This Nissan Maxima Hit With Infamous CVT Failure at Just 77,000 Miles
A 2017 Nissan Maxima experienced a CVT failure at 77,000 miles, leading to a costly transmission replacement. The owner received a Goodwill discount, reducing the $6,600 bill by half. Despite improvements in Nissan's CVTs since 2017, issues persist. The Maxima model was discontinued after 2023 as consumer preference shifts to crossovers and SUVs.
Nissan has long been associated with Jatco-built CVTs, and those transmissions drew plenty of reliability complaints and even legal action in the 2010s. And even today, some owners say those ghosts still linger — including one Maxima driver who suddenly lost throttle response after what appeared to be a transmission failure.
TikToker @desertmountainbiker said his 2017 Nissan Maxima — with around 77,000 miles — went into limp mode before he brought it to a shop for diagnostics. The scan reportedly pulled a P17F1 code, which refers to CVT judder, typically linked to clutch deterioration, hydraulic pressure issues, or degraded CVT fluid.
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The Code No Nissan Owner Wants
If the problem had been limited to the control software, the fix could have been far simpler — the common repairs for P17F1 can include fluid service, valve-body work, or software updates.
However, a few days later, the owner updated his TikTok followers, explaining that he ultimately had to replace the entire transmission. He said the job cost $6,600, but the dealer provided a Goodwill discount that cut the bill in half, a detail he confirmed in the comment section of his video. He also mentioned being loaned a Nissan Rogue.
He added — somewhat ironically — that the Rogue also uses a CVT, and that he “won’t buy one” in the future.
Still, it’s worth noting that Nissan gave its CVT a major overhaul in 2017, and the number of issues has dropped since then. Automakers continue using CVTs because they generally deliver better fuel efficiency than traditional torque-converter automatics, helping boost EPA fuel-economy ratings. Nissan does still use non-CVT automatics — mainly in its higher-torque or performance-oriented models like the Titan and the Z, with the latter’s Nismo trim reportedly in line to receive a manual option soon.
So while CVTs aren’t disappearing anytime soon, the Maxima itself has. It was discontinued after the 2023 model year as buyers continue shifting toward crossovers and SUVs.
