SUGGESTION......could everyone please preface their posts with the engine size of their Altima's. (most issues are engine specific and this thread covers both the 2.5 and 3.5)
I have the 3.5 SL. Only rarely have I experienced the "shutter" in the CVT. Seems that if it occurs it does so when I'm gently accelerating from a stop and when the transmission is shifting from 1st to 2nd. Fortunitely, it's only a rare occurance. With 3,000 miles on the car, the computer says I'm getting 27 mpg (combined).......I'm happy with that.
Also, as I may have mentioned before, while I wanted to buy the 2.5 Altima the test drives demonstrated its loud engine/transmission noise and I knew it would have driven me nuts....so I opted for the much quieter 3.5 and I'm happy that I did!
Now, if Nissan would only hurry up and issue the Service Bulletin to fix the heated seat issue I'd be happy.
I was about to buy a brand new 2013 Altima SL 3.5, but now I am on HOLD.
Please pass this on to the Nissan representative.
There are so many threads with complaints about the CVT that I am now looking to avoid ALL Nissan CVT's. I almost bought a Maxima, but it's got the same d@mn combination of a Nissan CVT with 6-cylinder engine.
I looked seriously at the Infinity G37x, but it seems to me that it would cost me an extra $14,000 just to avoid Nissan's lousy CVT. Why should I pay money to Nissan because they sell a product with a bad design?
I'll keep driving my ancient car until there is a fix for this problem. Or I may just buy the new Accord.
The Maxima uses the previous generation cvt that is much smoother and has generally been very reliable. It doesn't get the higher EPA mileage ratings though.
If you buy a new Accord 4cylinder you will get a cvt also - and there have been complaints about it in the Accord forums.
You know what they say about the best laid plans? My 2001 Civic went in for some repairs this morning and the bill is just under $1,000. I’m not dropping $1,000 on a car I plan to get rid of in 6 months so now I have to decide between the lesser of two CVT evils. I guess I’ll have to re-read the threads and decide if I want to live with the 2.5 CVT issues or the 3.5 ones.
My advice;
1) Read up on the issues and educate yourself, so you'll know what to look for.
2) Go test drive some cars, paying special attention to the concerns that have been shared.
3) Decide if the things that other people are commenting on exist in the cars you drive, or are significant to you.
I'd venture to guess that 95%+ of owners are not on forums ranting about these issues because either they don't experience them, or the issues are not something they get worked up about.
I can detect most of the things people discuss in these forums, but they don't interfere with my ability to completely enjoy my new car.
I can hear a quiet high pitched noise as I roll around the parking lot looking for a spot to park. I understand why it is there, and that it is not damaging my car. I'm OK with it. If they find a way to quiet it down more, I'll play that card when it gets dealt.
I occasionally experience a momentary grumble when accelerating lightly, but I understand that it is related to the upshifting that is getting me the mpg that I bought the car for, and that it is not causing any damage. It doesn't bother me, it's a small price to pay for 5 mpg better than the 2012 version.
I bought a $25K commuter car that happens to comes surprisingly close to the feel of a luxury touring sedan costing much more. Overall I'm happy that it's close, not disappointed.
Maybe this stuff matters to you, maybe it doesn't. Only you can decide. Drive the car and see for yourself.
My advice;
1) Read up on the issues and educate yourself, so you'll know what to look for.
2) Go test drive some cars, paying special attention to the concerns that have been shared.
3) Decide if the things that other people are commenting on exist in the cars you drive, or are significant to you.
I'd venture to guess that 95%+ of owners are not on forums ranting about these issues because either they don't experience them, or the issues are not something they get worked up about.
I can detect most of the things people discuss in these forums, but they don't interfere with my ability to completely enjoy my new car.
I can hear a quiet high pitched noise as I roll around the parking lot looking for a spot to park. I understand why it is there, and that it is not damaging my car. I'm OK with it. If they find a way to quiet it down more, I'll play that card when it gets dealt.
