Watch video for explanations and details. 2:20 1) Don't launch your car. Excessive wear and tear to the transmission d/t ton of heat. 4:00 2) Warm up your car, specifically the transmission, before you push it hard. So go easy first minutes, ~5 or so, of driving. 5:36 3) For WRX, check for transmission fluid for seepage. 7:14 4) Install TCM (Transmission Control Module) updates asap. 8:24 5) Don't add mods/tune that's more than your transmission can handle.
To sum everything up: Don't drive like an asshole, take your car in for it's regular services, and stay away from mods. In all likelihood your CVT will do fine - along with the rest of your car.
Good points. I currently have a '19 Honda CR-V with the automatic CVT. Changed the CVT fluid every 30,000 miles and driven it conservatively since I bought it brand new. There is no need to floor it because it has enough torque from the tried and true 2.4L (not turbocharged) to get it rolling. Not to mention that CR-V's are not built for speed, to begin with. That being said, once you get it up to temperature, it's actually quick off the line. I don't expect to win any races, mind you. Honda and Toyota CVT's use a launch/1st gear, and they manufacture some of the better CVT's on the market. Currently has 63,000 miles, and so far, so good, not a single problem with this car.
I've owned a shop for 30 years---his advice is good advice. If Customers do there maintenance on a regular basis, the vehicle will last a long time. You have to be proactive, and find an honest mechanic you can trust. Jim's Transmissions in Moore, Oklahoma.
1) Don't launch your car aka go 4 bucks a gallon to complete freedom 2) Warm up your car trans before going full throttle 3) Periodically check your trans fluid, service, replace, refill. 4) Check for TCM update from your car manufacturer 5) Don't mod/tune your car's trans beyond it's safe limits.
3 would be easy if they had dipsticks. My 2017 Nissan has the tube for it but no stick. Just a plug that could have come with a stick on it. The reliability of them is hit or miss. Some people say they had good luck and some seem to have had terrible luck. As for number 5, it is obvious that CVTs were not meant for heavy hauling at all. I have heard of high torque CVTs for trucks but are they out yet? I would not want a truck anyhow. I really don't think trucks need CVTs anyhow. It will be interesting to see how long the high torque CVTs last. I can only imagine the first generation would be just abysmal considering that the first generation of a lot of things would still need improvement.
Change the transmission fluid around 30,000 miles. Also as many neglect you need to change ALL the fluids such as oil, differentials ( if equipped ), brake fluid , coolant , power steering. It will save you thousands just doing the maintenance .
@MsErica647 Depends on the vehicle, the manual/online resources will have a maintenance schedule. As in, every X amount of miles, have Y maintained. ALWAYS follow the schedule. It costs money and time, but it's always cheaper and more convenient than replacing an entire car.
@24YOA Except there is no harm in changing the engine oil every 4,000 miles, the differential and transmission gear oil every 30,000 mile. Out Subarus have all lasted > 250,000 miles with this type of fluid change.
My first new car and first CVT was a 2012 Nissan Versa. A great little car, but the CVT was garbage. I pampered it, drove it gently, and took it in for its first 30k mile service, recommended by the owner's manual. The dealership checked the CVT fluid and said it didn't need to be changed until 60k miles. Well, at 38k miles the CVT started having an occasional issue with slipping. It managed to last to 56k miles without failing though when I traded it in.
Scotty has a great idea regarding changing transmission fluid. Basically measure what you take out and refill with the same amount. This is useful as most CVT gearboxes haven’t got any means of measuring the levels. EDIT: it’s also critical that you use the OEM fluid as an incorrect choice can cause overheating. Great vid, keep ‘em comin’.
also, if you do this method, make sure you drain the fluid cold or allow the drained fluid to become the same temperature as the fluid you are putting in, as cvt fluid has a tendency to expand.
Adding the same amount that you removed will not work if the old fluid is warm from recent running, or if you have a leak. There is an actual fill procedure that other RU-vidrs such as The Car Care Nut walk you through.
@@sleepybear7642I had a mechanic show me that mobile one full synthetic oil doesn't start breaking down, under normal driving, until 15,000 miles. He tested his vehicle oil by sending it off at different mileages. He said that mobile one is some of the best oil to use so that's what I use now, but I change it at 10,000. I also use a very good wix filter.
