Transmission reliability: which transmissions and years to avoid

Honda CVT

Honda · 2013–present (US Accord, Civic, CR-V, Fit, HR-V)

NHTSA and Honda records for Honda's CVT point to a few specific campaigns, not a broad warranty extension or class settlement. Recall 15V574 updated software on 2014–2015 Civics and 2015 Fits because the drive pulley shaft could break. A 2016 product update addressed CVT belt slip and code P1890 on 2015–2016 Accords and CR-Vs. Recalls 20V769 and 25V422 replace corrosion-prone driveshafts on 2013–2015 four-cylinder CVT Accords in salt-belt states.

Nissan CVT

Nissan, Infiniti · 2003–present (US)

Nissan's Xtronic CVT is the subject of several class settlements in federal court in Tennessee, which extended CVT coverage to 84 months/84,000 miles on the 2013–2018 Altima, 2013–2019 Sentra, 2012–2019 Versa, 2014–2019 Versa Note, 2013–2017 Juke, 2014–2018 Rogue, 2015–2018 Pathfinder, 2015–2018 Murano and 2016–2018 Maxima, and to 96 months/94,000 miles on the 2015–2018 Infiniti QX60. Nissan separately extended 2003–2010 CVTs to 10 years/120,000 miles.

Subaru CVT

Subaru · 2010–present (US)

Subaru extended the CVT portion of its powertrain warranty from 5 years/60,000 miles to 10 years/100,000 miles on nearly every Lineartronic-equipped 2010–2020 model, saying the move was not in response to any specific condition. The most serious documented defect is a control-unit programming error that could let the drive chain slip on 2019–2020 Ascents and 2020–2021 Outbacks and Legacys (recalls 19V855, 21V955 and 22V485).

Toyota Direct Shift-CVT

Toyota · 2019–present (US)

Toyota's Direct Shift-CVT has a short documented record. Its only NHTSA transmission recall, 18V901, covered 3,424 early 2019 Corolla Hatchbacks whose torque-converter pump impeller blades could detach and stall the car; Toyota replaced the CVT and torque converter. NHTSA's recall lists for the 2020–2025 Corolla show no transmission recalls, and we found no warranty extension or class settlement for this transmission.

Ford PowerShift DPS6

Ford · 2011–2016 model years documented in Ford's programs (Fiesta 2011–2015, Focus 2012–2016)

Ford extended clutch and input-shaft-seal coverage to 7 years/100,000 miles (programs 14M01 and 19N08) and transmission control module coverage to 10 years/150,000 miles (14M02) on 2011–2015 Fiesta and 2012–2016 Focus cars, and a federal court approved the Vargas class settlement in March 2020. Coverage is measured from each car's warranty start date, so most of it has now ended.

Hyundai/Kia 7-speed DCT

Hyundai, Kia · 2015 model year onward (US)

Hyundai's 7-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmission has a documented record concentrated in its first years. Hyundai recalled 2016 Tucsons (16V628) because they could fail to move from a stop in heat, and ran a software campaign for 2016–2017 Tucson hesitation. A court-approved settlement (Wylie v. Hyundai, 2020) covered 2015–2017 Sonata Eco and 2016–2017 Tucson and Veloster DCT models. Hyundai and Kia bulletins describe low-speed clutch judder repairs on later models too.

Allison 1000

Chevrolet, GMC · Documented here in 2007–2019 Silverado and Sierra HD pickups with the Duramax diesel

The Allison 1000 six-speed (GM RPO MW7) paired with the Duramax diesel in Silverado and Sierra HD pickups shows up in GM's records mainly through service bulletins rather than recalls: electrical issues that cause lost TCM communication on 2007–2012 trucks, binding shift solenoids on 2012–2013 trucks and a chafing TCM harness on 2015–2016 trucks. GM's 2024 Silverado HD announcement describes the Allison 10-speed that followed it.

Chrysler 62TE 6-speed

Dodge, Chrysler, Ram · 2011–2021 model years in the FCA service records cited here

The 62TE six-speed in the 2011–2020 Dodge Grand Caravan, 2011–2016 Chrysler Town & Country and V6 Dodge Journey has no broad warranty extension or class settlement in the record reviewed. Documented issues are a 2015–2016 pump-seizure recall (16V461), shift-quality software flashes for 2011–2013 minivans, and an FCA repair guide for cracked torque-converter pistons that can cause slipping. Ram ProMaster vans had a separate 62TE park-pawl recall (23V301).

