CVT transmissions aren't a death sentence for your car! CAR WIZARD shows how to keep them going
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- čas přidán 6. 11. 2021
- Does your car have a CVT transmission? Wonder why people say stay away from CVT's? Let the CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️ show you how they got that bad rap and how to keep them going. Plus an ownership update on his 2013 Nissan Cube 'Cubie'.
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Totally agree with you regarding CVT. I have a 2019 QX60 with 55 000 KM. Went to the Infiniti dealer to buy CVT fluid. The guy at the parts counter told me why change the CVT fluid because it is good for more than 100 000 miles. I told him I didn't agree with him. He took a pause, looked around to make sure nobody was listening and told me : ''You are doing the right thing sir.''
Because it's Nissan lol nobody else's cvts have issues.
Have a 2017/maximum
65000
Works.good
Love too b
Drive it
Constant power
Reminds me of my rupp
Snowmobile
Change that belt frequently
But excitement galore
I like how he's like - took a pause and said that 😂👍🏻 I mean he know what is up
Propane market must be rough right now apparently Hank Hills working at an Infiniti dealer.
@@dingleberries360 Toyota CVTs had a recall in the corolla, and honda CVTs fail as well. Id avoid any CVT tbh
The owners manual is 100% accurate. Sealed transmission is good for the life of the vehicle, right until it self destruct's and costs more then its worth to repair.
Lmfao. I'll never understand why people talk about repairs that are worth more than the car itself. So you're gonna sell it and buy someone's else's headache and problems? Never made sense to me lol
@@NewDemons666 people are very dumbed-down nowadays.
Right after the warranty expires....how convenient.
The life of a nissan is only 2 years. Have to read the fine print.
@@NewDemons666 i normally fix my cars only one was so worn down when the engine locked up it was time to let her go now i have a new car thats not beaten the hell out of. only thing that pissed me off about it is there was a faulty trans plug i did caught it before i blew the trans but not early enough overdrive acts up when over 45mph and whenever you accelerate its kicks out of overdrive and clunks back to a drive gear going into overdrive or stopping no issue.
Our Nissan had a code for the transmission. 56k miles. Dealer said CVT transmission was bad, needed a new one. I took it home and changed the fluid, screen and filter and new fluid. Cleared codes. Doing great since. So now I service it every year. Now has 182k miles. Still doing great.
Was the code actually triggering the check engine light on the dash? And was it slipping at all prior to the fluid change?
Yes code was triggered, no slipping on transmission.
thanks for sharing your knowledge
I, too, have had reasonable luck with them. One of my Nissans has 250,000km on it, and the other has about 80,000. The CVT is NOT tolerant of over-heatingl. If you tow a trailer or you drive the car hard then I can see have trouble with it. Actually, the older ones that don't have fluid coolers have more heat problems, obviously, but the new ones with the coolers have the added possibility of leaks. I have had to replace the hoses and fluid on one of mine for that reason.
Mr. Wizard mentioned he gets good mileage from his cube. I would suggest that hat CVT is a big part of that good mileage.
This is probably the VERY BEST video on CVT transmissions I've ever viewed. Thanks TONS!
The fluid that came out of the CVT doesn’t even look like any fluid that goes in a car, it looks like an obstacle in a video game where if you jumped in it, you’d instantly die
If you think regular atf smells bad, cvt fluid is even worse 🤢
It looks like the stuff in Dune that the Emperor was bathing in!! Lol
Does that mean European transmissions are full of perfectly clean water?
It does smell like sulfer kinda like gear oil
@@ThE420DbOY That is some vivid imagery considering I just saw that
Never said ever before in human history: "Let's take the Cubie to the yacht".
LOL!!!!!!!!!!
Thumbs up made me chuckle
Same energy as Doug DeMuro’s bio on Autotrader.
“Doug DeMuro is an automotive journalist who has written for many online and magazine publications. He once owned a Nissan Cube and a Ferrari 360 Modena. At the same time.”
My sister bought a 2009 Altima, new, off the lot. It passed from her to my mom, then to my oldest daughter. The CVT fluid and filter has been changed EVERY 30,000 miles from new. It now has 220,000 trouble-free miles on that CVT. Not the best transmission, but not a guaranteed failure like so many people believe.
UPDATE: Spoke too soon. CVT went out with 227,300 miles on it. Still not too bad.
@@crs290 that’s amazing for any car and close to how long manufacturers test cars to last.
@@crs290 I'd be happy with that.
200,000 miles on mine. Time to replace it
@@crs290 That's still crazy impressive on a 09 Altima, that was the prime years of CVT complaints. Most people barely getting 100k out of them before they go lol
Transmission conversation begins at 5:25 --- Very good content. Thanks for sharing your insights and experience. Just bought a 2012 Versa with 95K. It has zero issues but I was looking for preventive maintenance information and found your video. The part when you say if you just bought a vehicle with a CVT transmission change the fluid and filter NOW really got my attention, NGL.
I sold those in 2012. Great cars.
I just bought my son a new Vera SR and the service schedule says change cvt fluid every 15k miles
I got a 17 versa but thank god mine has the 4 speed automatic…great car got it for 7k 79k miles with maintence records every 4k miles…think I got a little lucky
@@keithwelnicke4042
Wow. I have a 2018 Versa note, and my owners manual says 30,000 miles. Nissan is shortening their cvt schedule now?
I was way past 6 min and he was still rambling on about other sht.
If manufacturers say never to service an important part like a transmission then you know you are being scammed because the only thing they want is to sell you a new one
👍
This
The "no maintenance required" also appeals to lazy people who can't even be bothered to check their oil, or tire pressure, without taking it to a shop. But as the old Fram commercial said: "You can pay me now, or pay me later."
Gets you past the warranty period just fine. Often enough that they aren't worried about the occasional trans replacement.
*cough* Subaru *cough* , jk, that's every Japanese car maker right now with the exception of Mazda
My mother has a X-trail with the cvt when she bought it i noticed gearbox bearing noises i called 2 nissan dealers asking the cost for replacing the oil both said "it's a lifetime fluid, no need to change it" then we went to a gearbox specialist and they changed the 7qts of the green stuff you shown, the car runs so smooth now and this was over a year ago, nissan should be sued for giving customers fake info wich leads to ruin their cars
Life is short.
