Nissan RE4F03 transmission problems: Versa, Sentra

If your automatic Versa, Sentra or March gets stuck in 3rd, slips, bangs into gear or sets transmission codes, it may have Nissan's RE4F03 family 4-speed. This article covers which cars have it, how to tell the versions apart, which part usually fails for each symptom according to Nissan's service manuals, its trouble codes, the fluid each model takes and which parts get replaced.

Which cars have the RE4F03?

It's Nissan's 4-speed automatic for small front-wheel-drive cars, and every version has the same gear ratios: 2.861 in 1st, 1.562 in 2nd, 1.000 in 3rd, 0.697 in 4th (overdrive) and 2.310 in reverse, according to Nissan's service manuals and Nissan Mexico's spec sheets. What changed from one generation to the next is the electronic control and several parts, which is why it goes by different names:

In Mexico, the Tsuru (the long-running version of the early-1990s Sentra) was still offered as an automatic in 2008, and every automatic 2012 to 2019 Versa and 2012 to 2025 March sold there is a 4-speed, not a CVT. Nissan doesn't publish a code for the newest version: the names RE4F03C and JF414E come from parts catalogs, and Jatco, the Japanese transmission maker, describes its JF414E as "a 4-speed AT for small FWD vehicles". More by model in our guide What transmission does my Nissan have?.

Not this family: the CVT versions of the Versa, Versa Note and Sentra, covered in our Nissan CVT guide, and the 2.5 Sentra, which uses the larger RE4F04B.

Is your Versa a CVT or a 4-speed?

In the US, most Versas have a CVT. The 4-speed automatic was offered on the 2007 to 2012 Versa (C11) alongside the CVT and, from 2013, on the base Versa sedan S. The CVT has its own problems and its own US warranty extension, which Nissan wrote for the CVT only. If your Versa has the 4-speed, CVT problems and parts don't apply to it; when in doubt, a dealer can tell from the VIN. In Mexico it's simpler: every automatic 2012 to 2019 Versa and every automatic March has the 4-speed.

How to tell the versions apart

The ratios match, but parts don't always interchange. These are the documented differences, useful for the shop:

• RL4F03A: hydraulically controlled, with a throttle (TV) cable running to the transmission, as Nissan's service manuals show on the 1990s Sentra 1.6.
• RE4F03V and RE4F03A: electronic, with no throttle cable. Nissan uses the RE4F03V with the 1990s 2.0 SR20DE; for the RE4F03A, the kit maker TransGo says the solenoid harness exits the case through a tan connector.
• RE4F03B: the 2000 to 2006 Sentra and 2007 to 2012 Versa unit, according to Nissan. Per TransGo, its harness stays inside the case, with a black connector, and its lockup is pulse-width modulated (PWM) rather than on/off.
• RE4F03C or JF414E: the name parts catalogs use for the later Versa sedan and the March. One parts distributor warns that it's a different design and that only parts marked RE4F03C fit it, such as the filter and pan gasket.

To cross-reference, the RL4F03A and RE4F03A or B filter matches Nissan number 31728-31X01, and the JF414E or RE4F03C filter 31728-3MX0A, according to parts catalogs. When in doubt, confirm with the VIN before you order.

Stuck in 3rd: fail-safe mode

It's the most common complaint, and it doesn't always mean the transmission is damaged. Nissan's service manual for the 2010 Versa explains that the transmission module has a fail-safe mode that lets the car be driven "even if a major electrical input/output device circuit is damaged", such as a speed sensor or a shift solenoid: the car always runs in 3rd, even with the lever in 1, 2 or D, and feels sluggish. Nissan Mexico's owner's manuals for the Versa, March and Tiida say the same.

But it can kick in with no fault at all. Those owner's manuals warn that hard driving, such as spinning the wheels and then braking hard, can trigger it even when every electrical circuit works properly. In that case, Nissan says:

• Put the lever in P.
• Turn the ignition OFF and wait three seconds.
• Turn it back ON. The car should return to normal; if it doesn't, have it checked.

If it keeps happening, scan it. According to Nissan, after an event like this the first self-diagnosis shows a speed sensor or speed signal fault that doesn't come back on the next one. And check the battery and its terminals: a Nissan bulletin for the 2000 Sentra blames low battery voltage for cars that lacked power and stayed in third gear at all times. Other causes of limp mode are in Why won't my automatic transmission shift?.

What if the O/D OFF light flashes? Nissan's 2001 Sentra service manual says that after fail-safe operation, the O/D OFF light blinks for about 8 seconds when the key is turned on, only once, and technicians also read the transmission self-diagnosis through that light. On other models, scan it. What each shifter letter and button means is in What do the letters on an automatic shifter mean?.

What's normal (and what isn't the transmission)

• No 4th when cold: Nissan's owner's manuals say overdrive doesn't engage until the engine reaches operating temperature.
• Bumps shifting in and out of 4th on gentle climbs or with cruise control: the owner's manuals describe it and suggest turning overdrive off with the O/D OFF button.
• The lever won't come out of P: with a dead battery it stays in P even with the brake pressed. On 2012 to 2016 Versa sedans, Nissan also fixed it by adjusting the key interlock cable and the stop lamp switch.
• Hesitation right after starting, or a small lurch forward in Drive when the A/C compressor kicks in: Nissan fixed these by reprogramming the engine computer on the 2013 Versa sedan 4-speed and on 2012 to 2015 Versa sedans. Not every symptom comes from the transmission.

