Nissan CVT lawsuit investigation

Nissan Versa and Sentra transmission lawsuit: Who’s affected?

Is your Nissan giving you problems? The trouble may be in the transmission, as consumers have been telling the car company for years.

Yet again, Nissan drivers are complaining about transmissions. This time the complaints are about the 2020-2024 Nissan Sentra and Versa models.

This is the latest of many lawsuits filed against the carmaker for allegedly defective continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Models already challenged, resulting in settlements, include previous years’ Versa, Versa Note, Sentra, Altima, Juke, Pathfinder and even some Infinity QX60 models that start at about $40,000.

Illustrious inventor

Nissan is not the only company to offer a CVT, but it is said to be one of the first mainstream automakers to offer it. Some say the idea originated with Leonardo DaVinci, who invented and sketched one in 1490. It was patented in 1886 and refined ever since. CVTs are also used in General Motors, Audi, Subaru and Honda models.

Unlike traditional transmissions that use toothed, interlocking gears to move a car, CVTs use a pulley-and-belt system. In a regular transmission, the driver must select and engage gears manually or automatically, generally from low to high to pick up speed. A CVT is a lighter alternative to a typical automatic. A CVT can give a much smoother drive and faster acceleration because it has no gears to shift, and it saves on gas and reduces pollution in emissions because it keeps the engine working at optimal efficiency. 

It is also a different driving experience. A CVT takes some getting used to because, among other things, it makes different noises than standard transmissions, but that in no way accounts for the serious, and potentially dangerous, problems drivers say they have encountered, including:

• Stalling
• Shuddering
• Juddering (shaking violently)
• Jerky performance
• Delayed acceleration
• Lurching

Consumers reported the following complaints about Nissan transmissions to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (edited for punctuation only):

• When accelerating, the entire vehicle jerks vigorously, causing the vehicle to temporarily stall. After few seconds it gains control. Big orange error message displays saying vehicle malfunction with 6 different error messages.

• CVT transmission shutters, hesitating and failing in places that could cause an accident. Several times the car has come to a stop with the emergency assistance system and errors out often.

• My brand-new car needs a transmission. It has trouble shifting gears, making a loud “jet engine” sound. The dealer promised a loaner and never came through with it. I’m driving it as little as possible. Bumming rides and walking while I await a transmission replacement.

• Car jerks and slows me down and the steering has gotten almost unmanageable in less than 200 miles. The wheels already need alignment, and I’ve hit no curbs. This car is another disaster from Nissan.

• CVT shudders, jolts and grinds on stop-and-go traffic to the point where it feels like it’s going to destroy itself. The symptom occurs at very random occasions, and the car’s onboard diagnostics has failed to detect a problem with the vehicle. Vehicle had also turned off once suddenly when pressing accelerator from a complete stop. (Has not happened ever since). Vehicle has no check engine codes or pending codes. Nissan Consumer affairs has failed to offer a resolution to this issue to my satisfaction other than pay out of pocket for diagnosing and repairing. Issues presented themselves prior to the warranty expiring and are only getting worse.

If you own a 2020-2024 Nissan Sentra or Versa and these complaints sound familiar, or if your complaint seems to be unique, you may wish to seek money, an extended warranty or other compensation as courts have awarded in class action suits against Nissan in the past.

Join a Nissan transmission lawsuit investigation

If you own a 2020-2024 Nissan Versa or Sentra with a transmission that appears to be defective, you may qualify to participate in a lawsuit investigation.

Please fill out the form on this page to see if you qualify for a FREE case evaluation.