Subaru does that shit too... "lifetime fluid"... my @$$ it's lifetime! I change mine every 28k!
I'm pretty sure they were sued for this exact reason.
For a cvt equipped outback I had to practically beg for them to change the fluid at 50k. Fluids and filters, fluids and filters. They’re too cheap to even argue about…and most fluids can be very effectively recycled.
@@allenschmitz9644 said the cvt
After watching this video, I called my garage and asked how much they would charge for a trans fluid and filter replacement in a car with a CVT. They said about $250-$300, which seems like a reasonable investment in extending the life of a car. Certainly a lot cheaper than a timing belt.
That's about what Infiniti service advisor quoted me for my QX60. He did not recommend changing fluid. He said that "we do more transmission replacements than we do transmission services. "
Wait.. .What?
@@thomassullins8690 gee I wonder why
Do it yourself its cheap. Its not hard you just got to measure how much fluid comes out and put the exact amount back in. You might need a pump to put the fluid back in and there are tons of videos showing how to do it its easy.
.
@@thomassullins869016:03 16:03
I just changed the fluid/filter on my 2011 Altima for the first time at 99,000 miles. I’m praying I can get another 50,000 miles before I’m able to afford a new car. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers
I’m feeling very hopeful now. I’m glad you made it to 99,000 miles. I have a Versa note 2018. Had the cvt fluid changed at 30k miles. I’m currently at 40k miles. With all the bad rep that Nissan gets with their CVTs, I feel like I’m driving on eggshells. Hopefully I make to where you are right now with regular cvt fluid changes.
@@Al-ok1lj you need to trade that garbage in now. It'll probably be worth nothing with 99,000 miles on the clock.
Was yours slipping at all before you changed fluid?
I owned an 06 Murano. I changed the CVT fluid every 30k or so. Traded it in back in February with 263k miles with the original CVT trans.
That’s impressive! All the TLC paid off and then some.
I know this is an old post but would love to hear what you did. Did you just do a drain and fill? Or drop the pan like in the video? My’12 doesn’t have many miles (70k) but driving more now. I’ve done two drain and fill, and changed an external filter
If I EVER needed a friend, I need 1 now.
I got a transmission flush done by my mechanic, at around 75-80K miles.
I just turned the car to 115K miles and now the CVT is acting up.
I did NOT know, that there's a specific trans fluid needed for the flush.
My mechanic is a old school mechanic and I believe he used some typical trans fluid, NOT knowing that you need CVT fluid. I didn't know of this CVT fluid, until 1 week ago.
If he used the wrong trans fluid and now the car "jerks" when accelerating - Is it TOO late to do a CVT flush and I gotta replace the CVT ????????????????? PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME OUT
@@cobrakainevereverdies6940 all you can do is try, it’s probably too late, but do it see if it helps…
@@NewEdgeDesigns - I called Nissan and they said, if you mechanic did a trans flush and kept then shavings, even if it was NON-CVT fluid - It would've acted up, much much sooner. NOW my situation is this. Sometimes the car doesn't act up at all.........SOMETIMES it acts up a little bit. I was gonna try to do a CVT Fluid flush but not a full 1 - meaning using 5 quarts AND I was gonna do a proper synthetic oil change. If that works, great - if NOT.....Then there's some FUGLY UNMANLY cars for me to choose from, if I want to get a updated car.
Love the Borg reference! It’s refreshing to see a gearhead that genuinely likes working on cars the right way and can also be an honest mechanic. Keep doing your thing Wizard!
Picked up on it too, Resistance is Futile!
Are we subscribers, or were we assimilated? 😁
We are Car Wizard.
@@michigangeezer3950 A reference from Human by the Killers?
Or are we living in a simulation?
He should have it wrapped with a Borg cube motif.
This was relating to normal Automatic Transmissions. A good friend owns a Transmission shop. He told me a decade ago if everyone changed their fluid once a year regardless of miles. He'd be out of business. I have several cars as a car guy, been driving for 25 years and I've never had to replace a Transmission ever following his advice.
Same here. Changing trany fluid and anti freeze by no more than 60k is the secret to super long life.
Interesting thanks
Thanks for the wonderful tip about these transmissions. Your honesty is refreshing and so sorely needed at this time.
Just bought a 2017 Nissan Rogue with a CVT Transmission. I had the transmission serviced at 33, 000 Miles. It seemed expensive, but after this video I now know why. Thanks Wizard.
Your Rogue CVT made it to 33K miles? Impressive.
I am not sure why people don’t like CVT, my 2012 Altima had 190K miles and the CVT still fine. I change the fluid 3 times and use OEM Nissan NS2 fluid.
30k on that cvt with no issues?
@@Nathan_Jay I am not a fan of CVT's, My In-laws own the first generation Nissan Rogue. The mileage is at 185K, the key is to install an external transmission cooler and be regular with the fluid change.
@@rock0236 I know multiple people that have had Rogues & Altimas (2012 & up) where the transmissions went out by 20K. It's depressing.
I’ve always known to stay away from CVT transmission because of the horror stories. But I never truly understood WHY they’re so terrible. This is an awesome video, hope the cube lives a long and healthy life. Thanks Wizard
As someone who has had a Nissan CVT fail on me, I will be steering clear of CVTs for as long as I can and I will opt to have a manual for my next car
Yeah, Servicing every 30-50K is the key; only took two Tranny swaps in 13 months ('08 Rogue) to truly learn my lesson. Vehicle's motor lasted 210K miles before fuel pump failed... She's resting in the driveway nowadays, 😂 I did have an extended service contract which saved my a$$$$$... Ugh
From what I understand, Toyota CVT's are pretty good though. I know a few people with Toyota's running CVT's who are over 200k on the same transmission with no issues. Granted they keep up on regular maintenance though.
As Honda Accord owner of 2002 and 2013 both with 300,000 miles, I can tell you that maintenance is very Important compare to buy a new car.