Common problems by symptom

Nissan's service manual for the 2010 Versa, with the RE4F03B, links each symptom to the parts to check. Use it to guide the diagnosis, not to swap parts blindly:

Line pressure is the pressure the whole hydraulic system runs on. If it slips or shifts hard, our guide to why an automatic transmission slips or shifts hard also helps, and Sun Transmissions explains why a car won't go in reverse and how transmission bands work.

Taxis and fleets: what Nissan says about the converter

Nissan's service manual says the torque converter shouldn't be replaced for high mileage alone, with one exception: cars "operated in heavy and/or constant traffic, such as taxi, delivery or police use", where the converter clutch damper lining can wear excessively. Nissan says to replace it for lockup shudder or no lockup, but only after all hydraulic and electrical diagnoses have been made, or for heavy clutch debris from overheating (a "blue converter"), and not just because the fluid smells or is discolored when there are no metal or clutch particles.

One step that's often skipped: if the fluid contains clutch or band material, or the transmission was repaired or replaced, Nissan says to clean the fluid cooler inside the radiator or replace the radiator, because debris trapped there can contaminate the freshly serviced transmission. What the fluid's color and debris tell you is in Burnt transmission fluid, metal in the pan or water.

Common trouble codes

These are the codes Nissan's service manuals list for this family (2001 Sentra and 2010 Versa). We didn't see the list for later Versas and the March, but expect the same ones.

Two notes from Nissan: if U1000 shows up with other codes, diagnose it first; and incorrect-ratio codes such as P0731 aren't caused by an open or shorted circuit but by a mechanical fault, such as a sticking valve or a solenoid that doesn't work properly. Sun Transmissions explains codes P0705, P0720 and P0750.

What fluid does each one take?

• 1990s Sentra (RL4F03A): Nissan's 1994 service manual calls for DEXRON II-E, and the 1997 one for Nissan Matic D.
• 2000 to 2006 Sentra (RE4F03B): Nissan Matic D, per the 2001 and 2004 service manuals.
• 2007 to 2012 Versa (RE4F03B) and later 4-speed Versa sedans: genuine Nissan Matic S, per the 2010 service manual and the 2014 and 2015 owner's manuals.
• Mexico: DEXRON III for the Tsuru, and Matic S (Matic D accepted) for the Versa and March, per Nissan Mexico's owner's manuals.
• Never put ATF in a CVT: Nissan's bulletins forbid it.

When you change it, keep in mind that draining the pan only removes part of the fluid: according to Nissan, the rest stays in the converter and the cooler. Check your owner's manual too, since Nissan has updated its fluid specifications over the years.

How it's diagnosed and repaired

• Check the battery, its terminals and the fluid level first.
• Scan it with a tool that reads the transmission module. If it went into fail-safe from hard driving, do Nissan's reset and scan again.
• Check the sensors, connectors and harness before condemning the solenoids or the transmission.
• If the fault is mechanical, for example slipping in certain gears, identify your version before ordering the kit: RL4F03A or RE4F03A, RE4F03B, or RE4F03C (JF414E).
• After the repair, clean the radiator cooler or replace the radiator.

How much does the repair cost? It depends on what failed: a sensor or the battery isn't the same as the converter or a rebuild. Get a diagnosis before accepting a replacement transmission.

See TSS parts for the RE4F03 and JF414E

TSS parts for the RE4F03 and JF414E

The TSS catalog lists the parts for the whole family. The most requested are:

• JF414E filter, the best seller in this family, and RL4F03A / RE4F03A filter.
• TSS Rojo and Dorado overhaul kits for the RL4F03A / RE4F03A and the JF414E / RE4F03C; we explain the difference in TSS Rojo vs Dorado overhaul kits.
• JF414E / RE4F03C piston kit and TSS friction plate pack for the RE4F03A / RL4F03A.
• Band, Farpack pan gaskets, pan and ring gear.
• Pump seal, bushing and O-ring, and axle seals.

Before ordering, confirm which version your car has: RE4F03C or JF414E parts aren't the same as RL4F03A or RE4F03A parts. To buy online in the US, Sun Transmissions has the RL4F03A, RE4F03A, RE4F03B and RE4F03V collection.

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.

TSS products

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• Juego de Empaques TSS Rojo 1991/UP RE4F03A RL4F03A
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• Pack Discos Pasta TSS 1995/UP RE4F03A RL4F03A Discos Baja Reversa Modernos 5.940
• Juego De Pistones (4) JF414E, RE4F03C
• Filtro Nissan Sentra Rl4f03a Re4f03a
• Juego de Empaques TSS Dorado Farpak Sin Pistones 1990/06 RE4F03A RL4F03A RE4F03B RL4F03V

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