CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2009-2010 Maxima has an expensive problem where the steering lock prevents the car from starting, & costs upwards of $1,000 to fix!
Driving at about 60kms/hour I heard and felt a clunk in the shifter and the car began to lose acceleration power. Then as I floored the gas, I discovered the transmission would not engage into any gears. I pulled to the side of the road and even tried to put the car in reverse to no prevail. I proceeded to push the car into a parking lot and called yet another tow truck, that being the 5th tow truck in 3 weeks because of this piece of sh*t cvt transmission. If Nissan doesn't fix this for free, I swear I will never ever buy nor drive another Nissan in my life. I don't even care if a Nissan is given to me for free, I would rather put a cloth in the gas tank and light it on fire before I drive it.
First let me say that I loved Nissan, my first car was an Altima (i only sold b/c it had 215k miles) my third car was an Altima too (non-at fault accident, ended up totaled), which gave me the money to purchase my first Maxima. I always wanted a Maxima because they were supposed to be more on the luxury side.
I looked around and fell in love with the 7th gen model, I bought a 2010 Nissan Maxima with 85k miles and at 97k miles the transmission started to slip here and there.
Eventually, my service engine light came on, I had the mechanic at Nissan check it and they said that it was reading low voltage and I would soon need a new one. They ordered a used one (my warranty covered a new used one) and right away that transmission was leaking oil from the seals. Once the leak got fixed, on the test drive it was making a very loud unknown noise.(short version of what happen)
That transmission was soon returned and am currently having a third transmission installed, I hope all goes well but I am border line ready to part ways with it and give up on Nissan.
Nissan knows about the faulty CVT transmission and does nothing to help its customers, the manufacturer extended the warranty but in order to see if you can even be eligible for them to cover your transmission they have to send a kit to your mechanic which has a delivery time of about 2 weeks, then they send the sample of your oil in the kit and that is another 2 weeks minimum. So hoping everything goes smoothly, you'll be without a car for about 4 weeks and that is not including delivery of a new transmission and installation
CVT Nissan 2010 Maxima Problems & Issues ----These are recorded problems with Nissan's New CVT Transmission on Nissan Maxima 2010 - Sport Edition 300 horse power. The CVT exhibits Lost of power, High RPM, Loud Whining Noise, and CVT gets stuck in 6th Gear (won't down shift) in Manual and drive mode. The car will not accelerate at high speeds and gives a P1778 Code (other codes as well). These codes only occur on long drives over hilly roads on 75 MPH Highways up elevation hill climb. The problem has been getting progressively worst and did not occur when the car was new. This CVT transmission sucks.
I took it to four dealerships and they gave me a hard time since the problem doesn't occur on flat ground, City driving, and the Trouble Codes P1778 clear themselves from the computer eventually. I WAS TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG. The problem with Nissan's CVT transmission persisted. I had to stop once making this long 90 mile trip (at 45k miles), then I had to stop twice (at 70k miles), and last time I had to stop 3 times to let the CVT rest (85k miles). The issue does not occur going down elevation.
The CVT fluid has been changed at 40,000 miles and all other maintenance is done routinely. ---- NISSAN RESPONSE UPDATE---- MY 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA CVT WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED WITH "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON". THE ERROR CODE 1778 &. FOUR OTHER CODES WERE PULLED IN TOTAL. THE OVERALL DIAGNOSIS IS "COMPLETE CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE". THE RECOMMENDED ACTION IS REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE VALVE BODY (SOLENOIDS) WHICH CHANGE THE GEARS AND REPROGRAMMING OF THE CVT COMPUTER. I WAS TOLD IT'S BETTER TO CHANGE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AT COST OF $5,500.00 DOLLARS. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THE PROBLEM CODE OCCURRED AT 44K, 65k, 85K MILES, AND 94K MILES, AND EACH TIME IT WAS UNDIAGNOSABLE SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT STAY ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET THIS DIAGNOSED WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AT 124,000 MILES.
AT NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS I SPOKE WITH MEGAN, JUANITA AND THEN Callia from the Executive Branch (so she says - she was a telephone representative). All of these Nissan reps have no knowledge of Nissan engines or cvt's. Consumer Affairs refused to to believe that the dealers refused to acknowledge the problem exists, even despite the TSB's, Warranty Extension, Numerous customer complaints, and my numerous calls over the past two years to Nissan Consumer Affairs. All in all they did not even acknowledge the ongoing issues with the CVT. These Nissan dealers, Nissan service departments, and Nissan Consumer Affairs are crooks --- I would advise anyone to not buy Nissan Cars. Get a Honda, Acura, or other reliable vehicle with a good reputation. If you do have to buy a Nissan beware that they will try to rip you off at every diagnosis and decision point on their part. I am very sorry to say. I used to think Nissan was a good company.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Driving at about 60kms/hour I heard and felt a clunk in the shifter and the car began to lose acceleration power. Then as I floored the gas, I discovered the transmission would not engage into any gears. I pulled to the side of the road and even tried to put the car in reverse to no prevail. I proceeded to push the car into a parking lot and called yet another tow truck, that being the 5th tow truck in 3 weeks because of this piece of sh*t cvt transmission. If Nissan doesn't fix this for free, I swear I will never ever buy nor drive another Nissan in my life. I don't even care if a Nissan is given to me for free, I would rather put a cloth in the gas tank and light it on fire before I drive it.
- Reinbow M., Calgary, AB, Canada