Need help -- Completely Lost

[Romeo5k]

Sorry for making you read all this, but i need to be descriptive because i have the lightest idea about this. I usually have an idea, but this time I'm lost.

Bought the car in JAN 2022 used 95k miles. I know the prior owner personally. Dove can 100 miles home, no probs, at least not noticeable. Then lets say end of January, i noticed, my temp gauge was saying cold or almost cold, yet, i had been driving for a whole 25 mins. Gas needle was passed the Full, yet i know i probably only had a half a tank. (Distance to empty reflected ~180 miles to empty) I ignored it, because i thought maybe it is because the car was sitting up for a year. { It wasn't for mechanical reason, someone ran into the back of her at light, car was fixed by insurance}. From there she bought another vehicle and was reserving to give to child... EPIC FAIL THERE. Any who, yes, i ignored those things. And sometimes, i would get in the car, and everything would look normal. Sometimes, temp would be past halfway mark like it wants to run hot but never did go up there. It is also fair to know, i didn't drive that car more that 25 miles in 1 setting.

March 2022, I'm taking a 95 mile road trip, and maybe around the 75 mile marker, car would not go past 70mph. It would creep up to like 67-70 mph, and even if i smashed on the gas, i got nothing.. RPM wouldn't even respond to it.. If i let go of gas pedal a little, i might be able to creep up to 73-75 mph. I simply thought it was bad gas, so i put treatment in there and took a 15 mins break and prayed. Start car back up and zoom, i was good. I was at 80 mph. Coming back, i didn't run into any probs, as i used back roads due to traffic.
<<FAST FORWARD>>
||06/04/2022 -2pm 108mile trip one way|| (WEATHER IS HOT) Get in the car, start it up and immediately after start, temp of the car is showing a smidge over a half.. Turn car off, check fluid, and it was full. Reservoir itself was full as well. So i assumed, this thing is just retarded. Started my journey an by the time i reached approx 36 miles of driving, car would not rev-up past 72 mph. WEIRD!!. So i stopped at Buccees, took a bath room break and checked on car. Squeezed the big hose coming from radiator, and it was hot, but touchable. And it had little or no pressure at all. Out of curiosity, i opened the radiator cap, and it was fluid in it. Touched it with my finger, yes it was hot, but not burning hot. It felt like it was hot because its under the hood and its hot as heck outside. It did not feel like it was hot because it went into car and came out... Normally, that's burning hot! A/C blows cold, sometimes i felt like it wasn't blowing cold enough, but that could very well be i my mind. Got back on the highway (i10) and i was good to go. Got passed 80mph, and then maybe 10-15 mins later, i don't have my power anymore. I'm stuck rolling at about 66-72 mph. Got in slow lane and just continued driving. Then SES light comes on. THATS A 1st. Next, the triangle with the exclamation light came on too. Now at this point, car temp is passed the HOT line. Not by a little, by a lot. I just drove with it for the remaining miles. Triangle went away. SES light stayed on. Parked the car for 6 hrs.

06/04/2022 @ ~9:30pm --- Drove back home, 108miles back, and after about 80 miles or so, it did the dumb stuff again. This time, it was saying the car was COLD. Cold as in, just starting your car. It then limits me again, A/C blowing cold, so i just cruised it to the house, no need to even try to go 80mph.

06/07/2022 -- 1130am -- Drove it 7 miles, and parked. Everything was looking normal, so i went to check the hose while car is still running, i felt a little pressure, but not much at all. It was very much squeezable. I did not pop the radiator cap due to the small tiny pressure. There is Fluid in reservoir as well. A/C still cold.

FAQ - No the car is not missing. Its not staggering or act like it wants to die. Instead it feels like i went from driving a 4cyl to a 2 cyl. It doesn't jerk or anything. RPM still at the normal place. It just takes its time trying to speed up.. Weird. And now I'm hearing the whining noise that i just read thru searching, i need to change the CVT fluid. --- I will do so, or at least drain half of it. I called my mech and told him all this, he said, he has never heard of that, and can i bring it in. Before i do that, i would rather get your opinion or suggestions. Don't want to spend all kinds of money fixing things that are NOT the problem.

