I have been noticing when I am driving through my work's parking lot, I press on the gas very slightly and the car jerks forward a lot. I am usually going very slow < 15 mph, I believe. Anyone else have this issue?

I have heard that engine valves shut off if you are letting go of the gas. I wonder if this is this due to those valves closing and opening again since I am applying very little gas...

 

Hey James,

I have noticed a sort-of 'rough spot' when my HCH stays steady at around 8-9 mph or so. It just doesn't seem to like that speed. I would characterize it as a bit jerky, not a lot.

Perhaps due to the car it being a speed too low to cut off the fuel injection, and too high to autostop. ANy one else have the phenomenon and an explanation?

 

I have the same issue, also when I coast to an almost stop and step on the gas when traffic starts moving. My dealer said it's from the "rubber bands" in the CVT but I think it's gotten worse over the last 5K miles or so. The CVT fluid still looks fine.

 

Mine has alwasy done it too.

I think nothing is broken; it is just inherent in the design.

Overall I see this as a very minor thing comapred to the many wonderful qualities of this car.

 

Geez, haven't you guys ever driven a car with a clutch before? You're describing exactly the same light "bucking" effect you get with any manual transmission when the clutch is engaged while the engine is near its idle speed: the car is jerking because you're right at the speed where the car is trying to decide whether the wheels are turning the engine or the engine is turning the wheels. The fact that we have an auto-clutch rather than a manual clutch with the CVT doesn't alleviate this effect, 'cause it's still a clutch (direct mechanical connection).

Only cars with fluid drives (torque converters, as on an auto trans) avoid this effect, because at idle speed there's no direct mechanical connection between engine and wheels (the torque converter is unlocked at idle).

And, of course, the computer operating the clutch isn't perfect: sometimes, just like a human, it lets the clutch out too abruptly and you have a few jerky moments.

Cheers --
Doug

 

I have experienced this as well. I have to agree with Doug.

 

sorry doug, I have not driven a car with a clutch. I experience both types of jerkiness. As dogarm said, this happens at around 8-9 mph. The more annoying one happens when its in autostop and u are still creeping slowly. Doug: thanks for the description, I was curious as to why that happened.

 

Same here. Doug's right. The bucking is much less than my 1976 Honda Civic had!!! Guess there aren't too many manual transmissions out there anymore.