Also, drive like a grandma on the first gear or two. After that you can blast to 100mph as you wish and your car still working fine.
The reason why so many people broke their car because:
-->They abuse their car by stop and go and floor it but....they will stop after a few feet.
There you go.
Now am gonna drive my car until it reach 400,000 with original transmission.....by driving like Grandma on the 1st and 2nd gear.
Chiao.
I have had my Versa Note for a few years and am hoping my driving style will keep my CVT going for years. The blue plate on the back designates that the car has CVT just fyi.
Thanks Mr. Wizard! I just got a used Cube it's such a fun comfortable car. I will have it serviced right away. Thanks for the advice and glad I found your channel.
Thank you for this video. I drove my 2012 Nissan Sentra to California from Washington recently, and the transmission lost power (in the hills)
on the return trip..... I was very concerned about being stranded thereafter, but a (frantic) conversation with my brother convinced me that the
vehicle would make the trip home. It did. and it surprisingly returned to normal power within about 75 miles of my destination. Basically, I am
thankful for your video, because it gives me more confidence as I address the maintenance requirements to keep it running right.....
Wizard, *I wish we could clone you.*
Every single mechanic on earth should be like you. Simple guy, direct words, funny but educational comments and the best advices to any customer just keep you, as a mechanic, forever!
I’m pretty happy with my mechanic shop, where the ethic is honestly and accountability.
It probably helps that they are good Irish Christians!
@@j_freed Do they teach religion at their mechanic shop?
Like the Stig, with different cousins around the world
you just got to find us hiding in a sea of part swapper with no troubleshooting skills!
@@j_freed you realize that Christians lie as much as any other non religious type right? That has no bearing on a person's character. The way they were raised or their experiences are the only things that make them who they are.
My grandfather and father were engineers at Opel for their entire careers.
Both of them told us to maintain our cars by the "SEVERE SERVICE" schedule outlined in the owners manual.
A overwhelming majority of cars on the road are driven in conditions that match the severe service conditions
Few vehicles are driven in such optimal conditions that the regular maintenance intervals are appropriate.
Followed their advice and in 35 years of driving I've have had one car towed and one car broken down on the road.
I have seen tens of thousands of miles of trouble free driving in cars that people said were problematic.
Basic maintenance is always cheaper than repairs.
Exactly, most people don't even know that they are using it in severe conditions. The manufacturers are at fault here as well, they are afraid that they scare you away from the brand when the service interval is to short.
I have heard people complaining about Toyota sticking to 15000km intervals instead of 20000 or 30000 like other manufacturers but I think it is a good thing.
@@meeder78 I recently went to the dealership for an oil change and why I was waiting in the lounge a service manager approached the only other person there.
He asked her did she have any maintenance history on her vehicle. She said no that she purchased it at the dealership and it had been serviced at the dealership. The service manager said that they cannot find any service information in their system and when was the last time she had an oil change. She said this was the car's first oil change because the oil light came on signaling the need. The service manager told her that her car was not equipped with an oil change indicator and that's the flashing lights meant that her car had low oil pressure. The car was 3 years old and it never had an oil change in 31,000 miles.
When the service manager left the lady started talking to me and she said that she didn't have time to come in here and get her oil changed every 7,500 miles like the service manager told her it needed.
The dealership offers an Express lube and I was there approximately 15 minutes.
How does anybody not have 15 minutes to spare every few months to maintain a vehicle which is a substantial investment?
@@williamegler8771 i own many V8s, but that lady needs an electric car
I wouldn't say severe service, most of the time that is First responder vehicles, and big trucks. While it never hurts to change sooner than recommend it may not be necessary. That's why it's recommend to check your fluids every week/1k-5k miles. Then take it from there.
@@Mrjack-yn2dj sever service is also short distances where the engine doesn't warm up completely. That entails short trips up to 20km. Of you frequently drive short distances it is considered extreme service.
I appreciate your knowledge wizard, thanks for keeping us informed
Good advice. I just love it when you talk about the common car, and give practical advice like this. The modern luxury fast car is of no use to me anymore. I am totally over them. I think it is a bit like having a speed boat to use in a swimming pool. I work on my own cars now and what I have learnt about the lack of practicality of the modern luxury fast car is just amazing.
Manufacturers like to put these long recommended service intervals on fluid changes to appear to lower the cost of ownership. BMW is the worst. I own three of them and totally disregard their fluid change recommendations. I don’t want to junk them at 100k miles. This is an important video for all car owners. Thank you Wizard!
Another HUGE reason the manufacturers say 100,000 mile service, is to comply with stricter EPA regulations…
I bought my first BMW last December, a 2017 420d coupe. I got it off a small family owned dealer and the other day brought it in for its first service. Simple oil change and air filter replacement. Also had the two front brake discs changed because of a slight juddering due to a warped disc. Altogether it cost me €343.24 with labour costing €94. Guarantee a BMW dealer would have charged me over €400 for the same work using the same genuine parts.
Stellantis has also gone with this shady practice ever since they started using ZF8 and 9 speed transmissions. If I recall these are the same as on a BMW.
For the record ZF recommends changing the fluid every 50K-60K miles, so I've been following this schedule
I disregarded the "lifetime fluid" ATF on my Ram 1500 and that's the only way the transmission is still hauling at 273K miles.
@Mani If you follow any Toyota's maintenance manual you will almost surely get 300,000 miles. I've worked with Japanese engineers and most do not want their vehicles to fail at only 100,000 miles or their other products to fail prematurely. Panasonic TVs are a good example, also.
My local Nissan dealership told me today that my CVT Nissan Sentra doesn't have a filter or screen only a fluid change until I literally showed them the filters that needed to be replaced I love this channel for the truth and honesty you are awesome
I heard a story similar to yours. A guy with a Honda Fit wanted to get his CVT tranny filter replaced. Parts and mechanics say they don't know or heard of a tranny filter for the car.
They realized after searching thru their parts diagrams.
W t h??
@@stevel1475holy moly.
