CVT Recall??

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motosonic
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:16 pm

Zeid_Nasser wrote:Thx for the #. Trans place told me 50-60k and 30k after that. That’s what Subaru and Nissan are telling owners now.
I like that now that CVT's are failing left and right.. The manufacturers/dealers are telling folks it needs to be done. I haven't seen many (if Any?) CVT recalls. This is pretty sad. Needs to be disclosed at sale because let's be completely honest, how many people actually do ALL of the 'recommended' maintenance? This HAS to be one of those things where they say "this is REQUIRED.. unless you want to replace your transmission".
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Zeid_Nasser wrote:Thx for the #. Trans place told me 50-60k and 30k after that. That’s what Subaru and Nissan are telling owners now.
The Suzuki TSB on the subject is calling for between 15 -16k...
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
1404
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:06 pm

Hello everyone, I'm in Mexico and I just bought a 2010 gls with cvt, I currently have problems with the transmission (it gets hot and the car does not advance to more than 20km)
In the tsb I have seen solutions such as changing the oil, oil pan, filters and reconfigural the tcm module, since I have a model out of warranty, not if it is a candidate for these repairs by the agency, I will have to investigate more about that.
regards
dslatsh
Posts: 127
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:22 am

so they know about this issue but instead of doing a recall of some sort(on the kizzy) they just are leaving us hanging? I have a 2011 and creeping up on the 80k...I did do a pull the drain plug and replace cvt fluid i forget when but was between 45k-77k. The part they're talking about how the engine will lose performance is this the same thing as when you first start going and around 20mph or so the revs drop and it kind of goes sluggish for a bit or is that just the anti slip acting for the cvt? Mines been doing that since before I changed the fluid...I did call a while ago to a Suzuki dealer after getting the car about if there was any recalls for the cvt or flashing for it and they said they never heard anything and this used to be a Suzuki dealer which is now a kia dealer....but they worked on kizzys for a bit.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

"Recalls" and Technical Service Bulletins (or TSBs), are two very different things. Recalls are, more or less, mandatory safety issues and paid for by dealer and ASMC. TSBs point out corrective actions for problems or issues NOT necessarily having anything to do w/ 'safety' (read liability) and consequently on your dime to cover if the car is out of warranty. They may attempt to research your issue or complaint and discover a particular TSB related to your concern...if they care to. This is why forums like this one are critical to ownership. No one here is looking to make a buck by sharing knowledge. 9 times out of 10 my local Suzuki Service place had absolutely no clue about what TSBs were issued and for what reasons, or, even what makes the cars they sold tick. I've personally printed and given the service manager 3 TSBs over the years (alignment, shocks, and now this CVT fluid issue) he/they had no clue about. Expecting any dealer to know, or care to know, about their product to that level is sheer mis-guided thinking or expectation. Especially now, since they haven't sold the brand here for what, 6 years?
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
bdleonard
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:39 am

Ronzuki wrote:The Suzuki TSB on the subject is calling for between 15 -16k...
This is not what the TSB says . The TSB says that the Service Manual says that the fluid is supposed to be "inspected" and the level checked every 15625 miles ( SM actually states every 30000km (18k miles) or 24 months). The TSB says that the CVT fluid may be deteriorated after 30000 miles. Hence, I would take 30000 miles as the "severe" interval the TSB states for CVT fluid change.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

bdleonard wrote:
Ronzuki wrote:The Suzuki TSB on the subject is calling for between 15 -16k...
This is not what the TSB says . The TSB says that the Service Manual says that the fluid is supposed to be "inspected" and the level checked every 15625 miles ( SM actually states every 30000km (18k miles) or 24 months). The TSB says that the CVT fluid may be deteriorated after 30000 miles. Hence, I would take 30000 miles as the "severe" interval the TSB states for CVT fluid change.
You are technically correct. It doesn't, exactly.

