

Store the related parts that have
been removed separately to prevent
being mixed up; small cups can be
used.

Figure 15

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Non-warrantable damage to the CVT may occur if the
steps in this procedure are not followed in order.
Inspection for Abnormal Noise
HINT: If DTCs are stored, abnormal noise may be present.
Listen for any abnormal CVT noises under the following conditions:
Set the parking brake, and start the engine.


If an abnormal CVT noise stops once the CVT is shifted into drive or reverse, this
bulletin does not apply.
 Refer to ASIST for further diagnostic information.



If an abnormal CVT noise occurs while the CVT is in Drive (D) or Reverse (R),
proceed to Control Valve (Valve Body) Removal on the next page.

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Control Valve (Valve Body) Removal




To avoid damage to the CVT, never allow any chemicals or fluids other than
NS-3 CVT fluid or suitable cleaners to enter the CVT assembly.
To avoid damage to the CVT, never allow any foreign debris, dust, dirt, etc. to
enter the CVT assembly.

1. Write down all audio presets.
Presets
AM
FM 1
FM 2
SAT 1
SAT 2/3
Bass

1

Treble

2

3

Balance

4

Fade

5

6

Speed Sen. Vol.

2. Place the vehicle on a lift.
3. Before lifting the vehicle, place the transmission gear selector in Neutral.
4. Disconnect both battery cables, negative cable first.
5. Raise the vehicle, and then drain the CVT fluid by removing the drain plug.


Remove the engine under cover if needed.

To avoid the risk of minor personal injury, use caution when looking into
the drain hole as there is the risk of fluid entering the eye.
6. Disconnect the engine room harness from the CVT.
7. Remove the oil pan mounting bolts, and
then remove the oil pan and oil pan
gasket.


Do not discard the bolts. They will be
reused during assembly.

Figure 16

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Exploded View

Figure 17
1. Transaxle assembly
4. Manual plate
7. Strainer
10. Oil pan

2. O-ring
5. Washer
8. Oil pan gasket
11. Drain plug gasket

3. Control valve
6. O-ring
9. Magnet
12. Drain plug

: Always replace after every disassembly.
: N•m (kg-m, ft-lb)
: N•m (kg-m, in-lb)

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8. Inspect the inside of the CVT oil pan for any evidence of broken parts.
EXAMPLE:
 Figure 18 and Figure 19 are acceptable for this repair – Magnets with fine
debris or sludge in any amount.

OK

Fine debris
Figure 18

Any amount of fine
debris is acceptable.

OK

Fine debris
Figure 19

Continue to the next page.

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 Figure 20, Figure 21 and Figure 22 are No Good (NG) for this repair - Broken
parts would include pieces of bearings, clutch material, belt elements, etc.

NG

Bearing rollers
or bearing race
Figure 20
Large metal
pieces

NG

Figure 21
Bearing seal
(green)

NG

Figure 22
Continue to the next page.

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

Is there any evidence of broken parts or excessive debris?
o YES: Replace the CVT assembly as follows:
a. Document the debris found with a video (see page 147 for details).
b. Reinstall the CVT oil pan gasket and oil pan.
c. Call the PCC for CVT replacement authorization (see page 147 for contact
information).
d. Refer to the Electronic Service Manual (ESM), section TRANSMISSION &
DRIVELINE > TRANSAXLE & TRANSMISSION > CVT: RE0F11A >
UNIT REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION > TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY for
CVT replacement.

o NO:
 If DTC P17F0 is not stored, proceed to step 10.
 If DTC P17F0 is stored, continue to step 9.

9. Install the original (removed) CVT oil pan gasket and oil pan temporarily with at least
two oil pan bolts, hand tight. Skip to step 30 on page 33.

10. Remove the three (3) oil strainer bolts,
and then remove the oil strainer from the
control valve.


3 bolts

These bolts will be reused.

Oil Strainer
Figure 23

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Nut and washer

11. Remove the nut and washer, and then
remove the manual plate shown in
Figure 24.


Use a screwdriver to hold the manual
plate (Figure 25) to keep the shaft
from rotating while removing the nut.



Manual plate

Do not discard the nut and washer.
These will be reused during
assembly.

12. Clean around the CVT unit harness
connector to prevent foreign materials
from entering into the CVT case (picture
not shown).

Figure 24

Manual plate

Figure 25
13. Remove ONLY the eleven (11) control
valve bolts circled in yellow with
markings as shown in Figure 26.


On this model transaxle, Do NOT
remove the bolts with a single dot
over the “7” (not shown).



The bolts removed will be reused.

Control valve bolts

14. Press the CVT unit harness connector
down into the transaxle case, and then
remove the control valve from the
transaxle case.
Figure 26

Transaxle damage
may occur if care is not taken when
handling the CVT unit harness
connector.

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Remove bolts
with this
marking

NTB20-035a

CVT Belt Visual Inspection
15. Secure the passenger side (RH) front wheel with a suitable strap.
a. Connect the first hook of the strap to the coil spring as shown in Figure 27.
b. Route the strap around the center of the tire and attach the second hook through the
eyelet of the first hook that is attached to the coil spring.
c. Tighten the strap sufficiently to keep the passenger side (RH) front tire from rotating
but do not overtighten.
d. This will assist in making the belt turn during the borescope belt inspection step.

