Nissan Altima owners have reported 21 problems related to transmission shudder (under the power train category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Nissan Altima based on all problems reported for the Altima. 2009 Nissan Altima Transmission Assembly (CVT), 2.5L (4 CYLINDER), Without HYBRID; FROM 7/08, FEDERAL EMISSIONS STOCK WITH CBX. Genuine Nissan Part Excellent Condition 131K Miles 1-Year Warranty Located at Orlando, Florida 32940 More Details. A transmission system in a Nissan Altima connects to the engine's crankshaft and adapts the Altima engine's output to the drive wheels via the shifting of gear ratios. Nissan Altima transmission systems can develop problems that you can resolved via some basic troubleshooting techniques. Remanufactured & Rebuilt Nissan Altima Transmissions for Sale. No Upfront Core Charge, Up to a 5-Year Unlimited Warranty Plus, Free Shipping!!
2009 Nissan Altima 4dr Sedan
130 kilowatts 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD Vdx viewer.
| 51613 km | Cracked boot on drive shaft. Had to replace drive shaft - covered under Extended Gold Plus warranty. |
| 67000 km $200 | CVT began whinning while in a long (approx. 120 km) slope up at around 35°C. Had the dealer diagnose the CVT, came up that everything was fine and that oil needed to be replaced. Replaced CVT oil (not included in maintenance manual). |
2009 Nissan Altima 4dr Sedan
130 kilowatts 2.5L I4 6-speed manual FWD
2009 Nissan Altima Transmission Fluid Capacity
| 806 km | Clutch was slipping when hot due to hydraulic system problem (either master cylinder, or improper bleeding at factory). First replaced the clutch itself, but that didn't solve the problem. Fixed by replacing the master cylinder. |
2009 Nissan Altima 2dr Coupe
201 kilowatts 3.5L V6 6-speed manual FWD
2009 Nissan Altima 2dr Coupe
2009 Nissan Altima Rebuilt Transmission
130 kilowatts 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable CVT FWD
| 85484 km | Tranny overheating, replaced with factory reconditioned cvt tranny |
| 89000 km | Bearing in CVT was making constant noise when accelerating. Dealer replaced bearing and new cvt fluid was put in. |
If your Nissan Altima’s transmission has been slipping, it is a very serious problem. It’ll get worse in a relatively short period of time, leaving the vehicle inoperable. You’ll want to find out what is wrong, and have it repaired quickly, before any further lasting damage can occur. We’ve lined out some of the most common reasons that your Altima’s transmission could slip.
Transmission Slipping Signs: Nissan Altima
A slipping transmission is pretty easy to recognize. Here are the most common symptoms that one has started to slip:
- Higher RPM Than Usual– When the transmission slips, it is not transferring all the energy from your Altima’s engine to the rear wheels. When this happens, the tachometer jumps up as the RPM increases.
- Smell– As the clutches and bands inside the transmission slip, they create a lot of friction. This friction gets them hot and you may notice an egg-like smell.
- Vehicle Won’t Move– Eventually the transmission may not be able to move the vehicle at all. If this is the case, the first thing to check would be the transmission fluid
- Decreased Fuel Mileage– Since the transmission will no longer be able to efficiently transfer power to the rear wheels, fuel mileage will suffer as the transmission slips.
Transmission Slipping Causes: Nissan Altima
We have listed some of the most common reasons why your Nissan Altima’s transmission would slip below. When trying to figure out why it’s slipping, it’s wise to start by looking at the transmission fluid. Even if you know it’s full, you can use the color chart linked to below to determine if something is going on in the transmission itself.
2009 Nissan Altima Transmission Problems
1. Low Fluid
Low or no transmission fluid is one of the most common reasons that a transmission will slip. Transmission fluid lasts so much longer than oil that, often people don’t look at it at all.
Once it gets critically low, the transmission will begin slipping, as there is no longer any way for it to move the engine’s power to the rear wheels. During this stage, extreme damage is being done to your Altima’s transmission as it slips. You need to fill the fluid back up to the proper level right away.
2. Bad or Burnt Fluid
Transmission fluid can deal with a lot of abuse. That being said, it can go bad and will no longer be able to do its job. Check it and look at the color. Most manufacturers use red fluid. This transmission fluid color chart will help you determine if the fluid is bad. Black fluid is an obvious sign that the fluid has been burnt.
3. Wrong Fluid
If you’ve recently serviced (or had serviced) your transmission, double check that the right fluid was put in. If it wasn’t, you’ll need to flush it and start over.
4. Transmission Bands
An automatic transmission uses bands to link its gears together. When these bands go bad the transmission will begin to slip. Sometimes they can be adjusted. Most of the time they’ll just need replaced.
5. Gears
Over time, the gears in a transmission can just wear out. When this happens, shifts will get rougher.
6. Solenoid(s)
Your Altima’s transmission uses solenoids to control the amount of pressure going through the transmission. This affects shift firmness, whether it even shifts at all, and can make the transmission slip without enough pressure.
2009 Nissan Altima Transmission Replacement
7. Torque Converter
If you feel like the transmission is only slipping a few hundred RPM on the highway, it may not be the transmission slipping at all. It could be the torque converter.
Modern torque converters use locking clutches to create a true 1:1 connection between the engine and the transmission. This helps fuel mileage. When they don’t lock, the engine RPM will be higher on the highway. Torque converters don’t typically lock until they are in overdrive or drive, or your Altima reaches a certain speed.
Altima’s Transmission Slipping When Accelerating
Slipping when accelerating is the most common way that a transmission will slip. This is due it being the most demanding thing on the internal components. Initially it’ll only slip under the heaviest of acceleration, but it will quickly get worse until the vehicle is un-drivable.
Nissan Altima Transmission Slipping Fix
Transmission repair is the most complex and difficult repair for even the most experienced shade tree mechanic.
1. Check the Fluid Level and Health
It’s important to start with the easiest to repair and most likely to be causing your Altima’s transmission to slip. In this case that means making sure that the transmission fluid level is up to where it needs to be, as well as making sure that the fluid is healthy.
2009 Nissan Altima Transmission Filter Change
2. Check For Trouble Codes
There are many transmission related trouble codes that can tell you exactly what is wrong with the transmission. After that you just throw the code(s) back into google and see what is causing them.
3. Attempt the Repair, or Take it into a Shop
There are some things on an automatic transmission that you can fix yourself. Some sensors are pretty easy to get to. Say for instance, it’s clutch pressure sensor that has gone bad, that’s something you can often fix. On the other hand, if you are replacing clutches or a valve body, you’re going to be pulling the transmission and getting into some very difficult stuff.
Every article on this site is written from the perspective that you will be trying to repair your vehicle yourself, we will make an exception for this and recommend taking it into a shop, or just buying a rebuilt transmission before trying to rebuild it yourself.
2008 Nissan Altima Cvt Recall
Conclusion: Altima Transmission Slipping
Good luck figuring out what is causing Nissan Altima’s transmission to slip. If there is anything that you would like to add, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you.