I change trans fluid every other oil change. And do a brake inspection without fail. I have been wrenching for 44 yrs, as always enjoy your content. You both are such good people.
Thank you for this video. I was going to wait a while longer to get mine done but you convinced me that sooner is better than later and I took care of it today. Spendy, but definitely beats buying a replacement transmission.
How much did it cost?
@@PennsylvaniaHomesforSale Somewhere in the neighborhood of $300.
I wonder how one would know for sure that they changed it?
@@sl4983 just go to a reputable shop I guess.
"Nissan CVTs are known to overheat, especially after traveling at highway speeds for a long time or driving up a steep grade. When the transmission overheats, the vehicle often goes into a fail-safe or “limp” mode, resulting in a loss of power." Carparts
this is probably more likely when the fluid is shagged
@@andys31337 Fluid or slurry of fluid and powdered belt?
No wonder it overheats!
I have a 2006 Nissan Maxima, it has a CVT gearbox, I have owned it for 11 years and have changed the fluid in the Gearbox twice in that time, I drive it pretty hard sometimes and it has never ever given any trouble, even had comments from the people that service it that it is one of the best gearboxes they have come across, the ones before 2006 were supposed to be not very good. Worked for Nissan for 9 years in a service dept can't ever remember having any problems with them.
I live in Ecuador, had the Qashqai, and it had the factory defect that was recalled in the country I used to live, the UK. Not here of course. 5k USD replacement gearbox, zero assistance. That was a car with 30k km or about 20k miles, and yeah, there are proper mountains here, so it got shot.
The CVT itself was really not bad to live with mostly, but as a result of that experience, I sold my Nissans and moved to a different brand. Never again.
CVTs are really not bad for fuel economy as a rule. It is just sad to get shafted by the dealership, no real alternatives around that are trustworthy non-dealer mechanics, a place like Omega doesn't exist here, unfortunately.
Definitely worth doing the servicing on this.
@@diannehamilton6243 how many mileage on the odometer with your 2006 Maxima?
In my experience, you should do a transmission service right away on used cars with conventional automatic transmissions, also.
You can check the fluid quality on many vehicles. Recently purchased an auto. Would normally do transmission right away but fluid was still nice and pink.
@@christopherjohnston6343 only older vehicles. New vehicles say 2016 or so, no dipstick for automatic transmission. Sadly.
@@johnfranklin5277 used to have an 08 Jetta with a 6 spd auto and no transmission dipstick. This non-dipstick situation has been going for almost 15 years, ever since 6 spd automatics started becoming commonplace.
@@luisinhoens90 seems silly on purpose dudnt
@@revelunioncam4500 yes it is. And it's even worse when you replace your fluid. What a pain in the rear to drain and fill my 8 spd transmission which needs a brand new pan because the filter is part of it.
Hey Mr Wizard! Love the Alfa 164 in the background.
Agreed with everything.
I do oil and oil filter change on my cars every 5000km. Transmission service is every 20000km or every year.
Never had any problems with my cars with Engine or transmission. I have an Alfa Romeo 159 and Nissan Note 1.2 Dig-S.
Thanks to this video and the others you've done on CVT's I'm currently midway through servicing my wife's 2011 Rogue. Fortunately, I didn't notice nearly as much debris in the fluid (though it is black and burnt smelling) so hoping I'm not too late and can avoid a bad transmission. Definitely won't be purchasing anymore CVT cars.
Same here with my 2018 Versa. No more CVTs for me. Trading in for a Mazda real soon.
Wow, I haven't watched you in a pretty long time, and I'm just amazed at how much better the quality of your videos are! Keep up the great work.
Will a fluid service help with longevity on Cvts? Yes . But Nissans jatco Cvts are unpredictable regardless of service. Worked in Nissan service and there were vehicles that had 2 to 3 Cvts replaced within a year. It is and was the death of Nissan.
There's hope for Nissan, if they eventually move away from CVTs or eventually go fully electric. They've started with the Pathfinder and the Infiniti QX60.
I had the 7AT Jatco go bad in my 370z. Rare I know, but there's issues with that one for "us people" that actually drive the Z hard. The issue I had was the same as mentioned in the video. I bought car new and got the usual: "It's a sealed transmission" speech every single visit to the dealer as I had them doing oil changes. Eventually they did change the fluid around 44k miles and by 56k miles and 9 days before the 5 year warranty was over, the thing completely died on me. Whether is was the crappy flexplate or something else, I don't know, but now I'm on a "re-manufactured" transmission, and have been okay, now at 86k miles. Red Rock Nissan in CO did a fluid change for me without any pushback, and told me that "some" nissan dealers either a) Don't know HOW to change the fluid, or B) Do not have all of the proper tools to remove the old fluid out, so they refuse it and probably do the whole risk/reward/it's more trouble than it's worth calculation and decline to service them.
Here's what I have learned in Z ownership the past 8 years: Nissan made choices whereby it would rather have buyers have a failed vehicle with high costs to fix vs. longterm loyal customer base like Toyota or Honda. Corporate Nepotism at it's Finest. They also must treat their employees like crap, because every time I visited Carr Nissan in Oregon, they had new people working there. So high turnover = bad news as you then have no experts, and because expertise cannot easily be quantified on some spreadsheet by some a$$clown corporate actuary socipathic lozer beta male, the dealerships end up with non loyal customers.
Worse: The finance manager I knew for a few years left Nissan and would later tell me that the entire point of the Nissan Altima was to prey upon sub prime credit people. So that vehicle has not only the crappy CVT, but also the highest depreciation among 4-Door sedans thus putting people quickly in a negative equity situation.
Overall I just look at big corporations like those multilevel marketing schemes where only the people on the top win, everyone else loses: Bad for the customers, bad for the employees, bad for society. I think one of the main problems is that we just have too many people in mortgage debt, student loan debt, and having been raised to be BETA males, that they end up being forced to work from and consume from these corporations mainly ran by sociopaths that would otherwise become serial killers, but instead, they get off on just being the greedy narcissistic turds that they are.
