CVT Transmission Issues ??

billt460 · Feb 28, 2018

I'm seriously considering a new 2018 Corolla. Like many, I'm concerned about these CVT Automatic Transmissions. Mostly the reliability and longevity of them. I plan to keep this car a very long time, and I've read these new CVT Transmissions can have problems once they get past the warranty. Does anyone know if this is this based on fact?

Has anyone experienced any issues? And are you satisfied with the way the CVT operates? There appear to be literally millions of these things on the road. So one can't help ask the question, just how bad can they be?

Denis L'Heureux · Feb 28, 2018

im on my second corolla 2014 S and 2017 xse both with cvt, i havent had any issues with it.... but yea i see a TON of corollas out there now... they have a few nice colors.... they have a nice magenta... the only car i ever experienced a cvt issue was 2012 focus titanium... but as far as the rola's cvt, i havent had any issues and between the two i've owned ive driven about 130k miles...

jolly · Feb 28, 2018

Have one since October 2013. Smooth, efficient, zero problems. Close to 8 years worldwide for the specific unit in Corolla (5 years for NA) and no particular surge or trend in complaints (Consumer Reports, True Delta, JD Power) beside inevitable odd units from a man-made product. Which says something, since there are now 1.5 million of them on NA roads.

Heavily discussed on many forums. You have haters mentioning the lack of performance. True, if you floor the car, you may feel a slight delay. Other associates the lack of constant up and down in revs with poor performance (drone or rubber band effect). Toyota addresses it with electronic fake shift points. Purely a marketing purpose. All in all the CVT is actually faster by the numbers (from a Corolla point of view…) than the old 4AT (not to mention better mpg).

There is also the stigma of poor engineering from some brands: GM-Fiat (metal debris in fluid), Ford-ZF (bad O-rings), Audi-Schaeffler (missing clutch…), Honda (wrong fluid…) and of course, Nissan (bad firmware for heat control). But those don’t apply to all CVTs, not even all CVTs from those brands. Actually, there have been CVTs in car for 60 years. They are simple devices but require meticulous execution. Toyota-Aisin seems to be OK.

The stigma is deep, though… On forums you’ll see people blaming absolutely not transmission related issues on the fact that the car has a CVT. Or confusing it with the CVT in hybrids like Prius (totally different beast). The never ending urban legend of “lifetime fluid” is also frightening for some. Actually, you won’t find it in Toyota’s manual. Rather the same schedule as other manuals or automatics trans : check at X interval and act appropriately (or change at X interval for severe usage).

Long story short, I’m very satisfied of the CVT so far.

klebinek · Feb 28, 2018

jolly said:

I have to agree with Jolly. If I'm not mistaken Aisin's K313 unit in our Corollas has a cvt fluid heater which is supposed to help with getting that fluid to right operating temperatures since most wear to CVT or any mechanical devices requires to be warmed up on those cold days before you floor it. There is a reason why a lot of high end sports cars like ferrari and some BMW Mpower will cap your rpms at 4k until engine and sub components have reached the right temperature.

My impression of what some have reported is that if you look at the big picture it's practically a non-issue or no more than anything else. There are millions of 11th gen in the world, heck since I bought mine, four of my neighbors bough 11th gen corollas. Where I live in Chicago suburbs at least every 5th car is a Corolla and 3 of 5 various Toyotas from siennas to camrys. During my hourly commute, if I was not to exaggerate I probably see 100 or more corollas on my way to work every day, shoot probably more. They're everywhere. I personally haven't had a single issue with mine but the whole nissan, honda and other make/model brands initial issues raised a red flag as far as cvts go. When you add a handful of users on this forum and even less on toyotanation.com, I've looked into this as much as I could and I'm not worried. My unit is butter smooth. The only unknown as Jolly mentioned is fluid drain/fill interval which no matter who you talk to says the same thing that it's lifetime. I even wrote Toyota corp directly and requested to speak with an engineer regarding this query. They've came back with the same answer, check fluid level/leaks every 30k but other than that fluid is lifetime. I will make sure to try to change the fluid at around 55k before my warranty is up and give it some time to drive with the new fluid to make sure nothing's wrong before I'm passed warranty. I wouldn't wait to get the fluid changed until 60k if you haven't purchased extended warranty. Change it before60k at around 50k or so and see how it is.