2 stories. I bought tons of parts from my local Chrysler dealer via an auto parts store I worked at. I forget which model transmission it was that started giving lots of trouble; expecting I would start getting calls for the parts, I asked my parts buddy for a breakdown of the internals. He told me that Cnrysler didn't even give info for the input and output seals. He said the entire unit was a swap out. Second story re heat buildup. I have seen several pickups come off Interstate 5, where they were pulling heavy trailers at 80 mph against the wind. Common to all, was that the trans oil would flash, blow out the dipstick and spray oil all under the hood. One guy in a Dodge turbo diesel had oil spray on the turbo and the whole thing burned to the ground. I think he saved the ball on the hitch.
I have a 2012 AWD Nissan Rouge and it has the trans that is said to be one of the easiest to fail.. I drained it and put in Amsoil CVT 100 percent Synthetic Fluid over 3 years ago and have not had any trouble yet at 177 k miles currently .. The AMS fluid is much better than the Nissan Brand / Idemitsu NS 2 Fluid and I always noticed a weird shutter at times before I changed it over .....The true synthetic base with the additive package makes the typical hot fluid failures go away and makes the trans work much better .. 100 Percent Synth Fluid has far less air bubble traps and foaming issues and it brings down the operating temperature ...Full Synthetics Oils are of a group 3 base oil and not the real base synths of group 4 and 5 ...If Amsoil has a CVT Fliud for your CVT ,give it a try ..
I give a thumbs up for Valvoline CVT synthetic transmission fluid. A mechanic told me that some Nissan dealers were using Valvoline rather than factory CVT fluid. I have been using Valvoline CVT fluid in our 2006 Murano and no issues so far.
Yea I bought the Valvoline cvt fluid for my last cvt drain fill been running great but once I found out about AMSOIL im switching everything to them brake fluid, coolant, oil, differential, etc best company on da market!!! 💪🏾
@@bluehunnids887 I have not tried every product they make yet but I know that the Transmission and Motor Oil are far superior to what others have made...Amsoil had a 0w30 / 35k oil in the 2000s but even though it can last that long now they just decided to quit advertising the 35k mile interval for whatever reason ..Maybe too many assumed it would last for 10 years for a low mileage driver .
Have a CVT in my Corolla. I was originally afraid of getting one because of all the negative comments I have seen on RU-vid. However, it’s been a real pleasure. Great mileage and very smooth.
My 2016 corolla s transmission lasted 203994 so far. It's starting to show signs of wear but I haven't done anything to it. Should of changed fluid every 35k miles but still got good miles. I found used transmission on eBay for $500-$800 so I'm going to order it and have my mechanic change it out. Hopefully get 200,000 miles again from used transmission with 20k to 30k miles.
I love the CVT in my 2021 Subaru Ascent and 2013 Subaru Legacy, they are super smooth and haven’t had a single issue with the 2013 Legacy, tranny oil changed at 95k, car currently has 98k on it.
In 2011 I Inherited a 2005 Ford Freestyle with a CVT and am still driving it at 193,000 miles with ZERO issues. When I got it, my Dealership said the key is to change the Transfluid and Filters every 60,000 miles. The Service Advisor said in every CVT he's seen that failed, the Owner failed to change the Oil and Filters. He said the opposite is true too, as he'd never seen a failed CVT where the owner DID the suggested maintenance.
Question: Your point about "don't modify the engine beyond the transmissions capabilities" is certainly a valid point. How do we know, or where can we find out what those capabilities are?
Great ideas I suggest changing cvt fluid every 30,000 miles at most sooner is even better. It's under $150 for the fluid and private mechanics charge $100 to $150 labor way cheaper than $5500 for new cvt.
#2 is probably what'll crop up in my case, because when I get off work in the afternoon, there's an intersection less than a quarter mile down the road where I have to turn left onto a busy highway with no traffic lights. The kind of situation where you either GET ON IT, or you sit there for an inordinate amount of time while the traffic backs up behind you and the road-ragers start crossing the double-yellow line and going around you
Manual, along with the planetary gear set of Toyota hybrids, and EV's transmissions are among the most reliable, but Toyota hybrids, specially the Prius have proven to go to 200,000 miles and beyond with no transmission problems, due to the simplicity of the planetary gear set.