I occasionally experience a momentary grumble when accelerating lightly, but I understand that it is related to the upshifting that is getting me the mpg that I bought the car for, and that it is not causing any damage. It doesn't bother me, it's a small price to pay for 5 mpg better than the 2012 version.
I bought a $25K commuter car that happens to comes surprisingly close to the feel of a luxury touring sedan costing much more. Overall I'm happy that it's close, not disappointed.
Maybe this stuff matters to you, maybe it doesn't. Only you can decide. Drive the car and see for yourself.
Good advice. I’ve already test driven the 2013 3.5 SL and love everything about it. There wasn’t any issue with the CVT but that doesn’t mean much as most of the people here have said it happens after at least 1,000 miles.
My advice;
1) Read up on the issues and educate yourself, so you'll know what to look for.
2) Go test drive some cars, paying special attention to the concerns that have been shared.
3) Decide if the things that other people are commenting on exist in the cars you drive, or are significant to you.
I'd venture to guess that 95%+ of owners are not on forums ranting about these issues because either they don't experience them, or the issues are not something they get worked up about.
I can detect most of the things people discuss in these forums, but they don't interfere with my ability to completely enjoy my new car.
I can hear a quiet high pitched noise as I roll around the parking lot looking for a spot to park. I understand why it is there, and that it is not damaging my car. I'm OK with it. If they find a way to quiet it down more, I'll play that card when it gets dealt.
I occasionally experience a momentary grumble when accelerating lightly, but I understand that it is related to the upshifting that is getting me the mpg that I bought the car for, and that it is not causing any damage. It doesn't bother me, it's a small price to pay for 5 mpg better than the 2012 version.
I bought a $25K commuter car that happens to comes surprisingly close to the feel of a luxury touring sedan costing much more. Overall I'm happy that it's close, not disappointed.
Maybe this stuff matters to you, maybe it doesn't. Only you can decide. Drive the car and see for yourself.
Beat me to it. Forums are not representative of the average driver. Just those looking to discuss issues. Those who don't have issues aren't likely to sign up for a message board to talk about it.
The same goes for every other car, not just this one. Someone previously mentioned the Accord as an alternative. A quick Google search pulls up CVT and build quality issues if its own. There are always going to be bad eggs, picky drivers, or both.
If I didn't read up on these issues, I likely would not have noticed them. I have experienced a few (though thankfully not some of the bigger issues), but they do not sour my driving experience. The various faint cabin noises (power steering, window, etc) are nullified by my always listening to music. The rumbling while accelerating is more of a limitation than a flaw. I have not experienced the elusive judder yet.
__________________ 2013 Altima 2.5 SV
Added: 5000k HID lows; LEDs for license plate, doors, and courtesy lights; Weathertech mats; footwell lighting kit
To-Do list: HID fogs; 30% window tints; LED for glovebox light; debadge trunk; plastidip front and rear chrome trim; smoke tail lights
I drove and enjoyed my 2.5 for 5 months. I was aware of the "lugging" - felt it on the test drive before purchasing - but I reasoned that it was not that annoying to me, especially for the gas mileage I got from the car.
Traded it for a 3.5 primarily for the power increase, leather and other upgrades in the SL. I'm not pleased with the CVT shudder but it occurrs infrequently and I'm fairly certain that Nissan will address the issue sometime soon.
I've driven the new Accord, Camry and Sonata - each have their own problems and none please me as much as the Altima. I'm going to hope for a resolution of this CVT issue and then I'd be very pleased with the car.
Edit: I fully agree with flipn0tic also. BTW: the CVT judder on converter lockup appears to be a 3.5 issue.
Good advice. I’ve already test driven the 2013 3.5 SL and love everything about it. There wasn’t any issue with the CVT but that doesn’t mean much as most of the people here have said it happens after at least 1,000 miles.
I assume you have the 2.5?
The CVT issue can happen anytime... but I'm beginning to think it's just more of the learning curve with a CVT.
I own the 3.5 and this is my first CVT car. I'm right at 750 miles now. I think I've experienced the bogging / shuddering two or three times now, at low accelerations. I've noticed it's always happening when I try to drive it like a gentle old man and accelerate slowly into the 1500 RPM range.
