2014 Spark CVT

[Skids 108]

ive found (with the boggin down issue) or have experimented.. remove the pipe from the air box connected to the airbox resonator, and the snorkel from the airbox to the hood/front bumper and you get much better throttle response, performance, and higher mpg. for 15 minutes of work with a socket set, phillips head screwdriver and no money, best improvement you can do. only con is the engine will be much louder. once you pass 2k rpm its noticeable, over 3k and it gets really loud. thats about it.in my opion it sounds kinda cool like you got a little rice burner, also it lets you know when youre using too much gas and to let off the throttle to help with mpg improvments by just sound and not having to watch the tach.

[tishpit 14]

I bought my 2014 Spark last December and have nearly 14,000 miles on it. Loved this car initially, but it has been an overall disappointment in how it drives. On the test drive, it accelerated great and handled like a fun little go cart. But as time went by, I was getting this "lurching" behavior when going very slowly, like in a parking lot. This was especially noticeable after filling it up at a gas station. Tried different types of gas and ran Shell for months (top tier), added Techron, and it still bucks like a wild horse. Used Sunoco and seemed to minimize lurching. But now, it is hesitating from a stop... yesterday, I nearly got hit when I pressed on the accelerator to merge into traffic and it just sat there!!! Several seconds delay until it moved, though the RPM's went up, the car just sat there! I took it in for the a/c and PVC recall... dealership is a pain... had the car 4 1/2 hours and did nothing because they didn't have the parts for the recall! Really? The next day, I noticed my fog lights were now not working (worked before I took it to dealership). They contacted me that the parts for the PVC repair is in, but nothing on the a/c. It's been about 3 weeks. So going to go to another dealership as I've Lemon Lawed a car many years ago (Metro) with this dealership for failure to repair warranty parts. Mileage is good, but not what it was getting when new... avg. 38 MPG in suburban driving on flat terrain with a/c on. So... will call Monday to try to get an appointment with a Chevy dealer that is about 24 miles away. The dealership where I bought the car is almost 100 miles from me, but they treated me great and the deal was worth the drive. So... will let y'all know what happens. But for now, I would not recommend this car due to the possibly unsafe hesitation and lagging performance that it did NOT display when test driving.

[bmf.whoo 0]

The bogging down is most likely an issue with compression in the engine. Lack of a proper fuel/air mix.......I do believe I have read something about some pistons being improperly milled and installed regardless. This would manifest with greater frequency and intensity with every additional mile. Less than 1mm off and you've got a problem. Expensive problem to fix, easy one to avoid or ignore.........hopefully not a very common issue......but apparently not?

As far as bogging down as a result of the transmission.....perhaps this is a result of the CVT transmission....but in this instance more likely related to software than mechanics......haphazard programming leading to difficultly managing the power band perhaps? If the car is running even remotely smooth, it's probably not a timing issue.

Mine is a five speed......I have stalled the car in stop/start situations several times.....not something I have done driving a standard h-pattern in 15 years. I am aware that this could be the manner in which the afforementioned engine problem could manifest in conjunction with the manual transmission.....though having greater control over the power output would make this loss of power easier to negate, so it's probably a lack of experience with no effort to adjust my driving thus far.

You can expand your search to the Daewoo Matiz (sp?) and I think the Opel Adam, I believe both cars share some similar equipment and over-all design. If either model experiences similar problems you might be able to find an answer there. Though, the engine and tranmission may not be entirely identical across all three cars, and if the issue is related to bad manufacturing of components, it stands to reason that both Dae Woo and Opel variants wouldn't have the same issue as the components would be sourced from a different location.

Good luck. With my experience....the more complex something mechanical is, the more complex are it's problems. Though possible, it's a lot harder to screw up a standard tranmission than an automatic....especially an automatic with further driving aids.

Scary thoughts man. These sub-compacts probably vaporize under the force of a semi-truck.

