SUV Opinions

Engine and CVT original; mother bought it put about 200 on it than gave it to her 16 yo (which should have killed it) still have it as a spare but she bought a brand new one

 

Don't know what engine is in the CRV you are looking at, but just an FYI. The 1.5L TGDI has fuel dilution issues.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/search/1663355/?q=honda+fuel+dilution&o=relevance

 

CVT Transmission Issues (Merged)

This for the HRV which uses the same CVT as the Accord at that time and CRV AWD system. At least that was what I read when we purchased it.

 

I know Nissan and Dodge CVT's are known to be the more problematic ones. Subaru has one of the better ones, although they did have some issues quite a few years ago, but seemed to have taken care of them.

 

Ok just looked on the door sticker. Useing the L6 code and Google it's an Electric locker 3.73 axle. So not quite a tow pig of 4.10 but still not what you would call a highway gear.

 

You are recommended to do it that often and you need to take it to the dealer for a what $400 job!! That seems like a lot of maintenance cost!

 

....and this is why manufactures have different maintenance "recommendations" in the US vs elsewhere. American's don't want to have to maintain anything, so they use it as a marketing tool to give them what they want. Case in point. Subaru. In Japan they recommend 3K mile oil changes and 30K CVT fluid changes. In the US it's 6K oil changes and lifetime CVT fluid. LOL It's easy to do a simple CVT drain/refill. All you need is a scan tool to monitor CVT temps to set the correct fluid level.

 

The cvt service is much less. Under 200 if I recall. Just drain and fill. The Ridgeline is $400.

 

Oh ok.

 

I would be doing it myself if I had one I'm just saying if someone doesn't do their own work.

I'm just glad both my Toyotas have drain plugs and dip sticks!

 

Hopefully it stays that way too. We almost purchased a highlander. Honda chits on us I'll move to one without a second thought.

 

I know the newer Toyotas like I think ones made in the last 5+ years don't have a dipstick and have "lifetime" transmission fluid!! Yea good for the "life" of the transmission . What would the life have been if it got a few fluid changes? I was thinking the Toyotas has a plug you can pull to fill to..I watch so much stuff and read so much and don't memorize which one is what though.

 

My dad's 07 Tundra is one of those I do believe. "Sealed" transmission, no dipstick to check level. There is a level/overflow plug on the trans pan to pull to check. Looks pretty crazy the way you have to snake a line down to it to add or fill.

 

My FIL bought an Escape new and my son owned one for a while. Both rusted to the point of not being able to pass PA yearly inspection. FIL was pretty P'd off about it, he's a die hard Ford guy. He ended up buy a Subaru to replace it. My son ended up selling his for scrap. It had a couple other issues as well. I've seen a couple come through my shop with body rust too.

 

The rust issue here is a killer. Especially for guys still making car payments on a vehicle that won’t pass to be considered safe to drive

 

Mine's got the highway gears. 3.31 with the e- locker. You can get 3.15's in some configurations though just not the 5.0.

 

That's why it's great we don't have inspections of that sort here. Just emissions tests. Which is it's own racket though, especially after they privatized the testing stations.

 

So far we have been lucky here and have neither.

 

When I was googling I saw the 3.15 was available. This was before I discovered the axle code in the door. Had to go to a Ford forum to find that I was using VIN code. That showed that 3.73 was the lowest gear that my truck could possibly have. Just didn't tell me what I had. Found the forum that said look at that sticker then took that back to Google to track the ratio.

 

Yep no inspections here. You can run all your Rotted frame Northern vehicles here, or all your no brakes , cat free, badly running polluting vehicles here with bald tires with the steel showing.