Living with a CVT for 100k miles! Is Subaru's Lineartronic CVT the best?
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- Опубліковано 13 вер 2024
- Join me on this drive in the 2014 Subaru Impreza 5-Door to discuss the infamous CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), what it is, why I think Subaru's is the best, and how it performs in the real world over 100k miles.
#Subaru #CVT #POVDrive
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Subaru North America CVT Video
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So far my 2015 Outback at 148,000 miles with the TR 580 CVT has done very well with lifetime fuel economy of 29mpg overall.
Don’t say you DON’T have to change the fluid! SOA says this, but is contrary to both Subaru of Japan and Subaru of Canada. The solenoids don’t fail as often as they get fouled with the sludge from the belt as it wears. The fluid is not fully drained unless you drop the pan, so with a drain and fill, you dilute the contaminants by about 50-60%. This should be done at least every 35-50k miles if you expect your car to last more than 125-150k miles.
I think Subaru does not trust how fluid changes are done in the USA, so bans them unlike other countries. Too many cut rate oil change places here that don't know enough to do this properly. Yes, you don't get anywhere near a full fluid change with a simple drain and fill. It is better to drop and clean the pan to get more fluid out, plus clean the magnet. A waste of time to replace the strainer, which some falsely call a filter.
My 2cents. My '17 Forester XT just turned 38k. Low mileage for sure but it will work its way up over time; I buy a car for the long haul. My sister has a '15 2.5 and the difference both in performance and CVT operation is very different. I drive mine using the 'Sport' setting all the time except on the highway. With the turbo, I'm basically 'torque' driving. Just a squeeze on the pedal and the CVT 'downshifts' and pushes you like a big hand. Very satisfying. A hard pull on the highway for accelerating/passing takes that to another level. I never really feel I am driving a CVT. My sister's 2.5 would be a no-go for me, just no fun. My tranny pan developed a gasket leak at 30k. The dealer replaced the gasket and refilled the unit under warranty. Just to be clear, (no pun) the fluid wasn't. In fact, it was quite dark (I asked them if I could see it.) So, 100,000 mile, sealed for life unit? Not for me, thanks. Every 30K.
I own a 2010 Outback with a CVT, it has 160,000 miles. I've never had any issues. Fuel economy is great.
How many CVT fluid changes have you had?
We have a crosstrek at 130k
miles, never had the fluid changed and no leaks.
@@dannytu0322 i have a 2016 legacy with 115k miles and have not changed the fluid once and have had no problems
i used to redline my legacy any chance i could with 5k oil change intervals. now i take care of it but it’s shown ZERO signs of failure. i’ve crashed like 3 times in that car and it’s always turned on.
@@anthonyparra9553 I love your comment it had me laughing when it said you crashed it 3 times lol
CVT's are not necessarily better or worse. They are just different. The big difference is better gas mileage. I have a friend with a 2010 Subaru Forrester with the 2.5 boxer and automatic. He was excited to get 26 mpg on a road trip. My 2021 Outback with a 2.5 boxer gets over 31 mpg on the road with daily city mileage thrown in. I for one am glad to see Subaru sticking with the CVT. That means over the years they will slowly refine it and make it better. Oh, and getting an average 5 miles per gallon doesn't hurt.
I get 29 mpg pulling a 14 foot boat with my 21 cross trek sport, river roads & freeway. Freeway with fam & dog going to mountain snow trip it gets 34 mpg.
The Transmission type will not be the only factor in MPG. An 11 year difference in engine variations will impact the fuel economy. For instance computer management system/improvements can increase MPG with that 11 year span.
I don't knbow about 2010 but a 2021 outback has an electric steerting rack as opposed to a hydraulic power steering system therefore it will have a more efficient engine.
There will be other things like the start/stop feature that will offer small increases in MPG as compared to the 2010.
@@frankweathersbee2553 Bulls*&*(. Plain and simple.
The gas mileage sucks, but the SPT (wrx cvt) has proven really fun so far on my '22. I don't care about the mileage. :)
I agree that Suabru's CVTs are some of the best available, overall, but they have had some issues with their CVTs over the years. There is a recall on them right now, for chain slippage. The bottom line is that CVTs are not as strong as a regular auto or a manual, just by virtue of how it works, so if you really push a CVT hard, they WILL fail prematurely. The key is not abusing it and changing the fluid every 30,000 miles or so. DO NOT believe the lie that these transmissions don't need regular fluid changes. That is total marketing BS.
So… our crosstrek has 150k miles and never had a CVT service.