Edited November 12, 2014 by bmf.whoo

[mcdog87 0]

I have a 2014 spark (5 speed) that I purchased in 4/2014. I have just over 9,000 miles. After driving it, for say,

20-30 minuets, there is severe hesitation and shimmering when accelerating from a stop. I dropped it off with the

dealer but they said that they could not re-create the issue. This did not surprise me because it sat overnight on

their lot and they probably did not drive it for the necessary 20-30 minutes. They told me to "bring it in when you have

the problem". But when I did that, the service department told me that they were too busy to help!!! I take the highway to

work in the morning and have no problems. I take back road home at night and it's not a relaxing ride!!! It's very frustrating

knowing that I'm only in my first year of a five year payment plan. My prior car was a 5-speed Chevy Aveo that I drove for 8 years

and never had transmission problems with.

[WaltK 305]

Having a 4sp. auto, I really can't offer much help, but if you are not satisfied with your dealer, contact Customer Care located here on the forum at http://chevysparkforum.com/user/829-chevrolet-customer-care/ They are extremely helpful.

[Chevrolet Customer Care 25]

I have a 2014 spark (5 speed) that I purchased in 4/2014. I have just over 9,000 miles. After driving it, for say,

20-30 minuets, there is severe hesitation and shimmering when accelerating from a stop. I dropped it off with the

dealer but they said that they could not re-create the issue. This did not surprise me because it sat overnight on

their lot and they probably did not drive it for the necessary 20-30 minutes. They told me to "bring it in when you have

the problem". But when I did that, the service department told me that they were too busy to help!!! I take the highway to

work in the morning and have no problems. I take back road home at night and it's not a relaxing ride!!! It's very frustrating

knowing that I'm only in my first year of a five year payment plan. My prior car was a 5-speed Chevy Aveo that I drove for 8 years

and never had transmission problems with.

Hey there,

Very sorry for this! We would be happy to look into this further for you, and reach out to the dealership. Please feel free to send us a private message along with your VIN, current mileage, contact information and preferred dealership. Looking forward to your response.

Patsy G

Chevrolet Customer Care

[robdotexe 0]

I have had my 2014 1LT for a month and a half and overall I like it a lot but I have a question.

Sometimes when leaving from a stop it does not want to accelerate, I have to floorboard it when it does this and then the transmission acts like it downshifts and the car takes off. This is very dangerous because I never know when it will happen. I just have 2600 miles on it.

I am having the exact same problem!! Every time I take it in they say that it is "normal operation" for the CVT. I feel like I got f'd over by Chevrolet!!

[spark2014 5]

I've have noticed this condition too ,but I also did some experimenting with my cvt I've noticed if you don't come to a complete stop it doesn't start in its lowest range ,I've realized if you come to a complete stop with your foot on the brakes then release the brakes with a slight delay before you hit the gas peddle it seems to start in its lowest range , this has been my experience

[tishpit 14]

I'm back with an update. I now have 22,000 on my 2014 Spark LT1 CVT. I thought I resolved the lurching, hesitating issue by using mid-grade gas. It seemed to make a huge difference and I was thrilled! BUT... here is what I've learned: I made this change in fall and I live in SW Florida, so the temps were cooling down. I've tried all kinds of gas, from cheapy Wal-Mart (Murphy's) to top tier Shell. I found Sunoco to work best on my Spark... why? I have no clue. With nearly being hit when pulling out into traffic and the car hesitated so bad that it was moving at hardly any forward speed (and I was SCARED to death, but the other car braked in time and didn't hit me), I tried to put some mid-grade gas in, having read that some small, hard-working engines (a la Smart ForTwo) need a higher octane gas. I filled her up with Sunoco mid-grade. As time progressed, my Spark ran much better. NO hesitation! NO lurching at very low speeds. NO bunny hopping. WOW... I found the "cure!" But just in these past few days, the ugly behavior is starting up again. But I'm still using Sunoco mid-grade??? Well, it is also now in the 90's during the day. Could the outside temperature affect driveability? It appears this may be an issue!!!

