How Does A Cvt Transmission Work

Imagine the CVT like a bicycle's gear system. It's made up of a pulley system, with cones at each pulley, all connected by a chain belt. These cones move closer together or further apart to increase or decrease the diameter at which the belt operates. The ratio here is important, and is selected automatically based on factors like gas pedal position, vehicle speed and engine speed. What all this means is that a CVT doesn't shift at all like a traditional gearbox. The ratios are always changing in order to find the perfect combination for speed, fuel efficiency or both. Some CVTs even come with buttons to help shift between pre-set ratios which helps mimic a traditional automatic. The first time you drive a car with a CVT, you'll know.

The feel of a CVT can be odd. The rpm of the engine can fluctuate a lot while driving, especially when accelerating. Or when accelerating hard, they'll just sit unchanged at a lofty rpm level while the car pulls forward. Compared to an automatic or manual transmission, a CVT is much smoother. Feeling like one really long gear, in reality its a nearly infinite collection of gears all meshed together.

CVT transmissions are now failing at a high rate since miles are showing the weakness of the system. Nissan extended there warranties to 10 year /120,000 miles on vehicles built between 2008 and 2010. Not all parts are available to rebuild or remanufacture these units at our shops. Please contact Benchmark Transmission & Auto Care for all your CVT needs.