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Engine/CVT horrible, skipping and lunging

121K views 202 replies 70 participants last post by  tnelson 
#1 ·
We have had the new Platinum Murano for a few months now. Everything about the car is really great except the transmission.

At slower speeds, town driving, when we accelerate just a little the car bogs down, gets quite jerky, lunges and skips until it gets to a higher rpm. We thought is was so bad that we took it to the dealer for service.

Service took it for a drive with us, and when we pointed it out he said oh yeah, I can get it to do this all day long. It's just part of the car and you aren't driving it hard enough. Frustrated we left.

And… I am calling BS on that excuse. I have never owned a car where the quality of driving was directly related to have I drive the car. The CVT problem is so bad and frustrating that if we are contemplating selling it.

Has anyone had this same driving experience, or even better does anyone know a solution?

Bill
 
#2 ·
It should absolutely not be jerky...that's not what a CVT does.

My first comment is that you need to see a different dealer. My second is that if they don't work with you, you should have generated a paper trail of complaints about the issue and you're prepared to to go over their heads to Nissan.
 
#6 ·
Mine does a small amount of "chugging" at 25 - 30 mph. Feels almost likes it's braking then letting go. Not concerned at this time though . . .
 
#9 ·
I'm sorry to post here but as a new member I did not want to start a new thread. Especially since I don't even own a Murano. This weekend our beloved 04 Honda Pilot was T-boned with my wife driving. They will likely total it. We can't afford a new or used one, they are insane! They last over 200K miles and that's why they cost so much used. I really like the Murano and see 2014s with less than 30k miles for around $20k which is my budget. It's smaller inside than a Pilot and has no third row seat but we just can't have everything. Have they figured out the CVT and other issues? I know the older ones have problems but I keep cars till death and don't buy problematic models. My memory of Nissans from the 90s is they lasted like Hondas, is this not the case anymore? Of course my Honda mechanic says his some of his Nissan mechanic friends say they would not buy any Nissan. Great. I don't know what to do. I used to be a car guy, now I hate them.
 
#10 ·
I have owned a 2002 Maxima, 2009, 2010 and 2015 Muranos, a 2006 Infiniti M35 and a 2011 Infiniti EX35. All have been trouble free.

We bought the 2009 Murano S used, then decided to trade for a new EL because we wanted the better equipment. We still have the 2015 Murano (10,000 km) and the EX35 (114,000 km). All the others we drove to 160,000 km (100,000 miles) before trading.

Having said that, Nissan reliability seems to vary by model. Check out Consumers Reports.
 
#19 ·
I too have noticed the same thing... also seems to happen if I just try cruising by idling about 3- 5 Mph and when slowing down without the brake pedal ..... I compared it to when you have a manual transmission and try to cruise in first gear the whole car shakes and jerks until you get in 2nd ..... I too thought it was just the CVT but glad to hear I am not the only one having this issue.....
 
#20 ·
I don't really think there's an issue with your cars, but it's a matter of getting used to the CVT. My 09 was the first CVT ever and now my 14 and they both act the same way. On the highway it's smooth as silk, but most of my driving is on local streets. I feel the downshift when slowing down and not hitting the brake pedal all the time. Travelling at slow speeds when stopping and accelerating is when the CVT shifting is most noticeable. Sometimes it annoys me but I've learned to live with it because I love everything else about the car. Except the occasional coolant smell, but that's another story:rolleyes:
 
#21 ·
I feel the downshift when slowing down and not hitting the brake pedal all the time. Travelling at slow speeds when stopping and accelerating is when the CVT shifting is most noticeable.
I think what you're feeling is not shifting (which the CVT doesn't do), but is the mechanical lockup in the torque converter releasing as you accelerate lightly - the car senses that it needs to release in order to provide acceleration. This is not unusual in any car with automatic transmission. As you slow down, the lockup may engage just as it does while feathering the throttle at highway speeds. When you accelerate enough (and "enough" varies depending on speed and engine load) then the lockup releases to allow the transmission to change drive ratios.

If it's a rough or jerky feeling, IMO that is not correct and should be taken to a dealer while under warranty and dealt with. This is a qualitative issue and two people might have different opinions about what is too jerky and what is not.
 
#23 ·
Our demo is doing a similar lunge or shutter at slow parking lot speeds or just idling forward as if in heavy traffic. Felt it a few times today and hope it's not a common problem in our new one that should be here this evening
 
#25 ·
Update - I have been traveling and busy and have not taken it to the dealer, BUT WILL NOW!!!!

This is my wife's car but I have been driving it now a few times to really understand the issue. Here is the scenario.

In town driving, constant speed say between 30 and 40, maybe even 35 to 40. The RPMs drop down to right at 1,000. If there is any variation in the incline of the road, lets say even the slightest uphill grade happens, the car begins to drop RPM's just slightly and you would think would "upshift" to counter act. At that moment, last week the transmission started to clunk and jerk so hard that I thought it was going to drop out of the car. It literally made the car shake. The Rpm's went down to 500, back to 1,000, back to 500, etc… with each clunk. I just let it go to see what would happen and it did this for probably 10 seconds until I finally had to give it some gas to "snap out of it".

This is a real piece of crap engine / transmission combination.

I can assure all of you that I am not feeling downshifting, or a slight hesitation out of the torque converter. This is a serious problem.

I am simply posting this update as a means of letting this issue be known, and I will continue to update this thread after I talk with the dealer tomorrow.

More to come……

Thank you for all the input so far.
 
#27 ·
Orthobill, that really sounds like an ECU (computer) problem to me. Could be sensors as well, but it's certainly not right.
 
#28 ·
UPDATE:

Went to the dealer today and talked to the main mechanic. After a few minutes of playing politically correct, he finally admitted that we was aware of the scenario. Torque converter lock up is what he called it. Between 31 and 45 mph's when the system goes down into it's electronically controlled "over drive" where the rpm's settle in at 1,000… the system can get stuck and without input from the driver, the system will shutter back and forth. He admitted he owns a 2015 murano and has had it happen 4 times, I've complained and one other customer has complained. He directed me to call 1-800-Nissan1 which I am now.

I also discussed this is the dealer management and let them know that unless there is a quick resolution from the design center at Nissan, they have lost a Nissan customer.

FYI and buyers beware of the CVT torque converter lock up issue.
 
#30 ·
UPDATE:

Have opened a case with Nissan and so far have gotten nothing but lip service from the person at Nissan and broken commitments in calling me back with information. Today I called and spoke to them, and mentioned I am investigating the Lemon Law in my state. They now are calling my dealer and are suppose to call me back yet today.

I will never purchase another Nissan… ever.
 
#31 ·
Any updates on this? And as usual we ordered our Murano before reading this. :( IMHO this should be easily fixed by a CVT software flash that will not let torque converter go back and forth at these speeds and at low rpm's. This sounds like a recall that can be done easily at any dealership. IF Nissan will do it. A bit disappointing.
 
#32 ·
The more I follow this thread, the more it sounds like a widespread 2015 problem that Nissan will have to address. I agree that it should be addressible via software.
 
#33 ·
So it's a little surprising that people post about silly unimportant stuff like mysterious small pea size dents on driver door or installing a led lighting in foot-well and other similar stuff. However, the only and biggest serious issue with Murano so far is this CVT torque converter engaging algorithm that NEEDS reprogramming. This is major RECALL, this should be talked about in every review. There should be hundreds of posts by now here. We should talk about it mostly.
What's going on? Is this BS or is this issue really true? People are so strange, they pay $40K for car and don't bother with how it drives?! I am really surprised. :8:
 
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