Current
Nissan CVT repair and rebuild
Nissan’s CVTs, built by Jatco, are the transmissions most often written off unnecessarily. A judder or a whine doesn’t automatically mean a new gearbox. But it does mean you should stop driving it and get it looked at, because a slipping belt destroys the pulleys very quickly.
12 month warranty
What actually goes wrong
A CVT has no gears. A steel push belt runs between two variable-diameter pulleys, and hydraulic pressure clamps them. Everything that goes wrong is some version of that clamping pressure being wrong: a worn valve body, a failing stepper motor, a tired pressure sensor, or fluid that has lost its friction properties.
The critical point for owners: if a CVT is juddering or slipping, every mile you drive scores the pulleys a bit deeper. A judder caught early is often a valve body and a fluid service. The same judder six months later is a full rebuild with new pulleys, if it’s economic at all.
One more thing worth knowing. On many of these cars the CVT cooler is integrated into the radiator. When the radiator fails internally, coolant and transmission fluid mix, and that will kill the gearbox. If you’re having a CVT rebuilt, the cooler needs checking too, or the new one goes the same way.
Transmission families
In Britain the ones we see are the Qashqai, X-Trail, Juke, Micra, Note and Murano, along with the Renault and Mitsubishi models that share the same units. The tables list each family in full, because a good number of these arrive as an import or as a unit on its own with no car attached.
| Jatco code | Nissan code | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|
| JF009E | RE0F08A | Note, Tiida, early Micra |
| JF010E | RE0F09A/B | Murano, Teana, Maxima, Altima 3.5 |
| JF011E | RE0F10A | Qashqai J10 and J11, X-Trail T31, Juke F15, Sentra, Rogue; also Mitsubishi, Jeep Compass and Patriot, Dodge Caliber |
| JF015E | RE0F11A | Micra K13, Note E12, Juke 1.6, Versa |
| JF016E | RE0F10D | X-Trail T32, Rogue, Altima 2.5 |
| JF017E | RE0F10E | Murano, Pathfinder, Altima 3.5, X-Trail 2.5 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Common faults
| Symptom | Likely cause | Codes commonly seen | Our fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judder or shudder pulling away | Belt slip, valve body wear, degraded fluid | P17F0P17F1 | Valve body remanufactured, belt and pulleys inspected, correct fluid specification |
| Whine that rises with road speed | Pulley bearing or differential bearing wear | — | Strip and inspect, bearings renewed |
| Slipping, revs flare, then limp mode | Belt slip, low line pressure, overheating | P0841P0868 | Pressure test, valve body, belt and pulley assessment |
| Overheat warning after motorway running | Degraded fluid, blocked or failed cooler | — | Fluid, cooler and radiator checked, auxiliary cooler recommended |
| Hesitation or surging at steady throttle | Stepper motor wear, common on JF011E | P1777 | Stepper motor and valve body renewed |
| Milky or discoloured fluid | Radiator internal failure mixing coolant and CVT fluid | — | Radiator replaced alongside the gearbox work |
| No drive at all | Belt failure, pulley damage | — | Full rebuild or exchange unit |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
code a stored fault code. software a calibration or coding action. — no code typically logged.
Rebuild or replace?
Three honest options, and which one applies depends on how far the wear has gone.
- Fluid and valve body service. Appropriate where the judder is early, the fluid is degraded and the pulleys are unmarked. The cheapest route and often the right one.
- Rebuild with new belt and pulleys. Where the belt has been slipping and the pulley faces are scored. More expensive, but restores the unit properly.
- Remanufactured exchange unit. Fastest route back on the road where the original is beyond economic rebuild.
We’ll tell you which one your car needs after we’ve looked at it, not before.
What will it cost?
We price a CVT valve body remanufacture once we know which unit you have and what it is doing. Send us the gearbox number and the symptoms and you will have an answer the same working day, with an indicative price wherever we can give one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep driving it while I decide?
No. Every mile makes it worse and more expensive.
Is a CVT flush a good idea?
A correct drain and fill with the right specification fluid, yes. A high-pressure flush on an already-slipping unit, no.
Which fluid does mine take?
It depends on the family. Get it wrong and you’ll damage the box. Send us the unit code and we’ll confirm.
Is it worth it on an older car?
Sometimes not, and we’ll say so. We’d rather tell you honestly than take the job.
Related
How it works
Sending us a unit
You don’t need to bring the car. Most of what we do arrives on a pallet.
- Drain it. Couriers won’t take a unit full of oil, and it’ll leak.
- Crate or pallet it. A gearbox needs to be strapped to a pallet or in a stout crate. A cardboard box won’t survive.
- Label it. Put your name, telephone number and the vehicle inside the packaging as well as on it. Labels come off in transit.
- Tell us it’s coming. Send the enquiry form first so we know what to expect and can book it in.
We can arrange collection anywhere in mainland UK. Ask when you enquire.
What happens next
- 01You send the enquiry.
- 02We come back the same working day with an initial view and, where we can, an indicative price.
- 03If it needs looking at, we book it in or arrange collection.
- 04We strip and assess, then ring you with a firm price before any work goes ahead.
- 05Rebuilt, tested, returned, warranted for 12 months.
No work happens without your say-so, and there are no surprises on the invoice.
Same working day
Send us the number and what it’s doing
The gearbox number, the vehicle and the symptoms. That is usually enough for a straight answer, and photographs are welcome.