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EDC vs CVT Jatco JF011E: which gearbox is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the EDC gearbox carries less risk than the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox: 38/100 (moderate risk) versus 54/100 (high risk). The EDC gearbox has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EDC gearbox overheating and safety neutral»; the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Pressure loss from pump and valve wear».

Risk index

EDC

38

Moderate risk · 3 serious faults

Lower risk

Risk index

CVT Jatco JF011E

54

High risk · 3 serious faults

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

10 sourcesHow we work

Is the EDC gearbox reliable?

The EDC covers several Renault dual-clutch gearboxes: the EDC6 (Getrag DC4 dry clutch on most entry-level engines, or DW6 wet clutch on higher-torque ones) and the wet-clutch EDC7, introduced in 2016 to fix the low-speed judder of the earlier unit. Many owners document early clutch wear, overheating that forces a safety neutral, and control electronics faults, especially on the EDC6.[1][2]

See the 4 of the EDC gearbox faults

Is the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox reliable?

The Jatco JF011E CVT (Nissan’s Xtronic, Renault’s X-Tronic, Mitsubishi’s INVECS-III) has weak points well described by workshops and the technical press: wear of the pump and its valves, bearings that hum and, according to some sources, the belt and pulleys. Nissan fixed a possible belt slip in the first-generation Qashqai and X-Trail with software.[3][4][5][6]

See the 5 of the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of EDC and CVT Jatco JF011E
EDCCVT Jatco JF011E
Technical data
TypeGearboxGearbox
Gearbox typeDual-clutch: EDC6 (6-speed; DC4 dry clutch on engines under 250 Nm, or DW6 wet clutch on higher-torque engines) and EDC7 (7-speed, wet clutch, internal code DW5)Continuously variable transmission (CVT) with lock-up torque converter, variable-diameter pulleys and a metal belt; the forward and reverse clutch is in front of the pulleys.
Productionsince 2010[1][7][8]since 2002[4][9]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)38Moderate risk54High risk
Documented faults45
Of high or critical severity33
Worst severityHigh severityHigh severity
Main faults
  1. High severity: EDC gearbox overheating and safety neutral
  2. High severity: Control electronics fault: "check gearbox" warning and loss of gears
  3. Medium severity: Premature dry clutch wear and low-speed judder (EDC6/DC4)
  1. High severity: Pressure loss from pump and valve wear
  2. High severity: Hum from worn CVT bearings
  3. High severity: Wear of the metal belt and pulleys
Most expensive documented repairup to €2,100EDC gearbox overheating and safety neutralPublished figure[1][10]No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versionsNoneNone
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • EDC6 (6-speed: DC4 dry or DW6 wet)[1][2]
  • EDC7 (7-speed, wet clutch, DW5)[2][10]
  • Jatco JF011E / CVT2 (CVT with torque converter)[3][4][5]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

EDC

See the 11 models with the EDC gearbox

CVT Jatco JF011E

See the 13 models with the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox

Other comparisons

With the EDC gearbox

With the CVT Jatco JF011E gearbox

Compare other engines

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Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Fiabilité de la boîte EDC : problèmes en série ?fiches-auto.fr · Technical documentation · published February 2020 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  2. Essai Renault Scénic 4 dCi 110 EDC7 : le test du Scénic automatiqueL'Argus · Motoring press · published September 2016 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  3. Пояс долговечности: чем болеют вариаторы Jatco и как их лечитьЗа рулем (zr.ru) · Motoring press · published 2 November 2015 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  4. The JF011E to the JF015EFenderBender · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026
  5. The Jatco CVT: obstacles to the overhaul, with insight from Robert BatemanGEARS Magazine · Motoring press · published 2021 · consulted 2 November 2026
  6. Nissan Qashqai, Murano, X-Trail: ServiceaktionAuto Bild · Motoring press · published 14 November 2013 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
  7. Renault Scénic IIIWikipédia (fr) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  8. Renault Clio IVWikipédia (fr) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  9. Jatco (historia y lanzamientos de CVT)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
  10. FACUA alerta de la llamada a revisión de los Renault Megane IV GT por un problema en la caja de cambiosFACUA · Consumer association · published 26 April 2017 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish