A dealer charges $5,933 to $6,383 to replace a 2019 Sentra CVT, per Kelley Blue Book. Check Nissan's 84 month, 84,000 mile CVT extension first. Some cars still have time on it.
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Need It Fast?
- Nissan extended the 2018 and 2019 Sentra CVT warranty to 84 months or 84,000 miles
- It transfers to the next owner and any Nissan dealer can do the work
- The new Nissan CVT alone lists at $3,764.63
- A reman unit nets about $3,445 delivered, and needs a new cooler
- Rule out fail-safe and heat protection mode before you pay
$5,933 to $6,383. That's what Kelley Blue Book says a dealer charges to replace the transmission in a 2019 Nissan Sentra, parts and labor, as of November 2026. On most of these cars that's close to what the whole car is worth.
Before you pay it, check one thing. Nissan stretched the CVT warranty on the 2018 and 2019 Sentra to 84 months or 84,000 miles. Some Orlando Sentras are still inside it.
If yours is, the bill may be zero.
What a 2019 Sentra Transmission Costs in 2026
Almost every 2019 Sentra on the road has a CVT. Nissan calls it Xtronic. Per Nissan's 2019 Sentra press kit, the SV, SR, SL and SR Turbo came with the CVT only. A 6-speed manual was offered on the base S and the NISMO. So when someone says "the transmission went" on a 2019 Sentra, they almost always mean the CVT.
The Dealer Price
KBB's dealer estimate breaks down like this, as of November 2026.
- Parts $4,160 to $4,462.
- Labor $1,773 to $1,921.
- Total $5,933 to $6,383.
KBB sets that number by ZIP code, and it showed us a California ZIP when we pulled it. Put in your Orlando ZIP to see the local figure. KBB lists no independent shop price for this job at all.
The Part by Itself
The new Nissan unit for the 1.8 liter car is part 31020-X428D, now replaced by 31020-X427C. Nissan Parts Deal, an online Nissan parts seller, lists it at $3,764.63 list and $3,126.38 on sale. That's the box only. No labor, no fluid, no programming.
Remanufactured units cost about the same. One reman seller lists a 2019 Sentra 1.8 CVT at $3,146 with a 3 year, unlimited mile warranty. Add a $405 core deposit and $299 freight and you pay $3,850 up front. You get $3,445 back to net once your old unit ships back.
Read the fine print on that listing. It says a new cooler is mandatory or the warranty is void. Another of its units notes the TCM, the transmission computer, has to be calibrated after install. Those are real costs a parts price leaves out.
The CVT Itself Is Over Half the Bill
Top of each range, in dollars. Scale to $7,000.
Check the 84 Month CVT Warranty Before You Pay
This one check can save you thousands. In May 2023 Nissan put out a dealer bulletin that extends the CVT warranty on the 2018 and 2019 Sentra. It also covers the 2017 and 2018 Altima and the 2018 and 2019 Versa and Versa Note.
- The term. 84 months or 84,000 miles, whichever comes first. It was 60 and 60,000.
- What it covers. The CVT assembly and its insides, gaskets and seals, the valve body, the torque converter, the cooler kit if the car needs one, and reprogramming the TCM.
- It transfers. Nissan says the coverage goes with the car. You don't have to be the first owner.
- Any Nissan dealer can do the work, not just the one that sold the car.
It came out of a class action, Martinez v. Nissan North America. It's a warranty extension, not a recall, so nothing shows up when you run your VIN for open recalls.
Who Still Has Time Left
Nissan's bulletin says the covered 2018 and 2019 Sentras were built from September 18, 2017 through November 23, 2019. Nissan's U.S. warranty booklets say the clock starts the day the car is delivered to its first retail buyer or put into use, whichever is earlier. That wording is from the 2021 warranty booklet.
So count 84 months from that first sale. A 2019 Sentra first sold in December 2019 is covered until December 2026, as long as it's under 84,000 miles. Cars that sat on a lot and sold new in 2020 have even longer.
The miles cut off most cars first. Call any Nissan dealer with your VIN and ask whether the CVT extension is still active. Nissan's bulletin tells dealers to check coverage for that exact VIN and tell you about any diagnostic charge up front.
What if the dealer says my car opted out?
Owners who excluded themselves from the class action lost the extension. If the dealer's system shows your car excluded and you never opted out, the bulletin says Nissan Consumer Affairs, at 1-800-867-7669, can tell you what paperwork it needs to put the coverage back.
Four Ways to Replace a 2019 Sentra CVT
If the warranty is gone, these are your real options. Prices are as of November 2026, from the sources above.
| Option | What you pay | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan extension | Nothing for a covered repair | Only under 84 months and 84,000 miles, at a Nissan dealer. |
| Dealer replacement | $5,933 to $6,383 per KBB | Most money. Nissan says a replacement may be new or reman, and both get new internal parts. |
| Shop with a new Nissan unit | $3,126 to $3,765 for the part, plus labor | KBB puts dealer labor at $1,773 to $1,921. A shop's own rate sets yours. |
| Shop with a reman unit | $3,445 net for the part, plus labor | New cooler required, TCM calibration, fluid. Get the warranty terms in writing. |
A used CVT from a salvage yard costs less. It also comes with miles and a history nobody can show you. On a transmission family with this many complaints, I'd only go that way on a car you plan to sell soon.
