Despite the fact that CVTs are considered quite reliable, things didn’t work out right away on Nissan Qashqai cars. There were two mass failures of similar units: in 2012 and 2014. At the same time, new firmware helped correct this situation. Now the devices are working correctly, so there is no need to worry about their reliability. Moreover, the manufacturing company provides a guarantee of up to 100 thousand kilometers. The Jacto brand, which supplies gearboxes for Nissan, guarantees high-quality gearbox operation for up to 120 thousand kilometers.
In today's article we will talk to you about what CVTs are installed on the Nissan Qashqai, why they fail and how to extend the life of the gearbox of this car
Check the oil level and condition
The oil level in the variator is checked with a hot or cold box and has two marks on the dipstick. The level is checked with the car running. Before checking, you need to press the brake and hold the selector in each position for 5-10 seconds. Below is a drawing of a probe in which two intervals are visible: the hot and cold zone of the marks. The oil level should be between the marks, depending on the temperature of the box.
The oil must be light, otherwise you will have to replace it yourself (the price tag for this work with materials is approximately 15 thousand or more), the ATF should not contain inclusions of metal shavings (if the particles are visible to the naked eye, then the oil change took place without removing the oil pan, and therefore: filters were not changed, magnets were not cleaned). Also, the oil should not have a burning smell, and overheating, as everyone knows, does not extend its service life. After purchase, be sure to replace the transmission fluid by removing the crankcase as described in this manual.
Frequent breakdowns
The Nissan Qashqai J10 was equipped with CVTs JF015 and JF011. After 2013, respectively - for Nissan Qashqai 2.0 - JF016 and JF017. The first experiments with this type of transmission were not very successful. The latest versions of the box are highly reliable, which cannot be said about the first ones. The most problematic is the 15th episode. The most reliable CVT Nissan Qashqai is equipped with a 1.6 turbocharged engine. Let's look at the most common problems with Nissan Qashqai CVTs.
Extraneous sounds
Noises, extraneous sounds, hum during operation of the variator can occur for various reasons. Most often, bearing wear is to blame. During operation, wear products, dirt, and metal shavings get on them. Magnets are not always able to retain all particles one hundred percent.
First of all, wear depends on the quality of the bearings themselves, secondly - on the quality of the lubricant and the regularity of its replacement. They may also not be able to withstand the load due to their weak load capacity. The first problems can make themselves felt when the mileage reaches 50 thousand km. The appearance of a hum during acceleration is a sure sign.
Oil pump problems
The oil pump is also affected by neglect of timely and competent maintenance. Failure to change the oil and filter on time leads to the accumulation of deposits and excess metal shavings. The pump is forced to pass all this through itself. Of course, some of the deposits remain inside it, which impairs the operation of the pressure relief valve.
As a result, the valve gets stuck, and the pressure required for the correct operation of the entire system drops. This can manifest itself as slippage and failures during acceleration. Over time, the car may simply stop at the wrong time.
Belt slipping on cones
This problem may stem from the previous one. Problems with the oil pump lead to a drop in pressure in the system, which results in the belt starting to slip along the cones. When the car is running, this is felt as vibrations and causes uneven acceleration. And it can lead to belt rupture. This is a sudden immobilization of the vehicle, which creates an emergency situation.
Hydraulic unit
Repair of the valve body is often required because it is one of the weakest points of the variator. When it fails, floating speed occurs. And acceleration is carried out with jerks and jerks. Until relatively recently, there were no car services capable of repairing the valve body. Therefore, it was completely changed. Now, in most cases, certain problems are corrected.
Errors
You can also often find complaints from motorists that the Qashqai variator produces the same errors. For example, what does the P0725 code mean? It indicates that the problem is related to the input circuit of the engine speed sensor. May indicate:
- damage, corrosion of wires;
- poor electrical connection in the sensor circuit;
- problems with transmission fluid;
- failure of engine sensors;
- defects in gear shift solenoid valves.
CVT error P0826 is also common. She talks about faulty manual shift switch.
Has the variator been repaired?
After checking the oil level and condition, you need to pay attention to the box fastenings. The factory marker on the bolts and nuts must be present. Pay attention to the presence of nicks and abrasions on the variator mounts. Compare the general condition of the engine compartment and gearbox; contamination should be uniform. If repairs were carried out, find out from the former owner the cause of the malfunction, and also ask for documents on the work done.
