Kizashi Club

Hello all,
This is my first post on here, so if I'm doing anything wrong please let me know. I've got a 2010 GTS CVT with 95k miles on it, and I'm getting a faint whining noise from the transmission. Upon checking the fluid I found that it's lost all hints of red (but hasn't gone black), and has small black flecks in it. ~10k miles ago the fluid was brand new, and I just wanted to make sure that there's nothing too out of the ordinary going on. Am I cooked?

Yes, I'm fully aware of the track record of the JATCO CVTs and their tendency for failure before 100k miles.

Building off of that, I wanted to ask what changing ATF on the Kizashi looks like. Can it be done easily at home? What types of ATF are you guys using? Any and all insight would be appreciated, as I'm really not in a position to be getting a replacement transmission, and I want to get as much life out of this car as possible.
Thanks in advance

Attached is a pic of my car, if anyone cares

If you're anywhere near Pennsylvania (by near, I mean 500 miles), get your car to old tech. He's the Kizashi repair guy and has a specific fix for these obscene transmissions.

If not, read his writings on the matter and try to find a competent transmission shop who are secure enough in their own abilities to take advice from another, more experienced tech.

https://kizashiclub.com/forum/viewtopic ... 246#p56246

I actually live in central PA! I'll look into it, thanks for letting me know.

I'll second Woodie's advice and given you are in PA, you should certainly contact Old Tech. Your CVT appears to show signs of wear which is quite usual for these vehicles at their age and mileage. Also, the CVT fluid in these cars is typically green, not red.
If you want years of reliable, worry-free service from the Kizashi, you'll likely need the CVT upgrade that Old Tech does at a professional capacity.

Best of luck!

Huh, interesting you say that the fluid is supposed to be green. I checked it at the dealer I bought it from last year (fluid was bright red) looked like it had just been changed. You're telling me a used car salesman would do something questionable?
It's what I get for buying a CVT despite knowing better. Never again

ianaumi wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:10 am Huh, interesting you say that the fluid is supposed to be green. I checked it at the dealer I bought it from last year (fluid was bright red) looked like it had just been changed. You're telling me a used car salesman would do something questionable?
It's what I get for buying a CVT despite knowing better. Never again

just got my cvt fluid changed and it was honey color

CVT fluid from Toyota and Castrol are both red. The Castrol is said to be a good fluid in the Kizashi.

ianaumi wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:10 am Huh, interesting you say that the fluid is supposed to be green. I checked it at the dealer I bought it from last year (fluid was bright red) looked like it had just been changed. You're telling me a used car salesman would do something questionable?
It's what I get for buying a CVT despite knowing better. Never again

I can't say for certain in your case or many others with a fluid service, but the original fill is green for JATCO CVTs of the Kizashi's generation. Yours could have been replaced with a suitable fluid that happens to be red but I just wanted to mention that most CVT fluid used in the Kizashi is green.

All that being said, I have no personal experience with CVTs in the Kizashi as mine is a manual transmission model.

Regardless, your car is exhibiting concerning symptoms that might lead to CVT failure. If you want to keep the car long, consult Old Tech who professionally rebuilds these CVTs and replaces compromised components.

KuroNekko wrote: ↑Fri Jul 05, 2024 6:55 pm

ianaumi wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2024 12:10 am Huh, interesting you say that the fluid is supposed to be green. I checked it at the dealer I bought it from last year (fluid was bright red) looked like it had just been changed. You're telling me a used car salesman would do something questionable?
It's what I get for buying a CVT despite knowing better. Never again

I can't say for certain in your case or many others with a fluid service, but the original fill is green for JATCO CVTs of the Kizashi's generation. Yours could have been replaced with a suitable fluid that happens to be red but I just wanted to mention that most CVT fluid used in the Kizashi is green.

All that being said, I have no personal experience with CVTs in the Kizashi as mine is a manual transmission model.

Regardless, your car is exhibiting concerning symptoms that might lead to CVT failure. If you want to keep the car long, consult Old Tech who professionally rebuilds these CVTs and replaces compromised components.

It sucks, because I really do like this car. I'm a big fan of anything weird, obscure, or quirky, and this interest definitely extends to my taste in cars. My Kizashi has had a few minor problems I've been able to work around, but the CVT is a massive con against this car. As much as I'd like to drive it until the wheels fall off, I really just need it to survive a few more months until I'm in a position to get something else. I got this car in order to finish college after losing my previous car (2008 Subaru Outback 3.0R), but looking at old tech's convos with other owners, it doesn't look like something I can reasonably do at the moment. If my transmission does end up failing, I'll make sure to document it so other people know what to expect.

I can relate to the appeal of the Kizashi's uniqueness as I too like the obscure, oddball choices in consumer products. The Kizashi was a delightful surprise in the market when it came about. However, with the age of these now, there are worrisome matters such as CVTs failing and even parts availability as many specific OE parts have to be ordered from overseas at high costs.

If you decided you cannot invest in a proper inspection and fix for the CVT soon, perhaps a fluid change can help extend the life of the trans until you can replace the vehicle or actually fix it. There are posts on this forum that detail the process of changing fluid yourself.

Best of luck.