Nissan QashQai Forums

Hi, I have a 2017, pre-new model 1.2 Dig-T N-Connecta CTV and recently its gears have started behaving very strangely. I've taken it into a specialist garage (we're not near the dealer but have a well regarded gearbox specialise nearby) and been told that there are no error codes and that they can't diagnose it until there is. I'm worried the gearbox will fail and would like to work out what to do before it comes to that. The car drives normally except it doesn't seem to be changing gear correctly. At exactly 33mph on acceleration, particularly going uphill with higher revs, your can strongly feel the gear change, like it slightly pulls back before changing up (almost like it either hangs or maybe like it goes into the wrong gear before going into the correct one). Also when going uphill with high revs, it fails to change up into what would probably be 4th in a manual, and stays in slightly too low a gear - like its stuck in 3rd when it should go into 4th. The revs go up to at least 4500rpm and the only way to make it change is to take my foot off the accelerator at which point it changes gear.

Otherwise the car is fine, there are no smells, gearbox fluid is the correct colour, and the garage took it for an extended test drive and didn't really notice it the way I do except they noted one incidence of unusual high revs but said without an error code they couldn't isolate an issue. I think I notice it mostly because I've been driving it a good while and I can feel how it has clearly changed. Has anyone else had a similar fault and can throw some light onto what might be going on - i've trawled the forums but can't find anything similar? We're out of warranty so if I wait for the gearbox to fail it'll be crazy expensive! Thanks

There are a few threads about this gearbox.
If you have a rummage in the search function you’ll find lots of information and hopefully some assistance

Thanks @MikeGC. I have read all the threads I can find, but none that seem to have the same problem I do, hence asking.

Don't think we can speculate really and I have an inaccurate Nissan diagnostics document circa 2016. A CVT is controlled and monitored by electronics in the form of a Transmission Control Module (TCM). That uses inputs from engine management and the CVT itself via sensors/actuators. An element of computing and data comms exists.

There are quite a significant number of error codes (DTCs) and I believe some of them can be triggered by external test equipment stimulus. The external test equipment is Nissans CONSULT tool which only Nissan has. Driving about attempting to diagnose probably won't reveal much at all or worse...mislead.

Its probably worth having a word with someone technical at a Nissan dealer. Their front desk won't have the slightest clue and much like me....

BTW: When was the last service that included the CVT?

Thanks @Calnorth. Yes, will of course proceed with contact with Nissan (though as the nearest dealer is an hour away am hoping they will be our last resort), but was just wondering if someone had happened to have the exact same issue as then it might give me something of a starting point. I find a lot of issues on here related to the diesel but not so much on the petrol.

Flipjango, unfortunately the Nissan (Jafco) CVT Auto have not had a good reliable life, especially in the USA (the Guarantee on older versions was upped to 10 years - see below) where most of these Nissan CVT’s are used.
I found a couple of Nissan US Dealer Comments On Problems, which might be interesting to read as you might pick up something from their comments - Dave

“2003-2010 Nissan vehicles equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) have a 10-year/120,000-mile (whichever comes first) CVT limited warranty extension.”

10 Signs of Potential Transmission Issues - Montgomeryville Nissan : https://www.montgomeryvillenissan.com/p ... elphia-pa/

Troubleshooting Nissan Transmission Problems | YOUCANIC : https://www.youcanic.com/guide/nissan-t ... n-problems

I have a 2017 1.2 with a CVT gearbox and it does the same to some extent. For example if I am coming up to a roundabout and slow down and then try and accelerate while still moving there is only sometimes a slight delay in it finding the correct gear and you can feel the change of gear and then accelerates. This only happens if I try and accelerate too quickly. Also does the same while accelerating uphill, stays in same gear while accelerating until the revs drop then changes gear. I have never thought it a problem.
There has been a lot of comments about both the 1.2 petrol engine and the CVT gearbox. This is second Qashqai with a 1.2 petrol engine and both never used a drop of oil. The first one was a 2014 1.2 manual and I did have problems with the battery, air con and front struts. The second has done 19000 miles and apart from the RAC fitting a new battery under warranty I have not had any problem at all.

I have driven CVT gearbox cars for the last 10 years or so covering well over 100k miles, and to say the lest they are different animals. In effect, as you probably no, there are no gears in the gear box only a set of cones to alter the ratio of engine to drive. What happens is that CVT gear boxes like to rev until the oil pressure builds to move the cones to make the car go, hence the free revving nature of CVT gear boxes. The "gears" are as Calnorth says, electronically controlled.