So... in 22,000 miles, here is the run down of Good and Bad:

GOOD:

** Mileage averaging 39.9 MPG mixed driving, level, little a/c, temps range 50's - 80's

** Still comfortable and holds a lot with back seat down, including a 75 lb. Goldendoodle!

** Cute looking and handles well

** LOW payments for a new car

** MyLink works great

** Reliable in that it always starts right up & gets me from Point A to Point B

BAD:

** Reoccurring hesitation that can make it dangerous when pulling out into traffic

** A/C recall done, but same problem exists: only "cool" at stops, colder on acceleration, fan power is weak so must keep it on 3 or 4 just to keep driver comfortable. Rest of car gets warm. Not good in Florida summer! And all windows are tinted as dark as legal.

** Bizarre "bunny hop" or lurching at very slow, parking lot speeds of like 1 - 6 MPH

** Dealerships in my area have horrible service! Had three recalls, and the car was in 5 times: first dealer had car for 1/2 day for a/c recall and didn't have parts after making appt. for recall a week earlier and fog lights did not work after they "worked" on it., second dealer did recall on a/c and PVC and drove off the lot to find a/c not working at all... had to return... after 1 1/2 more hours, a/c was working and they reconnected fog lights, next recall was hood latch... took it to dealer and had latch and oil change and tire rotation (third change and rotation), got car back and making odd noise and vibration in front wheel, had to take back again to dealer who said it was cupping in tire due to not rotating enough! Ugh... don't think so... now with the return of lurching and hesitating, trying yet another dealer next week for that as well as the wheel/axle noise, and ongoing a/c issue. This will be 6th visit to dealerships within a year's time for recall, service issues, or problem. MORE than any other new car I've ever bought, except for my only other Chevy I bought new (2001 Metro) that I had to Lemon Law due to poor dealership service depts. unwilling/unable to repair properly.

Well, we will see what this other dealership does with it next week. All these times in the shop and no loaner, but thankfully I have a second vehicle or I'd be missing work like crazy. I like the car overall, but the driveability issues are making me take a look at a Ford C-Max... better MPG, more room, there is a very good Ford dealership near me with excellent service dept., just hate to take a $$$ hit on the Spark and have higher payments. Will update y'all next week!

[Chevrolet Customer Care 25]

I'm back with an update. I now have 22,000 on my 2014 Spark LT1 CVT. I thought I resolved the lurching, hesitating issue by using mid-grade gas. It seemed to make a huge difference and I was thrilled! BUT... here is what I've learned: I made this change in fall and I live in SW Florida, so the temps were cooling down. I've tried all kinds of gas, from cheapy Wal-Mart (Murphy's) to top tier Shell. I found Sunoco to work best on my Spark... why? I have no clue. With nearly being hit when pulling out into traffic and the car hesitated so bad that it was moving at hardly any forward speed (and I was SCARED to death, but the other car braked in time and didn't hit me), I tried to put some mid-grade gas in, having read that some small, hard-working engines (a la Smart ForTwo) need a higher octane gas. I filled her up with Sunoco mid-grade. As time progressed, my Spark ran much better. NO hesitation! NO lurching at very low speeds. NO bunny hopping. WOW... I found the "cure!" But just in these past few days, the ugly behavior is starting up again. But I'm still using Sunoco mid-grade??? Well, it is also now in the 90's during the day. Could the outside temperature affect driveability? It appears this may be an issue!!!