@@Allcarnews Buy a lottery ticket because you are one lucky son of a gun.
@@Allcarnews sure. But that sounds like the guy that never changes engine oil just filters. I've met em. Lucky them. I'll be changing my oil.
Also you aren't very technically minded and that's fine. But think of the friction happening inside the CVT. I bet if you drained your fluid by now it would look like glitter.
I've been working on cvts before Subaru ever used them. Or Nissan. It's called Polaris.
Then you see how they actually work. The RUBBER BELT will wear in a groove on the steel pullies where the belt rests at idle. Rubber... So replace that with a steel chain. I can't begin to explain the obvious here... But think Ford mod motors eating timing chain guides.
You do what you want, but I just signed a loan for $400 a month on a new outback, I'm not such a cheap ass I can't change 4 quarts of oil every 30k miles... It's just a drain plug. You can literally do it yourself...
Btw the same corp that owns Polaris owns Subaru.
They're both Fuji Heavy Industries. That's why the AWD and cvt came natural to them. Polaris four wheelers were either 2wd or AWD.
Then they started coming with the transfer case lever. But yeah man Fuji... Same company.
Anywho
The Japanese owners guide says to replace the CVT fluid every 3 years or 36,000 miles. If you fall for the hype that you don't need to change the fluid, it's your own fault when it fails
In Japan, the inspection is extremely strict and generally the cars have very low mileage. I'm sure it comes from their driving and strict mandates to change all the fluids.
@@brarautorepairs so you're saying it's not a good recommendation?
@@googlegamer4047my outback has only done 33000 km. All about 21000 miles and I'm going to change the CVT fluid for the first time soon myself, because most of the wear is done in about the first 25000 miles, so you want to get all those iron filings out early
Change every cvt tranny at about 30000 miles
Change the fluid every 30000. Mi. Had mine done at 14000mi. I have 2017 Legacy
As long as drive do not push it to extreme acceleration, then it should last long time. Avoid extreme Off-Roading and try to get gentle push from engine, not explosive launch. As soon as chain scratch the CVT cones then it will start to fail.
I admitt that gentle driving is in general a good behaviour, but travelling in a road, here and there we will push harder....
I owned a 2005 Mercury Montego with a CVT and hated it. I had reservations about the 2015 Accord I bought and was pleasantly surprised and, as a result, my opinion of CVT’s did a 180. Just took delivery of a 2023 Forester and couldn’t be happier. I’m averaging 32-34 mpg’s with mixed driving. Keeps up and merges with traffic effortlessly. It’s also a smoother transmission compared to our Odyssey with a 9 speed transmission that seems to hunt for the right gear.
I road tested an Impreza six years ago, it was all noise and no-go. I picked a Mazda with a six speed AT that is completely seamless and fun to drive. Is 2mpg worth all this trouble?
Very well explained BUT..... People need to know that Paddle shifters in ANY vehicle are best used when using engine braking going downhill instead of using your brakes. In Mountain conditions people will use their brakes and by the time they get down to the bottom they are lucky of they have any brakes left! Engine Braking is the reason for paddle shifters other than if u race around it will keep your engine in a higher rpm and not lug the engine. Used for towing too!!
Little known fact, in earlier times the CVT gearbox (in simplified form) was used successfuly for years in a ride on mower called Deutcher (Australia mid 60s to today), using a belt and manualy shifting. I also saw a chain driven CVT used in an industrial band saw circa 1960. In both applications the CVT worked extremely well, it being a simple and elegant solution to changing speeds.
There's no fluids to change? What do you mean? Of course the CVTs have fluid
I am just here to tell you that you can change your transmission fluid at the same time as your differential fluid (that’s every 30k miles) and the outcome doesn’t change.This is why if you go used car shopping you will be hard pressed to find a newer first gen (2013-2017) with mileage exceeding 160k. If they were reliable you’d find 50 plus models in inventory with high high mileage exceeding 160k rather than just four or five. Mine for instance was DOA at 178k. Transmission swapped once. That’s about an average of 90k miles per trans. This pales in comparison to the use you’d get out of a trans in the 2000’s which were built like literal tanks.
My wife’s 2000 Acura TL’s regular transmission failed at 40k, its replacement failed at 68k, and the next one failed at 110k. The last one was the winner it lasted till 230k when the car was totaled so I’m not buying the CVTs are unreliable line. If you get 100k out of any transmission consider yourself lucky. In case your wondering why in gods name I would keep getting them. Well that car was really great and the powerful V6 engine purred like a kitten till the end. Plus Acura paid for the first two and the last one I replaced the shop gave me a great deal on it, partially warranty.
