2016 Nissan Altima Transmission Replacement Cost (2026)
Last Updated on October 23, 2026 by Ryan
Kelley Blue Book lists a 2016 Nissan Altima transmission replacement at $6,029 to $6,485 for parts and labor at a dealer (ZIP 75201, Dallas, checked 23 October 2026). Owners on CarComplaints report an average of $4,200. Nissan’s CVT warranty extension for the 2013 to 2016 Altima ended at 84 months or 84,000 miles, so check your VIN with a dealer before you pay.
Key takeaways
- KBB dealer price: $6,029 to $6,485 (parts $4,227 to $4,533, labor $1,802 to $1,952).
- Nissan extended the CVT warranty on 2013 to 2016 Altimas to 84 months/84,000 miles in 2020.
- Nissan’s judder bulletin NTB17-039 applies to V6 Altimas only, and the repair can be a valve body, not a whole CVT.
- Use Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 only, according to the owner’s manual.
- Get written quotes that name the unit type, labor and warranty.
This guide collects published repair estimates and Nissan’s own documents on 2016 Altima CVT replacement. An earlier version of this page was written as a personal repair story with figures that contradicted each other. Those figures were removed, and this version does not describe a personal repair. Every number below is attributed to a source and was checked on 23 October 2026.
2016 Nissan Altima Transmission Replacement Cost
There is no single price, and the published figures come from different sources with different bases. Read the table as a spread of numbers, not a quote.
| Source | Figure | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Kelley Blue Book (2016 Altima page) | $6,029 to $6,485 | Dealer price, parts and labor, for ZIP 75201 (Dallas, TX). Parts $4,227 to $4,533, labor $1,802 to $1,952. KBB lists no independent-shop price. |
| CarComplaints (2016 Altima) | $4,200 average | Average cost reported by owners for “transmission failure” entries, at an average of 65,000 miles. Self-reported by site visitors, so it is a sample of owner reports and not a price list. |
KBB’s range is for one ZIP code and for a dealer, where it says manufacturer-recommended parts are used. Labor and parts prices change by area, so a quote from a shop near you can differ. The CarComplaints figure comes from visitors who chose to report a repair, and the page does not give a date for it.
New, Remanufactured, Rebuilt or Used
The estimates above do not say which kind of unit they price. A shop can quote a new Nissan CVT, a remanufactured unit, a rebuilt unit or a used unit from a salvage vehicle, and the price, warranty and risk differ for each. We could not find a published, dated price for each option that is specific to the 2016 Altima, so we do not list one here.
Ask every shop to write down which option the quote covers, the labor charge, whether fluid and the control module reprogramming are included, and the warranty on the unit and on the installation. Two quotes that look far apart may describe different options.
Nissan’s CVT Warranty Extension for the 2016 Altima
In a May 11, 2020 bulletin to dealers, Nissan extended CVT warranty coverage on several models, including the 2013 to 2016 Altima (L33). The extension came out of class action settlements.
- Coverage: from 60 months/60,000 miles to 84 months/84,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- Parts included: the CVT assembly and internal components, gaskets and seals, the control valve body, the torque converter, the cooler kit (if applicable) and reprogramming of the transmission control module. The bulletin also lists rental during the repair.
- Not covered: owners who opted out of the class action settlements. Dealers can see this on the VIN as the warranty exclusion code “B0033 NO CVT WARRANTY EXT”. If a dealer shows your car as excluded and you did not opt out, the bulletin points owners to nissanassist.com or Nissan Consumer Affairs at 1-800-NISSAN1 (647-7261).
- Earlier repairs: Nissan said it would reimburse owners who paid for a CVT repair that the extension would have covered. The bulletin gives a claim deadline of January 30, 2020, or within 30 days of the qualifying repair, whichever is later.
The 84-month limit matters most for a car this age. The bulletin lists 2016 Altima production as ending in August 2016, so a car first sold since then is almost certainly past 84 months in October 2026 unless it entered service after October 2019, which would be unusual. Ask a Nissan dealer to check your VIN anyway. For vehicles no longer covered, the bulletin tells dealers to give the owner a repair estimate and, if the owner asks for help, to consult Nissan’s goodwill guidelines. That is not a promise of payment, but it is worth asking.
Nissan’s CVT Judder Bulletin (V6 Only)
Nissan service bulletin NTB17-039 covers “CVT judder and DTC P17F0 or P17F1 stored”. The version we read (letter i, dated March 11, 2020) applies to 2013 to 2018 Altima models with the CVT and V6 engine only. If your Altima has the 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine, this bulletin does not apply to it. Nissan has revised the bulletin many times since, and the CarComplaints bulletin list shows later letters through December 2023.
The bulletin applies when the customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration) and one of those two codes is stored. Its repair flow chart works like this:
- P17F0: remove the control valve (valve body), replace the pulley and chain sub-assembly, and install a new valve body.