Reply from Toyota:

Response Via Email (Daniell T.) 01/09/2018 06:47 AM
Dear Mr. XXXX

Thank you for taking time to contact Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

We appreciate the opportunity to address your inquiry regarding proper maintenance of your 2015 Toyota Corolla.

According to the Warranty and Maintenance Guide (click here to view), there is no specific interval to change the transmission fluid. However, the transmission should be inspected every 30,000 miles (or 36 months) for any leaks.

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Daniell T.
Toyota Customer Experience Center

billt460 · Feb 28, 2018

Thanks for the replies guys. You have lessened my worry.... A LOT! Does anyone know approximately what a Toyota dealer charges to do a CVT fluid change? There is a video of it on You Tube, and it looks a bit complicated. Nothing like an oil change.... Which by the way look really easy on the 2018 Corolla's. Both the drain plug, as well as the spin on oil filter have nice easy access. What type of engine oil are you guys running in your Corolla's?

billt460 · Mar 1, 2018

I'm starting to believe a large amount of complaints about CVT Transmissions have nothing to do with reliability. There are simply far too many of them out there, that if there was any type of serious reliability issues with them, it would have surfaced by now. There isn't, in spite of the fact most all of the compacts from the biggest manufacturers all use them, and have for years. There are literally millions of them on the road in this country alone. Millions more throughout Continental Europe, where 4 cylinder compacts are even more popular than in this country, due to high fuel costs.

And one thing people do with Toyota's is keep them, and rack up high mileage in the process. So if all these CVT Transmissions currently out there were so bad, and had serious reliability issues coupled with high failure rates, there would have been massive recalls with them. There hasn't been. I think what makes them so unpopular is they drive much differently. And in the process somewhat "detune" the car, and turn off people who like, want, and expect performance in most everything they drive. You have to accept these 4 cylinder compacts for what they are. Basic A to B transportation and grocery getters, and nothing more. If you want "excitement" in your driving, buy a performance car. Not a 4 cylinder compact with mag wheels.

I just think people expect way too much from these vehicles. And because they don't deliver it, right away they want to blame and complain about the CVT as being part of the problem. At least that's my take. I base it on the fact I'm not hearing from people who tend to badmouth them, and give problems and failure as the reason why. They just don't like them. Which is fine. But that in itself should not tarnish the reliability and dependability factor of them.

jolly · Mar 1, 2018

billt460 said:

That's the gist of it, although some modern 4 cylinders are quite performing. I always like to show the William-Renault experiment to people who say a CVT kills performance... It was dismissed by F1 for the advantage it gave to the car and, therefore, the cost for other teams to catch-up with the technology. One could also assume that F1 was afraid of the effect on the sound of the show... On the other hand, some were raving when DCTs went mass market (VW, Ford). Performing they are, smooth they are not. So you then heard complaints about the "roughness" of the drive. Nothing is perfect !

Denis L'Heureux · Mar 1, 2018

when i had my focus titanium it was scary at times... but that was back in 2012 when they first put the DCT in the focus, i'm sure they got better but with 2 small kids at the time, i couldn't take the risk of losing my forward gears, like coming into a rotary or a on ramp to the highway, almost got ass ended so many times.... but the 40% it worked it was fun as fck.... Launch control was a blast (foot on the brake and gas to the floor, the motor didnt rev up past 3500 and when you let the brake go it took off like a rocket).... But the CVT in my two corolla's have had absolutely no issues with a combined 130k miles... and if there was one, there are many crashed ones in the junk yards for parts...lol i have no problem ramming through the gears on a on ramp and getting up to and past highway speeds by the end of the ramp... the paddle shifters are fun while cornering... and its so nice to down shift and get that little extra boost to pass cars... if your eyeballing a 2018 corolla, get it, get it fast and spend the extra few grand and get the xse with all the bells and whistles.... Unless your down south then the heated seats would suck...lol... 0-90 is pretty fast 90 to 110 takes abit more time... a few dislikes but i could count on one hand with a few missing fingers.... but you can always grandma it and never switch to manual mode.... but using the manual mode makes me really miss true manuals... overall i have had a blast with the cvt in the corollas...

