- The failures Nissan documents most are judder on take-off, belt slip and power loss when the transmission overheats.
- P17F0 means judder from belt slip and P17F1 judder from the valve body. On some CVTs they don't turn on the warning light, so you need a scan tool.
- In the US, Nissan extended CVT coverage to 7 years or 84,000 miles on many 2012 to 2019 models; a dealer can check your VIN.
- Replacing the valve body or the CVT isn't enough: Nissan requires reprogramming and relearn procedures with its scan tool.
- Use only the fluid your manual calls for (NS-2 or NS-3), without mixing or overfilling: Nissan warns that the wrong fluid or too much of it can overheat the CVT.
If your Nissan with a CVT judders on take-off, revs without pulling or loses power on the highway, it's not your imagination: these are failures Nissan itself documented in its technical bulletins. In this article we'll cover the most common Nissan CVT problems by symptom, what the fault codes mean, which fluid it takes and what to check before replacing parts.
Which CVT does your Nissan have?
Nissan calls its CVTs Xtronic, and nearly all of them are built by Jatco, a Nissan group company. Instead of gears, they have two pulleys joined by a steel belt; some, like the JF015E, add a small 2-speed auxiliary gearbox. Each family has its own parts:
| Model | CVT | Nissan fluid |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 to 2012 Sentra, first-generation Rogue (S35), 2008 to 2014 X-Trail (Mexico) and 2007 to 2012 Altima 2.5 | JF011E (RE0F10A) | NS-2 |
| 2013 to 2019 Sentra, Versa Note and the 2012 to 2019 US Versa | JF015E (RE0F11A) | NS-3 |
| 2020-and-later Versa and the Kicks | RE0F11B | NS-3 |
| 2020 to 2025 Sentra, second-generation Rogue and X-Trail (T32), and 2013-and-later Altima 2.5 | JF016E (RE0F10D) | NS-3 |
| 2013 to 2020 Pathfinder and 2013 to 2014 Altima 3.5 | JF017E (RE0F10E) | NS-2 or NS-3, by year |
| 2003 to 2014 Murano and 2007 to 2012 Altima 3.5 | JF010E (RE0F09A, RE0F09B) | NS-2 |
Note that in Mexico the 2012 to 2019 Versa, the March and the Tiida automatics aren't CVTs but 4-speed automatics. If you're not sure which one yours has, see our guide What transmission does my Nissan have?.
Is the Nissan CVT bad?
It has failures Nissan itself documented. After several class actions, Nissan extended CVT coverage in the US from 5 years or 60,000 miles to 7 years or 84,000 miles on many models: 2012 to 2019 Versa, Versa Note, 2013 to 2019 Sentra, 2013 to 2018 Altima, 2013 to 2017 Juke, 2014 to 2018 Rogue and 2013 to 2018 Pathfinder. According to its bulletins, it did so to show its confidence in CVTs and to address customer concerns, including those raised in the class actions.
Coverage runs 7 years or 84,000 miles from the original sale, so for most of these cars it has already ended; a Nissan dealer can check your VIN. We found no equivalent program from Nissan Mexico. The programs stop at the 2018 and 2019 model years, and there's no reliable public data on newer Nissan CVTs either way. Nor is there a credible figure for how many miles a CVT lasts: it depends heavily on the fluid, maintenance and heat, as you'll see below and in How long does an automatic transmission last?.
Common Nissan CVT problems by symptom
These are the failures Nissan describes in its US technical bulletins, which cover the same units sold in Mexico. They're ordered by what you notice behind the wheel.
Judder or shudder on take-off
It's the failure with the most bulletins on the JF015E, RE0F11B, JF016E and JF017E. Nissan describes judder as shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration, hesitation on acceleration, lack of power or RPM flare. It shows up mostly on gentle take-offs, before the torque converter locks up, which on the JF016E can happen between 20 and 35 mph, according to Nissan.
To detect it, Nissan added codes P17F0 to P17F4 through a computer reprogram. P17F0 means judder from belt slip, and P17F1 judder caused by the valve body. On the JF015E these codes don't turn on the warning light, so you need a scan tool to read them.
Note that the reprogram is for diagnosis, not a cure: Nissan itself states that the update does not repair any symptoms. The repair depends on what's found. Nissan removes the valve body and inspects the belt: if the belt is fine, it replaces only the valve body; if it slipped, it replaces the belt and pulleys along with the valve body and oil pump, or the whole CVT.