Thank you for this video. I know more about Subaru CVTs now. I guess the next step is figure out if their motors hold up. I have narrowed my brands down to a Subaru or a Honda with a manual trans.
Our current crosstrek has over 150k miles on it.
Not changing fluid seems high risk to me.. all AT fluids change viscous properties with age.. I'd have to discuss this with my Ace mechanic.. Honda says change CVT fluid each 30K miles..
The CVT in my 2016 Forester was great until it imploded at 117k miles and 300 miles from home. I’ve never had a replacement transmission that lasted so I got it fixed and traded it for a CX-5.
I think that the biggest problem with CVTs is that they rely on the driver being able to drive correctly.
Some of us drive our cars. We have fun with twisty roads, but we don't care about meaningless power statistics that we cannot take advantage of legally. The CVT is more than just OK. It's very smooth, and it is very responsive. If you try to drive them like an automatic, you are missing the point. I loved the CVT in my Honda and the new Subaru CVT is great!
I have a newer CVT which is stated in the owner's manual to use CVTF Type 2 fluid only. Is the Type 2 fluid compatible with older Subarus?
The ISSUE with CVT-- is WHO makes it- and how they TREAT it in the vehicle you have... There were a LOT of CVTs that are failing in CERTAIN NISSANS and other vehicles-- NOT ALL- just certain ones-- Perhaps they came from a different source- who knows what the reason was as of yet. SECOND-- if you run a vehicle the way it's NOT intented- and don't take care of it.. it is more likely to fail.. some treat Subarus like they're hot-rods of the offroad group and mistreat them..and fall to care for them.. Personally- I LOVE standard transmissions- but if the CVT works-- FINE-- it's a great design.. and as ALL newer tech- will get BETTER as time goes on.
Will CVT last > 200,000 miles?
With regular fluid changes, YES
@@Marco-qe5zw Change fluid every 50K miles?
About every 30k
Why did Subaru extend the warranty to 10 years and offered to refund the maintenance done before announcement?
U.S.A. warranty laws likely
Alot of you who says 100-140k this is actually the time most of people start to own these cars in Africa secord or third hand and as far as i see with the environments here they just doing fine
I have a 16 Impreza base sedan. Did you do a fluid change? How about differentials?
There was a seal replaced I believe with the front differential
We just bought new 21 forester sport and Im bit concerning about CVT as you can find Some people complainig others saying CVTs are ok, same mechanics
you will be fine don’t worry! As long as you aren’t towing really nothing to worry about
Are these cvt transmission good and reliable for mountains regions like Tennessee areas with mountains and drops? Are they actually made for this?
Honestly yes. That’s the one general thing with the subarus that work well. General build quality is more than fine too. Just we have had issues with this particular engine. Our other subaru has over 130k miles and hasn’t had any of the same issues. We had 1 issue at around 100k miles with the CVT seal needing to be changed but nothing was wrong with the actual transmission.
My buddy works on Subarus. He said change the fluid per the manual. Religiously. The chains on the pullies create the obvious metal to metal wear and they have a small oil capacity so they will have glitter soon. It's fine just change the oil. He's got where he keeps spare transmissions he has to replace them so often...
The manual says not to change it. So......
@@boost331 The manual is wrong. change it anyway.
Nothing to boast CVT around 100,000 miles. My Nissan Rogue 2015 also hit 100,000 miles.
Its been over a year, how many cvts have you replaced by now
I have asentra 2018 and now running well with 187 k miles..but l used to change its ns3 oil every 20 k miles
How is the cvt doing today and how many miles are on it? If you still own it that is.
@@AlbeeSoaring this car blew its head gaskets 2x after a repair at a Subaru dealer. CVT never had issues though. We also have a 2013 Crosstrek with the same CVT and over 170k miles. No issues and never have had any.
Owning a 2016 Impreza 2.0 now. Yes it’s a CVT. Do I like it as a commuter? Maybe. Would I buy it again ? Hell NO. Is it okay for new driver ? Definitely yes. It’s the weakest vehicle I have ever owned and I bought this one as a mistake l
I recently bought 2009 Murano with a Jatco CVT from some relatives. Driving through the mountains from Sacramento to Salt Lake City taking i80, changed my stance with CVTs.
It was a smooth and seamless transition between inclines and no jerking. Sometimes I would forget that I am going 80mph on an incline going towards 7000ft elevation, because the gear doesnt drop and the computer tries to maintain my cruise control. Its a weird feeling.