Denis L'Heureux · Mar 1, 2018

would suck to start throwing those elements, bet 399 loose elements would make a mess... lol

Runt2 · Mar 1, 2018

I have had my used 2015 corolla with a CVT for 2 weeks now and I love the CVT transmission! I'm planning to change the CVT fluid at 50k miles or less (20k miles on odometer currently). My local Toyota dealership recommended that it be changed at 60k miles but strongly recommended that I not do it myself because you have to have their special machine that measures the temperature which adjusts for volume taken in and out etc. But I figure, if I change it while it's cold, and the replacement fluid is cold, and I measure carefully what I take out and put the same amount back in, there is no way to get it wrong.

So my brother's Subaru Cross trek has a CVT with 110k miles. We decided to try it with his. There is a drain plug on the bottom and a fill plug on the side (same as the corolla CVT). It was easy to drain, easy to measure and mostly easy to refill using a cheap little hand transfer pump ($15 at autozone). The only glitch was that we couldn't get the same volume in as we got out (I suspect because the transmission was slowly draining more fluid into the pan from the transmission as it sat). To solve that we jacked the car up on the side of the fill plug and also started the car (which sucked fluid back up into the transmission. Then we were able to easily get the exact volume back in. This only changes what's in the pan which is about a third of the total volume. We did this process twice after driving for about 15 minutes between changes which we estimate replaced about 75% of the fluid. This cost was about 1/4 of the cost of having the dealer do it. Not sure if this was a smart move. Luckily it was my brother's car we experimented on. I'll report back if there are problems.

billt460 · Mar 2, 2018

I think I would have the dealer do the CVT Transmission fluid change. Yes, it will be more expensive. But there is zero danger involved in getting anything wrong. If you did it and there was some type of failure involved, it could easily cause warranty issues. Type, amount, and temperature of fluid is very critical in these modern transmissions. By going through the dealer you will have paperwork proving they did the fluid change, and no one else.

I knew a co worker who had the transmission fluid changed on his Nissan Versa at Big-O Tires. They put in the wrong fluid. It destroyed the transmission in less than 1,000 miles. (Transmission started jerking and lurching during acceleration). To make a long story short, he had to hire an attorney. Finally after much back and forth Big-O paid for his new transmission to the tune of $3,850.00. I'll save money elsewhere.

Runt2 · Mar 2, 2018

Billt460 gives good advice. It is a risk to do it on your own. I’ve also heard that Nissan cvts are problematic. So it may have been coincidence. But in the end, it’s safest to take it to a professional. But if you’re going that route, you may as well go to the dealer where they will put the CVT fluid that was made for the vehicle.

jolly · Mar 2, 2018

Runt2 said:

Which means that part of any contaminant or degradation is still there. I'd also say go to the mechanic (and chose one who knows what he is doing) unless you can totally flush it yourself.

Runt2 · Mar 2, 2018

Some feel that a power flush is harmful because it breaks loose small pieces of particles that get into the gears and causes failure - my father in law is a mechanic and of this opinion. I’ve heard others say it as well. I’ve had excellent luck on my cars with just draining and replacing what’s in the pan on a regular basis (I drain and replace what’s in the pan every 12 months)

SuperchargedMR2 · Mar 2, 2018

Denis L'Heureux said:

when i had my focus titanium it was scary at times... but that was back in 2012 when they first put the DCT in the focus, i'm sure they got better but with 2 small kids at the time, i couldn't take the risk of losing my forward gears, like coming into a rotary or a on ramp to the highway, almost got ass ended so many times.... but the 40% it worked it was fun as fck.... Launch control was a blast (foot on the brake and gas to the floor, the motor didnt rev up past 3500 and when you let the brake go it took off like a rocket).... But the CVT in my two corolla's have had absolutely no issues with a combined 130k miles... and if there was one, there are many crashed ones in the junk yards for parts...lol i have no problem ramming through the gears on a on ramp and getting up to and past highway speeds by the end of the ramp... the paddle shifters are fun while cornering... and its so nice to down shift and get that little extra boost to pass cars... if your eyeballing a 2018 corolla, get it, get it fast and spend the extra few grand and get the xse with all the bells and whistles.... Unless your down south then the heated seats would suck...lol... 0-90 is pretty fast 90 to 110 takes abit more time... a few dislikes but i could count on one hand with a few missing fingers.... but you can always grandma it and never switch to manual mode.... but using the manual mode makes me really miss true manuals... overall i have had a blast with the cvt in the corollas...