@@07wrxtr1 lmao so much true mate
@@07wrxtr1 failures on regular jatco automatics isn’t that rare. The 5at on my g35 was absolutely horrendous. I actually prefer the cvt on my newer nissan.
Yup. My 2013 Nissan Sentra is on its 6th transmission. Car only has 90k miles on it lmao. It is an absolute garbage car, poor internal build quality, rattling plastic everywhere. The only reason I keep this POS is because the transmission in this car never manages to go past the warranty so I'll likely have free transmissions for life. It's so sad that it's actually hilarious now.
Excellent information. Love your straight forward approach. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I love you car wizard, the best you could have done its having a YT channel. This is just GOLDEN content. Thank you from the other end of the world, my 2013 Mitsubishi lancer Gts with that cvt and my wallet are saved thanks to you. Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱!
Listening to Wizard teach us about cars is so peaceful and soothing. He has very good enunciation when he speaks. I think that's what they call having good diction in English.
Back in the late 80's my mother had DAF 66 with the CVT gearbox. The car started to rev up but not move, just the same as a slipping clutch. My Father and I removed the bell housing to find that the rear crankshaft seal was leaking oil onto the 3 centrifugal clutch shoes. So we got a new set of shoes and a seal. The job replacing the parts wasn't that difficult to do. So many people wouldn't touch them as they were scared of the gearbox. It was a fun car to drive 0-30mph about 4 seconds. Beyond that measure in minutes.
My neighbour had one in the early 80's, you could see the belts and pulleys if you looked under it at the back.
I had a DAF 66 Marathon in the 80’s. Mental car! Went as fast in reverse as it did going forward… 😄
My mum had them from the late 70’s . Could only drive them and wouldn’t even try a normal automatic. Volvo took them over and rebadged them . Finished off with a Volvo 66 estate.
Great video with very wise advice! I recently bought a 2013 Honda Accord EX-L sedan with the 2.4L 4cyl and CVT automatic transmission. The car had 172000 miles on it and on the test drive I was amazed at how good it drove. The day I picked up the car I went straight to my local Honda dealer and made an appointment to change the fluid in the transmission. The service cost $186 but it's money well spent.
My mom had a couple of those CVT transmission cars. Her mechanic did the same thing as you once a year service it. She never had a problem. I change the fluid and filter on my regular automatic every two years just because it's cheaper than buying a new truck or transmission. Thanks wizard very informative as usual
Really, they have two filters. One is a small cartridge filter and you may be surprised how nasty that thing gets since in my opinion it is much more of a filter than that screen on the valve body. They come with either a metal seal ring or an o-ring depending on your model. Look for it near the cooler mounted on the transmission. It will be in a small cast aluminum housing and that may or may not have hoses attached. I changed mine and it made it operate a bit more smoothly. I did not lose a lot of fluid from mine, maybe an ounce at the most. Just be prepared to catch more than that just in case yours is somehow different. That fluid is really runny and it can be messy!
@@charleshines8523i changed the transmission cartridge filter the other day and I’m afraid of leaking fluid from the housing because it doesn’t look like it’s sealed well with just an o ring. What do you guys think
Hi there.. when you said service, does it mean changing the CVT oil or flushing the CVT oil?
😅
16:33 😮 16:33 16:33
Got a 2011 nissan rogue with a cvt, and it has 201,000 miles and the CVT has never been replaced, we do replace the fluid every 35,000 miles and I think that is why it's lasting so long...
It absolutely will 👍 you're on schedule, watch your diff fluid if you tow or drive long highway
@@five12man Don't think diff fluid is existent on a FWD Rouge. Though AWD models do exist.
@@bill_clinton697 not on the fwd of course, I didn't see that mentioned. I was just being helpful tho
Honda dealers only charge $160 to service the CVT on the Honda Fit. Hard to argue doing all this yourself when it’s that cheap.
I’m a huge fan of the fit. Totally underrated vehicle
Really? I need to have my wife's done. I figured I would do it myself, but at that price I'll let them do it and belts...
@@saratc660 i traded mine in at 299,949 miles. Bought it with 20 miles in 07. Changed fuel pump, and and so blubs. Thats it. Only the keyless quit working, and i was not great at maintenance either.
@@saratc660 I don't think they're underrated. The residual values prove it.
@@MrCarGuy I was helping a buddy out that wanted a reliable vehicle for under $8k and specifically wanted a manual transmission, didn’t care about power, luxury, or tech at all. Civics under $8k were around 5 years older in considerably worse shape. Corolla’s were just neglected, especially cosmetically, and still held their value incredibly well. Fits were all over the place in that price range and in better shape. Everything is SO easy to work on, it’s exposed and right in front of you. It’s also more fun to drive than you’d think. Idk I think people overlook subcompact cars which is why I feel it’s underrated, I’m pretty sure most people would take a 2008 civic over a 2012 Fit, especially looks-wise
We have a Versa/Tiida. Have had it for 5 years now.
Had our CVT serviced twice, running an MR18DE engine.
We've done the trans service twice, and it now has 229 on the clock.
Look after it, and it will look after you - and, no, it's NOT a sealed transmission.
22 bolts, plus about another 8 to get the plastic shield off.
Change the filter, change the fluid, (which ain't cheap), and it just runs so well.
I love the thing, especially in Sport mode.
Listening to you explain things is very relaxing. I just bought a 2014 altima and I will service the trans asap
When a customer who brought a motorcycle in for service answered "I don't know" to a "when was this last done" question, they were told that it was going to be done now.
The weakness in a CVT is that they can't shift quickly from to gear to bottom gear. ie, in a panic stop. Literally it is like when you're riding a 10 speed bike (I know, I'm old) and have to stop without shifting down. When you need to start, it's really really hard and you have a choice - speed up slowly with gentle pedal pressure or shove hard on the pedals to get up to speed. Think of the strain on the chain and derailleur, etc. My old GF (we don't mention her name...) had a Nissan with CVT. I tried it. Panic stop to 0. Then accelerate. If you had stopped n an intersection to avoid hitting the child, you ARE NOT getting out of the way of the tractor trailer headed towards you. And it puts a major load on the transmission as you do that. If you have a CVT please try it. AT 60 jam on the brakes to a stop. Then try to speed up normally. I bet you'll find it won't until enough distance has passed that it will move the belt over.
