It is OK to switch between N, D and S while driving forward at any speed and between N and R when reversing. However the engine should be at idle rpm when switching from N to any other position.

 

So at any speed I can go D to S and S to D no problem likewise I can go D to N but to go N to D at speed the engine must be at idle?

 

Exactly. Do you have a user manual in your car? There may be some advice to special cases.

 

Just drive it like an automatic. CVT is well developed. Honda uses it in many of their economical cars, so I assume it's reliable, otherwise, would you think they want headaches with recalls? I have no problem with my CVT, 63K miles. Oil changed at 40K miles.

 

Yes I read the manual it didn't explicitly say much else than you need to be stopped to go into reverse or park
The problem is I'm a noob that has never had an automatic before.

 

Received and understood that this is your first automatic - I would recommend:
1. apply the brake and be at a full stop when you change directional gears (D/N to R, R/N to D)
2. don't apply massive acceleration once the car is in any directional gear (much like you wouldn't with a manual...don't chirp the tires)
3. wait until the directional gear is indicated in the window to Go (D is forward drive and when it appears you're good to move forward by applying gentle acceleration)
4. Change the fluid ~ 50K miles to ensure the transmission stays healthy for decades
5. Leave it in the directional gear (D for forward motion) when you're at a stop in traffic or idling

Have fun with the CVT.

 

...and don't forget to change it to P or N when you step out of the car while leaving it idle. It's easy to forget if you are talking to somebody and it's noisy outside.

 

Op hows your CVT doing these days?
My 2012 shifts just about instantly, as soon as the light clunk is heard of changing into D or R it starts moving.

 

Apparently you just must be at idle when you change from neutral into drive?

 

wonderful and working great. I hope wait until it fully engages prior to moving in either direction

 

Awesome news

 

Thanks guys, some good tips

 

I am not sure if this is effective or helpful in reducing stress on the CVT and other moving parts. Recently, I would shut down the engine with the key (LX model) in the ignition before I shift the gear from D to P.

 

Why do you think that may help?

I put the gearbox in N if I'm going to be stopped at a traffic light for a fair amount of time, it bugs me having the gearbox pulling against the brakes like that.
It must put some wear on the torque converter, albeit not much but it may add up, I have seen people mention having the torque converter bearings fail on their Fit CVT.

 

Is it normal with the CVT(2nd gen) for it to require a lot more force to push the shifter from Park to Reverse for the first time after starting the vehicle up?

 

If you park the car on a slope there is friction of the transmission lock making it harder to move the shifter from P. To verify this theory, apply parking brake before moving the shfter to P and do not release the brake before shifting from P.

 

That would make sense but it happens even when parked on level ground in my overnight parking?
I thought maybe it was perhaps linked to the gearbox being cold but I will try engaging the hand brake before putting it into Park and see if that changes how it shifts.

 

If you are going to be sitting at a traffic light for a few minutes I think perhaps it might be a good idea to shift into neutral, instead of leaving it in drive. Also, it doesn't say the following in the manual, but the best way to shift from drive to park, is to (1) stop the forward motion of the car, (2) pull up on the handbrake, and (3) put the shift lever into park. This puts less stress on, and causes less wear to, the pawl in the transmission keeps the car from rolling when the shift lever is in P position.

 

I can definitely see handbrake on before going into Park is a good idea.
In neutral the torque converter is essentially switched off or disengaged from the engine, hence there will be a reduction in wear on any moving parts?

In that same vein, when stopped and in Drive but braked does the car detect that the brake is pushed in and adjust anything accordingly or would having the brake off but being on a slight upward incline that acts on the engine like a brake to counteract the forward force of the gearbox at idle be the same thing?

 

The reduction in wear by shifting to neutral in traffic lights is questionable, but it may have marginal effect on fuel consumption. And definitely negative but negligible effect on shifter wear.

When stopping there is no feedback from brakes to transmission, it acts just same as the car would be on slight uphill or having wall against the car front. Actually there is nothing in the transmission that could be adjusted for that situation.