Revs without pulling, slips or lacks power: the belt
If the engine revs but the car doesn't pull to match, the belt may be slipping. One known cause is low oil pressure at the pulleys. Sonnax, a maker of transmission repair parts, explains that valve body wear causes internal leaks that drop secondary-pulley pressure and let the belt slip. And on the JF015E, according to TransGo, the press-fit primary pulley piston can come unseated and leak, which slips the belt and sets low-pressure codes.
One of those codes is P0868 (fluid pressure low): with it, Nissan removes the valve body and inspects the belt before deciding what to replace. More on code P0868. The TSS catalog has a piston with seals for the JF015E meant to correct belt slip.
Loses power on the highway or on hills: heat protection
On the 2007 to 2012 Sentra with the JF011E CVT, Nissan documented that the computer reduces vehicle speed to protect the transmission when the fluid gets hot. The conditions it lists are an hour or more at 4,000 rpm or above, or at 65 mph or more; ambient temperatures of 96 °F or higher; and climbing hills for 6 miles or more. It can come with a whine or rattle.
Nissan's fix was an external CVT fluid cooler kit plus, depending on the codes, a valve body or a CVT. And it warns that the wrong fluid, overfilling the CVT or a coolant concentration over 50% can cause the same symptoms. The TSS catalog has coolers and external-cooler adapters for the JF011E.
Slow take-off and code P1778: the step motor (JF011E)
On the JF011E and JF010E, a step motor mounted on the valve body changes the ratio. When something in that system fails, the car accelerates from a stop slower than normal, especially after long highway drives, and may set code P1778 (STEP MOTOR). But the code is misleading: in its bulletin for 2010 models, Nissan didn't replace just the step motor but the whole valve body, and reprogrammed the computer.
Before buying a step motor, check the speed sensors and the rest of the valve body; Transmisiones Veinte 07 explains why P1778 often isn't the step motor (in Spanish). If it is, the TSS catalog has the JF011E step motor.
Other problems: noise, no movement and harsh shifts
- Whine or howl: first check the fluid level and condition. If the noise appears in P or N and stops when you shift to D or R with the brake applied, Nissan has the pan checked for debris (JF015E). More in Sun's CVT symptoms guide.
- No throttle response and no codes: on the Altima and Pathfinder 3.5, Transmisiones Veinte 07 found the cause was low voltage from an alternator (in Spanish). Check the charging system before blaming the transmission.
- A bump when shifting after a repair (JF015E and RE0F11B): if clutch point learning isn't performed, Nissan warns you may feel a shift shock when the auxiliary gearbox shifts.
Common Nissan CVT fault codes
These are the codes that show up most in Nissan's CVT bulletins, with Nissan's own names:
| Code | Nissan name | What it points to |
|---|---|---|
| P17F0 | CVT JUDDER (T/M INSPECTION) | Judder from belt slip |
| P17F1 | CVT JUDDER (C/V INSPECTION) | Judder caused by the valve body |
| P17F2 | CVT JUDDER (T/C INSPECTION) | Torque converter judder |
| P17F4 | AUXILIARY GEARBOX (CLUTCH JUDDER) | Auxiliary gearbox clutch judder (JF015E and RE0F11B) |
| P0868 | FLUID PRESS LOW | Low fluid pressure (more on P0868) |
| P0841 | FLUID PRESS SEN/SW A | Fluid pressure sensor signal fault (more on P0841) |
| P0744 | TORQUE CONVERTER | Torque converter clutch problem |
| P0746 and P0776 | PC SOLENOID A and B | Valve body pressure control solenoids |
| P2857, P2858, P2859 and P285A | CLUTCH A and B PRESSURE | Auxiliary gearbox clutch pressure (JF015E and RE0F11B) |
| P1778 | STEP MOTOR | Step motor or its control (JF011E and JF010E) |
A code doesn't mean the part it names needs replacing: with several of them, Nissan first removes the valve body and inspects the belt. And with the torque converter and auxiliary gearbox codes (P0744, P17F2, P17F4 and P2857 to P285A), Nissan replaces the whole CVT under warranty.
Other Nissan CVT codes: P0840, P0845, P0846 and P0826
These codes also show up a lot on Nissan CVTs. Like the ones in the table, they don't always mean replacing the part they name:
- P0840: pressure sensor A, which on a Nissan CVT measures secondary pulley pressure. In Nissan's service manual for the Altima with the JF011E, the harness between the module and the transmission is checked first; if it's the only code, Nissan replaces the valve body, and if it appears with others, the transmission.
- P0845: pressure sensor B, the primary pulley's. Check the harness and connector first.