Also pay attention to whether the towbar is installed. Severe operating conditions under heavy loads contribute to increased wear and failure of the gearbox. I advise you to read the article about the correct operation of the variator
Check in motion
The deepest misconception about checking the variator is driving through an obstacle (curb) from zero speed; climbed up means the transmission is in order, but this is not so. The cones in this case remain in their previous position. At zero speed, the high-pressure oil pump does not move them apart, so you need to reach the minimum speed to overcome the obstacle. It is recommended to check the box both cold and hot; as a rule, kicks and jerks in some cases go away when the CVT warms up.
Be sure to ask the seller for a test drive of the car, in which you can feel all the shortcomings of this unit. It is also advisable to take a ride with the seller and pay attention to his driving style. The box bearings should not howl in all operating modes.
Happy shopping! And don’t forget, you can reduce the final price of a car with a CVT transmission for any deviation indicated in this article!
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Source: variator-cvt.ru
Smooth ride
The next most common defect occurs in the form of jerking and jerking of the car. The responsibility lies with the pressure reducing valve located in the oil pump.
The latter begins to function when the engine starts. The pump is manufactured as a monolithic unit and in the event of a defect in the pressure relief valve, it must be completely replaced. During normal operation, the valve should move freely in a mating sleeve pressed into the pump housing. Constant contact of the valve working surface with abrasive particles of wear products falling on it leads to the formation of many longitudinal scratches. When worn, the valve begins to jam so much that subsequently it is difficult to pull it out even with pliers.
The result is abnormal pressure, leading to disruption of the coordinated operation of the pulleys. This causes the belt to slip. Timely contacting the service allows you to reduce financial costs. Minor damage to the cones can be corrected by grinding. The belt must be replaced.
The most famous CVT oil sold in car dealerships is the product from Nissan NS-2 in a two-liter tin. The container of the new issue is silver, the old one is painted blue. In no case should it be confused with the old, completely incompatible NS-1 oil, bottled in pink containers.
Extreme enthusiasts who are accustomed to pulling out a stuck car by rocking with instant alternate switching of the lever from position D to R and back run the risk of encountering another problem - unpleasant jolts during the process of switching from the “parking” position to D or R. In this mode, there is practically no pause when switching. between positions D and R, although ideally a complete stop of the car is required. As a result, increased wear of the coupling spline joints inside the planetary gear in contact with the friction discs occurs. The result is the need to replace the planetary gears.
General information about the variator
The differences between a variator and other types of gearboxes are fundamental. The defining feature is the ability to adapt to the current conditions in which the moving vehicle is located. The box also constantly determines the desired gear ratio. The gear range is limited by the design features of the transmission, but within it the number of variations is almost endless. It is this feature that helps save fuel and optimize energy costs.
There are V-belt and toroidal variators. The first ones are installed on most cars. .
How does a V-belt continuously variable transmission work?
Structurally, the CVT V-belt box is represented by two pulleys - driving and driven. The master is connected to the car engine, the slave is connected to the wheel drives. The shafts are connected using a belt or chain.
The peculiarity of the pulleys is that they look like two halves of a conical shape, their vertices directed towards each other. The divergence and convergence of the cones changes the diameter of the single structure.
The operation of the CVT is as follows. When the car starts moving, the motor experiences a load. To reduce it, the cones of the drive shaft diverge and the diameter decreases. The opposite changes occur on the driven pulley - the cones converge, the diameter increases. As a result, the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine becomes optimal.
An increase in speed has the following effect: the diameter of the drive pulley increases, and the diameter of the driven pulley decreases. The traction force is reduced, the operation of the motor is smooth. The electronic control unit (ECU) is responsible for the convergence/divergence of the bevel pulleys. The simplicity of the design makes the CVT powertrain less expensive than other transmission options.
Device
This device on Qashqai has an English designation - CVT, and stands for continuously variable transmission. This is a variation, so to speak, of an automatic transmission. It’s difficult to immediately notice its peculiarity, since it has two pedals, the transmission modes, like the lever itself, do not differ much from a traditional automatic transmission.