So... in 22,000 miles, here is the run down of Good and Bad:

GOOD:

** Mileage averaging 39.9 MPG mixed driving, level, little a/c, temps range 50's - 80's

** Still comfortable and holds a lot with back seat down, including a 75 lb. Goldendoodle!

** Cute looking and handles well

** LOW payments for a new car

** MyLink works great

** Reliable in that it always starts right up & gets me from Point A to Point B

BAD:

** Reoccurring hesitation that can make it dangerous when pulling out into traffic

** A/C recall done, but same problem exists: only "cool" at stops, colder on acceleration, fan power is weak so must keep it on 3 or 4 just to keep driver comfortable. Rest of car gets warm. Not good in Florida summer! And all windows are tinted as dark as legal.

** Bizarre "bunny hop" or lurching at very slow, parking lot speeds of like 1 - 6 MPH

** Dealerships in my area have horrible service! Had three recalls, and the car was in 5 times: first dealer had car for 1/2 day for a/c recall and didn't have parts after making appt. for recall a week earlier and fog lights did not work after they "worked" on it., second dealer did recall on a/c and PVC and drove off the lot to find a/c not working at all... had to return... after 1 1/2 more hours, a/c was working and they reconnected fog lights, next recall was hood latch... took it to dealer and had latch and oil change and tire rotation (third change and rotation), got car back and making odd noise and vibration in front wheel, had to take back again to dealer who said it was cupping in tire due to not rotating enough! Ugh... don't think so... now with the return of lurching and hesitating, trying yet another dealer next week for that as well as the wheel/axle noise, and ongoing a/c issue. This will be 6th visit to dealerships within a year's time for recall, service issues, or problem. MORE than any other new car I've ever bought, except for my only other Chevy I bought new (2001 Metro) that I had to Lemon Law due to poor dealership service depts. unwilling/unable to repair properly.

Well, we will see what this other dealership does with it next week. All these times in the shop and no loaner, but thankfully I have a second vehicle or I'd be missing work like crazy. I like the car overall, but the driveability issues are making me take a look at a Ford C-Max... better MPG, more room, there is a very good Ford dealership near me with excellent service dept., just hate to take a $$$ hit on the Spark and have higher payments. Will update y'all next week!

Hi Tishpit,

We truly apologize for the ongoing concern involving your Spark. If you would like any additional assistance, we would be more than happy to look into this further for you. Also, we can certainly contact the dealership you work with on your behalf as well. Feel free to send us a private message including your VIN, current mileage, contact information and preferred dealership. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Patsy G

Chevrolet Customer Care

[Retired old Gearhead 201]

Cups or scalloped dips appearing around the edge of the tread on one side or the other, almost always indicate worn (sometimes bent) suspension parts. Adjustment of wheel alignment alone will seldom cure the problem. Any worn component that connects the wheel to the car (ball joint, wheel bearing, shock absorber, springs, bushings, etc.) can cause this condition. Worn components should be replaced with new ones.

[tishpit 14]

OUTCOME: Got car back this morning and here is the outcome from the third dealer. First, I must say, the service rep. was very nice and even provided me with a loaner for yesterday. He was sympathetic and did not treat me like I was crazy or hallucinating. However, their service techs said the same thing: tires cupped, may need alignment. Why did the tires go bad??? No idea... drive on nice, smooth Florida roads, no potholes, no "off-roading" or hitting curbs, etc. Steering wheel aligns straight and car does not pull in any direction. Noise is now louder, or at least it seems that way and you can feel it in the floor of the car...kinda like a thudding/rubbing sound. As for the hesitation, lurchy behavior at slow or drifting speeds, a/c fluctuation... tech wrote that there were no error codes or TSB's to address these issues, could not duplicate, car operating as is customary for this vehicle. So.... nada. I was not surprised, but I was hopeful that they would find out something, especially about the hesitation. The service rep. said that since it is intermittent, it may help to bring it in right away when it is exhibiting the behavior so they can catch it "in the act." That is hard as I drive a lot for work (2,000 miles/month) and cannot just drop everything and run to the dealership, though I do understand their sentiment. Also, temps. happened to be cooler yesterday and this morning, it drove fine. My BF's Spark, also a 2014, does the same thing at times. But he drives his very little (9,000 miles on it) and so he said it's not a big deal for his driving.