The DCT in the Focus has been a huge nightmare but is a completely different trans then the CVT. The CVT has been very reliable but if anyone wants to have a more engaging time driving the Corolla then get the 6-speed manual.

Tyler-TRDrolla · Mar 2, 2018

billt460 said:

I'm starting to believe a large amount of complaints about CVT Transmissions have nothing to do with reliability. There are simply far too many of them out there, that if there was any type of serious reliability issues with them, it would have surfaced by now. There isn't, in spite of the fact most all of the compacts from the biggest manufacturers all use them, and have for years. There are literally millions of them on the road in this country alone. Millions more throughout Continental Europe, where 4 cylinder compacts are even more popular than in this country, due to high fuel costs.

And one thing people do with Toyota's is keep them, and rack up high mileage in the process. So if all these CVT Transmissions currently out there were so bad, and had serious reliability issues coupled with high failure rates, there would have been massive recalls with them. There hasn't been. I think what makes them so unpopular is they drive much differently. And in the process somewhat "detune" the car, and turn off people who like, want, and expect performance in most everything they drive. You have to accept these 4 cylinder compacts for what they are. Basic A to B transportation and grocery getters, and nothing more. If you want "excitement" in your driving, buy a performance car. Not a 4 cylinder compact with mag wheels.

I just think people expect way too much from these vehicles. And because they don't deliver it, right away they want to blame and complain about the CVT as being part of the problem. At least that's my take. I base it on the fact I'm not hearing from people who tend to badmouth them, and give problems and failure as the reason why. They just don't like them. Which is fine. But that in itself should not tarnish the reliability and dependability factor of them.

Ford Focus ST is a great compact car for $18K at Brandon Ford here in FL..252hp 270lb torque, but insurance companies say otherwise lol but yes Corollas are reliable, not performance based (although some have fronted that unknown territory)

jolly · Mar 4, 2018

Runt2 said:

Right. Reverse flush is definitely a no-no. Power flush is a no-no for non previously maintained transmission as it can displace settled gunk, either where it shouldn't or away from wear parts that were literally working by virtue of this "gunk glue" until then. It might be OK for preventive maintenance (if there is a point) but not necessary, since one could perform a flush without equipment that goes further then partial change via the pan. At least with regular AT. I don't know for CVT, and would rather trust a professional on that one.

SuperchargedMR2 · Mar 5, 2018

Tyler-TRDrolla said:

The Focus ST is a fun car to drive but a POS. I'll take my 2009 Corolla S Turbo any day over a Focus ST.

klebinek · Mar 5, 2018

SuperchargedMR2 said:

I agree about Focus ST, even RS seems to have it's share of problems. Head gasket failures due to accidentally installing mustang 2.3 gasket at factory. Although Mustang turbo uses pretty much same engine, just detuned, apparently needed something more durable due to up in HP or engine warp? Who knows. One thing that's always been on my mind is back when mazda was under Ford and had mazdaspeed 2.3 turbo in mazda 3 and mazda 6. Wonder if the engines are anything alike with the current 2.3 in Mustang or Focus RS? I think they're pretty much the same since it was Ford's technology in mazda vehicles but who knows. You would think that after using it for so many years they would have learned their lessons and would produce a bulletproof turbo motor but it doesn't look like that. Again, speculation since I never owned a mazda or ford with 2.3 Turbo

euriel · Mar 5, 2018

My 2017 se suddenly started making a whiney/wheezy noise (at 10k miles)when shifting to 2nd and 3rd gears, only happens in sports mode but it’s annoying and slightly embarrassing. Went to a nearby dealership since it’s under warranty but no issues found they said, I’ll have to go back again soon.

klebinek · Mar 5, 2018

At what RPM do you notice the noise? Are you paddle shifting the nonexistent gears or auto when you floor it?

buckminsterfullerene · Mar 5, 2018

euriel said:

What the dealer typically ends up doing is test drive the car at different speeds and try to determine based on sound if it is working well or not. If in that span of 3 minutes that they drive they do not hear anything then they wont really check any further. Same happens in the 60k maintenance when they are supposed to check the transmission, if there are no indicator lights going on, and they do not hear anything on a test drive then they will assume it is working well. Even when there might a failure, the procedure they have to go through according to manufacturer is a reset of the computer and maybe replace the transmission fluid.

