Insight CVT Problems?

oobflyer · 06-27-2009, 06:11 PM

I didn't see any posts about this, but I test drove the 2010 Insight yesterday and the CVT was VERY "rachety" during initial acceleration. It reminded me of driving a car (from 30 years ago) with a carburetor - that wasn't warmed up yet. It hesitated and lurched, hesitated and lurched until I was up to 25 or 30 MPH. I tried with both the ECO and non-ECO mode with the same results. After talking to the dealer I test drove the other Insight they had on the lot (one was an EX and one an LX). It felt exactly the same. It seems that Honda hasn't figured out how to have smooth acceleration with their CVT. Am I the only one that has noticed this? Is this a problem with all CVT cars? Tomorrow I'm planning on test-driving the 2010 Prius - curious to see if it does the same thing.

joecvt · 06-27-2009, 06:34 PM

I have a Gen1 Insight CVT and once the start clutch is engaged (from a stop), it is smooth accelleration. Not sure why you would feel it to rachety since that defeats one of the advantages of a CVT design transmission.

Are you using steady pressure on the gas pedal?

The Prius design is a lot different. There are no "gear" ratios changing by a steel belt and two changeable pulleys. It is just electric motor torque and horsepower combined with the gas engine to provide accelleratiion.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

oobflyer · 06-27-2009, 06:53 PM

Yes, of course I used steady pressure on the gas pedal. After it happened the first time I was very careful to pay attention to the acceleration each time I came to a stop and started again. I guess it could be a coincidence that my local dealer received 2 Insights with defective transmissions, but that seems unlikely. Curious to see if there are any owners of the new Insight that noticed this 'lurching' feeling while accelerating...

joecvt · 06-27-2009, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oobflyer

Yes, of course I used steady pressure on the gas pedal. After it happened the first time I was very careful to pay attention to the acceleration each time I came to a stop and started again.

I wasn't trying to be a wise guy making a crack at your driving skills. My only thought was if you let up on the gas quickly, it will go into regen then if you mash the pedal down again, it will go into assist. This would cause a lurching feeling when togling back and forth between assist and regen. Not saying that a person would normally drive like this but it was a test drive.

Good luck - perhaps others may ask you questions or suggest other possibilities that you feel are more logical.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

galileo5 · 06-27-2009, 08:26 PM

Yes, my car still does that. I had it for two months now, and it jerks while accelerating and braking at low speeds.

SR45 · 06-27-2009, 08:58 PM

Never had this "hesitated and lurched, hesitated and lurched" issue...

Does not jerk when I apply the gas with light pressure after taking my foot off the break pedal. Even with the Econ mode off and driving normally as I would with any other car, there was no hesitation and lurching.

If however on a hot day, with the air conditioner on coming to a stop, but not fully, and applying the gas again quickly, I would notice a slight jerkyness, not lurching.

Hope this helps a bit.....

oobflyer · 06-27-2009, 09:35 PM

No offense taken Joe. We did talk about the possibility that the engine was transitioning between gas and electric, but according to the dash display it was not doing that.
SR45 mentioned the AC being on - this may be what happened. It is summer here and the AC was definitely on.
I used the word, "lurching" to try to describe the sensation...maybe "jerkyness" is more accurate. In any case - it took me off-guard. I guess I was expecting "perfection"...

Tomorrow is the Prius test-drive, then we make the big decision. I'll let you know.

bish79 · 06-27-2009, 10:45 PM

Mine used to do this. Now I have over 8000 miles on it and unless I am really rough with it I can't get it to do that under acceleration anymore. I'm guessing things are just "tight" since its new.

As for stopping, this is usually caused by a transition from regenerative braking to "neutral" when the autostop kicks in. Or a transition from fuel cut to ICE power (This usually happens with A/C on and the engine doesn't want to autostop). Its a common complaint (one more reason I WISH that Honda would offer a manual option).

Cobb · 06-27-2009, 11:23 PM

I use to drive a 3 cylinder metro and man, it jerked when the ac kicked on or off. I still feel it inthe insight as it goes from gas, electric, both or none and regen, with the ac compressor engaging on and off

What I hate is the incosistant braking. Sometimes I brake its strong til 7mph, then it vanishes and I have to floor it. Other times it brakes hard til 12mph, then lets up, then reapplies and lets up again at 7mph. When the battery is full it brakes as normal, no changing effort or petal pressure.

I normally try to over come this with engine braking by upshifting, but been lazy this week and seeing how it runs otherwise. Engine braking seems to be a great way to ensure you have enough umph to take back off without the assist wimping out to recharge mode. I have gotten into the habit to check my battery screen before merging to make sure I have enough or if I am going to wing it.

Sometimes on a hill I get a delay when going from auto stop to go, one day I chirpped tires.

CobaltDragon · 06-28-2009, 06:46 AM

You may notice a drop-off in brake pressure at 7 because that is the speed when auto-stop engages (between 7 and 6 mph), so the vacuum pressure drops when the egine shuts off.

I do not have a jerky transmission, the only time I get a jerky response is if I'm breaking and then need to begin accelerating again before stopping. Perhaps transmission fluid levels are off from the factory for some people?