When I step on it a bit harder and accelerate straight through to 2500 or 3000, I haven't noticed any shuddering. And this is nowhere near redline either (6500ish).
So I think part of it is learning how to drive a CVT rather than actual car-damaging issues. Of course I'll monitor it and if I fear anything it getting worse, I'll have it serviced before my warranty expires.
But I'm not freaking out calling Nissan everyday complaining about my car either. The seat issues are a minor annoyance but I love everything else about the car and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I just hope that my car lasts well into the 150k+ mileage range, as my old Honda was there and still running strong.
The Maxima uses the previous generation cvt that is much smoother and has generally been very reliable. It doesn't get the higher EPA mileage ratings though.
Thanks! Good to know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dbc
If you buy a new Accord 4cylinder you will get a cvt also - and there have been complaints about it in the Accord forums.
True. I was looking at the Accord 6-cylinder with a the 6-speed automatic transmission and "sport mode". I assume "sport mode" alters the gear changes so that the transmission stays longer in each gear before it upshifts to the next higher gear, trading fuel efficiency for power.
By the way, the 4-cylinder Accord with CVT also has a "sport mode". Would this solve Nissan's problems?
Last edited by Always Learning; 12-12-2012 at 09:07 PM.
True. I was looking at the Accord 6-cylinder with a the 6-speed automatic transmission and "sport mode". I assume "sport mode" alters the gear changes so that the transmission stays longer in each gear before it upshifts to the next higher gear, trading fuel efficiency for power.
By the way, the 4-cylinder Accord with CVT also has a "sport mode". Would this solve Nissan's problems?
There have been basically two functional problems with the CVT 8 used in the '13 Altima:
1) early cars with 2.5 (only) had belt slippage on deceleration. This was corrected with a reprogram and apparently is no longer an issue.
2) Many 3.5 (but probably not 2.5) cars develop, after 1000-2000 miles, a pronounced judder on torque converter lockup at light to moderate throttle at 15-25 mph. This is not subtle, occurs only occasionally, but has not yet been addressed by Nissan.
The "lugging" complaint appears most often with 2.5 cars and is the result of the programming chosen to maximize fuel economy. Some people are more bothered by this than others. It's possible, but not certain, Nissan will offer a reprogram to reduce or eliminate the lugging at a cost of some fuel economy.
The sport mode on the 2.5 doesn't really alter the programming on light to moderate throttle application. Heavy throttle results in higher rpm and the "simulated gear shifts". So sport mode won't really correct the lugging in most normal driving.
You really should test drive the car to see if you find it offensive. If you dont find it an issue, i would not hesitate to purchase a 2.5. I would wait to see the solution to the 3.5 problem, if you wanted the larger engine.
Listen to the radio a lot louder, i'm sure you won't notice the difference. Problem solved.
Besides this Altima blows the competition out of the water in practically in every category. You want a car that does NOT have these idiosyncrasies, buy a Lexus, or better yet drive a Chevy malibu for a week and then come back to the Altima, then things wont seem so bad.
It's important to call Nissan Customer Care and open a case on this issue. Also, a dealer visit is recommended.
Only when there have been enough documented complaints will Nissan address this problem.
You read my mind, I believe that is what drove the heated seat acknowledgement from Nissan, not forum postings...until people started calling Nissan directly....the dealers were insisting this is Normal...I registered a complaint late yesterday, re: the CVT 2.5 vibration/noise, got a reference # and like the seat issue, expect a rep to call by the end of the next business day (tomorrow)...I must say they are very good about listening, and I did get a call very promply regarding my seat complaint. As dbc suggests...CALL NISSAN AND COMPLAIN....1-800-647-7261 I think option 3 , then 7. The impression I got is they have been getting calls re: the CVT vibration. Oh,and go to your dealer 1st...they'll tell you its nomal....that way when the rep tells you to go, you can say you did, got the normal crap, and that's why you're calling.
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2013 Altima 3.5SL Java Metallic, All Options
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