CVT fluid and change interval

[2016 Versa]

I just bought my Versa a week ago and have been researching the CVT and am looking into the future at CVT fluid changes. How has the CVT in everyone's Versa (if equipped with CVT) holding up? How long does everyone go between fluid changes? What brand fluids have you used? Is it necessary to change the CVT belt and if so what is everyone's interval for that? This is my first vehicle to be equipped with a CVT and am not at all familiar with them.

[amc49]

You'll likely find out that Nissan doesn't do CVT so well in ANY of their models, the cars have plenty of trouble with them. Very erratic though, some last forever and some spit out trans in a short time. The belt is NOT something you can get to, it's new trans time if you need one.

Nissan likely says change fluid at 60K miles and a lot of them tear up around that number. You might do well to change fluid at half that or 30K miles but be warned, it's not cheap. Use Nissan fluid as the problems are so high you don't want to shortchange there.

[2016 Versa]

I'd been reading about the problems Nissan had with the CVT that's the reason I was asking so many questions. I'd seen that Valvoline, Lucus and a few others made a fluid that was also supposed to compatible and was wondering about their use. It had actually been thinking about 40-50K changes but will watch this thread and see what others are doing.

[amc49]

First thing to do is verify whether you even have a dipstick to check fluid level with. Nissan is not putting them on cars anymore. So now say you have an axle seal start to leak and the trans gets torn up simply because you can't check that easily. The way Nissan does it by overflowing the pan through a standpipe is so utterly moronic it screams they want to tear up the transmissions on purpose simply to be able to sell you another one.

Not being able to check fluid level is so stoneage that alone should make people go screaming for the exits to buy another brand of car.

[2016 Versa]

I agree no transmission dipstick is a stupid move on any car manufactures part but lots of manufactures have gone to that. I've watched a few videos on you tube for different model Versas and they have all shown a dipstick. Today is rainy but I'll double check my car in the next few days to be sure it has one. All manufacturers are trying to do is make it so the few of us that actually do our own maintenence/repairs has to give that up and take the car to a dealer for every little thing. The only things that I can remember hiring someone to do as far as car maintenence in the past 25 years is to put in a clutch for me and a couple times when the weather wasn't fit to do my own oil changes let someone else do the work and I'd provide the oil/filter. Years ago I had a Chrysler with an automatic transmission, when I asked about a fluid change they said they'd drop the pan, remove filter, put in a new filter and top it back off with transmission fluid. I decided to do it myself and found out the torque converter had a plug in it that could be removed and drain it as well so I actually got the majority of the fluid out that way where otherwise it would have probably been less than half of it. When I sold the car it had 232K miles on it and the transmission was still shifting great.

[amc49]

Those transmissions were overbuilt to do that, now they can last too but commonly the internal parts are such to look like they belong in a model car. I build ATX, you used to be able to FULLY rebuild one for $250, now they have so many wearable parts you cannot do it nearly so completely without at least $600-$800 of parts alone and buying them at jobber prices.

My '17 Altima had no stick but I bought one for a '13 and works perfectly now. Look for the dipstick standpipe, they are still there but only have a plug in the top.

[kc5f]

We've had 4 Versas and one Juke with CVTs in our family. One Versa did have CVT issues at 172k miles, when my son decided to trade it in. I'm not sure he followed the Nissan service suggestions. One was totaled at 120k or so miles. My most recent (2012 w/77k) is still going fine, as is the Juke (2016 w/20k) and my son's new Versa Note. I always go by the book on service for something like this, and we have our CVT fluid changed at 60k miles.

[amc49]

Luck of the draw, it doesn't explain all the ones that tear up way before 60K..........it's not a small number.

[2016 Versa]

We've had 4 Versas and one Juke with CVTs in our family. One Versa did have CVT issues at 172k miles, when my son decided to trade it in. I'm not sure he followed the Nissan service suggestions. One was totaled at 120k or so miles. My most recent (2012 w/77k) is still going fine, as is the Juke (2016 w/20k) and my son's new Versa Note. I always go by the book on service for something like this, and we have our CVT fluid changed at 60k miles.

