If you’re in the market for a Nissan Altima, you should know that Nissan CVT transmission issues are among the worst problems facing this particular car model. Owners and lessees of Nissan Altima vehicles have reported several recurring problems with the CVT transmissions, including lurching, acceleration issues, vehicle overheating and premature transmission failure.
Recurring Nissan CVT transmission problems have prompted class action lawsuits across several models and model years.
Issues with Nissan Altima cars of previous model years prompted Nissan to extend the 2007–2010 Nissan Altima’s powertrain warranty for up to 10 years or 120,000 miles.
Class action lawsuits (separately) representing owners and lessees of 2013–2016 Nissan Altima cars and 2017–2018 Nissan Altima cars have since reached settlement. However, 2019 and newer Nissan Altima cars still face recurring safety issues with its CVT transmissions, with some consumers calling for a recall on these vehicles.
To provide a glimpse into the issues plaguing the Nissan Altima CVT transmission, we have compiled a sample of complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Please note that the complaints on the Nissan Altima transmission have been edited for grammar and clarity.
2017-2018 Nissan Altima Cars (Now Settled)
2017 Nissan Altima: Shaking and Shuddering
The transmission, without any advance issue or problem, began to shimmy and shake the entire car. The car slowed down to less than 10 mph while jerking forcefully. The car is and was serviced regularly at Nissan in Murfreesboro Tennessee. There was no warning. Nissan was called and they picked up car on roll back. They said the transmission failed. This was at a mileage of less than 100,000. The actual mileage was 93,404. […] This happened in traffic and is a definite safety issue. Nissan should not be permitted to continue building and selling these faulty CVT transmissions, continuing to put our lives in jeopardy and financially devastating us.
2017 Nissan Altima SR: Power Issues
My 2017 Nissan Altima SR is again experiencing a delay when accelerating from a stop. It revs up to about 3,500-4,000 rpm’s for a couple of seconds, no matter how far down the pedal is. It only gets up to about 20 mph, though. Then, it will finally go. There is no Check Engine Light and no codes. If I turn the car off, it’s like it resets and has more power afterwards. This happened 14 months ago as well. I had to service the transmission […] Not even 18,000 miles later, it is doing it again.
2017 Nissan Altima: Delayed Acceleration
When attempting to accelerate rapidly, the vehicle has long delay. Even with the pedal pressed all the way down, there is an intermittent delay at a full stop. When taking off, the vehicle has a 5 second delay, there is a gurgling sound coming from transmission during idle. RPMs rev way higher than they should when accelerating, jerking from transmission when at a slow acceleration through parking lots and such. Delayed acceleration also caused me to almost have a wreck. I pulled out into traffic at a slow roll because vehicle wouldn’t go and then the vehicle took off at full speed.
2017 Nissan Altima: CVT Transmission Jerking
The CVT transmission is jerking, stalling, shuddering, and hesitating while driving. The car only has 65,000 miles. This issue has been happening randomly for about a week. I do not feel comfortable driving in the car anymore because I feel that this malfunction can eventually cause an accident.
2018 Nissan Altima: CVT Transmission Failure
According to a Nissan dealership, my 2018 Nissan Altima CVT failed. They were able to determine the failed CVT with a diagnosis code of P17F0. I have 73,694 miles on my car and my warranty ended at 60,000 miles.
In previous model years of the Nissan Altima, there were recalls on CVT transmissions for the Nissan Altima. Nissan stated that, being that my car is out of warranty, the only thing they can do is give me 50% goodwill because my VIN number is different from the other Nissan Altimas that had a failed CVT.
I honestly would not recommend such an unsafe vehicle to anyone who is interested in purchasing a Nissan Altima. My car is fairly new and I’m having CVT issues. My car literally stopped in the middle of the road and would not accelerate because of a mechanically failing CVT. I highly recommend that Nissan recall any vehicles that have CVT issues especially since it’s been a repeating cycle. I hope this doesn’t go unnoticed.
2018 Nissan Altima: RPM Revving
The contact stated that when the vehicle was started and shifted to drive, the vehicle hesitated and then lunged forward while the RPM’s revved up. The contact also stated that the failure recurred approximately 10 times. The vehicle was taken to [a Nissan dealership] where the transmission control module software was updated. The vehicle was not repaired. […] The approximate failure mileage was 14,209.
2018 Nissan Altima: Loss Of Power
The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power without warning. The contact coasted to the side of the road and was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000.