So... I was down-heartened and stopped on the way home at the Ford dealer. Drove a new Ford C-Max and just fell in love with it! Mileage is as good or better than the Spark, but in every other way ran rings around the Spark. Now granted, we are talking about a car that costs $10,000 more! That's a lot of money. And for it, you get great comfort, ride, handling, and more room and great MPG's. So... will see how it goes. If I get to the point of having enough of the Spark's bad behavior, I can see a Ford in my future. Although, I will say, the Spark is still cuter!

[Chevrolet Customer Care 25]

OUTCOME: Got car back this morning and here is the outcome from the third dealer. First, I must say, the service rep. was very nice and even provided me with a loaner for yesterday. He was sympathetic and did not treat me like I was crazy or hallucinating. However, their service techs said the same thing: tires cupped, may need alignment. Why did the tires go bad??? No idea... drive on nice, smooth Florida roads, no potholes, no "off-roading" or hitting curbs, etc. Steering wheel aligns straight and car does not pull in any direction. Noise is now louder, or at least it seems that way and you can feel it in the floor of the car...kinda like a thudding/rubbing sound. As for the hesitation, lurchy behavior at slow or drifting speeds, a/c fluctuation... tech wrote that there were no error codes or TSB's to address these issues, could not duplicate, car operating as is customary for this vehicle. So.... nada. I was not surprised, but I was hopeful that they would find out something, especially about the hesitation. The service rep. said that since it is intermittent, it may help to bring it in right away when it is exhibiting the behavior so they can catch it "in the act." That is hard as I drive a lot for work (2,000 miles/month) and cannot just drop everything and run to the dealership, though I do understand their sentiment. Also, temps. happened to be cooler yesterday and this morning, it drove fine. My BF's Spark, also a 2014, does the same thing at times. But he drives his very little (9,000 miles on it) and so he said it's not a big deal for his driving.

So... I was down-heartened and stopped on the way home at the Ford dealer. Drove a new Ford C-Max and just fell in love with it! Mileage is as good or better than the Spark, but in every other way ran rings around the Spark. Now granted, we are talking about a car that costs $10,000 more! That's a lot of money. And for it, you get great comfort, ride, handling, and more room and great MPG's. So... will see how it goes. If I get to the point of having enough of the Spark's bad behavior, I can see a Ford in my future. Although, I will say, the Spark is still cuter!

Hey tishpit,

I'm very happy to hear that you had a good experience at this dealership. I understand that it's an inconvenience to keep bringing it into the dealership when you need it for work. Unfortunately, until the technicians can duplicate the concern, they will not be able to plan for the necessary repairs. We recommend that you continue to work closely with your dealership. You are welcome to also private message us your VIN and contact information so we continue this discussion further. I'm more than glad to look further into this for you so I hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Vivian K.

Chevrolet Customer Care

[Retired old Gearhead 201]

OUTCOME: Got car back this morning and here is the outcome from the third dealer. First, I must say, the service rep. was very nice and even provided me with a loaner for yesterday. He was sympathetic and did not treat me like I was crazy or hallucinating. However, their service techs said the same thing: tires cupped, may need alignment. Why did the tires go bad??? No idea... drive on nice, smooth Florida roads, no potholes, no "off-roading" or hitting curbs, etc. Steering wheel aligns straight and car does not pull in any direction. Noise is now louder, or at least it seems that way and you can feel it in the floor of the car...kinda like a thudding/rubbing sound. As for the hesitation, lurchy behavior at slow or drifting speeds, a/c fluctuation... tech wrote that there were no error codes or TSB's to address these issues, could not duplicate, car operating as is customary for this vehicle. So.... nada. I was not surprised, but I was hopeful that they would find out something, especially about the hesitation. The service rep. said that since it is intermittent, it may help to bring it in right away when it is exhibiting the behavior so they can catch it "in the act." That is hard as I drive a lot for work (2,000 miles/month) and cannot just drop everything and run to the dealership, though I do understand their sentiment. Also, temps. happened to be cooler yesterday and this morning, it drove fine. My BF's Spark, also a 2014, does the same thing at times. But he drives his very little (9,000 miles on it) and so he said it's not a big deal for his driving.

