[Michael Martin]

Sounds like you had two different noises/complaints. The 1000rpm low speed slightly noise/vibration is normal operation for this vehicle. It is optimized for fuel economy. Your mechanic can't fix it because there isn't anything to fix. If you drive leisurely in the city and stick as close as you can get to the 1000 rpm you will get good mileage out of the Murano in city driving, at least I do. Maybe mine is not as bad as others or it just doesn't bother me but I don't consider it an issue or complaint.

 

[I need coffee]

Sounds like you had two different noises/complaints. The 1000rpm low speed slightly noise/vibration is normal operation for this vehicle. It is optimized for fuel economy. Your mechanic can't fix it because there isn't anything to fix. If you drive leisurely in the city and stick as close as you can get to the 1000 rpm you will get good mileage out of the Murano in city driving, at least I do. Maybe mine is not as bad as others or it just doesn't bother me but I don't consider it an issue or complaint.

One thing to consider since the OP's complaint is the issue happens in the 900-1,000 RPM range is that this is when the electronic-controlled engine mounts deactivate. From idle to 950 RPMs, the mounts are soft to absorb excess vibrations, but above 950 RPMs the solenoid cuts vacuum to the mounts and they "harden" up. As far as the vibration is concerned, it could be this transition that he's noticing (or perhaps there is a problem with the mounts themselves, but doubtful given the age of the car).

 

[dand.]

I have the same low RPM noise/vibration, its stronger is I drive slow uphill, to me its like if you hame manual trany in 4th gear when you should be on 2nd.
Took it to our dealer, they reprogrammed tranny, same thing,
replaced transfer case, the same thing.
Now car is out of warranty, Im sure if I take it back they will as to pay, even known its old problem.

But here is what I can’t get, when Im experiencing thus noice / vibration on low ROMs, I switched to manual, and it goes a way.
There is a real issue with login in auto mode.

Try it in manual, im sure it will be better.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[MuranoSL2003]

Apparently Nissan programmed the CVT logic to achieve the highest MPG possible, despite the negative side effect of unrefined NVM (noise, vibration, harshness) entering the cabin (for those of us more sensitive to it...)

I can understand wanting to achieve the highest MPG possible, but they should also have added the ability to override this high MPG mode with a user option to boost the RPMs by 100-200 RPMs (similar to what manual mode does.) I'd gladly sacrifice a couple of MPG around town for a more enjoyable driving experience...

Or, as @I need coffee mentioned above, it could be the active engine mounts in some of our Muranos are not functioning as optimally. They kick in at ~950 RPM, very close to where the CVT logic drops the RPMS to when cruising around town...

 

[MuranoSL2003]

I can't recall how low my '03 RPMs dropped dropped to around town... But I do recall my '03 making a pleasant little growl under the same low RPM situations that cause my '19 to make a obtrusive low frequency resonance...

 

[vortex]

When I brought mine to the dealer about 6 months after owning the car and complained about the low RPM vibration, they told me that they've had a fair bit of owners come in complaining about it. It's normal and nothing can be done, is what I was told.

 

[canadamurano]

Well, at least I got a fair good deal for mine. I'll keep focus on what I paid for and what I get out of it instead of thinking on that bloody vibration. Getting my foot away from the gas pedal for a split of a second and back in gets the vibrations away. It's annoying but a workaround to get me going.
I love the design and what the car offers but meh... Nissan has to step up their game in the transmission industry.

 

[keyrse]

2020 Murano Platinum AWD, at about 2000 miles I noticed a weird hum. It's either gotten louder, more noticeable or I am now obsessed with hearing it. It drives me crazy. I've not mentioned it to my husband yet... we're driving to TN and we shall see if he notices it or not. Very disappointing for a very expensive car to have such an annoying flaw. This was supposed to be my long-term car but I've traded off cars for less. Thank goodness I love driving it all other speeds where it isn't an issue. Unfortunately we live on a road that is about 4 miles of 35mph ...

 

[MuranoSL2003]

2020 Murano Platinum AWD, at about 2000 miles I noticed a weird hum. It's either gotten louder, more noticeable or I am now obsessed with hearing it. It drives me crazy. I've not mentioned it to my husband yet... we're driving to TN and we shall see if he notices it or not. Very disappointing for a very expensive car to have such an annoying flaw. This was supposed to be my long-term car but I've traded off cars for less. Thank goodness I love driving it all other speeds where it isn't an issue. Unfortunately we live on a road that is about 4 miles of 35mph ...

You'll notice that when the shifter is placed to the left in manual mode it doesn't make the hum... This is because the RPMs change from 1000 to a couple of hundred higher. But it's cumbersome to have to use manual mode...

Nissan really should have provided an option to not use the fuel saving 1000 RPM setting... This would be easy for them to have done, it's just programming for the CVT. They could have called it sport mode.

