CVT transmission problems: which cars have them

Short answer: among vehicles with US sales figures, the Nissan Pathfinder has the most complaints about CVT problems per 10,000 sold, followed by the Nissan Sentra and the Nissan Rogue. Across all 3,285 federal complaints about it, owners reported a median of about 82,000 miles.

Federal complaints

3,285

Typical mileage

82,000 mi

Typical repair

$2,170–$6,500

What it is

A CVT (continuously variable transmission) uses a steel belt or chain running between two cone-shaped pulleys instead of fixed gears. Many automakers adopted them for fuel economy. When they wear or overheat, the belt can slip, and some designs are replaced as a unit rather than repaired.

What owners notice

Shudder or judder when pulling away
Slipping or engine revs rising without the car speeding up
Whining or droning noise
Hesitation, or a sudden loss of power (sometimes a limp mode)

Vehicles with the most CVT problems

Complaints about this problem per 10,000 sold, for each vehicle’s model years old enough to judge. Each vehicle’s years start at the first model year with a cluster of these complaints, so a vehicle that got the part later isn’t diluted by years without it. Only vehicles with at least 25 such complaints are ranked (13 vehicles).

1. Nissan Pathfinder 2.3 per 10k sold

160 complaints, 2013–2022 models · typically around 16,000 mi · most in 2013–2015 · estimate costs
2. Nissan Sentra 2.0 per 10k sold

456 complaints, 2007–2022 models · typically around 84,000 mi · most in 2013–2015 · estimate costs
3. Nissan Rogue 1.7 per 10k sold

557 complaints, 2008–2022 models · typically around 85,000 mi · most in 2008, 2011 and 2013 · estimate costs
4. Honda HR-V 1.2 per 10k sold

83 complaints, 2016–2022 models · typically around 97,639 mi · most in 2016–2018 · estimate costs
5. Nissan Altima 1.2 per 10k sold

461 complaints, 2007–2022 models · typically around 79,989 mi · most in 2013–2014 and 2016 · estimate costs
6. Subaru Ascent 1.2 per 10k sold

34 complaints, 2019–2022 models · typically around 18,000 mi · most in 2019–2020 · estimate costs
7. Nissan Versa 1.1 per 10k sold

156 complaints, 2007–2022 models · typically around 80,700 mi · most in 2012–2014 · estimate costs
8. Mitsubishi Outlander 0.99 per 10k sold

29 complaints, 2012–2022 models · typically around 80,500 mi · most in 2015–2016 · estimate costs
9. Nissan Murano 0.99 per 10k sold

111 complaints, 2005–2022 models · typically around 96,000 mi · most in 2012 and 2014–2015 · estimate costs
10. Subaru Outback 0.43 per 10k sold

83 complaints, 2010–2022 models · typically around 111,500 mi · most in 2010–2012 · estimate costs
11. Subaru Forester 0.18 per 10k sold

27 complaints, 2014–2022 models · typically around 47,000 mi · most in 2014–2015 · estimate costs
12. Honda Civic 0.13 per 10k sold

69 complaints, 2005–2022 models · typically around 90,000 mi · most in 2014–2015 · estimate costs
13. Toyota Corolla 0.09 per 10k sold

25 complaints, 2014–2022 models · typically around 50,000 mi · most in 2015 and 2017 · estimate costs

Common questions

Which cars have the most CVT problems?

Among vehicles with US sales figures, the most complaints about CVT problems per 10,000 sold come from the Nissan Pathfinder (2.3), the Nissan Sentra (2.0) and the Nissan Rogue (1.7). Rates cover model years old enough to judge.

At what mileage do CVT problems usually show up?

Across 3,285 federal complaints, the median mileage owners reported was about 82,000 miles. It varies a lot by vehicle; see the table.

How much does it cost to fix CVT problems?

Typically $2,170–$6,500 at a national-average independent shop, from book labor hours and parts pricing. Your state's labor rate changes this; the cost estimator on each vehicle page uses it.