So... I was down-heartened and stopped on the way home at the Ford dealer. Drove a new Ford C-Max and just fell in love with it! Mileage is as good or better than the Spark, but in every other way ran rings around the Spark. Now granted, we are talking about a car that costs $10,000 more! That's a lot of money. And for it, you get great comfort, ride, handling, and more room and great MPG's. So... will see how it goes. If I get to the point of having enough of the Spark's bad behavior, I can see a Ford in my future. Although, I will say, the Spark is still cuter!

You explained all that very well and as someone who bought a vehicle they liked you should not be forced to sell at a loss because the obviously real problems you are having with a fairly new car! The absence of error codes means absolutely nothing and those codes should be only one small indicator that needs to be taken into account. I feel there is too much reliance on these codes..(eg: no codes no problems.)

First off, I'm not sure about the CVT tranny issues, but do know many others have this problem where the CVT tranny will not return to the 'first gear' setting immediately at a slow stop resulting in the vehicle starting from the 'second gear'(or higher) setting and of course this provides very poor starting acceleration that can be dangerous if not expected. The fact that tis occurs mostly when the tranny is hot or ambient air is hot indicates (to me) that the tranny fluid is not thick enough at higher temps to activate the sensors or mechanics to drop it to a low gear immediately when required (very near a stop) and only drops down to the 'first gear' after a few moments at full stop with the brake pressure being 'sensed'. One possible cure for this could be as simple as replacing the tranny fluid with a thicker fluid (more pressure) or a sensor that is more responsive at lower pressure.

As far as your front wheel vibration and noise, and the fact it tracks straight, indicates (to me) that the cupped treads are causing a humming noise and some high frequency vibration. Visible cupped treads at the outside of the tire edge is almost always a symptom of suspension, bearing or balance problem IF the vehicle tracks straight. Bearing issues will present as a low noise usually while steering in one direction (only left turns or only right turns). Wheel vibration at almost all higher (usually+40mph) speeds indicates the problem is something other than wheel balancing such as a steering or suspension part. Humming noise while driving straight that may be louder at some speeds than others is often from 'cupped' or 'feathered' tires. Vibration that increases with speed is often an indication of a loose or damaged tie rod end or some other steering component. Vibration at only certain speed that goes away when lowering or increasing speed is usually a balancing issue. Other than the odd tranny issue, this is all basic automotive knowledge that any trained mechanic should know and will be able to diagnose from appearance, system testing and duplication on a road test.

The bottom line is that you should not be forced to be out of pocket, inconvenienced, sell or take a loss on a new vehicle because of safety or drive-ability issues caused by design, component manufacture or assembly that are outside the norm for the specific vehicle..as your case sounds.

I'm fairly sure that contacting one of the GM Customer Care with the info & documentation they need will help since any dealer that wants to keep selling GM products cannot afford very many complaints about improper diagnostic and resolution, specially where it concerns safety (your tranny) or very basic issues like your tire/wheel noise and vibration. The only 'out of the box' suggestion I have made is the tranny fluid...the rest is all very basic stuff that any good mechanic should be able to diagnose and repair without any difficulty. No dealer wants a letter from GM HQ having to assist with how they do their service, etc. My dealer has always been pretty good over the 30 or so years I have dealt with them, but have goofed up a few times on minor issues like incorrect oil or torquing. When I indicated their mistake, they always correct it promptly and usually give a coupon for free oil change or tire rotation. To show how concerned they are with the GM HQ rating survey's, they always email me that if I was not satisfied or could not provide a favorable survey to GM, to notify them first to give them a chance to correct the situation.

