THINK TWICE

The Nissan Jatco CVT is the defining defect of this family. POWER TRAIN is the #1 federal complaint component on the Sentra (29%), Pathfinder (26%), Altima (17%) and Rogue (15%), and #2 on the Murano; owners across all five describe the CVT shuddering, jerking, hesitating and whining, then suddenly losing power or failing to accelerate. It is a warranty/class-action matter, not (mostly) a recall.

Check — Test-drive hard: hold 20-45 mph and watch for shudder or hesitation, hard or delayed engagement from a stop, whine, or any limp-mode loss of power. Check the CVT fluid (clean, not burnt), and ask for transmission service and any CVT reprogram or replacement history.

On the 2013-2016 Pathfinder the Jatco CVT judders and shudders very early in life: shudder shows up in 12% of federal complaint texts and judder in 4%, many at just a few thousand miles (median mileage of POWER TRAIN complaints is ~11,000). Owners describe an intermittent shudder ranging from mild to violent at 20-40 mph with an accompanying decrease in power. Nissan addressed it with CVT reprogramming and valve-body service bulletins and a class-action settlement, not a full recall.

Check — On a test drive, accelerate gently through 20-40 mph and feel for a shudder or vibration through the driveline; a software reprogram often only masks it. Confirm whether the CVT was ever reprogrammed or replaced, and whether any extended CVT coverage remains.