Make Sure It's Really the CVT
A $6,000 quote deserves a second look before you sign it. Some CVT symptoms are the transmission protecting itself, not dying.
The 2019 Sentra owner's manual describes two modes worth knowing.
- Fail-safe. Hard use, like a lot of wheel spin followed by hard braking, can trip it, and the check engine light may come on. Nissan says to turn the car off, wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. If it drives normally, the transmission may be fine.
- High fluid temperature protection. When the CVT runs hot, the car may slowly lose speed. Nissan warns you may end up slower than traffic. Pull over somewhere safe and let it cool. On a July crawl on I-4, that can look a lot like a failing transmission.
Neither one is a diagnosis. A code scan is. We read transmission codes in your driveway as part of our check engine light diagnostics, so you know what the computer stored before anyone quotes you a new unit.
The Fluid Matters
The manual says to use only Genuine Nissan CVT Fluid NS-3 or an equivalent. It warns that regular automatic transmission fluid can damage the CVT, and that damage isn't covered by the warranty. If you drive on rough or muddy roads or use a car-top carrier, Nissan says to have the CVT fluid checked or replaced every 60,000 miles.
If a quick lube shop topped off your CVT with the wrong fluid, ask before the dealer opens a claim.
What 223 Complaints Say About the 2019 Sentra
We counted every complaint owners filed with NHTSA on the Sentra, using the agency's public complaint data, as of November 2026. The 2019 has 223 complaints, and 54 of them list the power train.
| Model year | All complaints | Power train complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 231 | 76 |
| 2018 | 185 | 46 |
| 2019 | 223 | 54 |
| 2020 | 207 | 10 |
| 2021 | 133 | 4 |
The drop after 2019 is sharp. The 2020 Sentra has almost as many total complaints as the 2019 and about a fifth the power train ones.
Only 8 of the 54 power train complaints on the 2019 give a mileage. Six of those 8 were past 84,000 miles, where the extension ends. That's why so many owners end up paying out of pocket. Ten of the 54 mention jerking and 6 mention stalling.
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Questions Worth Asking
Is it worth replacing the transmission in a 2019 Sentra?
Look up what your car is worth with its real miles. If a $6,000 dealer quote is most of that number, a shop with a reman or new Nissan unit, or selling the car, may make more sense. If the extension still covers it, the answer is easy.
How long do 2019 Sentra CVTs last?
Many last the life of the car. In the NHTSA complaints we counted, most of the failures that gave a mileage happened somewhere around 100,000 miles. That's only 8 reports, so treat it as a warning sign, not a lifespan.
Can I drive a Sentra with a failing CVT?
Short and gentle trips, maybe. If the car loses speed, shudders or won't keep up with traffic, park it. Nissan's own manual warns that a CVT in protection mode can leave you slower than everyone around you. A tow costs less than a crash on the 408.
Does Nissan reimburse a CVT I already paid for?
The settlement did reimburse past repairs, but the claim deadline was March 15, 2023, or 30 days after a qualifying repair, whichever was later. Repairs at a Nissan dealer were paid in full, and repairs at other shops up to $5,000, per CarComplaints.
Can a mobile mechanic replace a CVT?
Not in a driveway. A transmission swap needs a lift, and we say so up front. What we can do is scan the codes, check the fluid and rule out the cheaper problems first. If you're shopping for a used Sentra, our pre-purchase inspection looks for transmission trouble before you buy it.
Not sure what a fair hourly rate looks like around here? Our post on mobile mechanic rates in Orlando covers it. Or call Orlando's Finest Mobile Mechanic at (407) 490-4147 and we'll come to the car.
Who Said So
- Kelley Blue Book, 2019 Nissan Sentra Transmission Repair and Replacement Prices, as of November 2026
- Nissan North America, Altima, Sentra and Versa CVT Warranty Extension, Revision 1, campaign bulletin dated November 2, 2023, on file with NHTSA
- Nissan, 2019 Nissan Sentra Press Kit
- Nissan, 2019 Sentra Owner's Manual and Maintenance Information
- Nissan, 2021 Warranty Information Booklet, for when the warranty period begins
- David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com, Nissan Transmission Class Action Lawsuit Settled, May 24, 2023
- Nissan Parts Deal, 2019 Nissan Sentra Transmission Assembly, as of November 2026
- Reman Transmission, Transmission for 2019 Nissan Sentra 1.8L, as of November 2026
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, complaints API, 2019 Nissan Sentra, with the same query run for the 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 Sentra, as of November 2026