Manual transmission require skills to use it, but long term benefits is superb. Less maintenance, less fluid replacement. Under normal use, the clutch last longer than an average automatic transmission. The only thing you need to replace is the clutch, which last an average 300000 km under normal use, parts are inexpensive and it can be done by yourself (albeit front wheel drive cars will take longer because of more parts needs to be taken apart).
@@hedgehogthesonic3181 Electric cars can have manual transmission too, adding gearbox to an electric motor means the motors have to rotate less and use less torque which translate to possible energy savings.
@@diegosilang4823 They can, but human shifting is not near to how a computer does it, and a transmission that does not shift at all is much more reliable than those who shift, like the one on electric vehicles and Toyota hybrids.
By the way and for the record, according to the dealer’ service department my 2015 Prius C still had 70% of its original pads and shoes. Not bad I suppose for 261,000 km. While not a scheduled maintenance item, I have them change the CVT fluid every 100,000 km. It works just fine. An automatic is always looking for the right gear, a CVT is always in the right gear.
P M.......I agree 100 percent. I have a 2013 Prius with 160,000 miles. Never a problem. We have driven it through the Rocky mountains in Colorado and it cruised through with ease. We also have a Lexus RX with 8 speed automatic. I plan to trade it on a 450 RX hybrid. The extra mpg won't pay for itself but I want the Lexus cvt.
I doubt from my own experience that you can get 261,000 ks from 1 set brake pads unless you drive on completely flat roads all the time usually they will only last for 60000 to 70000 - I have had a Ford, Hyundia, Kia and I own a holden captiva and a SIAC LVD van which is now coming close to needing the brakes replaced and has done just on 50000 ks we have alot of hills where i live so that causes more wear
@@evangiles17 Nearly all this distance was Uber driving in Sydney. I coast to stop where practical and very gentle on the throttle. At that rate I would have run up half a million kms before replacing them. Sadly had to sell it when I bought the new RAV4. Actually preferred driving it to the RAV.
Transmission oil cooler, boom done. Will be the easiest 150 fix ever. If my 08 rogues cvt transmission likes it than any new cvt will appreciate it. Haven't had an issue since I've added it
@@illuminate6606 honestly I couldn't tell you. You could always call your warranty company and ask. My transmission got replaced and the same guy who replaced it installed my cooler.
My Murano has an oil cooler in the radiator. I prefer to keep the oil cooler separate from the radiator since coolant can sometimes leak into the transmission and destroy it. I already replaced the radiator on my car.
@@naps3386 300k miles of towing, snowplowing and daily driving on my allison 1000 oem clutch packs and 160k miles of towing and daily driving on my 4l60e oem clutch packs 👍🏾 cvt belt won't stand up to that
My two biggest concerns for my 2018 Civic EX-T are the CVT and the turbo. I changed the transmission fluid twice already. I flushed the coolant. I change the oil/filter between 3,800-4,200 miles using full synthetic 0W-20 and OEM filter. I only use the highest detergent top-tier fuel. I don’t drive hard but I drive a lot...60% highway averaging 33.2 mpg. I have 89,300 trouble-free miles so far. I never redline...heck, I don’t think I’ve ever exceeded 4,000 rpm. I always come to a complete stop before shifting from reverse to drive. I always engage the emergency parking brake before releasing the brake when in Park. I want to see just how reliable the Honda CVT and turbo is. I’m hoping to get 300,000 miles. Fingers crossed.
The bc5a transmission or the honda cvt is and amazing piece of machinery. I abuse mines all the time and it pulls great everytime unless its faulty from factory you have nun to worry about.
@@patriciajoyner9871 Applying the ebrake before releasing the regular brake when engaging park removes the stress on the transmission especially when parking on an incline. Knowing the stress points on an engine, the transmission, and turbo along with early maintenance will give you the best chance to getting the most life out of your vehicle.