The difference lies in its work itself. The Nissan Qashqai variator does not have a fixed first, second or tenth gear. He has a lot of passes. Switching between them is so easy and smooth that it is difficult to notice. Here you won’t be able to feel the shocks either when starting or when switching, since there are none. To put it more correctly, there are no switches at all. The car will not slip out of the blue. The device itself gradually and constantly changes the gear ratio when necessary: accelerating or decelerating the car.
Technical elements of V-belt CVT
The elements of a V-belt variator include:
- clutch, which is responsible for connecting the engine with the transmission;
- torque converter;
- tapered pulleys;
- connecting chain (belt);
- an oil pump that creates the required pressure (in some cases, the operation of the cone elements is provided by hydraulics or a spring);
- a hydraulic unit that supplies oil to various parts of the drive and driven shafts;
- filters;
- radiators that take heat from the box;
- control system connected to the car's ECU;
- reverse device.
Continuously variable transmission Nissan (Jatco)
The Nissan automobile concern has developed Jatco boxes, which are now installed not only on brand models, but also on cars from other manufacturers. There are quite a lot of cars on the Russian (secondary) automobile market with a Jatco CVT, so it’s not difficult to get information about the reliability of the gearbox and their service life.
Statistics from official and independent service centers allow us to evaluate the reliability and service life of variators, the cost and feasibility of repair work, and the availability of spare parts.
When considering boxes, the emphasis will be on the CVT Nissan Qashqai, other models will also come into view. This will answer the question of whether the Nissan CVT is reliable.
CVT Nissan Qashqai j10, X-trail T31 (T32), Murano (Z50 and Z51), Teana
Jatco models JF010E and JF011E represent the second generation of continuously variable transmissions. The second is combined with 2 and 2.5 liter petrol engines, the first comes with a 3.5 liter engine. There are no differences in design; the first variator only has reinforced elements for higher torque.
The JF011E variator was installed on the Qashqai and X-Trail crossovers of the penultimate generation, as well as on the Mitsubishi Outlander (the last two generations). JF010E went to the Murano crossover (Z50 and Z51) and the Teana sedan.
The reliability of the Qashqai variator is beyond doubt, since the gearbox family in question is not distinguished by the presence of characteristic sores. The resource is about 150-200 thousand km. Once a Nissan CVT reaches the end of its life, its components are already critically worn out.
The advantage of CVTs is their maintainability. The cost of the latter is 150-180 thousand rubles. The concern produces a valve body or variator assembly for the spare parts market. You can find some spare parts on the market, others can be repaired. A new continuously variable transmission costs 200-230 thousand. If the resource allows, you need to choose this option.
The main reasons for the failure of the variator on the Nissan Qashqai
As we have already said, not many people still believe in the reliability of CVTs. There is an opinion that they are very capricious, and it is not advisable to repair them due to the high cost of components. Official dealers practically do not carry out repairs; in most cases, a broken variator is simply replaced with a new one, the cost of which will shock the owners. By the way, the same fate awaits the owners of conventional hydromechanical “automatic machines”. Despite this, some workshops, taking advantage of the current situation, have mastered the repair of CVTs. Information from one of the representatives of such a service was used when writing this publication, which we hope will dot the i’s. To a greater extent, Jatco CVTs can be found on cars of the Renault - Nissan concern; one of the common models is JF011E. Such a variator is most often installed on the Nissan X-Trail in the T-31 body, as well as on the Qashqai and Teana. Manufacturer Renault equips JF011E for Megan, Latitude, Fluence, Scenic and Koleos cars.
Also, Jatco CVTs are often used for their models by Mitsubishi (Lancer, Outlander) and the French manufacturers of cross-platform crossovers Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4008. But that’s not all. Jeep Compass, Suzuki Kizash, Dodge Caliber are also equipped with Jatco JF011E CVTs. Using this model as an example, we will tell you what diseases are found in continuously variable transmissions.
Nissan Qashqai, checking the fluid level in the variator: how to do it yourself and not make a mistake
On a Nissan Qashqai, checking the fluid level in the variator (CVT) is easy to do yourself, anywhere and at any hour. One important condition is that the engine must be warmed up, i.e. you will have to travel at least 10 km. The thing is, the error can be too large, which will lead to wrong decisions and wrong actions. Overfilling, like underfilling oil, has its negative sides.