I like my manuals as they can take alot of mechanical abuse with my kind of driving, but with CVTs you really need some mechanical sympathy so no punching the gas from the stop. JATCOs get bad rep but those CVTs NEEED to have those fluids changed every 30-60k miles.
And do add on to that, alot of the smaller Nissan products dont have a oil to water cooler on the CVT which leads to overheating and premature breakdown of the oil. The Murano has a cooler but its barely adequate.
i have a 2016 legacy with a CVT with 115k miles. never changed the cvt fluid once. been in mountains, deserts, beaches, off road, and the street. but the mpg have been dropping every 10k miles-so maybe replacing the fluid will be good soon.
Good luck with that, some transmission will start slipping when they change the fluid after such a long interval, hopefully it's not yours.
@@neometalx9 well no, this is false. It might be true for oldschool automatics when all the broken-off fragments in the transmission oil help the internal transmission traction. But if you keep old oil, trans will die soon anyway. In cvts, once its ruined its ruined coz trans oil doesnt help it move in the same way as traditional automatic. OP should replace the fluid as soon as possible if he wants his transmission to last longer.
It's probably too late now. Tranny's likely on its way out.
Not changing the cvt fluid in the long of a span was a very foolish decision. The intervals within the valve body are almost certainly varnished and will lead to failure. It’s not a question of if, but when.
All Subaru's except the BRZ is AWD
basically cvt has infinity gear but you dont hear the gear change.. it has an annoying whine noise
How reliable are these? my next car after this civic will be a subaru legacy 😊
Depends on your model, how you service it. We have a 160k mile 2013 Crosstrek and have and not a single CVT issue yet.
I have a 2020 subaru it has had many problems including the cvt I bought new and currently has 70 thousand miles and my cvt went out and the replacement was 13 thousand dollars so this is bs my seat also ripping and they refuse to replace because now my warranty expired .
Not every single car out of millions sold will be perfect. There are bugs in the chain for every brand. On our front, we have had 2 Subarus with CVTs over 100k miles and nothing has ever happened with the CVT. One has over 160k miles now.
Cool i287 i drive there regularly
Fuel economy of 29 mpg is quite low. I'm looking for something in the 40-50 mpg range.
Need a hybrid then
Buy a 2023 Toyota Camry LE or Toyota Camry SE then while they are still available (last year) they have a normal transmission and 4 cylinder engine, plenty of room inside, comfortable, good looking and will easily get 41 MPG highway!
And they hold residual value very well!
How are Hondas CVT?
I have one and I can tell it's pretty reliable for what it is as long as you change the fluids frequently. I would not trust the sealed transmission, life time fluids bs they telling you
My ‘19 Honda CR-V has over 100,000 miles with a (2.4L NA 4cyl and a) CVT. I’ve yet to have a problem with mine. I do have the CVT fluid changed (every 30,000 miles) specifically by my local Honda dealer. The other key is that I drive it conservatively - I do not floor it off the line. The car was never built for racing, anyway. But it’s no slouch, either. Averaging around 30 mpg in mixed driving.
My 2023 Nissan Murano CVT starts smelling when I’m on the highway climbing hills….i will get rid of this car before the warranty expires
Just wondering. Do you think it's the CVT or maybe the cat converter working harder under stress? (I can smell mine when I accelerate hard.) I just don't know what would 'smell' if the CVT was overheating where it's a sealed unit.
My 2014 Forester is starting to get interment shuddering. It has 125,000 miles. I just had the oil changed
Is it good to die,or should I just drive it that way. Mostly shudders in mountain driving
You said oil, but have you ever changed the cvt fluid?
My 2015 Subaru Forester CVT (standard torque version) is starting to have slipping issues at 145K miles, which is pretty bad for a Japanese car. This will be my last Subaru, I'm going to get a Mazda or Toyota where they don't cheap out on transmissions and doesn't cost $10k to replace.....
Toyota used CVT too… Mazda has a pretty solid old 6 speed they use in most of their vehicles. Our 2013 XV Crosstrek has almost 140k miles but has 0 issues with the engine or CVT. You must be having some baxk luck!
@@Allcarnews I'm planning to get a Toyota without CVT like Highlander or 4Runner, or a compact/midsize Mazda crossover. In addition to the CVT slipping, my 2015 Forester also developed cam carrier seal leak on right side of the engine, I started to notice the smell and took it in under warranty, and the dealership was not honest about it and told me they can't diagnose the problem based on the smell....... They only told me after I went in for a recall service (after drive train warranty ended), and said it would cost $4000 to reseal it. Basically I've encountered so many problems with this Subaru and the dealership overall I've lost my faith in the brand.
