Q: Sudden loss of acceleration when driving
Lately my 2010 Nissan Rogue has been acting up whenever I am driving up big hills or at highway speeds. First, the whole vehicle slows down, then it will kind of putt along and won’t go any faster. After a minute or two, it will stop and drive normally again. What would cause a problem like this? The car has 81,000 miles on it.
Your car is equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT has sensors to keep if from overheating and dropping to a low fluid level. When the transmission detects an issue, it will go into limp home mode to protect itself from further damage. Once the issue is determined to be ok, the transmission control unit might shift the transmission back to normal operation. The factors to take into consideration are outside temperature, grade of the hill, load in the vehicle, and speed. If it’s a hot day, going up a hill with a load at speed might trigger the transmission to go into limp home mode. If your vehicle is acting up with just you in the car (moderate outside temperature, no heavy load, no hill grade, etc.), it might be time to have the CVT diagnosed to see if the fluid level is correct and if there are any codes present. A certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic can diagnose your transmission fluid level. Nissan has issued a technical services bulletin (TSB) NTB14-002b for symptoms like you’re experiencing. Nissan has extended the Nissan New Vehicle Limited Warranty for the CVT to a 10 years/120,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for CVT repairs, replacement, and related towing on all 2003-2010 model year Nissans.
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