I'm old too so I can relate to the 10 speed reference very well lol.
Thanks for that info. I've never owned a vehicle with a CVT but I'm getting ready to shop for a car and not having that knowledge I might have considered purchasing one. Knowing there's a chance of that happening I wouldn't dare get near one now. Possibly life saving info. Thanks again!
Huh, never thought of that, interesting.
I bought a 2013 cube a month ago , mine is a standard transmission and I love it 🥰 even though is small on the outside it’s huge on the inside
Just wow! I can't believe how bad that fluid was. I'm so glad I'm a faithful viewer, you've taught me so much.
Thank you, Wizard!
i have had a large fleet of Nissan vehicles with cvt's with absolutely no issues ,my mechanic retrofitted every one of them with an electro-magnet inside the transmission pan itself .
Sounds interesting. So does it have a stronger charge to hold more metal?
@@crunchie09 YES it does.
How can I have this done ?? I’m definitely changing my fluid every 20k
Won't adding a couple strong neodymium magnets to the pan archive the same thing?
@@Brandon-uy1uv yes but the weight throws off the balance shafts and wears the bearings out after 60-70k miles
love to see the results of an oil analysis on this CVT fluid next time!
The reply from Blackstone might be "Don't". 🤣
Yeah I want to see a real analysis on the fluid too. Just looking at color doesn't tell you anything. Also the dark color of the filter only indicates color. It doesn't show that the filter was full of debris. We should have disassembled the filter and laid it out on a table to see how dirty the filter actually was
The analysis = "It's life Jim but not as we know it"
This was the video I needed to see.
I had my transmission replaced once already at 75K miles and I'm coming up on 130K and have done nothing as far as maintenance bc it's a "sealed system". This has always seemed fishy to me since oil needs changing despite being sealed.
I'm due for an oil change, badly, and I'm gonna see if they will service my trans this time as well.
I was lucky enough to have a warranty last time. That cussion is long gone and this confirmed my thoughts about my CVT.
I hope it's not too late for my poor car...
Extremely informative video!! Thank you for a wonderfully spoken and educational video. Very well done!!
I'm glad to see that Wizard has a CVT in a car that he loves. I loved my Ford Freestyle and the 25 mpg CVT. Half the credit for those 30 mpg can be racked up to that CVT. Thanks for teaching folks how to take care of them! Two thumbs up.
My 2004 Chevy Impala LS with 3.8 liter v6 always gets 30 mpg or more and it will run circles around a Cube...
The 2006 Scion xB, which is basically the Toyota "Cube," gets 26 city and 31 highway with a conventional 4 speed auto. The 2010 Nissan Cube gets 27 city, 31 highway with the CVT. Nissan CVTs don't do much in terms of efficiency.
@@bill_clinton697 the 2006 Scion xB had a smaller 1.5 liter engine and weights less than a 1.8 liter Cube. So yes, the CVT helped the Cube to get pretty much the same FE as a lighter, smaller displacement xB
my CUBE was a 2010 stick shift, it was a great car, taught my daughter to drive in it/ and ultimately it eventually met it's demise in a crashed front end, and I sold it for scrap ($1000 bucks at the time) ran great for 7 or 8 years or so / and at 6'7" it had plenty of headroom (42.5") so, I could fit in it, which is my one giant criteria for any car. *and you are right about having lots of room in back too.
Stick shift does not apply to CVT in any way. My next vehicle and all subsequent vehicles will be manual transmissions. Screw these stupid CVTs, a clutch is still a big job because the engine and tranny still have to come down and be separated but a couple hundred for the clutch kit vs. a few grand for a CVT is much more manageable. I am officially anti CVT. And I guess I'll never own another Rogue because they don't offer it with manual, CVT only. It's too bad, I liked the car.
I also had a 2010 stick shift cube!!! I miss it every single day
Awesome vid Wizard! I have a 2020 CIvic 2.0 Liter with a CVT with 15,600 miles on it. Glad I saw this!
We have a 19 crv with a cvt. I had the trans fluid done about 24k, it was really dirty. Glad we had it done early, I was rather surprised how dirty they get. Thank you for the tip, in going to do it that often, or even sooner…
I see that 30A, Wizard. Great place that I used to spend a lot of time at. But I’ve found there are just too many people going there now. I’ve been going to Navarre, Cape San Blas, and Atlantic Beach more. Thanks for the cvt information. Cheers.
Thank You Wizard 🧙♂️
I had a Cube SL that never got over 80mph, even on a downhill!
I put taller/wider tires (205/55/16) and hit 100mph (downhill).
Car Wizard, Just a thought as those Sump Magnets were doing a great job in picking up so much of those metal shards, would adding several ... MORE magnets inside the Oil Pan help in catching that debris and help also the filter from being choked and being strangled with same, even if regular/ early maintenance was being carried out at say 30,000 Miles. Great Upload...
Love Mrs Wizard she's the best 🥰 love the videos Wizard and I have a Cube z12 that is well maintained thanks to people like you who are willing to share your knowledge and experience 👏 big THANK U 👍 kind regards from Dublin City Ireland 🇮🇪
I like the cube a lot. I loved the one I owned. I liked its rear asymmetrical windows.loved it’s quirky styling. Loved it’s interior.loved it’s entry and exit. Love it’s mileage, loved it’s fuel economy. I miss it. I am with the wizard on this car. I love the looks and the comfort. I like strange.I like goofy. I 💕 love the cube.
I just started working at Nissan a few months ago as a helper. Got an altima with a P17F1 code so I’ll probably be the one replacing the transmission in it. I’m kind of excited. Even though CVT’s can be garbage if they’re maintained they’re a really cool concept
Hi, I wanted 2 tell u how much I appreciate people like u. I'm a single mom w/not a lo $$ & I purchased a 2018 Nissan Sentra on 4/2/22, I already have problems. I'm taking it back 2 the dealer tomorrow & I'm telling them 2 make sure ALL CVT FLUIDS R CHANGED. I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA IF I DIDN'T WATCH YOUR VIDEO. THX MR & MRS WIZARD!!!