So what do you think is going on??

[VStar650CL]

Sounds to me like maybe your grounds are screwed up and the ECM and TCM are going off into never-never land. It's easy to check, read this:
post6817410.html

[Romeo5k]

OK.. Im back! I think i have a dumb question, but not sure how dumb it is yet.

I know a car has a thermostat, and that works with the radiator and the coolant.. Great!!!
Stupid Question -> Does a transmission have a temperature sensor or something similar of the sort?

The only reason I ask, I've had the mech check the grounding, and they said they were fine. They replaced the fan assembly. Also replaced the cluster panel as well. All looks and sounds great, up until this weekend. Another 200 mile drive from 9am to noon. At approx 11:30ish, the car would not go past 73ish mph. Luckily I was close to my destination. And when I got to a light, I hit the gas to get up to maybe 60mph, and I heard a loud whining noise. And I swear it feels like this car had 2.5 cylinders.. Taking longer than normal to get to 60mph. It's not sluggish like injectors or coil pack going out; it is still smooth, its just feels like I tried to put a new lawnmower motor in there.

Drove back home that evening 6pm to 830pm.. I did anywhere from 70-100mph the whole way. It did not slow down at all. Surprisingly, I even left out the house with it 1 hr later to watch the boxing match, and nothing was wrong. (So now you see why I asked that crazy question)

Is it possible transmission was getting too hot? Viscosity or anything??

[VStar650CL]

The '10A CVT trannies in the gen4 QR25 Altimas not only can overheat, they're notorious for it. The TCM will limit acceleration at first, and if the heat keeps going up, it will turtle the car. There are no warning lights for it. If you get yourself a copy of the CVTz50 app and a suitable bluetooth-OBD dongle, you can peek at the overheat record (CVT-A/CVT-B) to see if that was the cause. Overheating is usually from dead fluid, so if it hasn't been serviced and you don't have records of it from the prior owner, change it ASAP.

[Romeo5k]

Okay, Last question. I'll take it to the dealer. but I don't want to tell them what for, otherwise, they may not want to touch it.
Is there anything special I need to tell them?? Do I just say, routine transmission flush?? Or Do I need to tell them to pull the trans screen/filter? I just don't want to go in asking questions, because if I do, no telling their response.

Also, CVTz50 app .. I'll purchase that today or tomorrow. But I was looking for a Bluetooth dongle (below), and idk what to buy. I saw this and was not sure if this will be suitable. Could you please advise me?

Thanks,

https://www.amazon.com/Launchh-Professi ... 242&sr=8-7

[VStar650CL]

You don't flush CVT's (ever, it's a no-no), it's just a routine spill-and-fill. The dongle I use personally is the VeePeak VP11, it's the cheapest one I know that works properly with all functions of CVTz50 (the app can be very picky about what dongle you use, a lot of China-cheap ones work half-a$$ or not at all).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/153907685479

[Romeo5k]

Got it. I was going to change it at one time, and the dealer advised against it because it probably was never changed at 30,60, or 90k miles.. They stated that, by changing it, it may cause transmission to completely fail.
Either way, i ordered the tool and should be in my mailbox today.

What commands do you want me to run on there to find the transmission info that you stated above? And is there a way to export it in case you want to see the results? Otherwise, i'll screenshot it ..

Thank You..

[VStar650CL]

Got it. I was going to change it at one time, and the dealer advised against it because it probably was never changed at 30,60, or 90k miles.. They stated that, by changing it, it may cause transmission to completely fail.

That's total dumb s#!t. It's absolutely true of a conventional A/T, but it's absolutely untrue of a CVT. CVT's are metal-on-metal devices with almost no clutch material to wear out, so they a) never make "ATF soup" to foul the Valve Body like a regular A/T, and b) are totally dependent on the quality of the fluid to prevent metal from meeting metal. The formula for CVT's is pretty simple, when the fluid dies, so does the transmission. Whoever told you that was a nincompoop.

