My own Jazz at last

[felixbrisbane]

Hi all, first time on this forum and have just bought a 2007 Jazz Vti with CVT (privately). I've always hated automatics in very small cars since they can turn something sporty into a slug, and the whooooRRRRRRRR that many make on acceleration drives me crazy. So how did I end up here?

Well we bought our 5th Honda car, a new Accord in 1999 - that was auto' (to keep the missus happy) and worked really well. She kept banging into things with it though as she's really tiny and couldn't judge where the front was. When it reached 250,000 km I ditched it and got her an almost-new (at that time) 2006 top-spec' Civic (auto) and it's perfect for her. I got a cheap brand X "light car" just to get to work but arthritis has made it increasingly difficult to operate the heavy clutch and gear-change. Pushed to get something automatic and instructed that we "don't need TWO Civics!" the obvious choice was the Jazz. I've seen all the comments about CVT shudder and expensive repairs but this one drives like new and has only 91,000 km so I'm taking a chance on it.

Thing is, the recent services have been done by the previous owner and are completely undocumented. He said the TSB (CVT flush and reprogramming) HAD been done and when I called the dealer they said it was, in 2013 at 69,000 km. So, reading here and elsewhere, people say it should be done at HALF the 80,000 km interval that Honda suggests. I'm now thinking to leave as-is until 100,000 km and spring for a genuine Honda service (including another CVT flush). Something inside me is screaming DO IT RIGHT AWAY! but as he swears the oil change / filter is only 1,000 km old that could be expensively over-cautious.

As an aside, the dealer warned me that if I change the battery, the setup of the CVT can be lost and damage will result if I don't get that reprogrammed. Seems very unHondaish if it's really that fragile! All comments welcome, but be gentle I'm new here. Felix.
~
Really surprised nobody has commented as this is obviously a famous topic about the Jazz (and similar Hondas) namely the CVT transmission. I've hardly driven the car in the week I've had it, but took it for a short run yesterday and realise there's a gentle whining sound coming from the tranny. Could well be a bearing noise. Somehow I don't think it presages an *imminent* failure and as I'm extremely undemanding on my cars it may well keep happy for another 9,000 km until the next service. I really regret NOT sticking to my policy of manual-only for small cars though (sigh) but the missus insisted it's time for me to get an automatic. Someone else's 2005 Jazz manual I drive regularly is not nearly so strenuous as my brand-x car was, but it's too late now to save worrying since I've gone for
the cvt transmission. Only time will tell, Felix.

[rosewood]

the older model CVT did require you to take the car back to honda to have it retuned. in the battery area there were warning stickers advising you. I remember with my 2003 Jazz after calling the nrma to change the battery I noticed the stickers so I rang up honda. I ended up taking it into honda for the battery change & their price was the same as the NRMA at the time. They didn't charge me for the re tuning. The 2015 model does not have these warning stickers any more so I would assume it no longer applies.

[rubyjazz]

How about the GEs?

[rosewood]

GE was a full auto transmission

[felixbrisbane]

Decided to get a new battery today. Being an automatic, rolling it to start wouldn't be an option if it died. Dealer quoted $195 and battery world quoted $124 for comparable batteries so guess where I went. They just put a motorcycle battery across the terminals during the changeover and no problems. I was going to do the same myself but it wouldn't have been any cheaper so I let them do it. Of course the dealer said their price included reprogramming the CVT but I suspect they'd just use the same workaround. After all how would you know?

[rubyjazz]

GE was a full auto transmission

I have CVT with my MY09 GE VTIS and also with GD IDSI - never took them to Honda for CVT reprogramming. Just replaced the battery normally.

[Jasemas]

I have CVT with my MY09 GE VTIS and also with GD IDSI - never took them to Honda for CVT reprogramming. Just replaced the battery normally.

GE chassis does NOT have a CVT it uses a cnventional Auto
Sorry mate

[rosewood]

yes the GE MY09 was not CVT sold mine to buy the new model. if you have a CVT its not a GE

[rubyjazz]

GE chassis does NOT have a CVT it uses a cnventional Auto
Sorry mate

yes the GE MY09 was not CVT sold mine to buy the new model. if you have a CVT its not a GE

My mistake, I thought paddle shifters = CVT. But have paddle shifters on my GE and GD.

[bennjamin]

the older model CVT did require you to take the car back to honda to have it retuned. in the battery area there were warning stickers advising you. I remember with my 2003 Jazz after calling the nrma to change the battery I noticed the stickers so I rang up honda. I ended up taking it into honda for the battery change & their price was the same as the NRMA at the time. They didn't charge me for the re tuning. The 2015 model does not have these warning stickers any more so I would assume it no longer applies.

GD jazzes require a simple "relearn" process if the battery is disconnected. This isnt hard to do yourself and Ill post it to save others money in the future.
After reconnecting your battery - drive easily with no load until warm. Now find a quiet long stretch of road...pull over , and proceed to do a speedy 0-60km/h , then back off the accelerator and let the car coast down to almost a stop. Accelerate hard to 60 again and coast again. Do this 5 or 6 times. Thats pretty much it. I did this after flushing the CVT with new honda stuff every 40,000kms (you must do this !)

[Jasemas]

My mistake, I thought paddle shifters = CVT. But have paddle shifters on my GE and GD.

All good
We learn something new everyday

[rosewood]

My mistake, I thought paddle shifters = CVT. But have paddle shifters on my GE and GD.

you only get paddle shifters on cvt not automatic so if you have them it's not a GE. check your engine number what does it have after the MRH. it is on your compliance plate & also rego papers & service log book.