The fluid level is checked after warming it up to 50-80°C, i.e. in winter, the mileage before checking should be greater - up to 25 km. When taking measurements in the summer, in the heat, you should let the car sit for half an hour after the trip and cool down a little. In any case, the level should not be “cold” (after warming up the engine at idle), but rather “hot”, i.e. after running along the highway.
Checking the presence of a tow bar
No matter how strange it may sound, its presence can significantly shorten the life of a continuously variable transmission. The design feature of a V-belt variator involves transmitting torque through a belt. If the vehicle is pulling large loads: loaded trailers, motorhomes, etc., belt slippage may occur. This will already lead to scoring on the cones and expensive repairs.
Important. The seller, knowing about the problem with the tow bar, could have removed it before selling it. Therefore, before buying a used car with a CVT, look under the rear of the car to see if there are mounts for a hook.
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Stages of checking the oil level in the Nissan Qashqai CVT
In order for the fluid level in the variator to be checked accurately on a Nissan Qashqai, place the car on a flat horizontal surface. The engine should be running at idle speed, i.e. Do not turn off the engine. Without releasing the brake pedal, you should sequentially move the selector through all positions - P, R, N, D. The delay in each position should be about 5-10 seconds.
After this run, you must set the selector to mode P, after which you can release the brake pedal.
Get out of the car and open the hood. You need to remove the dipstick from the variator filler neck. For those who have never done this, you should know that the neck is marked with the inscription “TRANSMISSION”, and on some modifications - CVT. To release the probe, press the lock on the probe and unlock it.
If you crawl under the hood empty-handed, you'll have to return to the car and grab a rag. The dipstick needs to be wiped dry. Make sure that there are no small particles of matter left on it. The rags must be clean and dry to prevent the ingress of dirt and water. It is better not to carry out the test during rain or snow, which can also lead to moisture getting into the liquid.
After cleaning the dipstick, it should be lowered back into the neck until it stops, leave for a short time and remove the dipstick again. Watch the latch: it should be positioned so that the probe does not snap into place. At the end of it you will see marks. They indicate the level. This is how the fluid level in the variator is checked on a Nissan Qashqai.
Normally, the liquid reaches an average value between the minimum and maximum marks marked on the surface of the dipstick, i.e. the end of the oil part is located in the hot range. If you don’t see such a mark on the dipstick, then look for marks of a different kind. It could be:
After checking, lower the dipstick back into the neck until it stops so that the latch engages. This completes the check.
Driving sensations
If, when you press the gas pedal, the engine speed increases, but the speed remains the same or changes slightly, this is a bell about the “dying” state of the transmission. During smooth acceleration, the engine speed should remain approximately in the same position, and the speed should gradually increase. If there are sudden drops or overshoots in engine speed, then the gearbox is in trouble.
When you smoothly brake to zero and selector position “D,” you will feel a slight kick. This is inevitable, because at this moment the torque converter is unlocked. The push should be small, barely perceptible.
When checking the car's variator in motion, if you feel kicks during acceleration or a strong push when the speed is reduced to zero, this is a sign of an emergency condition of the gearbox. This applies to Nissan CVTs and Hondas, which use a clutch pack instead of a torque converter.
Let's not forget about hearing. While driving, no crunching or grinding noises should be heard from under the hood from the gearbox side. In Qashqai, sound insulation is at a low level, so the engine compartment will be clearly audible.
Cruise control
If the car is equipped with this function, turn it on and look at the engine speed and speed. They should not twitch or remain static.
Change the speed reference. The tachometer and speedometer should change smoothly, either increase slightly or decrease. Again, jerking and kicking are not allowed.
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If the oil level is less
If you find that your oil level is at or below a critical level, you need to urgently add fluid. For this purpose, in fact, the fluid level in the variator is checked on the Nissan Qashqai. The brand of oil, or its characteristics for choosing an analogue, is always indicated in the user manual. It is necessary to fill in oil of equivalent characteristics.
You don't have to look for a specific brand. It is important that the fluid in the system and the one being added are identical. When topping up, you should understand that overfilling is undesirable. This is why the maximum is marked on the dipstick. In order not to overfill the system, control measurements should be carried out, repeating the steps described above.
