2015 Honda DI and CVT issues?

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I was wondering, is Honda's Direct Injection engines trouble free? How do they service the intake valves? Do they have a special port, use crushed walnut shells etc?

Or do the DI Earthdreams engines not foul very much? What about fuel dilution?

On to their CVT. Who makes it? Do they build them themselves? Is it easy to do drain and fills like their 5AT? Any filter? Fluid?

Is the Honda CVT, on the 2015 Fit for instance, fragile?

This is just general chat because I am curious only.

Thanks
 
From reading it seems that Top Tier gasoline is recommended for DI engines.

My wife and I have DI engines and any intake valve cleaning is done by the dealer.
 
I haven't read about any issues with Honda's direct injection systems, but they haven't been out too terribly long, either, so it's possible that some skeletons are lurking. The Fit has used the CVT for years in the rest of the world, so I'm sure it's at least halfway decent. I understand that it does have a user-serviceable fluid sump.
 
A couple of junk yard owners renewing permits told me they only sell CVT transmissions to shops that overhaul them and never to people that want to put them directly into a car without a rebuild.
They claim the failure rate and come-backs are too much to deal with. One of them said that they have seen CVT transmissions that owners have drained and refilled with the wrong fluid and they quickly fail. It appears that CVT transmissions are a good idea but they must be properly serviced. They are not the ignore and drive transmission that people are used to owning.
 
Honda manufactures their own transmissions, CVT included. Over the years, the reliability of their automatic transmissions has been spotty.
 
I just bought a 2014 Accord EX-L 4 cyl. I had a couple of Nissan CVT's and hated them. Period. I drove the Accord and think the CVT is very well sorted, thus I bought one. There are some reported issues, mostly with programming, but dealers seem willing and able to repair. A small percentage of people are reporting issues and Honda, as always, is taking care of the issues.

I drove VW's the last 10 years...after having the Honda for a week, I don't think I'll be looking back. Breaks my heart in a way, but it's a heck of a car for the money.
 
For any manufacture, why has the auto tranny become the armpit of the drivetrain?

I'm not saying that I'd want something else to be "the" failure prone part. Just, why are trannys so problematic these day, instead of being as reliable as the engine and the rest of the drivetrain?

We have engines that can go 300K miles and a tranny that barely makes it to 100K! What's up?
 
Since the automobile engine has gotten about as fuel efficient as it can, there's been a switch to other components to extend the mileage, thank the fed. government for that. Lately the focus has been on transmissions....more gears, quicker changes, etc. etc....which will mean failure earlier as compared to the older 3-4 geared auto. Most auto trans. are at least 6 gears now....a lot of shifting going on and eventually something is going to fail. We got a new F250 here at work, that thing will be in 4th gear before you'd hit 40 mph.....I'm wondering how long it's going to last. I guess the thinking is shift quicker, lower the rpm's and fuel mileage will increase.
I think Honda learned from the transmission problems on their 6th generations and a little into the 7th generation. But, they did help you out if it went out. My 02 trans went out at 130K and Honda replaced it for 500 bucks. All my other Honda's have not had trans problems.
 
Seems like it is too early to tell. These six speed plus transmissions are just too new to know--I mean, how many have hit 200k+ in droves?

It's also hard to say. Most old school automatics (and conventional wisdom here indicates the same for the newer ones) "needed" fluid changes. Yet for some reason no one liked changing transmission fluid. Somehow it got the rep of being lifetime, before lifetime fluids existed! As a result, automatics probably earned their rep as short lived due more to negligence than design. Certain failmatics excluded, of course.

People who rack up miles quickly tend to be highway drivers, which is easy on the trans. People who do more city tend to take longer to get the miles up there; but as the driving is harder on the trans a city 100k is much harder than a highway 100k.
 
Originally Posted By: buster
I think Honda's CVT is average at best.


Why do you think that? I'm not saying that you're wrong...just curious about what data you're using to base your opinion.
 
I am curious about these 2 questions as well. although I had heard Honda tweak the timming or valve overlapping so some of the exhaust air will get into intake port, hence to do some cleaning. however I am not the expert and source was not confirmed, so I don't know if it really work or not.

the driving impression of CVT on Accords were good, very positive, but not so on Civic. not sure about their durability.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: buster
I think Honda's CVT is average at best.


Why do you think that? I'm not saying that you're wrong...just curious about what data you're using to base your opinion.


No data, just reviews. I don't read many positive reviews about most CVT's on the market. Nissan has improved their CVT and Subaru has probably the best CVT on the market. The others get mixed review/feedback.

I'd like to test drive one because I'm now curious.
 
Originally Posted By: buster
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: buster
I think Honda's CVT is average at best.


Why do you think that? I'm not saying that you're wrong...just curious about what data you're using to base your opinion.


No data, just reviews.


I asked that because the reviews of Honda's CVT that I've read have been overwhelmingly positive. I, too, would like to drive one because of all the good things I've read about it.
 
I drove the 2015 Honda Civic with CVT for a rental...I could wait for the trip to be over and to get the keys back to the rental place. What a complete dog. It made my lowly Corolla feel sporty in comparison.
 
My mother in law just bought a 2014 civic with cvt and I drove it some.....seemed fine. Couldn't really tell a difference between that and the new CRV.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: buster
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: buster
I think Honda's CVT is average at best.


Why do you think that? I'm not saying that you're wrong...just curious about what data you're using to base your opinion.


No data, just reviews.


I asked that because the reviews of Honda's CVT that I've read have been overwhelmingly positive. I, too, would like to drive one because of all the good things I've read about it.


Maybe I'm wrong. I could be mistaking it for another. I'll have to check it out.
 
The accord CVT is great. I did get the 6MT manual over it purely for fun/longevity but i wouldn't worry about the CVT. They have sold somewhere around 700k CVT accords already without any prominent issues.

With the crazy high sales numbers there will be plenty of rebuilders offering a fresh CVT when the time comes. CVT seems to average 3 mpg more than the 6MT, so fuel savings can offset some CVT replacement costs. The 6MT is a sweet drive, and if you like manuals i strongly suggest trying one before buying the auto.

Something like the fit or civic, why bother? Accord is close in price to those smaller cars with a good haggle.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo

With the crazy high sales numbers there will be plenty of rebuilders offering a fresh CVT when the time comes. CVT seems to average 3 mpg more than the 6MT, so fuel savings can offset some CVT replacement costs. The 6MT is a sweet drive, and if you like manuals i strongly suggest trying one before buying the auto.


The CVT might squeak out a bit more when the MTX driver is driving a bit harder but the MTX can best the CVT MPGs with a competent driver.
 
Sure you can hypermile the 6MT into some really good numbers but in the real world it gets less. Its just too fun to not drive hard from time to time. We seem to have a 29mpg average per tank and a relative gets 32 on a CVT. Real world mostly city driving where people have somewhere to be.
 
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