Coil spring

Passenger
side (RH)
Figure 27

16. Mark the driver side (LH) front wheel with a suitable marking.


This will ensure all 360° of the belt are inspected.

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17. Inspect the entirety of the two sides of the belt that come in contact with the pulleys
(Figure 28).
IMPORTANT:


Reference Figure 40 through Figure 48 on pages 26-29 for comparison.



Use borescope J-51951 with mirror attachment.



Be sure to remove the protective film from the mirror before the first use.



Clean the camera lens and mirror before each inspection. Use 90% isopropyl
alcohol and a lens swab from Lens Swab packet J-51963 listed in PARTS
INFORMATION on page 140.



Before inspecting, make sure the batteries in the camera handle and LCD monitor
are charged.

Inspect
these sides
Do not inspect
these sides

Figure 28
a. Install the Clutch Engagement Tool (J-52273) to the CVT case with two bolts, finger
tight, where shown in Figure 29 and Figure 30.


Bolt torque not to exceed: 2.26 N•m (0.23 kg-m, 20 in-lb.)

 Use care when tightening the bolts as damage to the bolts/CVT could occur.
 Make sure an O-ring is installed to the Clutch Engagement Tool (J-52273)
before installation as this could lead to improper/incomplete testing.

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HINT: The O-ring for the Clutch Engagement Tool comes with the attachment. To order
additional O-rings, refer to PARTS INFORMATION on page 140.

Bolts

Front of
vehicle

Clutch
engagement tool
(J-52273)

Clutch pack
Figure 29

Figure 30

b. Connect the hand pump from Evap
Pressure Test Kit (J-42909) to the
Clutch Engagement Tool (J-52273)
and pump to 30 PSI (Figure 31).

Hand pump

IMPORTANT:


Proper pressure has been achieved
when the CVT belt moves while the
driver side (LH) front wheel is rotated
and the CVT is in NEUTRAL with the
passenger side (RH) front wheel
secured.



The hand pump should be removed
from the Clutch Engagement Tool
(J-52273) quick connect once the
clutch has been engaged and the
belt is observed moving with tire
rotation. Pressure will be retained.

Figure 31

Do NOT over-pressurize the system as internal damage to the CVT
could result.

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c. Insert the borescope where shown in Figure 32 as follows:
i.
ii.
iii.

Face the mirror of the borescope toward the driver side of the vehicle (CVT
side cover).
Insert the lens approximately 7.5 inches from the CVT oil pan gasket surface
as shown in Figure 34 on page 22.
View the side of the belt that contacts the pulley.

Look through here to
help guide borescope

Front of
vehicle

Insert borescope
here at location 1

Figure 32

Driver
side

Belt

Insert borescope
here
Face the mirror in the
direction indicated by
the yellow arrow
Figure 33

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View point is on
opposite side of belt

CVT shown removed from
the vehicle and without
side cover for clarity, and
is for reference only

Figure 34
d. Using the mark applied to the driver
side (LH) front wheel for reference,
slowly and carefully rotate the driver
side (LH) front wheel one full turn in
either direction to view all of the belt.


Holding the borescope (camera
flexible tube) with one hand
allows rotation of the wheel with
the other hand (Figure 35).



If evidence of belt slip is identified
as shown in Figure 44 through
Figure 48 on pages 28-29, skip to
step 26 on page 33.



Figure 35

If the belt does not move when
rotating the driver side (LH) front
wheel, return to step 17b on
page 20.

e. If the inspection result confirms that no slippage has occurred on the observed side,
inspect the other side of the belt as follows:

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For the following steps, print
this page as a template and
then shape the borescope
camera flexible tube like the
image in Figure 36.


Do not shrink or
enlarge the sheet size
when printing.



The template shown is
actual size when
printed on 8.5” x 11”
paper.

The figure is
9 inches
long

4 inches

15°
Camera view: Face the
mirror in the direction of
the yellow arrow.

Figure 36

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i.

Face the mirror of the borescope toward passenger side (engine side).

ii.

Insert the borescope in the second location where shown in Figure 37 and
Figure 38.

iii.

Insert the lens approximately 8.7 inches from the CVT case rim as shown in
Figure 39 on page 25.

iv.

View the side of the belt that contacts the pulley.

Front of
vehicle

Insert borescope at
location 2 and also look
through here to help
guide borescope
Figure 37

Passenger
side
Insert borescope
here

Face the mirror in the
direction indicated by
the yellow arrow

Belt

Figure 38

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Shown removed from the
vehicle and without side
cover for clarity, and is
for reference only

Borescope

Borescope position,
inserted from bottom

Figure 39
f. Using the mark applied to the driver side (LH) front wheel for reference, slowly and
carefully rotate the driver side (LH) front wheel one full turn in either direction to view
all of the belt.
i.

Holding the borescope (camera flexible tube) with one hand allows rotation of
the wheel with the other hand (Figure 35).

HINT: If the belt does not move when rotating the driver side (LH) front wheel,
supply additional air with hand pump (J-45664) to re-engage the clutch as
necessary.
ii.

Look for evidence of belt slip as shown in Figure 44 through Figure 48 on
pages 28 - 29.

g. Is the inspection result OK (no evidence of slip) for 360° rotation of both sides of the
belt?

YES: Go to step 18 on page 30.

NO: Skip to step 26 on page 33.

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