What commands do you want me to run on there to find the transmission info that you stated above? And is there a way to export it in case you want to see the results? Otherwise, i'll screenshot it .

The button to get at CVT-A/CVT-B is "CVT Information". "CVT Data Monitor" will let you see the trans temperature in realtime and also flag if any DTC's are present. If so, you can use the "Read DTC's" button to get details.

[Romeo5k]

lol @ nincompoop

This is what i got.. I did not clear the messages, in case the dealer may need it .. WHat do you think is going on here??

https://imgur.com/a/y3I6dkD <-- Image link

Thank You..

[VStar650CL]

The P0725 and P0705 are probably artifacts from something in the engine. The P0744 is a little unusual, I'll have to look that one up. What did it show for CVT-A/CVT-B?

[VStar650CL]

It's saying it couldn't lock up the Torque Converter. Along with other pressure codes it might mean a bad pump, but by itself I'd say it's likely from crappy fluid.

[VStar650CL]

Okay, here's an offbeat thought. I've never seen a P0705 in an Altima (any generation). The one model which gets them routinely is the "bubble car" Versas, for a very specific reason. They have this bizarre stamped-metal "circuit board analog" molded into the taillights, and because it isn't a real circuit board with epoxy cladding, it's very susceptible to moisture. When a taillight gets moisture intrusion, it allows some crosstalk between the brake and backup lamp circuits. The TCM takes the crosstalk to mean the car is in Reverse even though the Range Switch shows Drive. It incorrectly blames the Range Switch for the problem, but the net result is all sorts of weird transmission behavior, including not wanting to accelerate. The thing is, I've never seen it happen that way in anything but Versas and occasional Sentras. BUT (big but), your gen4 does have the backup and brake lamps right beside one another in the taillight housing. Any chance you might have a cracked taillight?

[macgiver]

To your question " does a transmission have any kind of thermostat ? " , you say you have CVT ? Now I don't SPECIFICALLY know your 'case' BUT , my Juke w/CVT does in fact HAVE a " thermostatically controlled shuttoff VALVE " , which cuts OFF the freakin HOT coolant sent to the CVT via the 'be-hive' . (mechanical - NOT electrically operated) . See , because CVT's need to warm-up relatively quickly - BUT NEED TO LIMIT @ around like 160 F ' thus cutting OFF hot coolant flow ! Ya see ?

Could-a-been goin into limp mode TIME AFTER TIME ????????? May have already fried CVT by multiple 'overheats' ??

[VStar650CL]

Could-a-been goin into limp mode TIME AFTER TIME ????????? May have already fried CVT by multiple 'overheats' ??

CVTz50 will reveal that. That's what CVT-A/CVT-B are, the overheat record.

[Romeo5k]

Okay, here's an offbeat thought.......
Any chance you might have a cracked taillight?

Yes!. Car was rear ended a few years ago. Damaged bumper and required changing the whole rear light housing...

[Romeo5k]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Vs4yl ... sp=sharing

here is a video of what the specs look like just driving down the street.. Made a stop, turned, and proceeded. I'm guessing things look great here.

At this rate, worst-case scenario, I'll get a pump and hose, remove maybe 1 or 2 quarts of transmission and replace it with the best. (only if we come to a final agreement to take that chance) {i was trying to be lazy and not do it myself.}

Okay, here's an offbeat thought...
Any chance you might have a cracked taillight?

Car rear end damages included: the tail light, bumper, and trunk. Repairs were made eventually, and the car sat in the carport for ~1.5 yrs

Could-a-been goin into limp mode TIME AFTER TIME ????????? May have already fried CVT by multiple 'overheats' ??

Just a brainstorm from me here. I thought about that, but still, transmission gives no problems when driving long distances in cool weather, or within Houston city limits. (in the sun).
I would think if the transmission is out, it's always out; not just when the sun presents itself and after a 2hr + drive.

