Nissan Micra/March K13 CVT Memory Reset & Re-calibration

Do you own a Nissan Micra/March K13?

  • Yes, I do.

    Votes: 10 76.9%
  • No, I don't but I want to purchase one.

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • No, I don't and I don't want to purchase one.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No, I don't but never thought of purchasing one.

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Total voters
    13
Hello MSC!

I have noticed some time now that when I was accelerating, on normal driving conditions, the car would build the revs around 3000 RPM and would not give much of performance. In other words, it was like driving with a slipping clutch. It had the same feeling. Also the fuel consumption went HIGH SKY, from around 4.9-5.9 to 8.5.
After I've done some research I discovered that the Transmission Control Unit have a similar system like the Mitsubishi's INVECS system, where the TCU learns the driver's driving manners and adjusts the transmission accordingly.
I admit that in the last 2 months I've been always in a hurry and that the TCU may have registered other driving style than the factory one.
In the following lines I've written how to reset the CVT TCU's memory to the factory settings and how to re calibrate the TCU in case someone will remove the battery.

How to identify if a CVT TCU is out of the factory settings:

When you accelerate the car from a stand such as a traffic light and the engine will rev at around 2000-3000 RPM but the car will not accelerate as desired OR while driving at around 50 kph (30 mph) the RPM should be around 1500 and on the slight acceleration the RPM should drop few 100's revs reaching around 1000-1100 RPM. Also on hard acceleration, the engine revs but the car has poor performance and feels like the engine have no torque.

Best time to do a reset is when someone arrives home and the engine is hot.

a) CVT Memory Reset:

1) Start the car and wait until the temperature is normal (Cold Temp light off if fitted with one).
2) Do not open the radio (On Nissan Connect turn the volume all way to mute) or other electrical equipment (such as headlights).
3) Pull the handbrake up and hold until the end of the process (Don't need to hold it... just lock it on).
4) Press the brake pedal and keep it pressed till the end of the process.
5) Move the gear to the "N" position for 2 minutes (use a stopwatch and allow 2-3 seconds overtime).
6) After 2 minutes (and few seconds), move the gear to position "D" for 1 minute (and few seconds overtime).
7) End the process.
8) Turn off the car or drive away... anything you wish

At the end of this process the CVT TCU will have the factory settings, and will drive as it was new. The factory settings are based on the lowest RPM while driving, for the best fuel consumption.
I have tried this "Memory reset" and it worked like a charm. The fuel consumption is back on normal and the car feels like new (with a torque feeling around 3000 RPM ).

b) CVT Re-calibration:

1) Start the car and wait until the temperature is normal (Cold Temp light off if fitted with one).
2) Turn off the engine and start again.
3) Turn on the headlights.
4) Press the brake pedal and move to the "N" position .
5) Move from "N" to "D" to "L" then back to "D" and "N"
6) Repeat step 5) for 3 times with a tempo shift of 1-2 seconds.
7) End the process.
8) Turn off the car.

I haven't tried the Re-calibration yet because I didn't disconnect the battery till now.

How to verify if the CVT Memory did reset properly:

When driving away from a stand, on the first acceleration input the car will rev to about 2000 RPM and at around 20 kph the revs will drop to around 1000 - 1300 RPM and stay there till 50 kph, when the revs will slowly increase. The feeling will be like an engaged clutch and not as a slipping clutch as it was before. Also while driving and accelerating on a road, the car must feel "Torque" and the RPM should not rise fast, but the speedometer should show an increase in speed. Always when you press the acceleration after a brake, the RPM will rise, but after 1 second will fall a bit (200-300 RPM). If there is no fall, then a Memory reset is in need.

With the hope that this thread helped someone, I wish you a nice day! And remember: always drive safely and use the seat belt!!!
 
Not had that problem. Think the Micra CVT box is about the best bit of the car. Has creep like a proper auto should. Huge gear range. Very fast to drop or rais gearing. Does very little mooing - a criticism of CVT boxes.
What I do notice though the gear box does behave in a similar annoying manner to what you described on cruise control speed hold. Cruise works best in speed limiting mode. Think this is an issue with the cruise control. Seen same thing with other cars not Nissans too. Citroen/pug don't have this problem and are. Very good in this respect but rubbish in numerous other ways. E./. Set cruise. At 70 mph. Unset cruise drop to 65 resume cruise. Car will red line to gain 5 mph or even 5kmh

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I was testdriving a K13 DIG-S with CVT box. When approaching a roundabout and gently accelerating the car felt like it was too low in revs. A couple of kilometers further it was quite okay, just needed to feel the car and how it is supposed to be driven, I guess. However, I've read some stories on the internet that some people even returned their K13 because of that.

As K13 drivers can I ask you, what are your experiences with the CVT?

(many thanks, greetings from a K11 N-CVT owner)
 
I'd say I bought the car to a large degree because I liked gearbox. The DSG in skoda VW seat is probably a bit better but many small cars have power and fuel sapping autos which are so much inferior


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@G-Zee: You are not experiencing the whole car shaking/shivering with the very low revs (around 1300 revs). Mind you, that was the only thing i've noticed during testdrive and only when pulling away at the roundabout very gently (the car was also brandnew, with no miles! so was gentle to the brandnew engine also). The HR12DDR engine is very quiet and the CVT gearbox indeed is very comfortable.
 