I took my 2016 Corolla S Special Edition to the dealer on Saturday, they did not find anything wrong, but suggested a part needed to be replaced on the wheel and they would not look at the transmission until it was replaced because the tech suspected that was the source of the issue, their cost $700 ($250 for the part and over $400 for the labor). I took the car to a different shop that bought the part from a Toyota dealer for $58 and charged 1.5 hours labor for $90 {it was a wheel bearing and hub}. They gave me back the faulty bearing showing me there was actually nothing wrong with the bearing, and perfectly functional.

Here is what happened this morning while on my way to work:

Managed to limp back to a different dealer that happened to be close to where this happened, where the tech once again did not find a significant issue and considered the car drive-able but there might be a slight issue with the transmission.

CVTs are known for being very reliable, and with fewer moving parts compared to traditional automatic may have less chance of failure, but they are not immune to failure.

SuperchargedMR2 · Mar 5, 2018

euriel said:

I think that a lot of owners almost try to listen for something that they think may be different. CVT's operate differently and make different noises but I imagine that what most people hear is completely normal. Allow them to check it out with you on a test drive so that you can point out the noise you are hearing.

kimyong · Mar 6, 2018

billt460 said:

I'm seriously considering a new 2018 Corolla. Like many, I'm concerned about these CVT Automatic Transmissions. Mostly the reliability and longevity of them. I plan to keep this car a very long time, and I've read these new CVT Transmissions can have problems once they get past the warranty. Does anyone know if this is this based on fact?

Has anyone experienced any issues? And are you satisfied with the way the CVT operates? There appear to be literally millions of these things on the road. So one can't help ask the question, just how bad can they be?

look in reddit:https://www.reddit.com/r/Toyota/comments/3rck0f/looking_at_a_2016_corolla_but_not_sure_about_the/

billt460 · Mar 6, 2018

kimyong said:

That link mimics everything that I've read about CVT Transmissions. The people who hate them do so, not because they lack reliability. But rather because they lack the performance they like and want. I don't care about that. When I want performance I'll drive my 360 H.P. HEMI V-8 Jeep Grand Cherokee with it's 8-Speed Transmission. The 4-cylinder CVT's drive smooth, maximize fuel economy, and account for very low revs on the highway. Exactly what you want in a 4-cylinder economy car. Not having the engine screaming it's guts out, trying to produce non existent "performance".

buckminsterfullerene · Mar 6, 2018

buckminsterfullerene said:

What the dealer typically ends up doing is test drive the car at different speeds and try to determine based on sound if it is working well or not. If in that span of 3 minutes that they drive they do not hear anything then they wont really check any further. Same happens in the 60k maintenance when they are supposed to check the transmission, if there are no indicator lights going on, and they do not hear anything on a test drive then they will assume it is working well. Even when there might a failure, the procedure they have to go through according to manufacturer is a reset of the computer and maybe replace the transmission fluid.

I took my 2016 Corolla S Special Edition to the dealer on Saturday, they did not find anything wrong, but suggested a part needed to be replaced on the wheel and they would not look at the transmission until it was replaced because the tech suspected that was the source of the issue, their cost $700 ($250 for the part and over $400 for the labor). I took the car to a different shop that bought the part from a Toyota dealer for $58 and charged 1.5 hours labor for $90 {it was a wheel bearing and hub}. They gave me back the faulty bearing showing me there was actually nothing wrong with the bearing, and perfectly functional.

Here is what happened this morning while on my way to work:

Managed to limp back to a different dealer that happened to be close to where this happened, where the tech once again did not find a significant issue and considered the car drive-able but there might be a slight issue with the transmission.

CVTs are known for being very reliable, and with fewer moving parts compared to traditional automatic may have less chance of failure, but they are not immune to failure.

Wanted to provide an update.

The dealer found nothing wrong, they test drove the car three times and it worked well so they are saying there are no issues with the transmission.

Their director is looking at the video, if I did not have it then I might not have a case and when it completely fails it might be out of warranty or I might be far away from home.

