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#21 · (Edited)
Like people say about motor oil, regular oil changes are cheaper than a new motor... I would think the same would be true of a CVT fluid drain and fill every ~30k miles...

Dropping the pan and inspecting for debris and the internal filter condition, especially for the initial couple of CVT fluid drain/fills, is a very good idea.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
After watching a couple of YouTube videos on fluid changes, it doesnt look too bad...even if you do a filter swap. But drain/refill looks very doable since there is a drain plug that so many others dont have.
I did read online (I think it was Motor1) that 2023 would see major changes including the swap to the 9-speed. BUT, those are just journalist speculation really. The 9spd used in the Cherokee seems to work well now that they got programming sorted out. The next question will be if they do in fact make the change to the 9spd, will it retrofit back to 3rd gen models?
The consensus I'm getting from this thread is that the CVT can last similar to a conventional automatic as long as maint is kept up and abuse is kept down. I am still curious about the aux cooler though. Kind of surprised no one has mentioned they installed one...especially in warmer or mountainous areas.
 
#23 ·
Roadhawk said:
After watching a couple of YouTube videos on fluid changes, it doesnt look too bad...even if you do a filter swap. But drain/refill looks very doable since there is a drain plug that so many others dont have.
I did read online (I think it was Motor1) that 2023 would see major changes including the swap to the 9-speed. BUT, those are just journalist speculation really. The 9spd used in the Cherokee seems to work well now that they got programming sorted out. The next question will be if they do in fact make the change to the 9spd, will it retrofit back to 3rd gen models?
The consensus I'm getting from this thread is that the CVT can last similar to a conventional automatic as long as maint is kept up and abuse is kept down. I am still curious about the aux cooler though. Kind of surprised no one has mentioned they installed one...especially in warmer or mountainous areas.
Click to expand...
European posters have mentioned having an auxiliary CVT cooler...
 
#24 ·
I’m just now going to do a drain and fill on the CVT and TC next Monday at a dealer where just moved in Tennessee with 53,000 miles on wife’s 2016. $160 for the CVT and $140 for the TC. Gotta pay $70 to diagnose the again broken seat heat/cool so I can argue with Nissan. I replaced stock tires with Michelins today and can confirm I’ve had a bad wheel bearing passenger rear since about 40,000 miles. These bearings are garbage.

It’s the most unreliable and problematic new car I’ve bought out of 26, but my wife loves it. The day the CVT goes will be the last day I own a Nissan. I just hope it’s down the road.

I’m having the mechanic catch the CVT and TC fluid to send to Blackstone just for fun. Curious what they’ll say.
 
#26 ·
ValiantCM said:
Is TC to mean Transfer Case?
If so, is $140 the cost when done by a mechanic or is it Super Oil?
I used Amsoil Severe Gear oil 1US QT for the Transfer Case, did the change myself, $AU34 for the oil.
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I only use OEM fluids in transfer cases in my vehicles. $140 when I don’t currently have a home or any tools is a good price at the dealer.
 
#28 ·
ValiantCM said:
Ok.
I should check what is being recommended as OEM by our Oz Nissan Dealers.
I also used the Amsoil CVT oil, (and the Amsoil for TC and Rear Drive).
Click to expand...
I’m sure it’s recommended to use the NS-3 fluid worldwide in the CVT. As for the TC, it’s generally regarded in most forums and communities that all imports and even more recent generations of domestics to stick with OEM TC fluid. I know in my 4Runner people use all types, but the forum faithful all say if you’re going to change the fluid, definitely use OEM Toyota.

After all of my years of repair experience, having bought 26 new cars, and read a million forum threads, I’ve learned to go factory on oil filters, tranny fluid unless there’s real documentation it’s not as good (Ford/Mazda), especially CVTs, and transfer cases. The rest of the car I’m not picky about, as I’ve never experienced or read about decisive issues with aftermarket parts. Oh, and manual tranny fluid i also use stock fluids. I learned that on Civic Si and Mustang GT trannies. Factories use additives that they have experimentally determined help their tranny and generic fluids made for all types won’t address that.
 
#29 ·
Robotaz said:
I’m sure it’s recommended to use the NS-3 fluid worldwide in the CVT. As for the TC, it’s generally regarded in most forums and communities that all imports and even more recent generations of domestics to stick with OEM TC fluid. I know in my 4Runner people use all types, but the forum faithful all say if you’re going to change the fluid, definitely use OEM Toyota.
Click to expand...
The Murano transfer case and differential use regular gear oil, there's nothing special about Nissan's version that I'm aware of... I used Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil in my '03 transfer case, and it was just fine...
 
#30 ·
MuranoSL2003 said:
The Murano transfer case and differential use regular gear oil, there's nothing special about Nissan's version that I'm aware of... I used Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil in my '03 transfer case, and it was just fine...
Click to expand...
I’m not aware of any that don’t take gear oil. The issue for me would be the additives for the specific manufacturer and model. Look, lots of people do what you do and are probably fine. I have read a lot about lab reports on used fluids and am convinced I want to use OEM fluids on most transmissions, all TC, and all diffs. On a Mazda I switched to redline transmission fluid after the warranty and it ran fine and did not break down nearly as fast. But Mazda 5s chew through tranny fluid in 15k miles. That is extremely rare, and I don’t recommend believing others perform as poorly. Redline was fine more like 25k, but still wore out quickly. The car badly needed a cooler, but I couldn’t find a reliable mechanic and didn’t have time to do it.
 
#31 ·
The Murano transfer case and differential are nothing special, just a couple of gears meshing with each other like they have done for since invented...

Automatic transmission are a whole different beast... I agree, it would be best to use OEM fluids in most cases...
 
#33 ·
Toyota has an additive to prevent bearing wear in their factory TC fluid. Some people care. Some don’t. A forum member was told by a service manager that the Toyota was just relabeled Mobil 1 and that the dealership uses Mobil 1 unless Toyota pays for a warranty repair requiring their OEM TC fluid.

The member sent Mobil 1 gear lube and the Toyota TC fluid to Blackstone and Blackstone confirmed the OEM fluid has three additives to prevent wear.

I don’t care if people use what they like, but assuming OEM fluid is not designed specifically for the car, or is not superior to aftermarket fluids, in the case of my 4Runner is just wrong. I use OEM fluids other than engine oil. I do use Redline lube in my 4Runner read diff, but only because lab results show it’s superior to OEM. I recommend research.
 
#34 ·
My comments are specifically for the Murano TC and differential, not Toyotas or others that I don't have familiarity with...

Yes, some transmission, differentials, and transfer cases have a design that can benefit from the manufacture's specified products with special additives. The Murano's TC and differentials are very basic, just a couple of gears, and Nissan only specifies their gear oil a GL-5 gear oil equivalent. I used synthetic in my TC even though Nissan mentions not too. I like the idea of a more robust oil molecule, especially in the TC. I think the only reason Nissan specifies conventional fluid is to lesson the chance of the thinner viscosity fluid leaking out, it only holds a little over a cup of fluid to begin with... I had zero leaking/weeping after replacing the conventional fluid with synthetic in my TC. However, I also tried synthetic gear oil (Toro also specifies non-synthetic) in my Toro snow thrower's auger gearbox. It leaked very slightly, a few drips when warm, so I replaced it with conventional a few years later and the leaking stopped... It never leaked enough to become low over those years.
 
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