this one

The outside temperature sensor is located behind the front grille. Here is an quote from the service manual that may clarify things for you:

AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE
• The combination meter indicates the ambient air temperature calculated by the ambient sensor signal received from the ambient sensor.
• The indicated temperature does not increase if the vehicle speed is less than 20 km/h (12.4 MPH).

AMBIENT SENSOR SIGNAL CIRCUIT
Description: The ambient sensor is attached on the radiator core support. It detects ambient and converts it into a resistance value which is then input into the combination meter.

[philipa_240sx]

walt227,

What can we say? You are obviously dissatisfied with your Rogue.

Not every car is perfect for every driver. Vehicle traits that are acceptable to some are not to others. I hope you get this sorted out and hopefully get into a vehicle you can enjoy driving.

[walt227]

Thanks for the info on the temp sensor. Nice to know where it's located but wherever it's located it should work.

If Nissan would buy the car back, I would do it in a heartbeat. But, I was hoping the problem could be remedied or at least the "vibration" lessened.

Again, I appreciate all the feedback.

[PlatinumGraphite]

I know it sounds crazy, but try non ethanol gas. I was so frustrated by the severe vibration that I took it to the service manager and I started to really hate the car. The entire interior shook at acceleration and the only thing that would make it lessen was to step hard on the gas, which no one can do in all cases. I have continued using this gas for this reason, plus the added benefit of better gas milage. I couldn't find any real reason gas would make such a difference in the performance, so I started to believe it had just broken in well. But the difference was immediate, so I always wondered. While out of town during a family crisis, I got ethenol gas and the vibration came back and my gas milage went back down. I ran that tank out and put non ethanol back in it and the vibration stopped. Like I said, I know it sounds crazy and I can't find any mechanical reasoning behind it, but I wish someone else would try this just to see if it helps like it helped in my car. Their is a site with listings for non ethanol gas in each state called pure-gas.org In my research, I've also found out small engines like mowers, chain saws, blowers, boats, etc, should not use ethenol. This is the first time I've been able to keep my chain saw from turning itself off frequently. I was telling a friend of mine about this and she talked with a mechanic who told her that, even though it says it's ok to use ethenol gas, he sees things everyday that he thinks are a result of using it. I know this may be a controversial topic, but in my experience, after such a drastic difference, I'm a believer that cars do not perform as well with corn liquor.

[walt227]

Platinum, I'm just curious. What did the service dept tell you was causing the vibration as it sounds a bit different than what I'm experiencing. Did they tell you it was from a "normally" functioning CVT transmission?

I will check out the website and see if we have something here that sells it. I certainly would be willing to try a tankful or two to see if it helps. But, if traveling and I am not near a non-eth station, I wonder weather switching back and forth will in someway be harmful. I also wonder if long term use of a non-eth gas will damage or cause other components to wear or not function properly. I wonder if a non-eth gas will void the warranty. Maybe others will have some input regarding this.

I don't think you're crazy as I'm sure many of us have been in the "it works for me" situation. Thanks for the info.

[PlatinumGraphite]

No, it won't hurt to switch back and forth. some are skeptical that there's any difference. I've seen video demo's going both ways, so who really knows. I know it's bad for older cars, because I had to have every seal replaced in my older car after using ethenol. Anyway, I ckecked with the service department and they said there was nothing wrong with using non ethanol gas. He said he's been getting a lot of calls recently, asking the same thing, so I guess word of mouth has been spreading.

As for what the service manager told me, as he felt around the entire console area, admitting it was vibrating "quite a bit," that it was the way the engine was designed. Then he went into great detail of weight and motor size, trying his best to explain it to me. I'm not mechanically inclined, so it was like hearing a foriegn language, but the jest of it was what you've been told. My car would vibrate so badly in stop and go traffic that I would be angry by the time I got home. I started believing it was a cvt problem, but the good folks here on this forum helped me understand that it wasn't. Still, I wanted the service manager to know I was experiencing what I thought was an extreme case, so i took it in.

About traveling, you can print out each state you will go to from that site. Some places will not have it, but if you can find it, it won't hurt to mix it from what I've been told. I just think my car performs better, and it's not vibrating all the way up my hill coming home. I used to pull into my garage everyday aggravated over it. Good luck with it, and please do let me know if you notice a difference. I hope it helps! Edited to say, about mixing: ethanol is 10% ethanol and the rest gas, and possibly other fillers depending on where you buy. If you mix, it's just diluting the percentage of ethanol, so it won't hurt anything.

[alloveru]

I find this funny that this issue is still going on. I purchased a Rogue in early 08. Had the transmission replaced twice within the 6 months that I had it and still had the rattle. After a bit of complaining, Nissan bought me out. Switched to the Murano and hadn't had an issue. Now I am in a 2011 Infiniti EX35, love it so far!
I just find it hard to believe that anyone I talk to still complain about this rattle. Good luck with it!

[PlatinumGraphite]

Mine has never been a rattle. That WOULD be annoying.

[kerrton]

I find this funny that this issue is still going on. I purchased a Rogue in early 08. Had the transmission replaced twice within the 6 months that I had it and still had the rattle. After a bit of complaining, Nissan bought me out. Switched to the Murano and hadn't had an issue. Now I am in a 2011 Infiniti EX35, love it so far!
I just find it hard to believe that anyone I talk to still complain about this rattle. Good luck with it!

To be fair and accurate I would say that there is not a problem with the design of the Rogue transmission. As with any vehicle there is a very small number of owners who have had problems with the transmission, but this has been very rare particularly with later models (the early 2008 builds appeared to have quite a few issues but replacement of the transmission has all but eliminated complaints other than in some very rare incidents). Also, I have only read about one case where the CVT actually failed, the rattle issue that some experienced did not lead to failure or dangerous driving conditions.

The reliability of the Rogue is rated very high, much higher than average, and complaints about the transmission are very rare as I've observed over 3 years of ownership and membership on this forum. If you look at average reliability vehicle or below average like most Dodge/Chrysler vehicles and many of the GM products you will most certainly see more failures. However, when you read about failures of conventional transmissions, you do not have people saying "the design of the conventional transmission is flawed - it's a bad design, I will not purchase another auto transmission again". Of course not, that would be crazy, the conventional transmission is a good design generally speaking but it's a complex mechanical component that can have problems, the same with Nissan's transmissions. Even though they're more reliabled than say a Dodge auto trans, if there are a few vehicles with problems some people jump to the conclusion "see, Nissan CVT trans is a bad design, and it has "has problems" don't buy this car!". But of course that is not fair, every single vehicle out there will have a small number of problems including the luxury brands Lexus etc..

I'm just trying to keep things in perspective and to be objective, if you look at the facts Nissan is still much better than most domestic brands, a lot of the Volkswagen products (contrary to popular belief) etc..

I always like to pull out my story about my friend who bought a new 2008 Toyota RAV4, it had everything wrong with it, squeeks and rattles galore, and a transmission that kept failing and leaving him stranded. It was replaced 3 times before they either bought it back or he traded it in (maybe a combo of the two). To this day he says that Toyota's are garbage, in particular their transmissions are the worst. But here's the lesson, my friend is wrong, Toyota's and the RAV4 in particular are very well-built machines, his one bad experience is just an anomyly that all manufactures have to deal with and it does not mean that all RAV4's are garbage.

It's very tough when researching vehicles and specific problems to determine the level of significance of an issues, because regardless of the car if you research online forums you're going to read about problems. Remember that people only post on forums when they're having problems and are much less likely to post about trouble-free cars, which makes it difficult to base an informed opinion on.