2010 Kizashi Problem & Suzuki Customer Service

Anything related to the Kizashi can go here, but please look at the other headings first. Your topic may fit better under something else.
Jessicas2010
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:16 pm

My 2010 Kizashi 117211 Miles, was lurching and sluggish this last Sunday 09/23/2018, I drove it off the freeway and limped it to the dealership and they have indicated I need a new transmission. Cost $9000. I have LOVED my car. It's now a boat anchor. Anyone want to buy it for parts?
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

motosonic wrote:
Ronzuki wrote:That's my plan...just like any other auto trans I've ever owned. Change the fluid at 30k intervals. Fluid is fluid, heat is heat. Heat wrecks fluids over time/miles, I don't caer what the manufacturers say, or don't, in the case of the Suzuki CVTs. Got over my fear of cracking it open. It has a drain plug and a fill tube, stands to reason it should be replaced. Just purchased 14 more quarts this past weekend to do the wife's SX4 (currently about 52k miles and never changed) and another round in the Kiz...probably in spring before the temps get really hot, since it went far too long on the factory fill.
Thank you
There a specific fluid I should tell the mechanic to get? and how much to fill? I thought I read something on here somewhere that said the Kizzy is picky about the fluid and how much you need to put in.
Thanks again!
Anything other than what it came with from the factory in the link below, and you're on your own.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4657
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)
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Jessicas2010 wrote:My 2010 Kizashi 117211 Miles, was lurching and sluggish this last Sunday 09/23/2018, I drove it off the freeway and limped it to the dealership and they have indicated I need a new transmission. Cost $9000. I have LOVED my car. It's now a boat anchor. Anyone want to buy it for parts?
Yeah that number doesn't surprise me at all. Sorry to hear of your loss (and what I'm hoping to avoid have happen to mine). What color is the car and where's it located?
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)
motosonic
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:16 pm

Ronzuki wrote:
motosonic wrote:
Ronzuki wrote:That's my plan...just like any other auto trans I've ever owned. Change the fluid at 30k intervals. Fluid is fluid, heat is heat. Heat wrecks fluids over time/miles, I don't caer what the manufacturers say, or don't, in the case of the Suzuki CVTs. Got over my fear of cracking it open. It has a drain plug and a fill tube, stands to reason it should be replaced. Just purchased 14 more quarts this past weekend to do the wife's SX4 (currently about 52k miles and never changed) and another round in the Kiz...probably in spring before the temps get really hot, since it went far too long on the factory fill.
Thank you
There a specific fluid I should tell the mechanic to get? and how much to fill? I thought I read something on here somewhere that said the Kizzy is picky about the fluid and how much you need to put in.
Thanks again!
Anything other than what it came with from the factory in the link below, and you're on your own.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4657
Oops, I accidentally submitted my reply as a PM! Sorry Ronzuki, please disregard! haha Those damn icons are so similar looking.

Thank you.

I wonder if anyone here has had any luck with any other CVT fluid? I doubt... that my mechanic is going to be able to get his hands on Suzuki branded CVT Fluid.
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Everyone keeps saying Nissans use 'the same Jatco JF011E' and they sell their own branded fluid. No idea whatsoever if the chemical composition is the same, or, even compatible. That's the risk of mixing dissimilar fluids of any kind.
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)
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Ronzuki wrote:Everyone keeps saying Nissans use 'the same Jatco JF011E' and they sell their own branded fluid. No idea whatsoever if the chemical composition is the same, or, even compatible. That's the risk of mixing dissimilar fluids of any kind.
While it's good to be cautious, the reality is that most automakers don't manufacture or even formulate the fluids for their components. In fact, most don't even design or manufacture the transmission as affiliate corporations do that. The Kizashi uses a JATCO unit because Suzuki is a shareholder in JATCO along with Nissan and Mitsubishi. Hence, the same CVT found in the Kizashi is also used in Nissan and Mitsubishi models. The CVT wasn't designed for the Kizashi but a classification of vehicles in the power and weight range. It's very evident when you visit the JATCO website and look at their CVT units and which vehicles have them.

