[jimscriv]

Does anyone else experience "bunny-hopping" (repeated short surges and slackening off of the engine power causing car movement jerkiness) when the car is loaded, going up steep hills, when foot pressure on the accelerator is steady?
Is it a typical CVT issue?
It's certainly not a cold engine issue, and on other terrain the engine runs smoothly and well. There is plenty of power to go up the steep hills when loaded (4 or 5 people), but the CVT transmission can't seem to choose a particular engine speed relative to vehicle speed. This happens on both the D and S gear shift selections. Even on S, paddle-shifted to gear 1. The last resort is L (Low) gear shift selection, and it is slightly better, but it can be a hassle changing down to this gear, because you have to pull both paddle shifts simulaneously and wait until the L shows in the shift indicator, meaning you usually have to stop to do it.

Otherwise it's great little car.

2013 Insight EX Nav (also known as model SN), New Zealand

 

[RedDevil]

It sounds like clutch slip. Usually that's due to the wrong type of CVT fluid. It happened tp me too.
Some CVT fluids have a dope that makes it extra slippery, but which coats the clutch plates. We need the type without that dope.
Does it jolt forward when the revs go down or when the revs go up? If the revs go down on a push, that's the clutch gripping where it slipped before.
Also noticeably, you'll have that jolt when trying to drive away from a standstill; the revs go up, nothing happens, then a jolt and nearly stalling.
If you don't have that at all it's probably not the fluid.

The CVT can be quirky in the cold, but that won't be a problem in New Zealand in this time of year.

 

[egads]

How many km? How long have you owned it? Ever had the CVT fluid changed? Changing the fluid is easier than changing the oil. Make sure you are using the correct fluid. Genuine Honda with the green label. Honda has developed a new fluid for their latest CVT transmissions. It is not compatible with the 2nd generation Insight.

 

[jimscriv]

It sounds like clutch slip. Usually that's due to the wrong type of CVT fluid. It happened tp me too.
Some CVT fluids have a dope that makes it extra slippery, but which coats the clutch plates. We need the type without that dope.
Does it jolt forward when the revs go down or when the revs go up? If the revs go down on a push, that's the clutch gripping where it slipped before.
Also noticeably, you'll have that jolt when trying to drive away from a standstill; the revs go up, nothing happens, then a jolt and nearly stalling.
If you don't have that at all it's probably not the fluid.

The CVT can be quirky in the cold, but that won't be a problem in New Zealand in this time of year.

Thanks for your informative reply. It shouldn't be the wrong CVT fluid because the car's only ever been serviced by a Honda workshop which when they last replaced, they describe as "CVT oil 40K-40K". It jolts forward when the revs go up, and it does usually occur when trying to start on a hill, or going up it very slowly, 5-10kph. Having read a few other threads on this list, I'm starting to conclude that it might be just a CVT 'starter clutch' thing that can happen at taking off or low speeds.

 

[jimscriv]

It sounds like clutch slip. Usually that's due to the wrong type of CVT fluid. It happened tp me too.
Some CVT fluids have a dope that makes it extra slippery, but which coats the clutch plates. We need the type without that dope.
Does it jolt forward when the revs go down or when the revs go up? If the revs go down on a push, that's the clutch gripping where it slipped before.
Also noticeably, you'll have that jolt when trying to drive away from a standstill; the revs go up, nothing happens, then a jolt and nearly stalling.
If you don't have that at all it's probably not the fluid.

The CVT can be quirky in the cold, but that won't be a problem in New Zealand in this time of year.

Thanks for your informative reply. It shouldn't be the wrong CVT fluid because the car's only ever been serviced by a Honda workshop which when last replaced, they describe as "CVT oil 40K-40K". It jolts forward when the revs go up, and it does usually occur when trying to start on a hill, or going up it very slowly.

How many km? How long have you owned it? Ever had the CVT fluid changed? Changing the fluid is easier than changing the oil. Make sure you are using the correct fluid. Genuine Honda with the green label. Honda has developed a new fluid for their latest CVT transmissions. It is not compatible with the 2nd generation Insight.

Thanks for your informative reply also. Approx. 80,000km (50,000miles) at the time it did it. And it has been serviced all to schedule by a Honda workshop hopefully with the right oil - "CVT oil 40K-40K".