What causes a CVT transmission to lose power when it overheats?
2 Answers
When a CVT transmission overheats and causes symptoms like lack of acceleration, it is best to pull the vehicle over for inspection or take it to the nearest repair shop for professional assessment to prevent safety hazards and unnecessary trouble. There are several reasons for transmission overheating, including aggressive driving, insufficient coolant, low transmission fluid, or a damaged transmission cooler. Below are the details: 1. Aggressive driving: After aggressive driving, both the transmission and engine may overheat due to excessive load. Solution: Simply turn off the engine and allow it to cool naturally. 2. Insufficient coolant: When the coolant level is low, the engine and transmission cannot cool properly. Solution: Refill the coolant promptly. 3. Low transmission fluid: Generally, manual transmission vehicles require fluid replacement around 50,000 km, while automatic transmissions need it around 80,000 km. Otherwise, lubrication and cooling efficiency will be affected. 4. Damaged transmission cooler: If the transmission cooler is damaged, it should be repaired or replaced immediately.
When driving my CVT car on long trips, I encountered a situation where the transmission temperature rose and the car became immobilized. It felt like stepping on the gas pedal to the floor had no effect, and climbing a hill was like pushing a rock. This is commonly caused by the protection system being triggered due to excessively high oil temperature, which automatically limits power to prevent damage. Possible reasons include aged transmission oil not being replaced in time, a dirty cooling fan failing to dissipate heat, or insufficient oil pressure causing poor transmission. That time, I wasted money on repairs before learning the importance of regular oil changes and cleaning the radiator. Now, before every long trip, I check the oil level and cooling system to avoid breaking down midway and wasting time. Another factor is the increased load from using the air conditioner in summer, which makes overheating more likely. It's advisable to take breaks during long trips to let the car cool down. In short, a little neglect can lead to wasted time and danger, so timely maintenance is the way to peace of mind.
