Engine revs up to 3K going down hills
 

Hello, all. I live in a hilly city, and every morning I head down a hill to get to work. All starts out fine going down the hill until I take my foot off of the gas/apply the brake so as to not fly down the hill at unsafe speeds. The engine revs up to 3K or more. You can hear it, feel it, and see it on the gauge. The CVT seems to be having some trouble shifting down as I'm going downhill.

Never having owned a CVT before, I wonder if this is normal, or something that I should address with my warranty. I got this car because of transmission issues in my last car, so I never want to go through that again.

Thoughts? And please, please. Don't make this post an argument about manual vs. automatic vs. CVT. I beg you.

I can't answer your question (although it sounds typical CVT) because it's flat as a pancake here, but I was born and raised in Green Ridge and went to Scranton Central; mind you, in the 1970s before I left.


Where are you and good luck with your Fit.


(Ex-NYC, now FL.)

I'm in South Side now, though I lived right at Greenridge Corners when I was in college, right near Gannon's. I didn't live here until college and then moved away for a job after college. Then I went to law school and unexpectedly found a job working as an attorney here. Both of my parents are from Scranton, though. My dad grew up in South Side and my mom grew up on Capouse Ave. They would have graduated in 1976 and 1977. My mom went to Central.

It's always nice to hear from someone from Scranton. Some of my friends who don't have roots here laugh at me all the time because people with NEPA roots always find each other somehow, even when far away. Apparently this is even true of finding each other online. :)

CVT sport mode
 

The FIT is my second CVT car (mini cooper was the first).CVTs do not provide as much engine braking in my experience with the FIT providing even less than my Cooper. I find a extended grade of 5% or more requires a shift to S mode which make a noticeable difference. Still high revs but the revs and speed don't keep increasing. This is on highways, I imagine you want to use L for low speed roads.

That should be your engine braking, more if you're in S or L gear which will have higher rpms the faster you coast down a hill. I haven't paid attention to the RPM going downhill when on D gear but 3k seems high. I only see it that high on L, S going pretty fast.

Ha! I graduated from Central in 1972, so I was a little earlier than your parents.


Yes, we do seem to find each other! Good luck with your Fit!

Sounds like an engine brake. Most automatics, CVT or otherwise, have some sort of engine braking programming when going downhill that will keep it in "gear" to save on brakes and to keep them from overheating. I put gear in quotes because the CVT doesn't really have gears lol

3k rpm is nothing to worry about and sounds like it'd be well within the standard range of transmission programming. I wouldn't be too concerned.