As for fluid branding, it's really just that; branding. A separate company altogether is making the fluid and each automaker is labeling it as their own. While it's best to get Suzuki-branded fluid to avoid any error by getting the proper fluid, it's not like you should expect something different between Nissan and Suzuki fluid specified for the same CVT. Personally, I'd seek Suzuki fluid but not limit myself to it exclusively as it can be hard to find.

Only a few automakers really independently develop component systems on their own for their own. Honda is famously one of them. Hence, they've specified a bespoke power steering fluid for decades when everyone else essentially used ATF. They also design their automatic transmissions in-house instead of outsourcing that like most others.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
bdleonard
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:39 am

Ronzuki wrote:Everyone keeps saying Nissans use 'the same Jatco JF011E' and they sell their own branded fluid. No idea whatsoever if the chemical composition is the same, or, even compatible. That's the risk of mixing dissimilar fluids of any kind.
It is also sold as Nissan NS-2 fluid, and is all made by SOPUS (Shell). The Nissan NS-2 fluid is much easier to find. If you're out of warranty, then I would not be afraid of using any major brand aftermarket CVT fluid (Castrol, Volvoline, etc.) that lists Suzuki Green 1, Nissan NS-2, Mitsubishi J1, or Dodge/Jeep CVT+4 as a supported application as they all used the same JATCO transmissions. I've got the Castrol CVT fluid in my car, and there is no noticeable difference from the factory fluid other than being dyed red.
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Without a universal fluid spec to reference (much like engine oil), provided by the CVT manufacturer, how would ya know what is truly compatible for use in one CVT or the other? Manufacturers routinely alter things slightly in their 'models' of things for one customer vs. another. Just sayin'. Maybe the belt in the K's CVT is different than the one in a Nissan requiring an alteration in the fluid. Who knows. The K can take the Shell fluid called out somewhere. I challenge anyone to locate that fluid. I say again, there are two very different CVT assemblies installed in 4 years of Kizashi manufacture. Both Jatco JF011Es.

My tractor's alum. Kohler V-twin engine was a very popular model used in a lot of different equipment back then. Many are long since dead. the engine in my machine is sleeved (cast iron or steel), per Toro/Wheelhorse's spec. Same basic engine as the non-sleeved version with an entirely different life-span. My brother called BS (that it was sleeved) since he worked in equipment rental and had never torn one down that was sleeved. He bad mouthed the engine and said I was an idiot for buying a tractor w/ that engine in there. My manufacturers parts manual put an end to that argument by showing the sleeves. Same Kohler engine model, yet, very different.

All that said, I had looked into the Nissan fluid as an alternative/back-up to the Suzuki fluid in case I wasn't able to obtain it. Not ideal for me as I am opposed to mixing fluids of different types in anything. Knowing I couldn't completely swap it all out, I'd be mixing. My mission was to solve an issue and prolong the life of the unit w/ little to no risk of introducing more problems. I acquired the OE fluid easily and for roughly the same cost as the Nissan fluid online, and, I didn't have to pay shipping.

Contact your nearest Suzuki service center and see what they can do is all I'll say. bdleonard says he's used Valvoline. My ex-zuk dealer had that on the shelf as well, however, they service a lot of different brands there. Before and during the Suzuki days, they sold Mopar out of that store as well.
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)
User avatar
Woodie
Posts: 1167
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Laurel, MD

Jessicas2010 wrote:My 2010 Kizashi 117211 Miles, was lurching and sluggish this last Sunday 09/23/2018, I drove it off the freeway and limped it to the dealership and they have indicated I need a new transmission. Cost $9000. I have LOVED my car. It's now a boat anchor. Anyone want to buy it for parts?
That's a drag Jessicas2010. We're hearing more and more of that now that a lot of people are over 100K miles. $9,000 is completely outrageous though, a dealer is the absolute worst place to go if price is a factor.

I'd bet that an independant shop sourcing a junkyard transmission could do it for $4,000. Still ridiculous, but more within the value of the car.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Should be a convenience store, not a government agency
Post Reply