2018 Nissan Altima: Transmission Failure
The CVT transmission failed while in transport. It put my family at risk while being stranded on busy highway. There were no warning lights or indication of issues, except the vehicle stopped performing effectively. The dealer acknowledged issues in this and other models and had transmission repaired at my cost. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer and, using OBD, they found transmission failure codes.
2019-2024 Nissan Altima Cars
2019 Nissan Altima: Malfunctioning CVT Transmission
The transmission failed/malfunctioned. It’s available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk when the vehicle stalled at a traffic light or in the middle of traffic. I took the vehicle to Autozone to be scanned, and they confirmed it was the transmission. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer yet because I would have to paid between $200-350 to have the vehicle towed to the dealership where the vehicle was purchased, which is two hours away. The local dealership charges $130 to diagnosis my vehicle. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. The CVT message appeared on my dashboard after the vehicle stalled and would not accelerate more than 5 miles or would not move at all upon acceleration of the gas. In addition to the current transmission issue, I have also had the brake light switch adjusted twice. The failure of the brake light switch drained the vehicle battery resulting in having the battery replaced as well.
2019 Nissan Altima: Acceleration Lost
The transmission failed/malfunctioned. It’s available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk when the vehicle stalled at a traffic light or in the middle of traffic. Took the vehicle to autozone to be scanned and they confirmed it was the transmission. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer yet because I would have to pay between $200-350 to have the vehicle towed to the dealership where the vehicle was purchased which is two hours away. The local dealership charges $130 to diagnose my vehicle. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.
The CVT message appeared on my dashboard after the vehicle stalled and would not accelerate more than 5 miles or would not move at all upon acceleration of the gas. In addition to the current transmission issue, I have also had the brake light switch adjusted twice. The failure of the brake light switch drained the vehicle battery resulting in having the battery replaced as well.
2020 Nissan Altima: Transmission Problems
Consumer writes in regards to transmission failure. The consumer stated the vehicle would lunge forward. The dealer could not duplicate the failure.
2020 Nissan Altima: Hesitation and Shudder
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate and shudder. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she shifted into drive(D) and depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was unable to drive the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired at her own expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under the powertrain warranty due to the mileage. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000. The VIN was not available.
2020 Nissan Altima: Month-Long Transmission Repair
I bought a used (7,000 miles) 2020 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV. Bought the car on January (18-19th) 2022 with a clean Carfax. Then, on August 12, 2022 at 17,500 approximate miles the transmission failed. I was driving and suddenly the engine light came on and the car was being strange. Slight shaking, vibration, and delayed acceleration plus a few other details I cannot recall. I immediately went to the dealership since I was nearby and I did not feel that the car was safe to drive. Then I left it there for over a month (all with no loaner vehicle because they had none) and they said they needed to get me a new transmission. Needing a new transmission so soon is not normal. The dealership even said this, but also said it is unfortunately an issue they see with their CVT transmissions. I had no prior symptoms, and this was very sudden. I had even called them to let them know I was on the way, and they said if I was not close-by that I should tow the car in because it might not be safe. It could have caused an accident if I had driven for longer, so I consider myself lucky and hope that other people do not have the same experience.
2021 Nissan Altima: Lost Power At Highway Speeds
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a recurring transmission issue with my 2021 Nissan Altima. The car has been experiencing significant power loss while driving, which I am certain is linked to a malfunctioning CVT transmission system. Despite ensuring that the transmission fluid levels are correct, the problem persists. Recently, the car lost power while I was going at least 50 mph on a busy road, which is very dangerous. Additionally, I have come across numerous complaints from other owners of the same model experiencing similar transmission issues. This history of complaints indicates a widespread problem that poses a serious safety risk and warrants a recall.
Although there is an extended warranty, I don’t think it is fair for others being out of warranty when this is a very known issue with all owners. A CVT should last way longer than 70,000 miles, and some owners even report issues as early as 25,000 miles. Some mechanics even tell all their Nissan customers about the cons of the CVT, so it is very well known to not be good. Nissan basically has a deadly issue on their hands. I kindly request a thorough investigation and appropriate action to resolve this matter. Thank you for your attention to this serious issue.
Get Lemon Law Help For Your Nissan Altima Today
If you have recurring problems with your Nissan Altima’s CVT transmission, your vehicle may be a lemon. We can help owners of 2019 and newer Nissan Altima cars recover cash compensation or a lemon law buyback for their troubles.
Nissan Altimas are not the only Nissan vehicle model experiencing these recurring problems. Read more about common Nissan CVT transmission problems and your California lemon law rights. If you would like more information, complete the form below to request a free consultation.
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