CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2015 Nissan Altima shows multiple problem trends, continuing the poor reputation of the 2013 & 2014 Altima, prompting us to give it our "Beware of the Clunker" badge.

Owners are complaining about transmission problems related to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).

7.3

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,000
Average Mileage:
50,300 miles
Total Complaints:
28 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (20 reports)
  2. replace transmission (5 reports)
  3. replace valve body (2 reports)
  4. replaced transmission (1 reports)
2015 Nissan Altima transmission problems

transmission problem

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2015 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #8

Mar 282017

Altima ES

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I recently bought a used 2015 Nissan Altima with 55,000 miles on it at the time if purchase. Within my first week of having it I start having problems. Whenever I'm sitting in traffic too long, it starts hesitating almost every time! No matter how hard I press the gas pedal the car doesn't go over 10 mph. I called Nissan to figure out what recalls were open on my vehicle. And it seems that this issue is now a open recall. I'm hoping it is after seeing so many other complaints on this same issue. Nissan needs to fix this problem for FREE! Another note is I used my AC for the first time and that made it worst. SMH

- Roy L., Aberdeen, MD, US

problem #7

Dec 282016

Altima

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,757 miles

Driving my high anxiety mother to pick up medicine and we go down a hill and the car hesitates. I press the accelerator and it wont even go over 10 mph. I pull over for a second and put the car in park. I try again and same thing occurs and this time I smell smoke. So I pull over and cut off the car. The car seems to have a gear/transmission problem. I cant believe a 1 year old car is having these types of issues. I also experienced the hood latch issue which cause me to lose control of the vehicle on a icy area. Nissan refuses to pay for the damage caused to the car. I will never buy another Nissan again. I will do a lot of research for the next vehicle when I trade this raggedy car in.

- Ethel P., Milwaukee, WI, US

problem #6

Sep 012016

Altima 4-cyl Engine

  • CVT transmission
  • 3,800 miles

the Transmission, Jerks/ bounce while driving on low speed and try to stop.

going down hills it makes RRRRR noises very loud.

CVT transmission .... wait till it breaks. are thy F!! kidding me!

Update from Sep 16, 2016: I also have a transmission problem... only have 3500 on it ... Nissan Altima 2015

the all car vibrates . for one year mossy Nissan has not able to fixed the problem.

I cannot take-it anymore

- Ge C., San Diego, CA, US

problem #5

Jan 282016

Altima V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I noticed the next day after leasing my 2015 Nissan Altima, that there was something wrong with the transmission. I went back to the dealership and spoke to the salesperson and that sales manager about the issue. They both told me I just wasn't used to the "new" transmission that Nissan has. After a few weeks of feeling this jerking while I was driving, I called the service department at the dealership and brought the car in. I was told nothing was wrong with it. 2 months later, I went back to have the oil changed and complained about the transmission again. They pretty much told me I was crazy and nothing was wrong with it. Did I mention that everyone who rode in the car with me noticed the problem as well? Well, they did.

I kept saying it was either the valve body of the transmission or the transmission itself. Nissan dealership said nothing was wrong. 2 months later and the problem kept getting worse and happening more frequently so I called the service department and made an appointment to bring it in. This time, however, I asked not to have the same service writer who assisted me on previous visits. The man that helped me this go around was much nicer and actually listened to what I was saying. Do you know how frustrating it is to be a female with car problems? Guys look at you like you have no idea how to start a car, let alone drive one. Newsflash, I know a lot about cars. I normally change my own oil, I have repaired anything from spark plugs to head gaskets and so much more. Why? Because I was tired of being taken advantage of when it came to car repairs. Luckily, I have a good friend who is a mechanic and he has let me help him do all my car repairs over the years so I could learn about cars. So, since the car I traded in when I leased this new Altima, recently had transmission problems, I recognized the issue right away. So they take my car in and try replicating the issue. I received a phone call a few hours later saying they can't make it happen. I told them to keep driving. Luckily, they did just that. A few hours later my phone rings and I'm told that it is either the transmission or the valve body. Wow, really?

I spoke to the guy and told him I was positive it was the valve body but wasn't sure if any further damage had occurred to the transmission. It is currently at the dealership awaiting the new valve body to come in from the factory. So I get the pleasure of driving a 4 cyinder, no navigation, cloth seats, etc. for the next week or so. This is my first and last Nissan.

- murrcod, Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #4

Apr 042016

Altima SL V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

car won't accelerate at times after sitting in traffic

2015 Altima SL, purchased in Richmond Virginia, Now in Georgia

1.started about 2 months ago, when sitting in traffic on an incline with the AC on, as I go to accelerate, the car is very hesitant and acts like it does not want to go. No check engine light or any warning lights came on in the dash.This initially happen around the 1st of April, once I drove home, let the car sit for about an hour, I drove it and not a trace of a problem.

2. About a month later, the same thing happen again, still no check engine light. I took it to the dealership, they kept it for 2 days. The said they could not find a problem and I have documentation of this.