Done this service to mine recently and plan to do this again in another 30,000 miles. Already had one CVT failure on the same car so trust me this is well worth doing.
Did you do the filter and screen
Should be remembered that Van Doorn, the inventor of the CVT, originally designed the CVT transmission for tiny little cars called the DAF, and these little cars only had 30 hp or so, he never envisioned people using his design for larger vehicles.
Yeah, the Nissan Murano would have come as a shock.
There used to be drive-in-reverse races with these on Dutch television, since they go as fast in reverse as they go regularly.
Edit: here's an example czcams.com/video/S7ipFApsFec/video.html
@@jessebrook1688 yeah, its crazy to me that manufacturers think it's a good idea to use a CVT in a midsize SUV. My parents have a 2018 nissan rogue with a 4 banger and a CVT and that engine is always screaming to get the car moving. I have a 2021 kia soul with an IVT and it's good in such a small and light car, I can accelerate 0-60 and stay at 1800-2000rpm constant the entire time. Cars bigger than small econo cars shouldn't have CVTs or any variant of them.
Daf was similar to snow ledge or atv. Rubber belt. Good system for cheap small engine.
Well those had rubber belts. Quite different
Thanks for the heads up on keeping your CVT going. I wasn't sure on the filter changes but after seeing your video I plan on changing the filters with my next fluid change. I had already decided to change my fluid every year, around 25K miles.
it's wiser to learn from the failures of others rather than your own 👌🏼
What if we only drive around 11k a year?
@sl4983 You could probably go by miles. 30K has been the number thrown out. At the time I had written my comment, I was averaging over 20k a year. I'm not driving my Rouge as much now because my wife retired, and we got a second vehicle that I usually drive to work.
It's funny how divisive the asymmetrical window is, I happen to love it. It adds to the quirkyness.
My sister has a 2011 Sentra with 150,000 miles on the original CVT trans and she has changed the trans fluid at least 3 times. Still running like a champ.
My aunt had one of these and she and her friends (all in their '80's) all have had one as well because they are easy to get in and out of and comfortable.
Theae do come in a manual
I think some of this applies to a lot of older Honda automatics too. They'd go a lot further with frequent maintenance, but people just ignore it and they blow up.
Honda UK say change every 2 years on Jazz (Fit) Hybrid CVT or 25,000 miles.
You're right. I have an '07 Ridgeline and I like to change the automatic fluid every 10k-15k. When it's drained, it only drains like 3 quarts or something, do it takes nearly 5-6 changes to replace all the fluid. So, every 60k miles you've just about completely changed all fluid, not bad for a conventional auto.
reason number 5000 on why manual trans is the best
I always find it interesting to see what mechanics drive because the last thing they usually want to do is work on their own car. Usually some beat up old car with very little maintenance done
I recently rented a previous generation Nissan Versa with 30,000 miles. It felt like a ten-year-old car with at least triple that mileage. The CVT was already on its way out as it was slipping more than a giraffe on an ice rink.
It heartens me to see that the CVT on my Honda Fit actually has a 30,000 mile fluid change interval. I have it scheduled with my next oil change! I’m curious to see how my transmission fluid and filter look.
We’re really happy with our 09 Cube. I especially appreciate the leg room for being such a small car. I’m 6’3” and not only am I comfortable up front but I can sit in the back seat just fine, too.
Any issues?
I have an 09 and I’m having some rpm issues and I’m working on it myself and trying to learn as much as I can since it’s my first and only car.
@@faaronbrooks6897 we did put a new CVT in it about six years ago but that was under warranty. Aside from that the only thing we’ve done is basic maintenance and it’s been great.
I swear it’s non-euclidean. Literally larger interior than exterior.
Unfortunately, the Jatco transmissions fail even with maintenance. They were failing in huge numbers even when brand new (especially in the Murano). They just arent a good product.
Nissan just fell off
Jatco’s made crap for a long time. My jatco cvt lasted longer than than the jatco auto in my ‘03 g35.
Overheating is another cause of failure.
Jatco transmissions do not fail in Mitsubishis. Why? Less torquey engines and much more transmission oil cooling in Mitsu's. It isn't Jatco, I think. It is Nissan that is the problem.
@@ronaldderooij1774 true
After I broke my hip I couldn’t sit in my Jetta’s seat so had to find a car that fit. After sitting in 30(!) cars the Cube was the only one that worked. The upright position feels like the original Mini, it’s quick and maneuverable, and it’s been dead reliable. Just love it.
Found your video thank you, thinking about getting a Nissan quest. I figured the failures were due to negligence. I change out my fluid on my regular transmission at 20 to 30,000 miles cuz I'm paranoid. So doing it for a CVT won't be an issue. Thank you again for the video. I kind of figured it was people in their negligence not wanting to do maintenance.
My sons Cube’s 3rd cvt is toast again. It’s a POS! 19k miles 9 months on factory “new” installed by Dealer. Dealer said no warranty past 12k miles. Or 1 year. Driveway furniture!
They don't make new cvt engines for the cube. They are all rebuilt and only as good as either the mechanic who rebuilt it or the one who installed it. I love my cube, but I am on my 4th transmission. However, I have like 274k+ miles on it. I've only had to pay for one of them.
@@ejcastro9518 they warranted 1 at 45k miles, again at 97k at 1/2 price but at 116 k no help. ☹️
@Bill Gardner
I wonder if that "new" CVT unit installed by the $tealer was actually new, or one pulled from a junk yard?
Wouldn't surprise me at all if they TOLD you, it was brand new, but installed a junk unit and made big bucks on it through Nissan which payed for a new unit. I would contact Nissan Corporate and tell them your experience, it sounds VERY fishy. They should confirm that the serials numbers for the replacement unit (which is supposedly installed new last time in your car is actually the one they claim they installed. DO NOT return to the dealer you used, FIRST contact Nissan Corp open up an ticket and try and get a Nissan factory service zone rep to speak with you. Make an appointment to see him at another dealer that is close to you.
