[Fastman12345]

Hey I've just learned about the boatload of problems this cvt can cause if not maintained, is it ok for me to drain and fill the fluid at this mileage or is it too late? AFAIK the fluid has never been changed. The car has a little judder at low rpm going from a stop for as long as i can remember. I've also gotta figure how to get the damn transmission fluid dipstick open since that shit is like glued onto to the tube

 

[Fastman12345]

Hey I've just learned about the boatload of problems this cvt can cause if not maintained, is it ok for me to drain and fill the fluid at this mileage or is it too late? AFAIK the fluid has never been changed. The car has a little judder at low rpm going from a stop for as long as i can remember. I've also gotta figure how to get the damn transmission fluid dipstick open since that shit is like glued onto to the tube

EDIT: It's a 2012 altima 2.5s

 

[VStar650CL]

CVT's never make "ATF soup" like a regular automatic because they have precious little clutch material to make soup from. That means there's little risk of fouling the Valve Body like a regular A/T. The belt and pulleys, on the other hand, are metal-to-metal and have only the fluid for protection. That means when the fluid dies, the tranny dies with it, full stop, no exceptions. So positively yes, change the fluid.

 

[dub4short]

Hey I've just learned about the boatload of problems this cvt can cause if not maintained, is it ok for me to drain and fill the fluid at this mileage or is it too late? AFAIK the fluid has never been changed. The car has a little judder at low rpm going from a stop for as long as i can remember. I've also gotta figure how to get the damn transmission fluid dipstick open since that shit is like glued onto to the tube

You still hanging out on this forum? I just got a 2.5 S with 102k miles and looking to replace fluid as well. Did you DIY?
-David

 

[VStar650CL]

You still hanging out on this forum? I just got a 2.5 S with 102k miles and looking to replace fluid as well. Did you DIY?

I don't know if @Fastman12345 DIY'd it, but same advice I gave him, get that old crap out of there ASAP. DIY isn't difficult. Your '09 will have a stick (unlike later models) but they can be a little wonky to read, especially right after using the fill tube. Pull and check it a few times under different circumstances to get an idea of where it normally reads on both sides of the stick, that will avoid confusion when you spill and fill. The one thing to avoid like the plague is overfilling, CVT's are completely intolerant of it. It foams the fluid and makes hot spots on the belt. I've seen units run for tens of thousands of miles at a quart low with no apparent harm, but I've seen units a quart over die inside of a thousand. So if you err, err low and not high.