At 7:50, the CVT Murano has difficulty going up the hill. I'm wondering if all Nissan CVT are programmed not to allow any wheelspin at all. What if you take your Maxima onto a seriously steep hill, stop, and try to go up again?

Dr J

 

Interesting video. Really surprised at the Murano hill climb. Too bad.

 

I'm not sure if all CVT are designed the same, but I found some information on another website. Oh my gosh, CVT are a huge fail, check out some of these do's and don't's.

Don't overload the vehicle. An overloaded vehicle causes excess slippage/heat to the belt (especially when starting uphill).
Try to stop on level surfaces or in a downhill direction (reduces belt wear over the long term).
If you ever smell something burning, stop the vehicle (its probably the belt).
If the CVT or powertrain begins to vibrate beyond normal, don't continue to drive.

HILLS

If starting uphill from a stop, use the brake until the transmission engages (don't let the vehicle roll back as you push the throttle)
Don't utilize the throttle to resist rolling backward (as people do with cars when on an incline)
Use the brake to resist backward motion AND release the brake as you press down the throttle
If you must go up a steep hill, get a running start (don't try to start from a dead stop)
When going down a steep hill, it is fine to allow the CVT to engage so that you have engine braking
If possible, stop the vehicle on flat ground or on a slight decline.
If pointed uphill when parked, accelerate firmly for 1 second (this allows the belt to grab without slipping).
If on a hill or heavily loaded, ask bystanders to help push the vehicle into motion as you press the throttle (as people did with the Model T’s). This reduces stress on the belt and powertrain.

IF STUCK AND VEHICLE IS IMMOBILIZED

Don't continue to push the throttle (a common way that belts are damaged)
Ask others to push the vehicle back and forth (accelerate during the forward motion only) or, have several people remove the obstacle or, use a hand-winch or cable-come-along (keep one with you if in rough terrain)

OTHER

Do not tow the vehicle on the drive wheels
Do not tow other vehicles
When parked, always remove wheel chocks instead of driving over them.
Storing, park the vehicle on level ground, turn off engine, and use wheel chocks.
If driving up a step or curb, hit the curb at 1 mph (and accelerate as each wheel contacts the curb).
If possible, hit the curb at an angle (so each rear wheel climbs the curb separately)
Do not get to the curb, stop completely, and then floor it

Dr J

 

Is this info. directed at Nissans, or cars with CVT in general.

Either way, it's another reason not to get the CVT.

 

Wow CVT is such a fail.

 

I nearly bought a '00s Legacy when I was shopping, I bought the '00 Max instead.

I discovered that the Legacy's had weird coolant leaking issues in the head that bordered on lemon-ish.

I do think that their AWD is the best around. Who knows, I may pop for one of those ugly TriBecas someday for winter driving.

 

No, but a quick google of cvt hill gives interesting accounts of CVT's doing weird things. I'm wondering if anybody's ever had issues with their CVT on a serious hill, such as Parallel parking on a steep incline. I dunno exactly how many degrees San Francisco's hills are, but steep enough to make parallel parking my 5sp challenging.

OT posts go into the OT forum. Please stay on topic and contribute positively to threads.

Dr J

 

Wow, so this is the future? CVT!?

Good thing I like old models rather than the most current models

 

I think it's agreed that CVT is fantastic for maximizing fuel. However, in certain situations, such as going off-road, I don't think CVT is the best.

But, somehow, Jeep uses CVT in their top of the line 4x4. So I wonder how they handle these situations?

Dr J

 

Wow that's a terrible display of abilities. Well at least it didn't roll back...

 

CVTs are just a way for Nissan to charge you more when your **** breaks.

I just think it's odd that people actually prefer the CVT over old, geared transmissions. I hate them. It feels awkward to coast down the road and not feel the nice, quick shifts of an AT, or the lurch of a MT when rowing through the gears.

 

yeah ive been hearing from alot of people they dont like CVT

 

What do you supposed is going on? Is there a torque converter in there that would overheat? Is the cvt "belt" slipping? Does the engine stall?

Dr J

 

Didn't anybody catch the quick mention of the fact that it was a Subaru "sales person" driving the cars, not an actual "trained driver"? And I'm willing to bet had he not stopped on that steep hill, in the sand (2 strikes, 3 if you count the driver) that all the vehicles would have climbed it.

Marketing 101 +1 for the Subara sales team.

 

Fortunately for those of us here with front wheel drive sedans, we wouldn't even consider climbing a hill like that in our Maxima's. However, that's a true disappointment in the Murano...it's and off road vehicle, and it just doesn't do off road.

Food for thought, CVT in a car / grocery getta' is fine. Performance off road, CVT is not your option. At least not yet.

I'm interested to read more about the Jeep with the CVT however.

 

The Murano is hardly an offroad SUV. It's really just a big, glorified car for carting people around in. Sort of like an Escape or a Rendezvous.