No, the engine may seem to run a little laboured at low revs and low throttle opening due to the high gearing but a touch more gas and the revs will rise, a touch more again and the gearbox will kick down if not in the low ratio already.
Unique for a CVT the Nissan XTRONIC gearbox is actually 2 gearboxes in the same housing, a CVT and a 2 speed planetary which works like an overdrive. There will be slightly more internal friction due to running power thru 2 gearboxes but this is offset by wider gear ratio and less rotating mass as the CVT is smaller. You can find Nissans blog on the gearbox if you search for XTRONIC. Incidentally although the double gearbox is unique for a CVT its quite common for planetary torque converter gearboxes. Once all auto gearboxes were 3 speed or even 2 speed. You can only ever have max 3 gears with a planetary gearbox. 4 speed autos added an overdrive on top gear. 5 6 7 and 8 speed autos all use 2 or 3 planetary gearboxes in series. That's except for some like citroen and vauxhall which are completely diferent technology -conventional manual gearboxes with a computer controlled gear changer. Also VW DSG is different its 2 manual gearboxes in parallel with gears alternately stepped and automated change like citroen. This setup needs 2 clutches and is very heavy and expensive to produce.
CVT was first alternative auto gearbox to planetary type developed by DAF. Nissan are quite new in CVT tech. Honda make some good CVT transmission. Toyota hybrids are oven described incorrectly by journalists as CVT. The prius and other similar toyotas uniquely have no gearbox or clutch just 2 differentials the first used as a torque splitter, its extremely simple although takes a small leap in understandin to grasp, these toyota cars do make an a lot of mooing more than a modern CVT.

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I was testdriving a K13 DIG-S with CVT box. When approaching a roundabout and gently accelerating the car felt like it was too low in revs. A couple of kilometers further it was quite okay, just needed to feel the car and how it is supposed to be driven, I guess. However, I've read some stories on the internet that some people even returned their K13 because of that.

As K13 drivers can I ask you, what are your experiences with the CVT?

(many thanks, greetings from a K11 N-CVT owner)

The gearbox is the best thing on the car... provides great fuel economy and comfort. There are some issues like you said:

1. When slowing at a stop light, once the car reaches 30 kph, it kicks and start to pull like another person accelerates in the same time you break...
2. Once you left the traffic light, the rpm drop masively... but it keeps a low fuel consumption

For me it is ok... as far I get 5l/100kms in city driving :D
 
Hello MSC!

I have noticed some time now that when I was accelerating, on normal driving conditions, the car would build the revs around 3000 RPM and would not give much of performance. In other words, it was like driving with a slipping clutch. It had the same feeling. Also the fuel consumption went HIGH SKY, from around 4.9-5.9 to 8.5.
After I've done some research I discovered that the Transmission Control Unit have a similar system like the Mitsubishi's INVECS system, where the TCU learns the driver's driving manners and adjusts the transmission accordingly.
I admit that in the last 2 months I've been always in a hurry and that the TCU may have registered other driving style than the factory one.
In the following lines I've written how to reset the CVT TCU's memory to the factory settings and how to re calibrate the TCU in case someone will remove the battery.

How to identify if a CVT TCU is out of the factory settings:

When you accelerate the car from a stand such as a traffic light and the engine will rev at around 2000-3000 RPM but the car will not accelerate as desired OR while driving at around 50 kph (30 mph) the RPM should be around 1500 and on the slight acceleration the RPM should drop few 100's revs reaching around 1000-1100 RPM. Also on hard acceleration, the engine revs but the car has poor performance and feels like the engine have no torque.

Best time to do a reset is when someone arrives home and the engine is hot.

a) CVT Memory Reset:

1) Start the car and wait until the temperature is normal (Cold Temp light off if fitted with one).
2) Do not open the radio (On Nissan Connect turn the volume all way to mute) or other electrical equipment (such as headlights).
3) Pull the handbrake up and hold until the end of the process (Don't need to hold it... just lock it on).
4) Press the brake pedal and keep it pressed till the end of the process.
5) Move the gear to the "N" position for 2 minutes (use a stopwatch and allow 2-3 seconds overtime).
6) After 2 minutes (and few seconds), move the gear to position "D" for 1 minute (and few seconds overtime).
7) End the process.
8) Turn off the car or drive away... anything you wish

At the end of this process the CVT TCU will have the factory settings, and will drive as it was new. The factory settings are based on the lowest RPM while driving, for the best fuel consumption.
I have tried this "Memory reset" and it worked like a charm. The fuel consumption is back on normal and the car feels like new (with a torque feeling around 3000 RPM ).

b) CVT Re-calibration:

1) Start the car and wait until the temperature is normal (Cold Temp light off if fitted with one).
2) Turn off the engine and start again.
3) Turn on the headlights.
4) Press the brake pedal and move to the "N" position .
5) Move from "N" to "D" to "L" then back to "D" and "N"
6) Repeat step 5) for 3 times with a tempo shift of 1-2 seconds.
7) End the process.
8) Turn off the car.

I haven't tried the Re-calibration yet because I didn't disconnect the battery till now.

How to verify if the CVT Memory did reset properly:

When driving away from a stand, on the first acceleration input the car will rev to about 2000 RPM and at around 20 kph the revs will drop to around 1000 - 1300 RPM and stay there till 50 kph, when the revs will slowly increase. The feeling will be like an engaged clutch and not as a slipping clutch as it was before. Also while driving and accelerating on a road, the car must feel "Torque" and the RPM should not rise fast, but the speedometer should show an increase in speed. Always when you press the acceleration after a brake, the RPM will rise, but after 1 second will fall a bit (200-300 RPM). If there is no fall, then a Memory reset is in need.

With the hope that this thread helped someone, I wish you a nice day! And remember: always drive safely and use the seat belt!!!

Thank you for this info.
Tried it yesterday and now my car is so nice to drive.
Acceleration is so quick now car just revs with torque !!
 
My cvt gearbox on 2012 K13 1.2lt kicks suddenly when i gas hard & try to accelerate just after slowing. Its so high kick as i am afraid of breaking something. Feels like there is a gap on the belt. Do you think reseting or re calibrating works? Service can re-calibre by updating the program on cvt?

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