@@patriciajoyner9871 because when put in "P" park, then off the break peddle the car jerks back and forth slightly sometimes more depending on how flat is ground were you park. And if you put it in "P" then engage the emergency break as well, then foot off the break peddle the car doesn't jerk, plus it removes the strain from the parking components and overall is healthier for the car and safer and since it's there might as well use it it takes 2 seconds it's a win win that just me all my family members don't do that and most people don't do that maybe because they don't know or just not thought or just don't care to each their own aha (: Edit: when in "P" the only thing preventing the car from rolling away is a tiny hook that can fail. In emergency break, all tires are locked so it's the safest an no chance of failure. 👍
If the cvt is from the u.s.a they last longer but if its from Jatco not so good ..i called the trans .spec..n he advised me to get rid of it the he had 4 sitting in his shop that day ...i traded it in that week for a dodge journey ..the only thing i dont like about it is too many extras on the big 8 inch screen
I have a 2013 Nissan pathfinder still going strong at 130000k's nearly due for second service witch I believe is a must! Cvt isn't as bad as bad drivers make them out
The biggest one is do a drain and fill of your CVT fluid every 30k. You can only get about half the fluid out, changing it often will ensure that it's always reasonably clean.
I don't have a wrx or STI but i do have a 2015 legacy 3.6R with cvt, before I purchased it I did a lot of research, i made sure to go and see on car goru or other websites and on purpose find the highest millage legacy with cvt 200k somewhere in Utah, then I called 5 Subaru dealers and asked about the cvt transmission maintenance and they all said it was lifetime maintenance free, the rest was my must have when looking to buy the legacy and was, 1 owner, 2015 or newer, and less than 80k, Im 39 years old and ever since I was 17 and got my 1st car I told my self that I would never ever would get a automatic, not cause im getting old but i love the cvt on this legacy, I have a 99 legacy GT 5spd with over 250k and still running strong, well it was 2 years since I replace the odometer cause stopped working and now says 70+ k lol. Really good videos you got here.
when parking car with a CVT transmission put car in neutral, then turn wheels towards curb, rest car on curb if on hill, or put car in neutral, then engage parking brake, let off pedal brakes, so the car is resting on the parking brake or emergency brake, then after that put into park, this will keep the strain off that week belt inside there, all that weight off that weak little belt in the CVT
@@HenauderTitzauf i think that sitting on a hill in park would be the same as driving up hill almost on the transmission. using the emergency brake/ parking break can prevent unnecessary wear on the transmission. driving up hills seems to put a lot of strain on the CVT transmission. i am not an expert, it might not be that bad to do, leaving a CVT in park on a hill with no parking break or, leaving wheels rolled back on to curb. it seems like a good idea to me.
I learned so much from this. Owning a Toyota C-HR. It is a 2018 XLE - bought new. Only 31k miles on it now. Had the fluid flushed at 30k miles just to be sure. The service department recommend at 100k miles, but I don't think so. The C-HR forum has some scary threads on the 2018 model having CVT issues. $9k for a "humming" noise from the transmission = complete transmission and torque converter replacement.
@@nickv4073 that is true. But not something thats gonna make or break your automatic transmission like in a cvt. They are made totally different, so no they aren’t the same.
You guys are kidding, right? Launching is very hard on every transmission. The torque converter in a geared automatic builds up tremendous heat and ages the transmission fluid. Do it in a manual and you’ll be replacing clutches way too often. An aftermarket transmission cooler is a good idea for any aggressive driving style (launches, off-road, etc).
I’ve read before that Subaru makes the best cvt in the industry. Also, there is no oil change schedule for my outbacks cvt oil. It doesn’t get changed, seems weird, but thats the protocol. Warrantied to 125k.
when i got too 200k miles i stop reving engine above 3000rpm if your light on gas pedal it will extended the trans and changing the fluid most definitely made a difference i believe
98k on my honda cvt no issues changed fluid every 20k rather than 30k Update: Just went to Honda Dealership to get CVT filters: "We don't carry those parts bc we don't recommend that you change them."
Change your cvt fluid according to schedule and use he correct fluid. Or change your cvt. Unlike engine oil, CVT oil is not just lubricant, it is not hydraulic fluid, it is part of the mechanism.
FYI, i had a problem when the car would shift from first to second (automatic). One dealer told me nothing was wrong because there wasn't any codes, another dealer told me its possibly my tires because one has more ware than the rest (barely any difference, i checked with a tread gauge when I got home). Got new tires, i changed my spark plugs, a while PM. Then i tried the seafoam stuff.. problem went away 😑 a little ten dollar can was my fix 😂
Never had issues with the ST-300 two speed automatic transmission in my 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass. I rebuilt that transmission 20 years ago and it still works flawlessly.