[VStar650CL]

Yah, that looks pretty normal. IIRC the '10A's don't sense primary pressure, so that's an N/A. Temperature isn't going to rise very much just going around the block, you need a much longer drive either under load or in hot weather to evaluate that. There's nothing wrong with using a sucker to drain fluid if you have one of the ones with no plug. Did you take a look at CVT-A/CVT-B yet? They should both be zero, if so then overheating isn't the issue.

[Romeo5k]

Okay, before I start with trying to take 1 or 2 qt of trans fluid out, I want to make sure I am being transparent in all ways. As my education with transmissions sucks. But I know how to follow instructions and use a little common sense..lol
I had errands and did some driving today. Forgot to check the fluid while the car was cold this morning, but I just checked it after being parked for 5 mins this afternoon.

With the car being off for ~8 mins. (not running but still hot)
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#011mkspr ... aYEUpLY5uw

Turned car on, and let it run for 30 secs:
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0d09x2cL ... fwpieKzITA

Went to CVTz50 app. Click on the button "CVT INFORMATION"; this came up:
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#068J90-l ... -ze5F8e1Mg

Clicked on "Read/Clear CVTF Deterioration"; this came up:
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0cfvstN1 ... faO6ZYup5A

Also, if I am able to pump out 1 or 2 qts.., Which transmission fluid should I use? Should I add any additives? I was going to go to the dealer and buy a cpl of qts. But if there is something better, I'll use it.

Also, what do you think about the pics? And is that the CVT-A/B info that you were asking?

[VStar650CL]

The cutouts on the stick are the cold level, crosshatches are warm level. You measure with the engine running, anyplace in between the marks is fine. Getting the transmission fully warm can take a lot of driving, so I tend to trust a cold measurement better than a warm one.

Those CVT-A/CVT-B values are very serious, your transmission has done some cooking. Your fluid is going to be very degraded, so you need to get most of it out, not just a couple of quarts. The parts database shows you should have a drain plug on a '12, so you should be able to DIY it without too much trouble. You'll save a lot of money and know it's been done right and not overfilled. Since you have a stick, you should only need a drain pan, a transmission funnel, and a 19mm combo wrench for the plug. I'd suggest getting 10 quarts and doing two changes in a row separated by a few hundred miles, that will void 70~80% of the old fluid. The best fluids out there aren't Nissan, my preferences are Eneos Eco (if you can get it), AMSoil, and Idemitsu, in that order. They're all half the price of NS3 and all as good or better in specification. If you feel up to it, dropping the pan for the second change and cleaning it out would be a good idea.

[macgiver]

Ya , I believe the CVT-B is the occurrences over 200 F , BUT BELOW 220 F....and the CVT-A is the occurrences ABOVE 220 F .
Now you'll see in TSB's and NHTSA's " when the CVT-A is like ONLY 1 , then a valve body suggested replace - BUT when CVT-A is say more than one , the flow chart suggest the WHOLE CVT R & R ! "

My Juke got a CVT-A = 1 and a CVT-B = 9 , never had shudders , limpbizzzkit's , or ANY problems tho , probly cause of Nissan 50-50 coolant every 2-3 years , OCD cleaning of radiator , intercooler , condenser fins every May , oil changes every 5k , CVT fluid 30k , 60k , 85k & 99k mi .........most importantly - knowing how NOT to drive a car , and specifically a car with a F'n CVT
Now , I see your figures of 15 and 18 for 'A' & 'B' , and V-Star IS the MAIN Man for help / suggestions there

He's BETTER than Good Luck

[Romeo5k]

The best fluids out there aren't Nissan, my preferences are Eneos Eco (if you can get it), AMSoil, and Idemitsu, in that order. They're all half the price of NS3 and all as good or better in specification.

Found this: https://www.eneos.us/product/eneos-eco-cvt-fluid/
I'll attempt to buy this today and hopefully have enough time to do a drain. I show a few stores in the area that sell it. Worst case, I'll order it.

Before I drain, I wanted your opinion. I checked the dipstick this morning before starting the car. After looking at it, should I refill the transmission with less half-a-quart? It seems maybe a little too much is in there. Is that normal, or should I just skim 1/2 qt from the refill?
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#0a87BN-2 ... uixGF7rHTw

I know, to measure the drain, as to know what to put back.
I know to look at plug for metal shavings & check the washer.