- P0840, P0845 and P0710 on the 2007 to 2012 Sentra (JF011E): in its US bulletins on the CVT's temperature protection, Nissan replaces the whole transmission if two or more of these codes are stored or the CVT temperature counter reached 24 or more; otherwise, it replaces the valve body.
- P0846: the pressure sensor B signal is out of range. On the 2013 to 2019 Sentra (JF015E), Nissan lists it among the judder codes: the first step is reprogramming the transmission module.
- P0826: it's not the transmission. It's the manual mode switch, in the shifter, which sends the module the shift up and shift down signals; Nissan checks the harness, the switch and the module.
What fluid does a Nissan CVT take, and how often is it changed?
Each CVT calls for a specific Nissan fluid: NS-2 for the older ones (JF010E and JF011E) and NS-3 for the newer ones (JF015E, RE0F11B and JF016E); the table above shows which one yours takes. Nissan's manuals are clear: use only the specified fluid and don't mix it with others. Never use conventional ATF.
It isn't lifetime fluid either. Nissan's US schedule for the 2019 Rogue, for example, says to inspect the CVT fluid every 10,000 miles or 12 months and replace it every 60,000 miles under severe conditions; check the interval for your model in your owner's manual. And don't overfill it: Nissan warns that overfilling can overheat the CVT.
How is it diagnosed and repaired?
- Scan it with a tool that reads transmission codes: several judder codes don't turn on the warning light.
- Check the fluid level and condition, and look for debris in the pan.
- Before replacing expensive parts, rule out electrical causes: speed sensors, connectors and charging voltage.
- With slip or judder, Nissan removes the valve body and inspects the belt with a camera: that decides whether a valve body is enough or the belt and pulleys, or the whole CVT, must be replaced.
A replacement valve body or CVT isn't plug-and-play. Nissan requires additional service with its CONSULT scan tool. On the JF015E: reprogram the computer, register the valve body replacement, erase learned values, reset the fluid deterioration counter and run auxiliary gearbox clutch point learning twice. On the JF016E: write the valve body's characteristic data (IP characteristics) to the computer and run the clutch point and select learn procedures. Skip them, Nissan warns, and drivability concerns can follow. So "resetting" a Nissan CVT isn't a simple reset.
What does a repair cost? It depends on what failed: a sensor or the fluid isn't the same as a valve body, the belt and pulleys or a complete CVT. Nissan itself also repairs CVTs with a valve body or a belt and pulley kit instead of a complete unit. Get a diagnosis before accepting a whole transmission.
TSS parts for Nissan CVTs
The TSS catalog has parts for Nissan's main CVTs. Open the one for yours:
- JF011E (RE0F10A) (2007 to 2012 Sentra, first-generation Rogue, X-Trail and Altima 2.5): step motor, filters, gasket kits, coolers and external-cooler adapters, pan, sensors, range switch, converter bushing and a verified used belt.
- JF015E (RE0F11A) (2013 to 2019 Sentra, Versa Note and US Versa): piston with seals to correct belt slip, Dorado and Rojo gasket kits, internal and external filters, cooler, pan, friction plates and a verified used belt.
- JF016E and JF017E (2020 to 2025 Sentra, Rogue, X-Trail, Altima and Pathfinder): gasket kits and filters.
- JF010E (RE0F09A, RE0F09B) (Murano and Altima 3.5): step motor, Rojo gasket kit and filters.
For the RE0F11B (2020-and-later Versa and Kicks), ask your TSS distributor about availability. Before you order, confirm your transmission's code. To buy online in the US, see the Nissan collection at Sun Transmissions.
TSS is an aftermarket brand with OEM-comparable quality and quality control on every product. You can buy it from our authorized distributors: in the United States from Sun Transmissions, and in Mexico the full TSS catalog at Transmisiones Veinte 07.
Piston TSS con Ligas Corregir Deslizamiento de Banda 2007/UP JF015E
Juego de Empaques TSS Dorado 2010/UP Con Pistones JF015E RE0F11A
FILTRO Interno JF015E RE0F11A
Filtro Nissan Jeep Transmisión Automática CVT RE0F10A JF011E OEM 5191890AA
Step Motor RE0F10A JF011E CVT
Juego de Empaques TSS Rojo Nissan CVT JF011E
ENFRIADOR 4 TUBOS PARA CONECTAR ENFRIADOR EXTERNO CVT JF011E RE0F10A
Juego de Empaque TSS Dorado sin Pistones JF016E RE0F10D