I watched all the adds supporting your channel. Thanks for sharing that info man, many of your viewers possibly already know these tips, there are some like me with no idea about cars!!
I’ve had a 2019 Nissan Sentra for some time now have not had my problems with it . I do the oil change every 4 k miles to be safe and every 30 k miles for the transmission oil change.it’s just a matter of taking care of your car .
Practically what to expect from a CVT Transmission: - Delay or lag throttle response from a stop acceleration (hazardous when making a left turn at a junction). Delay or lag throttle response for clutch to grab when going to reverse (fellow motorists have to wait on you). - Sooner transmission fluid & transmission filter change intervals. If you a Do-It-Yourself, drain and drop the pan, change out the trans filter, clean out the magnets, add new and correct trans fluid with the exact same amount of old fluid that came out, damp your new trans filter with the new trans fluid, and torque everything to specs. If you're a Go-To-Dealership, than you can only hope IF your fluid is actually changed or did you pay to just have your car sit? And the magnet clean & filter change thing with the dealers, forget it! Best case scenario is just a fluid flush. - Metal chain constantly moving & rubbing up & down along the inner sidewalls of two pulleys. Let's see if most CVT can handle up to 200k miles that most standard automatic transmission could without repairs except for fluid maintenance and at normal driving stress. Only time could tell!!! I think there's a reason why some CVTs are discontinued on a same model vehicle platform, for instance, an Audi A4. - Low rpm at cruising speed (saves fuel). So does an automatic or manual transmissions with 7 8 9 10+ gears could cruise at low rev-per-minute as well. - Less cost & parts to manufacture saving auto maker companies manufacturing costs. As a result increases their profits. How about you as a consumer? Take 2 vehicles with equivalent comparisons except for one is equipped with a CVT transmission and the other with a standard automatic. Does the vehicle with a CVT selling price less, more, or same? Even though a vehicle with CVT costed less to manufacture. Do the same comparison between vehicles with a 9 speed and a 6 speed automatic transmissions. I reckon the answer is cost doesn't change for the consumers. Just more profit for the auto companies.
@@vampgodVG Then you must know very well the problems of delay/lag throttle response from a stop, while making left turns at an intersection, and when switching to reverse. Keep changing your CVT fluids every 35k miles as you've probably have and let's see how far it can go with daily operations, that is without any major repairs.
@@vampgodVG I one of those that lets my petrol car and truck warms up until the rpm dies down to normal idle for a minute to let the oil flow around and o-rings/seals to expand before I gently roll down the street to start getting the transmission to temperature. The lag/delay problem is not transmission temperature, it is the design of a variable chain squeezing between pulleys transmission system. The 0-60 isn't all that impressive with cars now a days, not even on a hellcat or dodge demon since even a base model 3 Tesla can do it in 3.5 sec on regular street tires consecutively with no noise or peel. I've actually did 3.1 in a Model 3 and took it to 144 mph with ease.
This must be for the older CVT's. My wife's HR-V has run flawlessly since we purchased it new in 2016. I do the fluid changes at 30K mile intervals just like I do my automatic and manual transmissions. In spite of what some people say about not being able to measure the fluid for refilling, this is false. Like all automatic transmissions, the CVT drain & fill only changes part of the fluid but doing it regularly keeps it relatively fresh and performing like new.
@@boomerguy9935 Fax the issue is people are lazy love to speed and with a cvt you have to change the fluids sooner than with regular transmissions so ppl get a cvt and don’t realize this so it breaks not cvt fault but the owner I have a 11 Murano over 200k miles I only use AMSOIL fluids and change them on time she still runs and shifts great I love her!
My 2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 has over 204,000 miles and my CvT still works, I changed the fluid and kept it maintained so no problems there, but ofc who knows what they are putting in the new cars now and days I see more failures for the new ones vs the old ones still driving
Had a 2015 Ford C-max hybrid with a CVT I traded recently at 130,000 miles. Never had a problem, and I didn't baby it. Car would haul ass and still get 40 mpg. Replaced it with a 2023 Nissan Rogue I-3 turbo with a CVT that routinely gets 38 mpg, and came with a lifetime powertrain warranty. It will also haul ass. Not worried.
Sounds like the gist of this video is saying that even though modern cars cost four times the price of a car from the 60s, they aren't near as durable and do not perform as good and costs far more to repair. For 80 years you could rock a car to get it unstuck from snow. Try it now and your $11,000 cvt self destructs.