ZeCorolla · Mar 6, 2018

buckminsterfullerene said:

From the video, your CVT belt may be slipping (or just not getting contact at all) or the computer put your transmission into neutral for some reason. The jerk at the end makes it seem like it got put into neutral and then into drive as you were pressing the gas.

klebinek · Mar 7, 2018

ZeCorolla said:

ZeCorolla might be right. I don't hear any unusual whining noise other than high revs and not accelerating. Did you attempt to to stop, turn off ignition, start and put in D again? Disconnect one of battery terminals maybe to reset the computer?

Denis L'Heureux · Mar 7, 2018

Metal belt on metal pulleys... Maybe throw some thicker fluid in it... Wonder if warmer climates or hotter internal temps thin the tranny fluid down.... Does it happen more when you drive it more or temps are hot... I just passed 35k on my 2017 and not any issues with the cvt... Wonder if lucus oil would help ?

billt460 · Mar 8, 2018

Denis L'Heureux said:

Does the transmission fluid even come into contact with the pulley and belt system? Why would they lubricate a smooth contact surface, that requires both friction and grip in order to transfer power? That would be the equivalent of lubricating a Serpentine Fan Belt.

buckminsterfullerene · Mar 8, 2018

Denis L'Heureux said:

If anything I have been driving less than normal, had been away for work for 3 days, and driven just to work and back mostly. This incident happened about 30-40 minutes into driving after the car had not been used for just over a day. But normally I do drive a lot (less than 2 years I have put 55k) and I have a trip 5 hours away at the end of the month, I want to make sure the car does not leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere, all the transmission issues have been taking place within a week progressively getting worse.

Climate has been around 70-80 degrees, it is warm, but I feel it is generally warmer than that most of the year, South Florida.

What I have been experiencing more is the car struggle a little going through the transmission to higher gear configurations around 25-30 mph but it always changed with a little shudder.

The worst I have seen is 10 minutes after this incident where I am actually pulling into the dealer, the car would not go above 30 mph.

The dealer however has not been able to recreate the problem and naturally they are refusing to look into it saying there is nothing wrong with the transmission and instead suggesting to replace several other parts on the wheels (unrelated parts) I have had the car checked at a different shop that specializes more in tires and wheels and components and they have not found anything issues with the car, and recently replaced a part the dealer recommended changing only to be told the parts was perfectly fine but it was working well but it was changed either way.

I am 5 k away from being out of manufacturer warranty on the transmission so if an issue exists in that area I want to make sure it is taken care off before that runs out.

Denis L'Heureux · Mar 8, 2018

billt460 said:

i would think the fluid runs where the metal belt is, to keep the heat down... i could be wrong but im no cvt expert... metal on metal would create a ton of heat at the rpm's those pulleys spin... maybe the heat thins out the fluid so much it slips.... 3 metal rings and 399 elements between two pulleys going 10k rpm's plus, must create some heat.... i can't imagine that being a dry area...

Denis L'Heureux · Mar 8, 2018

read that the belt is clamped between the pulleys up to 4 tons for bigger engines but around 1200 for a 4 cylinder.... the pressure between the 2 pulleys could be less than 1200 at times so could a sensor screwing up on one pulley from the other... but that much pressure must require some type of coolant....

jolly · Mar 8, 2018

billt460 said:

Not the same principle. A serpentine belt sits on the groove of a pulley. Friction pulls it and the belt movement pulls some other pulley.
A CVT is rather a “push belt” type. The belt doesn’t sit on the groove but moves freely up and down on pulley’s side.

Those pulleys are actually cones. Varying the position of the belt from higher to lower on the sides of either cones create an infinite number of “gears”.

So the belt is tightly pushed from its side while moving up and down. That requires a lot of pressure.
Without a fluid able to sustain such pressure while allowing movement, the belt and the cones would mutually grind themselves in no time (hello, GM-Fiat metal scraps in CVT).