The Xterra is Nissan's offroad vehicle.

 

So you're saying the sales guy applied 25% throttle and didn't even try? I've thought about that, and I think Nissan woulda issued a statement regarding defamation. I'd agree with you in some of the other "tests" in the video, but I'm only referring to the hill climb. I think in the Toyota owners manual, they state to hold the gas pedal 50%, not sure what the Murano says, if anything at all.

So you're saying in a CVT Maxima, it would or would not be able to climb a 35degree incline from a dead stop?

Regarding Jeep CVT, check this out: http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/how_systems_work/

Dr J

 

I don't know, 35degree, slipery dirt slope isn't on my list of things to do with a front wheel drive sedan, nor is it on the list of the majority of sedan owners, that's all my point is...

It's not like there's that frequent need to do something like that in a car. Not to mention, even getting onto a hill like that, front or rear bumper will likely be damaged, or at very least rubbed.

Thanks for the jeep link. I'll research it in a bit...

 

I hear ya. 35deg isn't out of the ordinary. I mentioned the streets of San Franscisco, ever been there? They have stop signs and stop lights every block on scary vertical hills. People in their automatic transmissions roll backwards.

As for the slippery dirt slope, it's even more common in SF. When rain gets on those crosswalk lines, they're seriously slippery.

I hope that murano has some type of LSD, but I don't believe CVT Maximas have LSD. Correct me if I' wrong. So if that murano's having issues, I wonder how a Maxima would handle inclines.

Dr J

 

this. granted subaru has a better awd system than murano, they didn't need to exaggerate it by letting off the gas 3 inches up the hill

 

 

We had a 2003 Murano and our house has a steep driveway (not as steep as the video). In the winter when there was ice on the drive the Murano would move sort of sideways when the AWS system would kick in, but could make it to the top. Our I30 would just slide backwards into the street.

 

Nothing worse than biased automotive promotion videos. Subarus are gay anyhow.

 

The video is bullsh1t. Its a promo thing. I have a hard time believing the Volvo just spun from moving in one direction.

 

I just love how the guy comments on "how hard" the traction control system is working or "how much effort" is required between the cars that made it up the hill and rollers, when all they're doing it taking it up a hill and flooring it. Obviously the Subaru performed all the tests "with ease", its very poorly justified.

But it is a shame that the Murano couldn't even make it up the hill, towing capacity on it must be horrible as well.

 

For the modding community, yes.

For general population to drive there 7th gen down the road, no.

Off roading, yes.

 

Up a really steep hill w/passengers and luggage?

Dr J

 

CVT's are now warrantied for 120K miles...don't think they are having too many issues with them breaking.

 

Well, at least in this video, CVT makes it out alive



Anybody take their CVT onto snow yet? I know Quaife LSD with 5sp manual works in deep snow.

Dr J

 

my 2010 maxima works great in the snow i never experienced any slipping and i have also went up some hills and never had to slam on the gas. like someone said it was a promo

 

since it was sales people driving, i wonder if they actually had the Murano AWD button engaged or if they were trying to get the AWD to kick in by itself? I have an 05 with AWD and rarely do i see it kick in automatically. however it is strange that it just wasn't doing anything at all...

 

Wow right after the Murano went, they say that that part of the test is not even driven by professionals

 

since the driving in the first video was done by sales associates i would have to watch better/unbiased test videos to go ahead and conclude CVT=absoulute crap on hills....what do you think, car companies don't try putting the car through similar tests before selling it in the market?

the second video wit the outlander n the rogue...i don't have much to say....got a 2010 V6 outlander in the family n still waiting for its first heavy snow encounter to see how it'll treat us

 

Assuming sales person vs professional. How much error could occur? You're stopped at the bottom of a hill, how do you get to the top? You press the gas down. If it's not going, you give it more gas. What would a pro do that the avg sales guy wouldn't?

I agree. That's why I was wondering if any CVT Maximas have encountered similar situation: Completely stopped on an incline, and trying to get moving again. Apparently no CVT maxima.org enthusiast wants to admit this fault. Aren't all new Maxima CVT? Shouldn't more members be chiming in on this?

As for the Outlander, you've got gears. The Rogue had CVT.

Dr J

 

On my way back from Cali to Las Vegas, back when I had my 08 Altima, I was doin about 85 (cruise control on) and for some reason when I was climbing one of the steep hills the car started slowing down. I was like "WTF! Stupid cruise control turned off or somethin!" When I pushed the gas the car wouldn't move any faster and RPMs wouldn't go over 3k, only until I put the gearshift into Shift Mode and back to drive it would reset itself and worked fine...til I got to another hill. It was like the CVT was overheating or somethin. Took it in to my dealer and there was no past codes thrown and could not duplicate the problem.

Coincidentally, there was two girls next to me talking to the other Service Advisor about the same issue coming from California that morning, except theirs broke down and had to have it towed to the dealer.