Toyota and mazda use aisin transmission which has their problems too
Change the fluid
Fuji heavy industries makes the CVT excellent if they’re not abused
Updates on this vehicle?
Blew head gaskets twice, got rid of it. Never had CVT issues.
The just was the first for subaru
It's not even probably, Nissan xtronic cvts are fail boxes. There's multiple lawsuits and videos breaking down the awful engineering.
The brz doesn’t have a cvt.
I just recently buy a used 2015 crosstrek cvt and I am experiencing a jolt/jerk from 1st gear to second. I am not sure if it is normal as this is my first cvt.
Any updates on the jolting issue?
@@paulinazuckerman2932 i went to the mechanic and ask. Jolting is common on thr cvt and since there are no gears it is safe. But jolting lessen when i change the oil regularly and on time with the high mileage oil.
Nissan is dead to me but, Just don’t modify the engine to make more power/torque if it has a CVT, I’ve seen people kill their accords civics and even the corolla transmission by modding them and the dealer declines warranty lol
Fact: many thousands of Subaru CVTs have failed badly. If you're out of warranty...and it goes pop.. prepare to weep.
CVTs are weak. There is a reason they are not used on bigger vehicles. Gears are the only way to go if you keep cars a long time.
Torque limits on CVTS are low unfortunately
Subaru CVT are built for people who hit the gas and go, or hit the brake and slow...
It is void of any mechanical feeling.
If you roll your own, are used to a conversation TQ converter transmission, your continually lost...
From a purely functional stand point, Subaru CVT are reliable in the mundane day to day stuff, but I dont trust our Forster for any abusive off road stuff..
The Wilderness aspect, I do believe are a joke when compared to locking differentials and a two speed transfer case...
As with any maintenance aspects, no fluid is life long, keep up to date with CVT maintenance..
Now what's strange about that, is Canadian service intervals are different than US service intervals in respect to the same distances traveld...(fatering in KM to miles )
Majority of Scobies ( Subaru) are made in the U.S.A
Padel shifters, XMode, are just BS, I'm just point and go when I drive..
Time is limited on the manual versions of the WRX, unfortunately that the car is too dam small for my overlie exuberant stature...
WRX with a 6 sp man...iss Fun....
All subs destan for canada are made in japan not in the states
@@dog_guy-c8x did not know that....But the Canadian Subarus dont have tire sensor monitors, some down grades on the safety stuff, US market has more stringent safety regulations.
@@loniebrown9646 What the hell are you talking about?? I didnt say shit about tire sensors. Just stated that subs sent to canada are made in japan. God read...
How does Subaru CVT compare to Honda CVT?
Jeep & dodge cvt are terrible. Our 2015 Civic I thought was great, then we bought a 2021 crosstrek sport & it's next level up from the honda.
That is false they do not.
Ha, my buddy has a 2014 Subaru Legacy whose CVT died at 110,000 miles !
6:10
I work on vehicles for work's sells fleet. Thd CVTs are so bad that they are kept in stock. Subaru has the lowest failure rate. But, it is still much higher than the manual transmission vehicles and hydraulic automatic transmission vehicles. I will never own a vehicle with a CVT. I have no desire to bring my work home.
*get the ascent and feel the real power of that 4 cylinder turbo charged*
can’t stand the ascent haha. It’s the worst vehicle Subaru makes. The 2.4L T is great in the outback and legacy though…. best in the WRX. (i work at a subaru dealer)
@@Allcarnews
Why tho ???
@@Allcarnews
Worst vehicle subaru has ever made??
*with all of that comfort* ?
*that power* ?
*that smoothmess* ?
@@Allcarnews
What about the 2.4L in forester???
Especially in a 2022 model??
@@ibrarutta9328 It’s not turbocharged and it’s a 2.5L not a 2.4L in the Forester.
Buy Mazda, they don’t use crappy CVT transmissions and they offer performance turbo variants on almost all their models if you are willing to spend the money for performance and they handle awesome!
Last week I test drove a Mazda CX30 and the transmission had trouble finding the best gear to stay in. It was hunting most of the time. That 6 speed trans is in need of a huge update.
Do you even vape, bro???
😂
subaru's cvt sucks. Jerky, hesitant on 1st gear, doesn't know what it wants to do, and unresponsive. That's the only thing stopping me from buying a subaru.
CVTs suck
Why dont people understand nissan != cvt