However, as with most things in life, it's a matter of what is not being said in that TSB where the issue lies. 30k (the general norm for AT fluid service) would have been perfectly fine if they'd have stated that in the service schedule from the get go back in 2010. The dealers had no idea why Suzuki had CVT pan filters and gaskets in thier minimum required service parts inventory when there was no regularly scheduled service called for way back when. My dealer's parts manager had sent them back to Suzuki because they were not moving any and therefore deemed were not needed. Now 9 years later and 80-some thousand miles (for me, and is on the light side for age) and with a trans/converter full of cooked fluid, I was pretty much way beyond 30k 'severe' and that number is largely water under the bridge. Inspect the fluid every 15-18k/24mos...OK, great, how exactly, do you do that w/o draining it? The pooch has already long been screwed. w/o admitting any guilt or liability in the TSB, Suzuki's made a nebulous suggestion of "inspecting" the fluid. Fabulous. Inspect for what, exactly? And how, exactly? Pulling out the dip stick and wiping it on a rag? It's not engine oil, its thin and offers no indication that there's a problem, or not. Check the level? Not a TSB issue so why even mention something as ridiculous as that?. 15,625 miles...where'd they come up with that specific number? Not 15,000 or 15,500 but 15,625. Pretty specific number... Again, no explanation. If ya can't dazzle with brilliance, baffle with bullshit.

I could drain mine right now, and after only ~5k miles on the 3 drain/fill fluid service, it will most definitely come out a very dark smelly brown. A wise old mechanic once told me in my youth that "the solution to pollution is dilution". That's what the TSB is saying to me, loud and clear, with the nebulous info contained in it. Keep diluting the over-cooked fluid that should have come out 50-60k ago (again for mine) w/ fresh fluid and maybe there's a chance the trans will last longer for you. That's my take=away from the TSB. If 30k is 'severe', then what about all those w/ 100k+ on them that have never had it serviced? That would be known as 'catastrophic' because many are failing at that mileage.

I'll be repeating the process again in another 10-15k because I love the car and enjoy the hell out of driving it. I'll be doing the wife's SX4 for the first time at 56-57k here soon. There's nothing severe at all about the JF011E being applied in that much lighter and less powerful car, nor the way she drives it (polar opposite of how I drive the Kiz). So she's well beyond severe duty aye? We'll see what that fluid looks like when it comes out (inspection part of TSB). When it comes out, something has to go back in right?
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
bdleonard
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:39 am

Ronzuki wrote: 15,625 miles...where'd they come up with that specific number? Not 15,000 or 15,500 but 15,625. Pretty specific number... Again, no explanation. If ya can't dazzle with brilliance, baffle with bullshit.
15625 miles is occasionally the approximation used for 25000km, though most will just say 15000 miles.
Ronzuki wrote: We'll see what that fluid looks like when it comes out (inspection part of TSB). When it comes out, something has to go back in right?
Now you're being disingenuous. The "inspect" is clearly referring to CVT check described in the service manual which is:
• CVT fluid ----- level, leakage, color, smell
• CVT fluid cooler ----- leakage
• CVT fluid hoses ----- disconnection, looseness, deterioration
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

How does one truly inspect color, and smell, through a dipstick tube? Modern cars are even worse btw...they have none.

You drain the fluid...have a good look, dip your fingers in it and have a good feel, take a good whiff, then you fill it back up again. Who's going to put the same old nasty fluid back in? Hence draining and filling, at least once, every 15-16,000 miles to "inspect" right? That's all dandy if it's done routinely starting at the first 30k interval. Of course after 70, 80, 100k, once you see, feel and smell just how bad it is, then you're going to want to follow the TSB's recommended second and third drain/fill, correct? Then a shorter 15-20k? regimen to counter act the really nasty diluted fluid. All the while hoping too much damage hasn't occurred.

Disingenuous is issuing a TSB July 2017, which applies to all CVTs back to MY2010 after many, including myself, had complained to service about whining (my complaint) and other now realized fluid related issues long prior to that TSB. :roll:
July 2017 my car had ~70,000 miles on it according to my maint. log. I'm fairly positive there were many who had far greater mileage on the cars at that time.

Again, after 80-100000 plus miles, you can drain and fill the thing a dozen times, the fluid is going to come out looking and smelling bad. No way to TSB around that fact. Sure it'll get a little better each time, so you're going to have to service it far more frequently after not swapping any fluid at all for that many years and that many miles.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
rossirob73
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2019 11:06 am

Hi All
My Kiz is a 2011 model and is still under warrenty but not with Suzuki.

As we using different word meanings in Australia.

I gather you guys are saying to change the gearbox / transmission oil
Every 20 to 25 thousand km

Please confirm as i don't want my gearbox to crap out.

I have a feeling its never been done despite always going to dearer for services.

Tks guys

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