Do you use Nissan CVT fluid or an aftermarket fluid?

[2016 Versa]

Today I started thinking about the fact that heat is what causes lots of automatic transmission failures and was wondering if anyone had added an aftermarket transmission cooler to their Nissan CVT. I may ask around at some transmission shops about doing this. I've got a brand new transmission cooler/hoses/mounting hardware around here somewhere that I bought several years ago that I'd planned on putting on another car but never got around to it. Maybe I'll finally be able to put it to some use. This should also allow you to increase the fluid capacity which in turn should make the fluid life longer and help keep the CVT running cooler and happier. I'd like everyone's thoughts and opinions about this.

[amc49]

Many Nissan come with one already as heat IS a problem. Not the conventional type though, they commonly run engine coolant to the cooler to keep temp down. Cooler is usually right on the trans IIRC. Look for hoses running from radiator to the trans...........

[amc49]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-CVT-Transm ... SwKxVcan5B

[2016 Versa]

I think there's one on the Versa but was thinking of maybe adding one that uses air cooling. Since engine coolant runs about 190*-205* and even on a hot summer day in my area air temperature is usually 90*-100* and should allow a lot more cooling.

[2016 Versa]

Yesterday the weather was nice enough I was able to get out and take a look under the hood of the Versa. I found the dipstick tube but where it's located I doubt seriously there's a dipstick in it. It looks as though the radiator overflow bottle will have to come out just to get access to the plug that's in the tube. If I buy a dipstick for the older models to use I'll have to rig a way to remove it with the overflow bottle in place so I can check the fluid level. It's not that the dipstick tube is under the bottle just that there's not enough room to get you hand there to remove a dipstick.

[Okisentra]

I have a 2013 Sentra SL with 94,000km. It just recently started jerking and rpm moves up and down when accelerating or coming to a red light. Would a cvt transmission fluid change fix it? U'd the transmission dying? Any fix?

[VStar650CL]

Depends if the problem is in the belt and pulleys or the planetary gear set. If it's the former then a fluid change may make a big difference, if it's the latter then the transmission is probably shot. I'd suggest using Eneos or AMSoil for the change, they're both better than NS3 at restoring traction on the belt. If the first change helps, do another one after a few hundred miles to void the bulk of the old fluid.

[Okisentra]

I just asked the Nissan dealership mechanic and they said, they don't recommend even changing the fluid as it might make it worse. Not sure if I agree with that and I don't want to take that risk.

[VStar650CL]

Aargh, I get so frustrated with that BS. That's only true for conventional automatics. Your CVT is a metal-on-metal device, which means it's entirely dependent on the quality of the fluid to prevent metal from meeting metal. Furthermore, there's almost no clutch material in it to make "ATF soup" like a conventional transmission, so the risk of fresh fluid causing a fouled Valve Body is near zero. Whoever told you that was very likely a Service Advisor and not a tech, but either way, he or she is a nincompoop.

[xman84]

Just did a fluid and filter change on a 2015 Note SV with 120k. Bought it used last winter and I'm slowly going through the regular maintenance work. Regarding the CVT fluid change, the car would shudder when I do a "California stop" . . .slow down to stop . . .roll through stop but upon accelerating, I would feel the drivetrain shudder, so I pull back on the gas momentarily and then depress the gas pedal to recover. Not having worked on a CVT before, I did my research and figured the oil needed replacing since I don't have a maintenance history to determine if the oil had EVER been replaced! (I'm in agreement with VStar's comment on this). This past weekend, I replaced the side filter as well as the pan filter and oil. The result? Much smoother ride! The shudder is no more! The only concerns I have at this point is if I refilled it to the correct amount. I replaced the same amount of new fluid with the amount I drained and did the "overflow tube check on a level surface" as described in other videos. The other concern is using a laser dot temp check versus the OBD computer on verifying the oil temp. I guess time will tell how well it goes. . .but for now. . .I'm pleased with the results!

