What are the symptoms of a slipping CVT transmission in the Qashqai?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a slipping CVT transmission are as follows: When you press the accelerator to accelerate, you may notice that the engine speed increases, but the vehicle speed does not rise accordingly. In general, the car experiences sluggish acceleration. The sensor on the transmission drive shaft monitors the speed, and if the transmission slips severely, the dashboard will illuminate a warning light. If the warning light on the dashboard comes on, it is necessary to go to a 4S shop for inspection and repair. The advantages of a CVT transmission are as follows: Good driving experience with CVT: Since there is no gear-shifting process like in an automatic transmission, there is no jerky feeling caused by shifting. The power delivery of a CVT transmission is linear, making the driving operation very smooth. Flexible gear settings of the CVT transmission: During driving, it is easier to achieve a balance between performance, fuel consumption, and emissions. The CVT has high mechanical efficiency and excellent fuel-saving performance.
A few days ago, my colleague's Qashqai encountered this exact issue, and the symptoms were particularly noticeable. While driving, the engine roared loudly with the tachometer needle shooting up, yet the vehicle speed wouldn't increase, as if the car was freewheeling. Normally, a firm press on the accelerator would deliver strong acceleration, but now, pressing harder just results in a weak, sluggish response. Climbing hills becomes especially dreadful—even with the accelerator nearly floored, the car just crawls along. The transmission also emits a metallic grinding noise, sounding like the steel belt has sand trapped in it. This kind of slippage is most dangerous when attempting high-speed overtaking, as a sudden failure could be catastrophic. It's highly recommended to immediately check the transmission fluid condition and inspect the steel belt for wear. Otherwise, you might be looking at a costly major repair.