I know they CAN fix all your issues, the question is, are they willing or have the expertise...'Nuff said..Right?

************************************************************************************************************************************************

*Note: I am not a Mechanic, but do have some pretty darn swell experience with mechanical, hydrolic and instrumentation calibration as a former 'piston' aircraft mechanic and later as a pilot for a commercial airline. Now retired and still work on my own cars, boat and small piston powered aircraft.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Retired old Gearhead

[Ray Dockrey 97]

I have 2014 and experience the same thing with my CVT. It's worse with the AC on. It's has taken some getting used too but I have got used to how it's going to react in certain situations. Almost always a sharp movement of the throttle will get it to kick in first and get it going. Very rarely does it not work. I call it giving the car a swift kick in the butt lol. I do think the issue is in the programming and that's why the dealership has no fix for it. That's up to GM to remedy but I imagine a reprogram will mess up their mpg claims and cause them issues.

[tishpit 14]

By "sharp movement of the throttle," do you mean you just punching it (pressing down hard on accelerator) or taping it or gunning it to get it to go? Wouldn't this be difficult if you are trying to merge into traffic and have to just MOVE? I noticed the problem subsided during the fall/winter, but now with hotter temps it is rearing its ugly head again, though not consistently. Perhaps it is due to A/C operating??? Maybe the next time it's doing this, I will try turning off a/c and see if this makes a difference.

[Ray Dockrey 97]

I guess the easiest way to describe it would be goosing it. Just a fast press but not to the floor. Enough to kick it up into first. Believe me. It will move. I have yet to have any issues merging with it. It's really unbelievable just how much get up and go the car has. It puts my PT Cruiser to shame. That may be why I have got used to it so fast. My PT Cruiser was horrible accelerating and merging with it was like putting your life on the line.

[Retired old Gearhead 201]

By "sharp movement of the throttle," do you mean you just punching it (pressing down hard on accelerator) or taping it or gunning it to get it to go? Wouldn't this be difficult if you are trying to merge into traffic and have to just MOVE? I noticed the problem subsided during the fall/winter, but now with hotter temps it is rearing its ugly head again, though not consistently. Perhaps it is due to A/C operating??? Maybe the next time it's doing this, I will try turning off a/c and see if this makes a difference.

This should not be necessary. An end user should be able to drive normally without issues like turning off the A/C or jiggling the gas peddle just to get to low gear. Try and explain that you forgot to turn off the A/C to the insurance company after you get smucked! Just not safe to drive an unpredictable car that will not or intermittently fail to drop to low gear..one day you will try to make a left turn or try to merge with a gap that would be safe in first gear and the car being in 2nd or higher gear would not perform as expected leaving you at the mercy of someone else's braking and driving skills..and we all know how that can work out. If you were my daughter, well, lets just say the car would stay in the driveway and if I could not resolve the issue by talking to GM dealer, GM HQ, then I would have a lawyer take this issue one step further. Any car can reasonably expected to accelerate normally when pressing the gas peddle..a car that has unexpected slow acceleration from a stop is just plain unsafe.

[Ray Dockrey 97]

It's no different then driving a stick shift. If you need to accelerate quickly with a stick do you just casually press the pedal or do you shift up one gear to bring the engine rpm up to get it to go? You shift up. It's the same thing. This isn't a high horsepower car. I have yet to even remotely come close to getting smacked because the car didn't accelerate.

And I would recommend you drive one before passing judgement one way or the other. Driving a CVT car is totally different then any other car I have had. But I had done my homework and was prepared for it. I am not saying it's prefect. The programming could be better. Lots better. But the car isn't a death trap.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Ray Dockrey

[tishpit 14]

The matter of the fact is, I bought an automatic, not a stick. I've owned other "under-powered" cars, including a Chevy Metro that I traded in for the Spark. I've also owned a Nissan Sentra and Suzuki SX-4 with CVT's. NONE of my cars acted like this or required "finessing" to drive safely. If it does, then there is a problem. But my challenge is that the problem is intermittent and when it's at the dealership, they say it is acting "normal." Will wait until hot weather sets in and try again to duplicate for dealership... but this is very time consuming and I have a heavy work schedule, so the inconvenience alone basically negates the "joy" of buying a new car.