3. May 31, I was driving in Atlanta traffic, After about 45 mins, my car was very hesitant, I gave it gas and it would not go over 40 mph. RPM was up to 7 and it still would not pass 40. I was almost hit by a truck because it happen in the middle of an intersection. I was scared to death. Thank God, I made it home. When I got home, I let the car sit for an hour, drove it around the neighborhood and now it drives perfect. Will take it back to the dealer today for service. What is this issue? Does anybody know? Stuff like this could get someone killed in a horrible accident!!

- Tammy G., MARIETTA, GA, US

problem #3

Jun 082015

Altima S

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,000 miles

In 2013, I bought a new 2013 Nissan Rogue SL. Top of the line model with leather seats etc. Within a year's time, we had to have the transmission replaced. One of the service techs at the dealership told us that transmissions had been defective. In 2015 I traded in the Rogue for a 2015 Nissan Altima. Before I hit 1000 miles, I began to notice the same tugging that we noticed on our Rogue before the transmission failed. I have researched Nissan transmissions and have read that this is a widespread problem,

- Lucio A., Edinburg, US

problem #2

Oct 312014

Altima SL 3.5L

  • CVT transmission
  • 20,000 miles

Drove this car off showroom floor…brand new. Within a few a weeks of purchase, noticed it hesitating some when accelerating at slow speeds. Hardly noticeable at first. Took it to into dealership for oil change and mentioned it to person in service department. He said, “oh that’s that transmission they put in those cars these days. It’ll do that”. (CVT)

They put it on the diagnostics and everything came out ok. They told me there wasn’t anything wrong with my car. Few months later, still hesitating on acceleration, take it in for another oil change. Told them the same thing as before and they responded the same. Put in on the diagnostics, nothing wrong. Ok fine.

By the time I have 20k miles on this car, the problem is getting worse, often times feeling like the bottom is going to fall out of my car. In the meantime, the dealership where I purchased the car, had sold their Nissan franchise (smart move on their part), so I take it to the new Nissan dealership…in a far more inconvenient location. Had to rent a car for the day because they were unable to tell me how long they would need it to diagnose the problem.

Late in the afternoon, they leave a message saying that my car is ready. Drop off the rental on the way there. When I get to the dealership, they tell me there isn’t anything wrong with my car. Diagnostics check out fine. I insisted that there is something wrong with it and then they had a technician ride along with me around the block. Within 2 minutes, he says, yeah, there’s something wrong with it. He then tells me I’d have to leave it so they can do a graph of what the transmission is doing. By this time, it is late in the day, I’d already taken the rental back, etc. and I was pissed because it took 2 minutes for them to figure out that, yeah, my car is f*cked up, after telling me for months that it was fine. I then call another Nissan dealership that is a little closer to me and far more convenient to get to. Explain to them what I’d been told, make an appointment to take it in. They tell me it shouldn’t take long, so I sit in the lobby…..for 2 hours! THEN…they have the audacity to tell me that there isn’t anything wrong with my car!!!! “Diagnostics checked out fine” I told them I wasn’t leaving until someone got their head out of their ass and figured out what was wrong with my car.

So again, a technician rides around the block with me….with in 2 minutes, he says yeah, something isn’t right. Ya think Sherlock??? So I get a loaner, they keep the car. That evening, they tell me they’d made a graph of the transmission, sent it off to Nissan and Nissan has agreed to replace the transmission. Tell me that the transmission they’re going to put in my car “has all new parts but the casing is refurbished” …AND it only has a 12k warranty…but I’ll still have the balance of my factory warranty…as if that alone should appease me. Of course, it’ll take a few days to get it in and they’ll call me.

In the meantime, I call Nissan and complain that I’m not happy that they want to put in some half-ass transmission in my car because I’d essentially bought a car with a faulty transmission, that it wasn’t right when I bought it, but none of their computer-dependent technicians could figure it out. I wanted one that should’ve been put in the car to begin with…with a 60k mile warranty. I told them that if they couldn’t give me a brand new transmission, which is what I paid for to begin with, I at least wanted an extended warranty on the one they’re giving me…..or they can take the car back.

Long story short…they sent my request to “arbitration”…and in the end…..denied me everything. No repurchase of my car, no brand new transmission, no extended warranty. They replaced my transmission with a half-ass transmission and a 12k mile warranty. Nissan DOES NOT STAND BEHIND the product that they sell. In hindsight, I should’ve done more research before buying a Nissan. It’s my first, and it will be my last. I paid $35k for this car, put $15k down, and now the trade-in value is $19-21k…and I’ve owned the car LESS THAN A YEAR! I’ve pissed away $15k just by buying a lousy Nissan. Never again.

- libcynic, Martinsville, IN, US

problem #1

May 302015

Altima SV 4 cyl

  • CVT transmission
  • 100 miles

Our 2015 Nissan Altima SV, with less than 100 miles on it, began to hesitate/sputter when we accelerated to highway speeds. It happened EVERYTIME we got on the highway! We took our car into the dealership, they test drove the car & noted that the car did indeed sputter when accelerating to higher speeds. They attributed the sputtering to the car to being new & the computer getting "used to our driving patterns". REALLY?!?!? We were asked to drive the car until the 1st oil change, at 6000 miles and inform them then, if the problem continued!! We just took our car on a 700 mile trip & sure enough, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES!!! The car is going into the shop!!! Does anyone else have this acceleration problem with their car?

- rp138, Stockton, CA, US

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