The CVT transmission is not a new technology among today’s advanced technologies. Offering many advantages, CVT is found in many mass-produced Nissan, Honda, or Toyota models. As with other types of transmission, to ensure the proper functioning of your vehicle, it is essential to periodically change the transmission fluid when using a CVT transmission. Is CVT fluid the same as ATF fluid, and how often should you change CVT transmission fluid? Today, we will gather all the information related to this CVT fluid to provide you with a comprehensive answer.
Is CVT Fluid the Same as Transmission Fluid?
Our answer is “No.” CVT transmissions use a special fluid specifically designed for them. Although it serves the same purpose of cooling and lubricating transmission parts, CVT fluid has a different formula to meet the specific requirements of this transmission system. CVT fluid contains different additives, base oils, viscosities, friction coefficients, etc., compared to other transmission fluids. The smell of CVT transmission fluid is similar to sulfur and often contains extreme pressure additives to support stronger transmission effects. CVT oil often has high viscosity to ensure smooth system performance and better protection of the transmission belt.
Instead of minimizing friction between gears for smooth shifting as in automatic transmission, CVT fluid contains more friction modifiers to allow the belt to effectively grip the pulleys while lubricating. According to manufacturers, the CVT transmission requires this special fluid due to the higher pressures used during operation, special metal parts, and the need to prevent belt slippage. For identification purposes, CVT fluid is green in color, and even a small tablespoon of ordinary red ATF fluid will cause serious damage to the CVT transmission.
We conclude that ATF (automatic transmission fluid) and CVT fluid cannot be used interchangeably and are different; each type of fluid will have its properties. Therefore, it is important to consult the owner’s manual or a trusted mechanic to ensure you are using the correct fluid for your car. If you are stuck in the middle of nowhere and have run out of transmission fluid, you can probably pour ATF fluid into the CVT transmission to get your car moving. But when you get to a place where they can put in the correct fluid, you must flush it immediately and have the CVT transmission fluid changed.
How Often to Change CVT Transmission Fluid?
CVT fluid is used for lubrication, plays a role in preventing wear and protecting the parts inside the gearbox, and maintains flow at a temperature within the allowed range, thereby increasing the lifespan of the parts and the vehicle’s transmission. As you know, CVT fluid is very crucial in the CVT transmission system, so you must change the transmission oil if you don’t want your car to have many problems. So when is it necessary to replace the CVT gearbox oil:
Compared to ATF fluid, CVT fluid should have a longer lifespan. But to improve your car’s performance and the longevity of the CVT, we recommend changing the CVT fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles depending on many factors. However, this is only a theoretical number. In reality, the CVT fluid change time often fluctuates more or less depending on the vehicle’s driving environment. If your vehicle is driven in extreme weather conditions, in stop-and-go conditions, and in other harsh driving conditions, a fluid replacement will need to be done more frequently.
It is necessary to regularly check and change the CVT oil to ensure the proper functioning of your vehicle, thereby increasing the lifespan of the transmission as well as your vehicle.
If you have mechanic training, you can also change the oil at home. You can go to a reputable distributor to buy oil and change it yourself. Before replacing the new CVT fluid, you must drain all the old oil because the old fluid contains a lot of residue.
How to Check CVT Fluid Color?
Checking the color of the CVT oil is the simplest method that owners can do themselves to check the condition of the CVT transmission fluid. Step by step to check the CVT fluid color:
- Step 1: Park the car on a flat surface and let the engine run.
- Step 2: Open the car hood.
- Step 3: Look for the oil tube leading to the transmission – cars usually have a distinctive sticker. If you don’t see the sticker, you can use the car’s owner’s manual.
- Step 4: Remove the oil dipstick from the tube and examine the condition and color of the oil on the stick. Or you can use a towel to wipe off the excess oil on the stick. Then, put the stick back into the tube and remove it again to recheck the fluid condition.
Like other transmission fluids, if you see these colors below when checking the CVT fluid, you must replace it immediately:
- Dirty brown transmission fluid, accompanied by a burnt smell, may be a sign that the vehicle’s CVT transmission fluid has burned and the vehicle needs to be checked immediately.
- If the oil is milky brown, it is a sign that the transmission oil is dirty because coolant has leaked, flowed, and mixed with the oil, causing a change in the lubricant.
- If the transmission fluid contains foam or bubbles, it means your oil is too old or you are using the wrong type of oil, causing the engine to clog the transmission hole.
Final Thoughts
Car owners must regularly pay attention to the condition of the CVT oil and change the fluid periodically to ensure that the fluid always maintains its role of lubricating the engine system, thus helping your vehicle operate under the best conditions. Most importantly, when choosing CVT fluid, make sure to consult the car manual before purchasing.
Each type of transmission will have corresponding lubricant types, and each car manufacturer will also have its regulations on strict parameters for the types of oils contained in the gearbox. Having the role of lubricating the details inside the gearbox, CVT oil must have high viscosity, anti-foam properties, etc., to help the gearbox operate at its maximum capacity.