Cars last way longer these days. A car that made it to 100k miles used to be impressive, now it’s expected. And cars are way cheaper keeping inflation in mind.
So basically what you're saying is, if you own a vehicle with a CVT transmission it'll last longer if you don't drive it like it's a racecar and perform standard maintenance? How much does it typically cost to take your car in for a TCM update?
IF the car has a TCM update, it should be a free service by the dealer. Normally it will be in the form of a TSB, but unless it's a safety issue the dealer won't notify you. Again, that's IF there is a TCM update at all.
i have a 2016 Nissan maxi and i launch it quite i lot now albeit not from a complete stop its usually from 20+mph but i haven't had any problems and she is as smooth as the day i bought her
I change my 2016 nissan altima fluid every 20k w Valvoline synthetic. 3.8 qts out and back in. They put a hole in the splash guard under the drain plug like they want you to do it. Very easy service.
Just change the CVT fluid every 50000 km's or more often. BTW, I have a Toyota iQ and the cvt started whining a little bit. Then again, I pull a trailer with my motorcycle on it.
Did everything right is still failed.. 2017 here.. and the way they making these cars now how the fuck do you check the temperature without being charged $150.. I had no leaks nothing just a whining noise the next day it wouldn’t get into gear.. JATCO is a shit product.
lmao I didn't realize that about the CVT slippage. lmao I've been towing with my Prius. pretty decent weighted loads too. Tows like a champ! Btw it has 330k miles on it. How is that possible? The previous owner used to haul lamas lmao. Don't ask me how. but he even has pics. He put 170k on it before I bought it from him. It has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever had. never broke down before. and I've never done anything with the transmission. I just use full synthetic oil and change it every 5k or so.
Lakario Davis A Prius CVT DOES NOT slip! It’s a planetary gear design with a steel CHAIN! The slipping he speaks of is relevant to Nissan and similar that use a BELT. A Prius CVT is different (better) design wise. There’s a reason Pri transmissions rarely fail. Just drain the fluid and it will outlast you. You are not alone in your experience with a trouble free Prius. It’s one of the most reliable vehicles you can buy. Countless examples of taxi pri that have eclipsed 500,000 miles! Very well built Japanese car (yes all Prius are made in Japan). I wouldn’t tow with one but with 295 ft lb of torque(same as a 5.3 vortec V8) it’s no slouch either. The electric motor (MG1) propels the vehicle, not the engine directly. Arguably one of the best hybrid systems every devised.
Eric Maeder I’m pretty sure it has a belt design like most Nissans. The Prius has the most reliable CVT on the market, but it also houses the electric motors (mg1 & mg2) and uses a CHAIN vs a belt. And it’s built in Japan. I don’t work on many of the newer Honda’s, so I can’t say how reliable they are vs the troublesome Nissan design. That said, they are nowhere near as robust as the Prius CVT which is a planetary gear(electronic & cooled with radiator fluid) setup and is for the most part bulletproof. But in a way it’s unfair to compare to a traditional belt design CVT as it contains a direct drive system, but it’s a CVT nonetheless. I personally would 1. NEVER buy a new car 2. Never buy a car besides a Toyota/Lexus with a CVT 3. Only buy older Toyota/Lexus. This myth of newer is more reliable is a HUGE industry LIE! FWIW most of the manufacturers utilizing the belt design are having horrendous warranty issues with low mileage being logged. A steel chain linking the system will ALWAYS be a superior design. Might not give the same feel per se, but thinking a belt is gonna last the life of a vehicle when under that kinda stress....laughable. Wish I had more/better news for you. My advice is change the fluid every 20,000 miles, use OEM fluid and don’t launch it hard from a stop. I drive my second car which is a Prius like I stole it, but again it has a chain. Best of luck!