[VStar650CL]

You say before you started the car, that's wrong. Cold or warm, it has to be running. The stick is meaningless with the engine stopped.

The magnet won't be on the plug, they're in the pan (usually two). To get an idea about metal without dropping the pan, take a sample on some clean, white paper from the last little stream dribbling out after you pull the plug. Use writing paper, you don't want it to absorb. Put a flashlight on it at an angle and any metal in the fluid will sparkle. There's usually a little but it should be little, if there's a lot then the transmission is in trouble.

[Romeo5k]

Okay, changed the transmission fluid this morning. I used Eneos Eco CVT fluid.
I looked at fluid at every angle, I saw no fragments or metal anywhere. I check in a clear container. I also checked the last dribbles on a piece of paper, but nothing.
It seems I drained 4 1/4 quart out. I replaced it with approx 4 1/2qt. The fluid looked a little low when I checked it yesterday with the engine running (after you sent your last msg)
I have also cleared all the error codes I had previously. Drove it around the corner after running car for 15 mins. So far, it even feels better.
I'm not sure if maybe because it is not hot enough outside (61F-Windy), I am not hearing that whine noise I would start to hear when hitting 3k rpm. I'll drive the car for 1 week. and keep you updated.
So far great results, THANK YOU..!!! I owe you a 6 pack

If there is anything you want me to try or pay attn to within this week, let me know.. I will attempt to get results...

Thank YOU once again Star!!!

Here are some pics I took.
https://www.icloud.com/photos/#004oNpHP ... d9s78PSF7Q

[VStar650CL]

That fluid was pretty brown, it definitely needed to go. The original color was green for NS2 or blue-green for NS3, so that stuff was far gone. I'm not surprised to hear it's less noisy with the Eco, my customers using Eneos or AMSoil unanimously agree that their trannies run quieter. That's part of the reason I like and recommend those fluids. What you should pay attention to is the temperature, get a good idea of what your normal range is and how fast it heats up when you climb hills or get on the throttle. The biggest issue with the '10A's was that most of them came with no heat exchanger, so they could run very hot under load in hot weather. Nissan actually put out a cooler kit for them when they realized a lot of them were failing from heat, and you may need to add a cooler to yours to keep it healthy.

[Romeo5k]

Quick thing here.. I still have a few things I need to do.. I've been slacking lately.
But for sure I know I need to flush the CVT fluid 1 more time. I have only done it 1 time. I've also driven around about 1000-1500 miles so far I think.

I also need to find someone who can successfully install the install the cooler kit for the altima. Well, first I need to buy one, then find someone to install it in Houston..

After driving the car for about 1000 -1500 miles, I took a ~90 mile trip in an upper 90s weather. I had been driving prior to that for about an hour already.
I decided to take a couple of vids. Maybe if I do those 2 things I stated above, it would rectify it completely. The car didn't run hotter than that for the most part.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11JMylt ... drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Ca9b0 ... drive_link

What do you think?? Should I be acting in haste for something... Or just do those 2 things I said above and I should be fine?

[VStar650CL]

207F is way too hot, especially for 80 mph where you should have lots of forced air for cooling. Put a cooler on it for sure, and if it has a heat exchanger, have the installer back-flush it while he's down there. If it doesn't, you need that cooler desperately. Temps above 200F degrade the fluid, but add a couple of hills and you could easily get up into the 220F range where it breaks down rapidly.

[Romeo5k]

Do you recommend or know anyone in Houston TX? Or should I just buy the part from Amazon?
I see Hayden on Amazon, but they have different numbers. eg; Hayden Automotive 514, Hayden Automotive 676 etc.
Should any Transmission shop be able to put this in, or is this something you prefer I take to the dealer only?

PS: Im going to flush that fluid again before I have them install it to be certain..

