Hyundai claims its CVT requires no fluid change, service or maintenance

I remember my old Honda City had a schedule to replace CVT fluid every 40,000 km.

BHPian harikr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians. I am writing this post to share something I observed in my 2023 Verna IVT user manual. The service guide says that IVT (Hyundai's name for CVT) fluid needs no checks or service under normal usage. Please find below the screenshot of the user manual.

The keyword here being "Normal Usage". I have always heard and read that the life of a CVT transmission depends a lot on the timely replacement of CVT fluid with the right fluid. I remember my old Honda City CVT had a schedule to replace CVT fluid every 40,000 km. So is Hyundai using some special grade CVT fluid? Or Is Hyundai expecting customers not to use the car for a long mileage (above 1lakh km, maybe)

Some more screenshots to give you a perspective on what is normal usage, what calls for replacement etc are given below:

Under severe usage, Hyundai suggests CVT fluid replacement every 90,000 km.

And what constitutes severe usage is defined in the following page.

Additionally, in case the vehicle has submerged under water at any time, CVT fluid needs to be replaced.

I am a little confused with these pages. Hyundai has not given a scenario of service after 80,000 km. What will be the course of action after 80,000km? (I may not drive that much within the warranty period of 7 years, 1 lakh km, but still, I am interested to know how it will be posted 80k km until 100k km)

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Manufacturers play all sorts of "low maintenance" tricks to:

• Portray an image of being fuss-free to own
• Lower the perceived cost of maintenance
• Avoid training their dealerships on complex tasks
• Avoid stocking items that are used once in 5 - 7 years
• Lower the cost of their all-inclusive service packages
• Make things as easy as possible for the first owner. OEMs know that most people will sell off the car in the initial 4 - 5 years. Hence, the headache of costly replacements falls on the 2nd or 3rd owner which frankly budget car buyers and manufacturers don't care about. As long as the car manufacturer keeps the 1st owner of the car happy, they know they bought loyalty. Short-term thinking, I know.

BMW says the ZF-8 gearbox in my 530d doesn't require oil changes. But if I go on the ZF website, I see clear instructions to change the transmission fluid at the 7 (or 8) year mark FOR THE SAME GEARBOX. ZF even sells a full-service kit for the same (with filter etc.) which I got done at a substantial cost. But a good gearbox is as important as a good engine IMHO. Ford says its DCTs were "sealed for life" but that was all rubbish. Never ever believe the "sealed for life" claim for any mechanical product (different matter for electronic items).

The no.1 cause of CVT failure is not getting the fluid replaced periodically. For the old City, Honda said to replace the CVT fluid every 40,000 km. I would personally stick with that (or earlier). Changing the gear oil once in 4 - 5 years shouldn't hurt any car owner.

Maruti manual says to check, refill or change at 30,000 km intervals.

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On a related note, this is also why I am not a believer in 15,000 km engine oil change intervals. For me, it is 10,000 km tops!

Here's what BHPian svsantosh had to say on the matter:

I have a mixed response to the OP post.

Many well-known YouTuber car channels have proven that "anything lifetime" is the 1st lie carmakers tell you. So mind tells me that Hyundai will surely take you for a ride.

But my humble 2013 Chevy Sail UVA Diesel was promised to have the lifetime fluid. It came with the most expensive (in my lifetime) oil I have ever heard in my life. See it to believe it. I sold my car at 1,95,000 Kms. I changed the oil 1st time at around 1.85 or 1.9Lac Kms, don't recall, but I never had any issue, Just changed it because I was bored during the Covid break.

Maybe that transmission was the best thing that GM did on the Sail UVA.

Here's what BHPian sagarpadaki had to say on the matter:

To be on the safer side 50k kms/ 5 years is a good interval to change transmission oil in our conditions.

Tata also does not recommend replacing AMT kit oil. But after 2 years of usage, the oil is jet black.

When manufacturers say lifetime no maintenance, they mean it as no maintenance until the end of the warranty. Lifetime = Warranty period.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.