What are the optimum CVT Fit settings when driving over a mountain pass? Last time it seemed like my Fit needed all the power it could muster, but I was not sure the best way to configure the controls.

 

If you want to have fun, then S mode. It'll hold the lower ratios for better acceleration and engine braking.

Honestly regular D mode is fine for most things. If you need a little boost, just use the paddle shifter to a lower ratio.

I wouldn't use Econ mode in a mountainous area. It feels like it hunts for the right ratio.

 

For going up, I'd probably just step on the gas and let it sort things out. The engine is going to be up in the whiney rpm range if you're traveling at highway speeds. If you need more power, step on the go pedal more.

For going down, fiddle with it until you get sufficient engine braking that you don't need to ride the brakes all the time, but can just periodically apply them a little to keep the speed reasonable. This is probably more important overall than going up. A reasonable rule of thumb is to descend in whatever gear/ratio you ascended in. Overheating brakes when descending a mountain are not to be trifled with.

You should be able to go up most any mountain pass at the posted speed limits. Particularly on some of the western passes (with their higher altitudes), you won't be able to accelerate at anything much above a glacial pace. It may help to turn off the air conditioner if you're using it.

 

I think you need to define the problems better. Mountain passes on interstates or twisty 2-laners?

 

5000 foot interstate mountain passes. On level ground ECO mode is the best way to economize CVT fuel consumption. I want to know if that is the best choice when driving over a mountain pass too.

 

Just got back from a lot of mountain driving and "S" mode with the CVT going up evens out the RPMs nicely and works well.

Using the paddle shifters on the descent to choose the right RPM's to avoid heavy braking also worked really well.

 

If you're really trying to make time it's best to use the sport mode and keep the motor above 3000 rpm with the paddle shifters. Otherwise, for most driving such as taking post 40mph curves at 60 or so, doing nothing except keeping it out of Econ mode works best for me.

 

Just did 2,250 miles from Los Angeles to Detroit without any issues. The Fit handled climbing Aspen in CO very well.

 

I just leave it on eco mode and set cruise control.
Going up hills the car will bog down and be unable to maintain whatever speed you had set (I normally set it at 70), and it will take 10-15 seconds for it to get back up to speed, whilst sounding like a mad blender. I lose about 4-5 mph once I hit a hill (like the Sepulveda pass, which isn't really that steep).

 

That is such a lazy/inefficient way to do it.

 

I do frequent driving in the Great Smokies of Western NC and Eastern TN. From about 2000 feet to 6000 feet and lots of ear-popping. I have an LX without paddle shifters. To ascend I simply press down more on the throttle pedal. Where it is possible to maintain a steady speed I use cruise control and it works fine. The car does not lose any more than about 2 mph when starting to ascending a hill, and with a second or 3 it gets back up to the set speed. I don't need to wait 10 seconds, just 2 or 3. I am not in Eco mode. I don't know what the cc would do in eco mode. Probably lose more mph and take longer to get back up to speed. However since most mountain roads are very windy (curvy) as well as very steep, cruise control cannot be left on because I have to slow down on curves to maintain traction, and then speed up when the road straightens out. Although sometimes I will use cc instead of the throttle pedal. If the car needs to slow down I'll hit the middle button, wait until its going the speed I want, and then hit the bottom button. If I am able to get going faster again, I'll hit the top button. If I want to go even faster than I was going before, I'll tap the top button repeatedly, like 3 or 5 times, until I'm going the speed I want. I rarely tap the bottom button in order to go slower. I just tap the middle button, wait until the car slows down enough, and then tap the bottom button once. On some mountain roads I need to slow down below 25 mph around curves, so I can't use cruise control then. Going up a hill the engine may need to go from about 2000 rpm to 4500 but I've never seen it get much higher than that even on the steepest hill - meaning I'll still have plenty of power available to accelerate to a faster speed should I want to. I do hear what sounds like a mad blender but I think much of this noise is coming from the CVT, not the engine.

For downhill driving I'll drop the car into S or L depending upon how steep the hill. It works very well to help avoid lots of braking.

The only time I'll use Eco mode is when in stop-and-go traffic. That way the car doesn't lurch forward and crash into the car in front, every time the car in front moves forward another 2 meters.