My mother had 2010 Jeep Patriot with a CVT and it failed at 36,000 miles. Lucky for her it was still under warranty, no one likes to pay for a new transmission. She now has a 2017 Nissan Rogue with a CVT which might be similar to the one in that Jeep. She never messed with the fluid in the Jeep or anything so that didn't cause it. CVTs are sometimes just not good. That is not to say that there are no horrible automatic transmissions, some of them fail a lot too. I personally don't like the sealed automatic transmissions a lot of newer cars have. They still need fluid changes and fluid level checks. They are no different than the ones that have a dipstick. The only difference is that some dipstick came up with the idea of not installing them. I hear some CVTs are this way already even though some still at least have the tube. At least for those ones you can get the dipstick, the sealed ones I despise make it so you have to crawl under the car and get it to a certain temperature and pull a plug to see if any comes out. My 2013 Passat is like that and while older cars that had the same transmission had no recommended oil change intervals it caused problems. Now the same transmissions and all other VWs that had it have a listed OCI of 40,000 to 60,000 miles. I think that 60,000 is WAY too long and most transmissions might develop problems by that time on the original fluid. It is not like you can not get the fluid, the dealer sells it and a lot of places have the equivalent fluid much cheaper even. I am not referring to those universal fluids that list every spec imaginable but specific fluids for cars that use Type WS or T-IV which some VW owners have used in their cars to avoid paying the VW dealer's crazy price. The only time I like buying the dealer's fluid is when I don't know what their fluid really is and that is when it is safer to just use theirs. My cars don't like universal fluids much.
Good info. Have a 2012 maxima with 100k. Trans seems strong. Changed Luis at 80k and it was pretty dirty. Will probably change again soon and add a cooler. Idk why anyone would get a wrx with a cvt though. I didn't know they had them. Also have a 2014 wrx 5 sp and love it.
Useful info! Just bought a Toyota 2020 Corolla LE last Saturday with a CVT. Ironically, I bought the used Toyota in a Subaru dealership :). Nice video!
Had to have one chang d put @100k. But warranty got another one put in. 40k on that one. Changed fluid on very 30k! This is in a Suzuki Kizashi. 140k on the vehicle. Will still do 130 mph! Good car.
i got a CVT and added 60hp over stk and no problems , youre going by the info when people were not experimenting with cvt. the WRX can hold 300hp in a CVT and no problems Hondata has proved that CVT can hold as much hp as a a stk man trans
Rob Charles Yeah, I have an 06 Ford Freestyle with 209k miles still going strong with a CVT. I really like the CVT's. I find the way they drive very relaxing. I'd rather have a stick but vehicles like this aren't available with a stick. I have zero interest in the DCT's they're pushing now.
Jeff Leach well I guess it’s on us the consumer To only purchase manuals ... then maybe they will get the hint... god knows I and my family only do.. the only autos we have are work/company owned vehicles... it’s sad that there will be a day that nobody will have had that joy
Thank you for making this video. CVT is here to stay and even automatic transmissions are getting overly complicated with 8 to 10 gears. As manufacturers improve CVTs they will show up in more cars and most people do not care what kind of transmission their car has as long they don’t have to shift themselves during their 30+ minute daily commute in stop and go traffic. Of course if you are looking for a fun car for the weekend then get a manual butch you just want to be comfortable while you do daily driving there is nothing wrong with getting an automatic or CVT.
If you know how a CVT works then you would know that a CVT is shit, a metal chain on a metal pulley is such that you just cannot put too much torque applied to it, just as you cannot stop a train instantly metal on metal, and like Nissan they use a rubber belt and that is even worse
Good advice but moral of the story is car manufacturers are not installing CVT in their models for the benefit of the end user, it’s a cost benefit to them. Regardless the real current issues with CVT is the higher than normal failure rate and the inability to fix the transmission at reasonable cost, that is the Fail with CVT.
It's all thanks to CAFE MPG regs. The manufacturers need that extra 2 MPG EPA rating to avoid buying credits from Tesla, or to avoid having to make a subcompact like the Accent or Fit and subsidize the cost.
Cvts are really not as hard to work on as yall think just your transmission shop that's been in business for 40 years never seen them with most auto trans running like shit a 200k I dont see what the deal is when a company like subrau will replace it at 100k then you go 100k more then both cars need a transmission useless your broke ass going to deal with a trans that acts up all the time
i bought a brand new 2015 Mitsubishi OS with a CVT. Sold it at 111,000 miles no issues. Actually the paint failed first. Changed the oil every 7500 miles. Again no issues. People fail to do proper maintenance on their new cars so they dont last as long. Yes you need to change the fluid every 30,000 but you can do it yourself. I dont recommend them over a manual shift by any means.
