Honda CVT Durability

[TunaFresh]

I keep reading posts of people saying you have to be gentle with CVTs and that you shouldn't redline your car with one. Brake launching, flooring it from a stop is obviously bad for it, but I can't think of any reason why you shouldn't be able to hit the upper rpm range in a Honda CVT. They seem pretty stout to me.

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[RobbJK]

I've had 3 civics with the CVT's, my current civic coupe CVT for almost 5 years now and have had zero issues driving it the way I enjoy driving. I'm obviously not flooring it from every stop light - and I probably wouldn't recommend brake launching, but getting the rpms up and stomping the gas from time to time isn't hurting anything - the computers are programmed to make sure the CVT isn't doing anything it shouldn't be doing, and I'm sure reliability minded Honda programmed them conservatively. There's even plenty of CVT owners that have modded and flashed their cars for more power reliably.

I think people just enjoy hating on the CVT in any way they possibly can. No transmission is bullet proof if you abuse it enough - but the CVT is not inherently fragile from spirited driving in normal circumstances/use. That might be different if you were tracking the car consistently, but normal use? I don't worry too much.

 

[Tickle]

Please ask this question at...

https://www.nissanforums.com/

And send a link once you do. I will have my popcorn ready.

 

[mbaapk]

Please ask this question at...

https://www.nissanforums.com/

And send a link once you do. I will have my popcorn ready.

Might not make it out alive lol, like stoking a hornets nest.

 

[AZCWTypeR]

Metal belt CVT's (Honda uses them) rely on friction between the belt and pulleys. Unlike a geared transmission, CVT's are always generating metal wear as the belt grabs/releases the pulleys.
Honda used to recomend frequent (30k miles) CVT oil changes for this reason. Probably a good idea to keep ahead of oil changes if you want CVT's to last similarly to Honda's convention geared automatics.

 

[Brsox]

Beat the hell out of it! Civics hold their value very well! Trade in before your 5yr/60k mile powertrain warranty expires. That's what I do.

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