Affected Years: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Nissan Altima. Our law firm is also investigating 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Nissan Altima for the same issues.
These issues seem to arise from defects in the Continuously Variable Transmission.
Vehicle warranties have been offered for more than 100 years, provided by the manufacturers to help sell buyers when automobiles were brand new and very expensive. Today, vehicle warranties are offered for all new vehicles, and most manufacturers offer additional warranty periods for used vehicles that they take on trade or buy at auction, usually referred to as a certified pre-owned or CPO for short. These warranties are typically based on the remaining balance of the original time remaining, with an additional period and mileage tacked on to help sell the used vehicle after a manufacturer inspection to verify the vehicle is in top condition.
When it comes to Lemon Law, consumers have heard of cars being referred to as lemons, oftentimes because a vehicle seems to have a long list of different things wrong with it. The reality of a vehicle falling under Lemon Law in California means it comes from having a single problem that has not been successfully repaired and the vehicle remains under warranty. More on this later when we talk about the qualification requirements of Lemon Law in California.
If you own or lease an Altima and are having some issues with the transmission, your car may qualify as a lemon under the law. If you believe that the dealer has had enough chances to fix this issue, and you are considering filing a lemon law claim on your Altima, you should contact Guardian Lemon Law. We can conduct a case review, validate your claim, and verify that the car qualifies. We will assign a Nissan Altima lemon law attorney who is experienced and able to outline the options you have available to you.
The first step in being able to make your lemon law claim is confirming your vehicle does qualify. If it does, we can sue Nissan for selling you a defective, lemon Nissan Altima. Guardian Lemon Law will provide you a lawyer experienced in Nissan Altima CVT failure/shudder lemon law cases to get your issue resolved. Remember that your initial meeting is free and covered under our Zero-Fee Guarantee.
California Lemon Law And What You Should Know
California Lemon Law, known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act when it was passed into law in March of 1971, set the primary goal for consumers in California to provide support and remedy whenever manufacturers were unable to complete a repair and uphold their warranty. To accomplish this, it set by law the obligation to replace or refund any item that they were incapable of fixing under the terms of the warranty. Known for its reference to automobiles, people are surprised to learn that it also covers a variety of other consumer products like new homes, electronics, and appliances. The law from 1971 remains the foundation of the Lemon Law today. The law still provides consumers the protections they deserve if they have issues with a product.
The Qualifications Required For Lemon Law Eligibility In California
The qualifications list below for your Nissan Altima is a guideline. We will complete a case review to determine which of them is met in order to determine your vehicle eligibility. All the items are critical, but the first 3 listed all need to be met to qualify.
- The issue cannot be caused by abuse or misuse on the part of the owner before the 1st repair
- Your vehicle is covered under your manufacturer’s new car warranty or a certified pre-owned warranty for the initial and subsequent repair attempts
- Your dealer has made a reasonable number of attempts to repair the reported issue, defined as 2 attempts for safety-related failures, and 4 attempts for non-safety issues
- The issue impacts the safety, use, or value of the vehicle for the owner
- Your Nissan has been at the dealer for a period of more than 30 calendar days during all repair efforts
Your Nissan Altima CVT failure/shudder lemon lawyer will determine if your vehicle has met the necessary requirements, and by doing so, confirm it qualifies under California Lemon Law to file a claim or lawsuit.
Beyond the qualifications and restrictions mentioned, there is one additional item that limits your rights as a consumer. The Statute of Limitations, updated in 2025, establishes the time limitation for a Lemon Law claim or lawsuit being filed. If you need a Nissan Altima CVT failure/shudder lemon law lawsuit filed, call Guardian Lemon Law.
The Time Limit For Filing A Lemon Lawsuit In California
The time limit to make a Lemon Law Claim or file a lawsuit has two different dates. The first date is 1 year from the expiration of the original vehicle factory warranty. The second date is 6 years from the date of vehicle delivery to you from the dealer. The time limit that applies will be the earliest of the calendar dates, and any action needs to be filed before the expiration date arrives. When you need an attorney that specializes in Nissan Altima defective continuously variable transmission lemon lawsuits, Guardian is the best call you can make.
The Symptoms And Consumer Reports Of The 2014-2019 Nissan Altima CVT Issues
The 2014-2019 Nissan Altima’s Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is well documented for defects causing power loss, shuddering, and jerking. These are symptoms of some of the issues. When left unaddressed, the issues do often escalate into a complete transmission failure, resulting in scored internal pulleys and belt slipping. The symptoms and causes are:
- Shuddering is the word used to describe the feeling that you are driving over rumble strips. It is caused by the steel belt slipping and chattering across the metal pulley surface in the transmission
- Rough shifts and slower acceleration occur when the transmission fluid is overheating. The Transmission Control Module (TCM) enters into protection mode, and will reduce power to prevent major damage to the transmission itself
- Sudden power loss is a big safety issue where the transmission stops transferring energy to the wheels, often at highway speeds. This will cause a sudden nose dive followed by a spin if the driver hits the brakes suddenly at higher speed. The rear end is already light with the loss of power and will come around quickly under braking or steering
- The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) hesitation, typically happening from a dead stop, or a violent shudder and shaking feeling when you press the accelerator, is also an issue that owners experience. The Nissan Jatco CVTs are known to experience excessive early wear. This issue does limit the transmission’s capability to transfer power to the axle and wheels. Ask the mechanic or dealership to pull any pending diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) from the Altima computer. Repairs range from a software push and a transmission fluid flush to a valve body replacement or full transmission swap when necessary.
What the dealer should be working on is troubleshooting the transmission with an eye on the known causes of the CVT symptoms. The repair takes time, so do not be surprised. Be aware of the steps they are taking to complete a repair, and of course how long it is taking. Document everything, and when you need a lemon lawyer to sue Nissan for CVT failure/shudder, Guardian Lemon Law can provide one for you. Please contact us if you have any questions.
What Is The Guardian Lemon Law Zero-Fee Guarantee?
Our Zero-Fee Guarantee is straightforward and without clever language. The initial consultation with Guardian Lemon Law is free of charge. There will never be any upfront costs to hire us for legal representation. There is never an obligation to hire Guardian Lemon Law, even after you take advantage of our free services. You may need a second opinion on a current case, especially if you are concerned it isn’t making the progress that you are expecting. We don’t charge for this service either. If you’re looking to replace your current legal team, we welcome the opportunity to show you how we do and what we do.
The Zero-Fee Guarantee applies to the lawsuits as well. If we do not win the case, there will be no charge to the customer. When we do win, Nissan is responsible for paying the reasonable legal fees charged. Please call Guardian Lemon Law if you need advice or representation and you believe you have a Lemon Law vehicle and claim. We will be ready to help you take action.