You buy cvts for fuel efficiency and smooth driving experience. I don't know why people keep on complaining about cvt speed. Cvts most commonly used in mpvs and other carrier type cars you won't run a minivan full throttle anyway...
Subaru USA is the only one that says the CVT oil is lifetime and doesn't need to be replaced. This is to keep service costs down to meet CAFE requirements. Every other country (Canada & Japan for example) recommend the CVT oil gets changed every 30k.
Its so easy to maintance mine...or my wifes..her 16 accord sport...jus like a oil change..loosen the bolt...drain..refill and tighten bolt back on...50$ compared to 170 for dealer cost😎
Recently bought a 2019 Corolla le cvt with 8448 miles. I'm never going to push it beyond its limits. But you can definitely tell the difference between that and an automatic. Just smooth. I'll so my best to take care of it.
Here is the best information for a CVT transmission of any car make. Drive like a sane person. Change out CVT fluid every 35-40 thousand miles. Yes that often. If over this, change out now and every 35-40 thousand miles. This is really all you need to know for best lasting of a CVT transmission.
Subaru Legacy here. CVT now at 154,000 miles and going strong. I change the fluid myself every 30k just a drain and fill no complete flush ever. I drove mostly highway and I don’t drive like an asshole either so that sure helps.
People need to resign themselves to the fact that CVT will be the only transmission available in commuter cars. For trucks and other heavy duty vehicles where CVT design is not practical, the regular automatic transmission with gears will still be used.
I always have my 2016 Lexus ES 300h oil changed and maintenance done on time at the dealership to make sure it's done right! I'll ask them about checking for any leaks on my next appointment!
That’ll quickly turn into carbon buildup. Look up “Italian tune up” carbon build up will lead to detonation which is more difficult to hear in modern engines and will cause catastrophic failures. You can change all of your fluids on time with the best on the market & if you’re babying your engine every time you drive you are putting that engine at a high risk of failure.
If CVT is so shitty, why do so many manufacturers use CVT? Bottom line is CVT has come a long way and they are OK. Some don!t like it, some do. Problem is many who criticise don!t own a car with CVT.
I will never own a vehicle with a CVT. I change about two of them a week. The last thing I want when I go home is to have to worry about another junk CVT. I will always have a vehicle with gear driven transmissions. I will always have a vehicle with a manual transmission. I do not want to take my work home with me ever.
You replace cvts, you have a bias. People that replace engines every day could say 'these combustion engines, I replace two a day, wouldn't own one, buy an electric car Guess what. The fucking prius has a cvt. It is also considered one of the most reliable cars on the road today. You don't hear about the dumb masses needing constant cvt replacements. Cvt isn't the problem. BAD engineering is, and that is a human issue, usually tied to greed in the company or negligence. Get a manual. But don't lie to yourself because you replace Nissan cvts for a living. I wouldn't not buy a corvette because I think a Malibu is a piece of shit or family members with gm vehicles across the decades fell apart. I watch a lot of repair videos on channels like south main auto llc, with your attitude and these video libraries, NEVER buy American, ever. The shit that goes wrong with them for the price you pay off the dealer lot is criminal. Don't buy honda eToyota. Pretty much, but subaru or toyota. Consumer reports data seems to report as much as well. Cvts, if designed well and properly cared for are damn good transmissions, if not a manual, I'd suggest a proper cvt without shift points or other nonsense. Research, understand, and shop smart. Nissan is a great example, as they also designed their hybrid leaf car shitty. So it has battery failures because they didn't design active cooling and the batteries lose capacity within a few years vs Toyotas lasting over a decade. Batteries/hybrids aren't all shit just because someone that works on Leafs have to replace batteries every 3 years in them. That is you, just with cvt.
I have the accord lx cvt. Didn't like it at first but it's growing on me. No shift points and pretty smooth acceleration. You don't want to be launching this one. Just drive it normal.
You are very helpful and knowledgeable about the transmission if pople would listen to you and do what you say it might help them to make the transmission last this guy is good
I have a 2012 Outback with 190,000 miles no issues with the CVT. The only thing I have replaced is the timing belt and the water pump, I had the water pump replaced at the same time the timing belt was changed. The water pump sits behind the timing belt and if it goes I have to replace the timing belt. Beyond that only regular maintenance.