CVT surging up and down

[klm57]

I have a EX-L 1.5L Turbo and I see the tach going up and down 50-100rmps over and over sometimes. You can set the cruise control to say 65mph and you feel the car when it does it like someone is putting on the brake just a little off and on. The speed stays consistent and you can see the tack surging up and down. Like it's trying to figure out what rpm to use. It happens more on slight grades uphill. Kind of annoying as you can feel it in the motion of the car.

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[haztorks]

Putting on the brake off and on, or putting on the gas off and on? Are you familiar with how a CVT transmission operates, and how it is different than a regular automatic? This sounds normal. That's how they work. The rpm goes up and sort of stays in one place while the car accelerates, like when you need to go up a hill, as you mentioned.

 

[klm57]

You can see the tack say at 2,000 rpm then goes to 2,100, back to 2,000, back to 2,100 and so on several times a second. Lasts for maybe 5-10 seconds before it calms down.

 

[Ultrafrozen]

I felt this as well a few times while the car had less than 3000km on it but I haven't noticed it since.

 

[Billy4202]

Fairly normal for the CVTs I've driven (Outback, Altima, Civic), especially with CC on while cruising. Usually small variations.

If this is your first rodeo with a CVT, then yeah it may seem abnormal.

 

[klm57]

Yes this is my first car with a CVT. I really like this car and its getting great mileage in 43 range highway. Just wanted to make sure this was normal. Thanks for the input!

 

[Billy4202]

Yes this is my first car with a CVT. I really like this car and its getting great mileage in 43 range highway. Just wanted to make sure this was normal. Thanks for the input!

No problem! I still stare at the tach all the time and see it happen haha...enjoy your Civic!

 

[supcontrast]

I'm having a similar issue within the 70-80mph range on CC. Feels like a slight jolting forward and back similar to if you were to step on gas and let go repeatedly. Definitely noticeable and really annoying. Any thoughts on if it's an issue that will resolve itself?

 

[hunter44102]

Maybe they have built in code for the 'break in' period that does that? They say not to maintain the same RPM for long stretches during that time

 

[haztorks]

Maybe they have built in code for the 'break in' period that does that? They say not to maintain the same RPM for long stretches during that time

That's true! Traditionally, the worst thing you could do for any engine during break-in is to keep it at the same RPM. Would not surprise me if it is programmed in there.

 

[PRak_CivX]

I made my first long distance trip on the highway today with my EXL. I also noticed this slight lurching a few times during the trip. However, only with the cruise control on and on generally flat portions of road. A friend of mine who also has a 2016 Civic Touring, he apparently had significant lurching. I almost would not have noticed it of it weren't for the fact that I new about it and was paying attention to see if it happened.

 

[ctash]

That's true! Traditionally, the worst thing you could do for any engine during break-in is to keep it at the same RPM. Would not surprise me if it is programmed in there.

wait, so I'm supposed to be revving it up during the break in? I'm 210 miles in and I've been keeping the RPMs low...

 

[DougNuts]

wait, so I'm supposed to be revving it up during the break in? I'm 210 miles in and I've been keeping the RPMs low...

I'd keep RPMs below 4000RPM, but what he's saying is that you don't want to keep the engine at the same RPM for an extended period of time during break in. For example, don't go on a highway trip and keep the cruise control at 70mph the whole time. For a better break in, you'd want to take the backroads where you're constantly changing RPM and loading/unloading the engine.

 

[twelver]

I'm having a similar issue within the 70-80mph range on CC. Feels like a slight jolting forward and back similar to if you were to step on gas and let go repeatedly. Definitely noticeable and really annoying. Any thoughts on if it's an issue that will resolve itself?

I have same issue during same speed range on cc. I have 30 minute commute on highway every day that I have to do 60-70. Notice this back and forth lurching. Car is 4 weeks old. Normal or no??

 

[supcontrast]

I have same issue during same speed range on cc. I have 30 minute commute on highway every day that I have to do 60-70. Notice this back and forth lurching. Car is 4 weeks old. Normal or no??

1.5T engine? If so, we're in company it seems.

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