The secret is in protecting those high-pressured components with the least possible parasite loss in friction.
Hence the importance of temperature management for optimal operation (hello, Nissan-Jatco foaming fluid).

billt460 · Mar 10, 2018

jolly said:

The CVT Transmissions seem very similar in operation to the variable speed heads that Bridgeport Vertical Milling Machines have. The spindle motor runs at a ever constant RPM, while the spindle itself has an unlimited speed variance by cranking the pulley system one way or the other. One faster, the other slower. It has a high and low range for more or less torque. Those cone pulleys run dry.

jolly · Mar 11, 2018

billt460 said:

Not sure about those machines but from your description, I assume it’s the case. Except that in a car RPM will vary (not to be confuse with the fact that a given needed RPM will be reached without gear steps – except the fake/useless electronic ones to satisfy traditional ears) and the belt is metal (hence lubrication) as you want it to theatrically have the same life expectancy as the cone/pulleys (vs rubber belt in lighter/easier to service devices like snowmobiles, scooters or machines.)

Anthony q · Oct 18, 2018

billt460 said:

I have a 2015 and my Daughter has 2016 Toyoto corolla both have this lunge almost give you whiplash,thinks it a transmission problem

Rock'n Roller · Oct 18, 2018

After the recent CVT campaign updates (@~1K miles), I'm starting to experience a shuttering issue when accelerating from around 25-30 mph. When I accelerate there is a weird groaning noise with a lag before it gets up to speed. It feels like your driving with a manual trans that is in a gear that is too high. Anyone else observing this?

george.stark · Nov 13, 2018

Rock'n Roller said:

You'll want to look at this thread: https://www.toyotanation.com/forum/...toyota-trying-diagnose-update-new-tranny.html

This guy in that thread describes the exact same thing you do, in post #32: https://www.toyotanation.com/forum/...iagnose-update-new-tranny-3.html#post13877040

On of the guys in that thread is getting a new tranny from his dealer to fix the issue - the other guy, sadly, is getting a lot of BS from his dealer.

Anthony quann · Nov 14, 2018

My 2015 don’t have a CVTs transmission.The violent jerk when you pull out to pass is wicked.some times you could drive for hours and won,t happen and then when it starts it seems to happen when you at 80 kl to 110kl mostly when you pull out to pass

Rock'n Roller · Nov 14, 2018

george.stark said:

Still debating whether or not to take it back to the dealer. I get so pissed when service advisers use the term "normal" in a sentence to resolve a customer's problem. Their remarks are just personal opinion or hearsay. In my experience, there has never been valid evidence or data to back up any of their claims related to "normal" operation.

george.stark · Nov 14, 2018

Rock'n Roller said:

I know it's aggravating when you have to push people to do what they're f'ing supposed to do anyway. I'd be pretty inclined to stay on their asses, find another dealer, or start going over their head, however that is done. I guess there is some national Toyota service organization you can call in situations like this. But yeah, major PITA if you ever want to deal with that dealer again.

No way in the world the car should feel as if you upshifted that excessively. IMO, (and it may not mean much, because I don't know much at all about cars), unless you're exceeding the capabilities of the vehicle (e.g. climbing too a hill that is just too steep), the ECU and CVT should completely avoid that behavior. I don't understand how anybody can argue that such is normal, except that they are lying assholes. Common? Maybe, if Toyota screwed up. Not normal.

30 years ago, where I worked, one of our vendors would respond to reports of failure scenarios that were obviously stupid code: "Works As Designed". That vendor isn't around anymore. That needs to happen to some of these "service advisors" too.

Denis L'Heureux · Nov 16, 2018

Rock'n Roller said:

yea, i had my "update" on my 2017 xse at about 55k miles.... never had a complaint, loved the cvt, not it just drives funky, like im in a gear to high but i wasnt like that before... i got 65k on my 17, i drive alot for fun so i notice the small crap, but i don't know it just seems dullish... just seems some times i have to go down a extra "gear" just to get that extra pep... i drive alot in sport mode and shift through the "gears" but since this update i am starting to see the shutter and the lagging between "gears" and kinda feel a studder through the shift when im slowing down and it downshifts... i saw the 2020 models and i think my 17 will prob be my last corolla...

Javier · Nov 17, 2018

Does anyone knows , how many litters of oil use a cvt fe transmission? With one can is enough?

jolly · Nov 17, 2018

Javier said:

7.9 qt (according to your owner manual)

Javier · Nov 17, 2018

jolly said:

thanks bro

CVT Transmission Issues ??

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I Love Corolla's!

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