- P17F1: remove the valve body and inspect the CVT chain. If the chain checks out, install a new valve body only. If it does not, replace the sub-assembly and install a new valve body.
Bulletins are written for technicians, and Nissan says to see a dealer to confirm whether one applies to a specific vehicle. The point for an owner is that a judder complaint with these codes can lead to a valve body or sub-assembly repair, which is a different job from a full CVT replacement. See our guide to Nissan CVT shudder fixes by symptom and code for more on diagnosis.
Signs Owners Report on a 2016 Altima
Two sources describe what owners and Nissan itself see:
- Nissan’s bulletin: judder, described as shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps, or vibration, with code P17F0 or P17F1.
- CarComplaints owner reports for the 2016 Altima: transmission is the top category, with 62 complaints out of about 880 listed. The site lists transmission failure at an average of 65,000 miles, hesitation when accelerating at an average of 75,000 miles, and delayed acceleration from a stop at an average of 44,000 miles.
These are reports from drivers who chose to post, not a failure rate. Also see our overview of the Nissan CVT problem years.
What to Do Before You Pay for a Transmission
- Get a written diagnosis. Ask whether the fault is the valve body, the pulley and chain assembly, or the whole CVT, and which codes were stored.
- Ask a Nissan dealer to check your VIN for the CVT warranty extension and any goodwill option.
- Collect two or three written quotes that state the unit type (new, remanufactured, rebuilt or used), labor, and the warranty on parts and labor.
- Compare the total with what the car is worth using a valuation site such as Kelley Blue Book, and with the cost of a replacement vehicle.
- Check other model years if you are comparing cars. We have cost guides for the 2017 Altima and the 2015 Altima.
CVT Fluid and Care for the 2016 Altima
- Fluid: Nissan’s 2016 Altima owner’s manual says to use Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 only. It says not to use automatic transmission fluid or manual transmission fluid, and that damage from other fluids is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
- Who should do it: the manual recommends a Nissan dealer for CVT fluid checks and replacement.
- Interval: Nissan’s online maintenance schedule lists CVT fluid inspection every 10,000 miles or 12 months for normal driving, with replacement listed for severe driving conditions. The page layout is hard to read, so confirm the interval in your own maintenance guide.
- Towing: the manual says not to tow a trailer with this vehicle. It also says that a CVT vehicle towed behind another vehicle must have a dolly under its drive wheels, and that ignoring its towing guidelines can cause severe transmission damage.
- Future repairs: a service contract may or may not list the CVT as a covered component. Read the covered-parts list in any contract before you buy, and see our guide to extended warranty companies.
2016 Nissan Altima Transmission Replacement: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a 2016 Nissan Altima transmission replacement cost?
Kelley Blue Book lists $6,029 to $6,485 for parts and labor at a dealer in ZIP 75201 (Dallas, TX), checked 23 October 2026. Owners on CarComplaints report an average of $4,200 for transmission failure repairs. Your price depends on your area, the shop and whether the unit is new, remanufactured, rebuilt or used, so ask for written quotes.
Is the 2016 Altima CVT covered by a warranty extension?
Nissan extended CVT coverage on 2013 to 2016 Altima models from 60 months/60,000 miles to 84 months/84,000 miles, whichever comes first, in a May 2020 bulletin. A 2016 Altima built by August 2016 is almost certainly past the 84-month limit now, so ask a Nissan dealer to check your VIN and whether a goodwill review is possible.
Does Nissan have a service bulletin for 2016 Altima CVT judder?
Yes. Nissan bulletin NTB17-039 covers CVT judder with trouble code P17F0 or P17F1, but it applies to Altimas with the CVT and V6 engine only. The 4-cylinder Altima is not covered by that bulletin.
What CVT fluid does a 2016 Nissan Altima use?
Nissan’s owner’s manual says to use Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 only. It says not to use automatic or manual transmission fluid, and that damage from other fluids is not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Can the CVT be repaired instead of replaced?
Sometimes. Nissan’s judder bulletin describes replacing the control valve (valve body), and in some cases the pulley and chain sub-assembly, rather than the whole CVT. A written diagnosis from a Nissan dealer or transmission shop tells you which repair your car needs.
Sources
- Kelley Blue Book: 2016 Nissan Altima transmission repair and replacement
- CarComplaints: 2016 Nissan Altima problems and the 2016 Altima bulletin list
- Nissan CVT warranty extension bulletin, May 11, 2020 (hosted by NHTSA)
- Nissan bulletin NTB17-039i, CVT judder and DTC P17F0 or P17F1, March 11, 2020 (hosted by NHTSA)
- Nissan 2016 Altima owner’s manual (PDF)
- Nissan maintenance schedule: 2016 Altima CVT fluid
Prices change and vary by area, so treat the figures here as a guide and confirm them with written quotes.