[Okisentra]

Just did a fluid and filter change on a 2015 Note SV with 120k. Bought it used last winter and I'm slowly going through the regular maintenance work. Regarding the CVT fluid change, the car would shudder when I do a "California stop" . . .slow down to stop . . .roll through stop but upon accelerating, I would feel the drivetrain shudder, so I pull back on the gas momentarily and then depress the gas pedal to recover. Not having worked on a CVT before, I did my research and figured the oil needed replacing since I don't have a maintenance history to determine if the oil had EVER been replaced! (I'm in agreement with VStar's comment on this). This past weekend, I replaced the side filter as well as the pan filter and oil. The result? Much smoother ride! The shudder is no more! The only concerns I have at this point is if I refilled it to the correct amount. I replaced the same amount of new fluid with the amount I drained and did the "overflow tube check on a level surface" as described in other videos. The other concern is using a laser dot temp check versus the OBD computer on verifying the oil temp. I guess time will tell how well it goes. . .but for now. . .I'm pleased with the results!

Please keep us posted

[2019Versafan]

I just asked the Nissan dealership mechanic and they said, they don't recommend even changing the fluid as it might make it worse. Not sure if I agree with that and I don't want to take that risk.

This is not correct. The Versa owner's manual says every 30,000 miles. That's what I've done and I've had no issues. I also don't drive my car like a race car driver. Actually, my local Nissan dealership was after me to do it sooner, I personally think to get more money out of me but I'm sticking with the Nissan engineers recommendation. I do miss not having a transmission dip stick so that I can monitor the condition of the fluid myself. Obviously, if the fluid isn't pink in color, it should be changed.

[VStar650CL]

+1 on everything but the pink. NS2 is green and NS3 is turquoise.

[xman84]

Just did a fluid and filter change on a 2015 Note SV with 120k. Bought it used last winter and I'm slowly going through the regular maintenance work. Regarding the CVT fluid change, the car would shudder when I do a "California stop" . . .slow down to stop . . .roll through stop but upon accelerating, I would feel the drivetrain shudder, so I pull back on the gas momentarily and then depress the gas pedal to recover. Not having worked on a CVT before, I did my research and figured the oil needed replacing since I don't have a maintenance history to determine if the oil had EVER been replaced! (I'm in agreement with VStar's comment on this). This past weekend, I replaced the side filter as well as the pan filter and oil. The result? Much smoother ride! The shudder is no more! The only concerns I have at this point is if I refilled it to the correct amount. I replaced the same amount of new fluid with the amount I drained and did the "overflow tube check on a level surface" as described in other videos. The other concern is using a laser dot temp check versus the OBD computer on verifying the oil temp. I guess time will tell how well it goes. . .but for now. . .I'm pleased with the results!

Please keep us posted

UPDATE - it's almost 1 year after doing a CVT fluid change and at 131k, she's still running great! No hesitation, no stutters, no slips! Definitely worth doing if similar symptoms are apparent in other Versas.

[GSlone12]

So is anyone doing a CVT fluid drain sooner than 30 grand? I was thinking at 15 but that is starting to sound like overkill. And if you do them at 30 are you doing the filters as well, or are they ok to do every other fluid change? This job isn't that complicated so I will tackle it myself.

[VStar650CL]

CVT's don't build up mounds of expended clutch material like a conventional A/T simply because they have few clutches, and the few they possess do very little work. So if you keep up with the fluid, there's very little reason to ever change the filters. If you're ambitious then a pan drop someplace around 60K won't hurt.

The 30K works for most people, but there are valid reasons to decrease the time and mileage:
1) You live in the mountains
2) You live in a very hot climate like south Texas, south Florida, desert Southwest, etc
3) You're a leadfoot
4) You trailer anything, even a bicycle