I think some of us are more sensitive to this low frequency sound than others, because there are only a few of us that this seems to drive crazy...

Let us know if your husband eventually notices it. And, if he doesn't, tell him eventually and see if he now hears it. If he doesn't, this will help support my theory that some of us are just very sensitive to the low frequency drone...

It's about the only thing I REALLY dislike about my '19...

 

[assad]

The vibration is real at low speed, my car is doing it also.
When I first bought it, it wasn't doing it, it started later on, not sure when, but I experience it everyday.
Not sure if it is related to CVT or not, but it will be good to do a complete scan just in case.

Last time I was at the dealer, I test drove a new 2020 murano just to compare, and I did not notice any vibration.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

I think we are talking about different things...

This is a 1000 RPM resonance that occurs whenever the RPMs drop to ~1000 at speeds up to ~45 MPH. It's similar to the sound of a manual transmission when you have it in too high of a gear for the load/speed. It's a CVT programming thing to increase the city MPG number...

AND, the resonance goes away the moment the shifter is put in manual mode. In manual mode, the revs don't drop below ~1200 RPM in any gear.

 

[keyrse]

Well, he didn't mention it. I'm going to have to take him on another drive in town and mention it to see if he hears it.
I've found that I do the tap the gas, let off, tap the gas it does make it stop.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

Thank you for your update!

Yes, tapping the gas will stop it for a very short time because it raises the RPMs over 1000 (where the resonance/sound it the strongest.) Moving the shifter over to the left (manual mode) also raises the RPMs over 1000 and stops the sound.

Unfortunately, both methods are temporary... The tapping only works for several seconds until the CVT shift logic wants to drop the RPMs to 1000 (to increase MPG a little...) And the manual mode method requires manually shifting gears if you need to increase your speed...

 

[PauliusP]

Such a pity to live with this resonance discomfort in relatively comfy car.

Without already mentioned two workarounds with manual shifts and tap on gas, I found that using cruise control at those low speeds also increases RPM a bit, try it out on flat longer sections

 

[manditory]

My 2017.5 is noisy under 1000 rpm light-load conditions, so is my neighbor's 2019. It always sounded to me like the engine is slightly lugging, causing the CVT chain to vibrate a bit. I'm used to it, so I don't notice it unless someone mentions it. I've had manual transmission cars that would sound worse than that at 1000 rpm and a gear too high. I never paid much attention to it.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

My 2017.5 is noisy under 1000 rpm light-load conditions, so is my neighbor's 2019. It always sounded to me like the engine is slightly lugging, causing the CVT chain to vibrate a bit. I'm used to it, so I don't notice it unless someone mentions it. I've had manual transmission cars that would sound worse than that at 1000 rpm and a gear too high. I never paid much attention to it.

I do believe it's a sensitivity thing... My ears can't hear very high pitch ultrasounds sounds that others can, like those ultrasonic pest things. But I can hear very low frequency sounds very well, too well...

I appreciate your more detailed response regarding your '17.5 and the '19, it further confirms my suspicion it's normal. It does sound exactly like a lugging when in too high a gear sound. I remember it well from my manual transmission days...

But unfortunately it really ruins my enjoyment of an otherwise smooth and quiet vehicle. Almost to the point of wanting to trade it... It's that horrible. Especially when I know a simple CVT tuning setting would cure it for me. Using manual mode isn't a convenient option, but it does stop the drone. I use it when traveling at steady speeds below ~45 MPH, variable speeds are a pain keeping it in the appropriate manual speed gear.

 

[vortex]

My 2017 has done this since day 1. I took it into the dealer and they said it's normal. I haven't experienced any issues arise from it.


Yet.

 

[dand.]

Our 2015 Platinum had this vibration, i couldn’t stand it.
I had multiple visits with different dealers,
all in spec or we couldn’t replicate.

A few month ago, we got CVT code and dealer replaced body valve.

After that, this vibration almost not noticeable. And trust me, i was ready to trade it because if this vibration, now its totally different. Not sure if body valve plays any role or something else they did at the same time but this is a fact its gone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MuranoSL2003]

Our 2015 Platinum had this vibration, i couldn’t stand it.
I had multiple visits with different dealers,
all in spec or we couldn’t replicate.

A few month ago, we got CVT code and dealer replaced body valve.

After that, this vibration almost not noticeable. And trust me, i was ready to trade it because if this vibration, now its totally different. Not sure if body valve plays any role or something else they did at the same time but this is a fact its gone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I missed this when you posted it... What CVT code did you get that resulted in the valve body being replaced?

Is the low rpm vibration still gone after the replacement?

 

[VarunThomas]

Hi, I had the same issue with my Nissan Murano 250 XL, 4 cylinder as it was generating high noise while at 1 to 1.5 rpm. I showed it to the mechanic and the mechanic replaced the engine belt and the engine belt tensioner. The issue is resolved now.