[Scott]

I just received a notice from Honda notifying me of a warranty extension for 2 potential problems with CVT transmissions. It is a warranty extension for possible "Judder" or slippage on 01-05 Civic GX, HX, or Insight, or 03-05 Civic Hybrid with CVT transmissions. It is extended to 7 years or 100K miles. Honda describes the symptoms as "a hesitation or judder being felt when you begin moving from a stop. Also, a hesitation or slipping during acceleration"

Looks like I'll be scheduling an appointment with the dealer sometime soon as I've noticed a judder on my CVT for some time now. Only when starting from a complete stop. I don't have any slippage once underway that I can detect.

 

[chowallan]

I own a 02 insight and recently went to the dealer to have the judder fixed under the warranty you described.
The dealer called to inform me that they couldn't honor the warranty due to some sound coming from my transmission claiming a bad bearing needing a new transmission replaced.

My questions are as follows:
1. When accelerating, other than the sound of the gas motor revving, do you hear any other sound that might be coming from your engine compartment? The sound that I am referring to sounds like an electric motor winding up as I accelerate. Needless say, the dealer claims that sound to be faulty bearings.
2. Should there not be any sounds at all coming from the engine compartment while accelerating?
3. What are the sounds expected out of a normal insight specifically while driving coming from the engine? I have never ridden in another insight so I wouldn't know.

My insight had this sound since I bought it used two years ago. Other than the juddering, no other problems with the tranny what so ever.
Just trying to figure out whether the sound described was normal or a problem?
Do I indeed need a new transmission?

Thanks for the guidance in advance.

Allan

 

[Scott]

If it is a whining sound, that is normal for CVT Insights. Mine has done it since it was new in 02, now with 60K miles. I would get another opinion from another dealer if possible.

 

[boogetyboogety]

I just had this done at my dealer a couple of weeks ago. I don't think I ever really felt the "judder" (what a great word!) but the start-from-stop did feel a bit different from other cars I've owned, with a weird feeling that there was no direct mechanical connection from the engine to the tires on start for a fraction of a second or so (hard to describe). Not obnoxious, just... different. I've noticed that others with CVT transmissions (not necessarily just Insights) have referred to this CVT slippage as a "rubber-band effect" on acceleration, but not on start-up. No matter, it was free, I had the time, the dealership recommended they do it, and I said why not.

I've noticed not as great a slip feeling on start-up, although it still feels a bit strange compared to other cars. Mileage has gone up a mile or two, but that may be due to the beautiful weather we've had lately when I've had a chance to drive the car, and not as a result of the work performed. By the way, it was described as a "burnishing" of the affected part, and they only charged about $176 for it (no cost to me, just peeked at the internal invoice), and it only took them about three hours before they called to say the car was ready to deliver...

I just hope I don't start juddering when I get older... :lol:

 

[Scott]

"juddering"....sounds like some kind of dance moves....

 

[joecvt]

If it is a whining sound, that is normal for CVT Insights. Mine has done it since it was new in 02, now with 60K miles. I would get another opinion from another dealer if possible.

When I got my 03 CVT, it had less than 5 thousand miles on the odometer (someone couldn't afford the lease and I bought it used for $12,900 )...Anyway, mine made that same whining noise up until I put that re-introduced CVT fluid in there at 60K miles and it is much quieter now (even at 74K miles). If you do a search on CVT fluid, it should show up in this forum.

Perhaps you can change the fluid and go to another dealer if you still need the recall performed.

JoeCVT = Just your average CVT owner

 

[chowallan]

Thank you Scott for your response. A second opinion is wise.
But most importantly this solves the mystery of the whining noise.
Thank you all.

 

[dberns]

I just received a notice from Honda notifying me of a warranty extension for 2 potential problems with CVT transmissions. It is a warranty extension for possible "Judder" or slippage on 01-05 Civic GX, HX, or Insight, or 03-05 Civic Hybrid with CVT transmissions. It is extended to 7 years or 100K miles..

Alas, my beloved 2001 Insight just started developing
what seems to be this exact problem, a couple of
weeks after I got the same letter.

However, I'm at 130k miles...