Ford 10R80

Ford, Lincoln · 2017–present (US)

Ford's own service bulletins document harsh or delayed engagement and shifts on 10R80-equipped 2017–2020 F-150, 2018–2021 Expedition, Navigator and Mustang, and 2019–2023 Ranger models, with repairs ranging from a valve-body overhaul to a clutch-cylinder replacement. NHTSA recalls cover the 2021 F-150 (unexpected shift to neutral), a 2018–2021 park-pawl problem, and a 2024–2025 valve-body machining defect. We found no Ford warranty extension for 10R80 shift quality.

Ford 6R80

Ford, Lincoln · 2011–2017 F-150 and 2012–2013 Expedition, Navigator and Mustang documented in Ford/NHTSA records

NHTSA records show the 6R80's main documented defect is an unexpected downshift caused by faulty sensor signals in the transmission's lead frame. Ford recalled 2011–2014 F-150s and some 2012 Expedition, Navigator and Mustang models for sudden downshifts into first gear, then in 2026 recalled about 1.39 million 2015–2017 F-150s for downshifts into second gear. Ford also extended lead-frame coverage to 10 years/150,000 miles on 2011–2013 trucks.

GM 10-speed automatic

Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac · 2017–present (US)

GM's 10-speed automatic carries wheel-lockup safety recalls on specific versions: 24V-797 for 2020–2022 diesel Silverado and Sierra pickups and 2021 diesel full-size SUVs, 26V-085 for 2022 full-size SUVs with the electronic shifter, and 25V-148 for 2020–2022 Camaro, 2020–2021 CT4/CT5 and 2019–2020 CT6. GM says a worn control valve can cause harsh shifts and, rarely, momentary wheel lockup; its software remedy comes with 15-year/150,000-mile coverage for that condition.

GM 6T40 / 6T45

Chevrolet, Buick, GMC · 2010s–2019 in the models covered here (GM bulletins span 2010–2019)

For GM's 6T40 and 6T45 six-speed automatics, GM service bulletins document two main problems: no-drive or no-start conditions from a damaged fluid pump on 2011–2014 Cruze, Equinox, Terrain, Sonic, Verano, Encore and Trax models, and torque-converter seal leaks on many 2010–2013 models. Recall 20V-668 later covered missing accumulator bolts on GM 6- or 9-speed transmissions in some 2018–2020 models.

GM 8-speed automatic

Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac · 2015–2019 model years in the vehicles covered here (later uses not covered)

GM's 8L90 and 8L45 eight-speed automatics in 2015–2019 Silverado, Sierra, Colorado, Canyon, Escalade, Yukon 6.2L, Camaro, Corvette, CTS, ATS and CT6 models are covered by GM service bulletins 16-NA-175 and 18-NA-355 for torque-converter clutch shudder at 25–80 mph. GM's prescribed fix is a full exchange to Mobil 1 Synthetic LV ATF HP. Vehicles built after the bulletin's early-2019 date breakpoints left the factory with that fluid.

ZF 8-speed (8HP / TorqueFlite 8)

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, BMW, Audi, Land Rover, Bentley, Rolls-Royce · 2012 model year onward at Chrysler/FCA (US); ZF began a fourth generation in 2022

NHTSA records show no broad failure campaign for the ZF 8-speed (TorqueFlite 845RE/8HP) in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram models. Its transmission recalls are small, build-specific campaigns: 2013 AWD 8HP45 output shafts (13V610), 2014 Ram park-pawl machining, 2017–2018 park-lock issues and a 2023 Ram control-unit weld. The largest related campaign, 16V240 (811,290 vehicles), fixed the monostable gear selector on 2012–2015 models, not the gearbox itself.

ZF 9-speed (9HP / 948TE)

Jeep, Chrysler, Ram, Fiat, Acura, Land Rover · 2014 model year onward (US)

The ZF-designed 9-speed's documented trouble is concentrated in its first years. FCA issued repeated shift-quality software flashes for 2014–2015 Jeep Cherokees, recalled 2014–2016 vehicles (16V529) because a harness crimp could shift them to neutral, and a 2019 court-approved settlement extended transmission coverage on 2014–2015 Cherokees and 2015 Renegade, 200 and ProMaster City to 6 years/100,000 miles. The 2015 Acura TLX V6 had two related recalls.