[Retired old Gearhead 201]

It's no different then driving a stick shift. If you need to accelerate quickly with a stick do you just casually press the pedal or do you shift up one gear to bring the engine rpm up to get it to go? You shift up. It's the same thing. This isn't a high horsepower car. I have yet to even remotely come close to getting smacked because the car didn't accelerate.

And I would recommend you drive one before passing judgement one way or the other. Driving a CVT car is totally different then any other car I have had. But I had done my homework and was prepared for it. I am not saying it's prefect. The programming could be better. Lots better. But the car isn't a death trap.

A CVT tranny is not a 'stick shift' standard tranny as you cannot manually shift up or down. When you boot the gas peddle it will shift down. When you are at a stop with a CVT tranny it should be in first gear so when you boot it your acceleration should be very good in first gear. If it is defective and not in first, when you boot it you will not accelerate as expected unless it drops to first from second and cause a pause and a hop before accelerating as expected. So, to say "It's no different than driving a stick shift", well, not quite sure what to say to that as an auto or CVT tranny is not the same, in any way, as a manual tranny.

[Ray Dockrey 97]

With this CVT you can shift up and down. The Jatco CVT7 has a multi speed gear box on the end of the CVT transmission. It's not a normal CVT. So the issue is the CVT will return to low as it should but the multi speed gear box likes to stay in a higher gear. So you have to goose it to get the gearbox to go to a lower gear to bring the RPM's back up. Or you can manually shift it to low with the gear selector.

http://www.jatco.co.jp/ENGLISH/products/cvt/cvt7.html

Edited March 22, 2015 by Ray Dockrey

[Retired old Gearhead 201]

With this CVT you can shift up and down. The Jatco CVT7 has a multi speed gear box on the end of the CVT transmission. It's not a normal CVT. So the issue is the CVT will return to low as it should but the multi speed gear box likes to stay in a higher gear. So you have to goose it to get the gearbox to go to a lower gear to bring the RPM's back up. Or you can manually shift it to low with the gear selector.

http://www.jatco.co.jp/ENGLISH/products/cvt/cvt7.html

I have read that some of the Jatco CVT7's have a design that causes more friction heat and less cooling than traditional CVT designs. This may be the reason some have the 'not dropping to first gear' in hot weather more often than cold. This design also relies on more electronic sensors so a weak battery could also be a factor if it does not put out a set linear voltage. Just my theories.. but the battery voltage causing issues with the CVT has been documented with the Cooper Mini CVT's.

Jatco actually has a very good reputation among the car makers who use their tranny's and I believe that the Jatco CVT7 is the first ever to have a separate gearbox mated to the CVT unit. Very complex engineering.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Retired old Gearhead

[Skids 108]

I just a got a rental exactly like mine but with 37k on the odometer... same cvt.. drives like a dream, better than mine with 6k on it.. really starting to feel like there is a break in period on these transmissions. it is a rental too so im sure its been abused but still driving great.. isnt having that throttle lag like so many of us experience when semi stopping and having to take off again.

also picked up a neat little trick when going around corners (right/left turn).. pretty much we all slow down, turn, get straightened out and hit the gas again and we get that lag going again if slow down too much.. well if you gently hit the gas before straightening out you get going again real quick.. i guess you still have the momentum or the gears are in the right spot but you take off like normal

[NoSprak 17]

JATCO has an extremely poor reputation. They made horrible transmissions in Nissans for years, then they started these glorified snowmobile transmissions in all of the nissan lineup.

NOw they end up in other products as well!