[VStar650CL]

A Hayden 512 or 514 should work fine (I put a 512 on the wife's '13). Any competent shop should be able to install it. You should have a heat exchanger on a '12, if so it just goes on the outlet line from the transmission. If you have one of the earlier type, this bulletin covers how you route an external cooler:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/ ... 7-9999.pdf

The only thing is, the Haydens all come with 3/8" hose but Nissan's transmission lines are all 5/16", so you probably want to get a pair of brass 3/8 x 5/16 barb reducers to make the plumbing easy. These are the ones I used on the wife's ride, the seller is prompt and honest:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274375017796

[Romeo5k]

A Hayden 512 or 514 should work fine (I put a 512 on the wife's '13). Any competent shop should be able to install it. You should have a heat exchanger on a '12, if so it just goes on the outlet line from the transmission. If you have one of the earlier type, this bulletin covers how you route an external cooler:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/ ... 7-9999.pdf

The only thing is, the Haydens all come with 3/8" hose but Nissan's transmission lines are all 5/16", so you probably want to get a pair of brass 3/8 x 5/16 barb reducers to make the plumbing easy. These are the ones I used on the wife's ride, the seller is prompt and honest:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274375017796

Hi VStar,
Sorry, but I need your assistance again. In the past year, I have flushed the trans fluid 2 times. The one time I did it was when you asked me to on here.. And the other on 9/21/2024. The reason it has taken me soo long to get the HAYDEN put in is because I don't think anyone wants to do it.
Short story: I have been and called a total of maybe 5-6 shops. The ones I went in person to talk to asked stuff like; why are you doing that? IDK if we can do that.. The CVT on those cars are tricky, I'll have my guy give you a call(2x). Had a guy recommend NOT to install it because it will mess up the transmission. Something about the pressure running the transmission and causing it to go out early. He stated if I want to give him my money he will take it, but he recommends against it.

So here is where I need you or any other person reading this. How true is any of this nonsense? Also, do you know anyone that you trust can do this job effortlessly within a ~100mile vicinity of 77079?? I have been in this situation before, and before I take unnecessary chances, I'll just drop the fluid once or 2x a year. Somehwhere around 17yrs ago, I had a 93 q45. It was shaking badly, and someone in the Q forums recommended a tune up and having someone take a look. Mech did a tuneup that was a pretty penny. 2 weeks later, engine crippled, and it was because he put BOSCH plugs in there I think. He also used CASTROL oil.Replaced MAF with a working used one, etc..( GEEZZUSSS, I'm getting upset thinking about all that ish) And the root cause of the shake was full pump. Cost me a cash car and a lot of pain looking for another car. I don't want to go thru that again.. I'd rather an individual that knows some things about a cvt and nissans.


On another note, I think we have a little improvement.
Fluid flushed Saturday, same amount as last year. Drove out of town (~100 miles)Sunday afternoon with index of 98 i think. Either way, speed limit 75MPH, I'm doing about 76, and temps creep up to 208F.. At one point I stayed at 203 for a while.
Later that evening, windows down, ac off. I drove back at 820pm. Doing probably about 80-85mph, if would go up and down, but resided somewhere between 190 and 194.. It would go over, then come down a little. Also, this last flush had no metal shavings in fluid. Im thinking about doing another one this weekend again..

based on these numbers, what do you think..


DID I EVER TELL YOU THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, if not THANK YOU ALL....

I haven't bought that HAYDEN yet, as I'm waiting to find a mechanic or something.

[VStar650CL]

Well, it's a good thing you haven't bought the Hayden yet, because Hayden came out with a new series which serves CVT owners much better than anything previous. I've changed the wife's car from a 512 to a 697 and I'm very pleased with it. The 69x types have a built-in 160F bypass valve and a patented reed valve setup which makes them insensitive to the direction of the flow, so it's an easy-peasy install even for someone who doesn't know thing-one about transmissions. The only other thing you'll still need is the barb reducers.

Vis the underlying question, those temps are still high and you still need a cooler. If you don't want to DIY it, try a transmission shop rather than a general mechanic. They're usually more comfortable with how coolers work and how to install them.