new to the club bought a 2010 with transmission problems

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pez1077
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:58 am

hi all i am about to pick up a 2010 Kizashi tomorrow with transmission problems and i wanted some advice on what to look for. it is stuck in low gear and i am a very mechanical person who has rebuilt a nissan automatic transmission before but have never played with a CVT. from what i understand it drives but just dosen't shift. All of my research seems to point to a bad stepper motor but is there a code i need to be looking for?
pez1077
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:58 am

how do i know if i just have a stepper motor failure? forgive my ignorance of the CVT i'm new to the club. i have a 2010 kizashi that is stuck in low gear. i got it dirt cheap and its in cherry condition. 145000 miles starts and drives but will not shift up. will the car still move if it was a pump failure? i can rebuild it i just need to know where to start.
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n8dogg
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:20 am

Never heard of anyone successfully repairing a CVT. I like to work on my cars too, but I'd run away from a CVT with known issues, even if only minor.
'12 Kizashi SLS AWD w/RF sound
easy to chip Vivid Red and 25% window tint
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus II
Power Stop Rotors and Pads
183,xxx miles and still lovin it!
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Not sure if you are going to be able to see specific CVT codes unless you have a Suzuki SDT2 scan tool. Others here on the forum may be able to chime in on my suspicion...at least one person here has created their own functioning SDT scan 'tool' and may be able to offer insight on what exactly it can provide over your standard OBDII codes.

Also, check this site for the FSM link. The FSM has fairly good if/then/else diag procedures that may confirm or deny your faulty stepper suspicion. That process will reveal if are truly required to possess the SDT 'tool'. The stepper would be directly controlled via the TCM, which could be the problem itself (there have been recalls or TSBs issued against the TCMs). Could possibly be a wiring issue within the trans or between the trans and TCM. Electrical components awash in hot trans fluid...what could go wrong? Not philosophy I'd advocate for in a machine's design that would be expected to last any decent length of time.

As n8dogg stated, I too would run away from any used car's CVT issue, and not just a Kizashi. Even if it were mine, and I'm the original owner of my car, know the car's history and how I've driven and serviced it. A failure such as you describe, for me, is grounds to call it as "it's been a great car and thoroughly enjoyed the ride", then, unfortunately, scrap the car. The juice would not be worth the squeeze, or the dollars, or the aggravation that will be involved, with little in the way of a favorable guaranteed outcome, IMHO.

Unless, of course, you are looking at the purchase as a challenge, don't mind throwing money and time at it or are strictly viewing the repair from a tinkering/learning/hobby perspective.
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)
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5165
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Hi and welcome,

First, I merged your other post on the same topic here. Please only post about the same topic in one place. This way, replies and views are consolidated and work to help you. For example, people who only saw this thread now know that your car has 145,000 miles.

As for your issue: I can only agree with the others. CVTs that don't work should be avoided as much as possible. You don't know what the problem is and quite frankly, getting the specific parts you need would be quite a challenge too. You'd likely have to source used parts from compatible CVTs that have been taken out and opened. Dealers typically didn't even bother fixing CVTs and replaced them entirely when major problems were present. That's a typical process for any CVT regardless of vehicle make and model.

Another concern is the value aspect. You're going to be spending quite some money and time getting a car to run that is literally worth next to nothing. A used Suzuki Kizashi with 145,000 miles with a broken CVT is probably worth $700 at the highest and mostly as a part-out car. While I'm all for fixing issues with junkers to get them running, CVTs haven't proven to be easy fixes for people. Unless you're very mechanically inclined and have the resources to source all kinds of parts, you'll likely have a difficult time getting this car to run properly. In essence, unless you're a professional mechanic, it may be a major headache. That being said, I don't know you and I don't know what's wrong with the car so just maybe it's something that can be fixed without too much drama and you got yourself an awesome car. We members here are simply voicing our concern given we've around long enough to see most CVT issues end up as catastrophic failures that require the entire CVT to be replaced. Most who intended to fix/replace it them themselves didn't end up doing it, likely because they realized the hassle and cost wasn't worth the dismal resale value of the car.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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