I bought my car used and it has about 80,000 miles on it. Right after I purchased the car, the transmission needed replaced (it was under warranty). Recently, I feel like the transmission is starting to slip. The engine will rev, and the RPMs do not drop. It feels like it was not shifting gears at all. It continues to rev loudly after I let off the gas. The replacement transmission is still under warranty, and I took it to the mechanic to be looked at. They said that is a Continuously Variable Transmission, and it is not supposed to shift gears at all, and that everything I reported was normal. I am still feeling worried, though. Are these things normal?
Hi there, they are correct in stating that it has a continuously variable transmission (CVT). These types of transmission do not in fact shift gears, because they use an adjustable gear ratio instead of shifting to different gears. This makes them feel kind of weird when you’re driving, because the RPMs don’t move much. If the vehicle is still moving forward normally while you’re driving, it could be operating correctly. CVT transmissions are notorious for failures though, and just because they say it’s normal, does not mean it is. They may say everything is ok to avoid replacing it under warranty again. I would suggest you get a second opinion on your transmission concern from a qualified technician.
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