@@watershed44 dealer/stealer in Portland. They had a stack of cores headed to a Texas rebuilder/thief
@@billgardner9328 LOL rebuilding these things is a joke. They are such precision made items that unless things are just perfectly rebuilt they will fail in a short time. Sorry for all your troubles, but I would still open up a trouble ticket with Nissan USA corp I think you have a case to get another unit which is ACTUALLY 100% brand new installed at a competent dealer. Follow up if you can.
I remember when my dad rented one. Loved the unique styling!
I needed this info, been thinking about purchasing a 2020-2022 Honda Accord! Thank you Car Wizard
Thank you for this very useful video.Take care,Mr Wizard.
Thank you for making this video! We have a 2011 Cube Krom and I’ve been flushing the CVT every 20,000 to 25,000 miles since new because I know how fragile these transmissions are. The car is about to flip 70,000 miles now and it’s ready for its third flush. The only issue we had with this car is the windshield washer pump failed last year, but it was only $20 for the part. The only other things we’ve done are maintenance like tires and oil changes. Somehow, the car has all 4 original brakes still!
Yes the fluid change is important. I recently saw some people on the Civic 10th gen forums who had more than 200,000 miles on their CVT.
Thanks Mr. Wizard, this is the first time I've seen your Cube. Mine is a 2011, 185k miles runs great, CVT service every 30k miles. Knock on wood, only repair ever was a MAF sensor.
Did your cube have the check engine light on cold starts sometimes? Mine does it a couple times a year, and a code reader says P1421 Cold Start Control Fault, so I wonder if a mass airflow replacement may fix it. I've also read there's a service bulletin on this fault and a dealer can reprogram the engine computer to stop this check engine fault from occurring in early cubes, but the only time I asked the dealership that does service on mine, they wanted $100 for it. It causes no issue and goes away after a few startups, so I wasn't gonna pay that much for them to tell me they "couldn't duplicate the problem."
A an auxiliary hefty oil coiler is a CVT transmission best friend. Keeping the metal belts/chain and ungodly expensive CVT fluid cooler really extends the service life of the CVT
Just found your channel, and I just love how you have turned the Nissan Cube into a Borg by way of the Borg stickers :) Sadly, looking at used cars right now, the vast majority are CVT, especially the SUVs in my low budget of $10k AUD. There's a local T31 Nissan X-Trail (the Nissan Rogue in the US I think) I've got my eye on (avoiding the T30 due to head gasket issues) but at around 200k km (124000 miles) the CVT has me a little scared.
I totally get it. I'm shopping with a limited budget as well and while Nissan's offer a lot for little I'm afraid of purchasing one because of the rep of their CVT's, not to mention other issues.
It's a shame.
Thank you for this. I just bought a new Sentra for my wife. Well equipped it seems like an incredible value for somebody who hates driving but has to. It’s quiet, and comfortable. I’m going to do the CVT fluid every 30k. (The manual says not to do it before 100k, while also not specifying when you should).
Interesting that it says no, before 100k. Have you changed it?
Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, Mrs Wizards enthusiasm for Cubie is underwhelming!!! Thanks for the update on this interesting sled!! 👍👍😁
Would recommend a external oil cooler for the transmission to keep the oil at a nice temperature because if the transmission oil get at a high temp the cvt pulleys they start to make winning sound it may go to a limp mode and the belt is going to spit bad on the pulleys.
Hey Wiz, do we have to reset anything in the Nissan Software? Any sort of CVT fluid deterioration sensors or anything like that!? Thanks a ton! Your videos are always super informative! 🤘🏼
My, that fluid looks horrible! I had my daughter get the trans fluid changed on her 2014 Rogue at about 70k miles. It ran her about $259 at the dealer, but I told her, pay now or pay $4,000 later. She plans to drive it a good long time. It is at about 95k now, so I'll have her get it changed again next year. Thanks for the info Wizard!
Yeah, you're right. That Boxun (boxdatsun) looks horrible!
Who cares
Probably also time for a suspension refresh and perhaps motor & transmission mounts as well if it’s struggling on the highway. I personally have found that on older vehicles like this one when you refresh those items it makes a world of a difference in terms of performance.
Can you use Castrol cvt trans fluid?
@@johnwilson3557 check with GM. I'm not sure about what they used in which cars for which years.
Fascinating!! My 2011 Outback Subi.. has 225,600 miles on my CVT and my car is still like new!
I love my cubes for the same reason! I’m 6’5” and it has soooo much room! Both of mine have been 6-spd manual, though.
The fluid in my Murano was clear new. I always used Valvoline CVT fluid with no issues. When I would change it at 30k or more, it would look like tea but never that dark.
I had a 2010 with the six-speed and it was one of my favorite cars. Slow as hell but fun drove well and got good gas mileage
Same! I loved my 2010 6-speed Cube more than anything I’ve ever drove. Still devastated that some idiot plowed into me and totaled it :(
I would never have believed it. Thats insane. Thanks Wizard.
Thank you for the information it's golden! Does this apply to all CVT? Subaru as well?
Had an '07 Altima SE 3.5, 170K miles. Now have a '16 Maxima SV, 108K miles-no issues (bought brand new). I'm a mechanical engineer, love the CVT's in these cars and yes, I do change the fluid (and do all preventative maintenance, no matter how "trivial").
I recommend you to get Mazda
@@anpham8107 I like the Mazdas, but I'm up to 115K miles in the Maxima (fingers crossed).
Cvt Honda civic owner manuals say every 25k miles replace the transmission fluid.
Its the same issue with the ZF transmission in BMW Audi and other lux brands use. They says its sealed for life no need to change the fluids but then they start to fail at like 100k miles ...
@Wizard you should do one on those transmissions
My first post.
SO Correct!!
Overheat and poor service are the CVTs worst enemy.
I have had several CVT vehicles and you are correct. Change the CVT fluid 30-50K range, no matter your driving style. Not a hard job for DIY, however, ensure you have the correct CVT fluid for your particular vehicle/cvt application. Have over 200K on some of them.