I know this info is about a CVT Honda hybrid but I am wondering since our vehicles also use a CVT, has anyone heard or experienced the same with high mileage FEH vehicles?

"107k miles on a 06 Honda Civic Hybrid, pending total CVT failure (not the simple start clutch issue that is common with this trans)... I noticed a few symptoms a month or two ago (slow to engage in forward/reverse and "surging" when you leave a light or tollbooth) I thought it was the extreme cold weather we'd been having and it was due for a service, so I waited.. When it warmed up and a fluid change (scheduled) did't improve the problem." From another forum.

Considering the cost of replacing the CVT after the normal warranty expires would it be a good idea to purchase an extended warranty in case this is a common high mileage problem?

 

Since many of the components for a Hybrid vehicle are low volume and high cost to the manufacturer, I would seriously consider the extended service plan - but only the Ford ESP.
You can buy from any FLM dealer and you don't pay the $100 surcharge if you buy within 1 year or 12,000 miles. Shop around for the best price. A major failure out of warranty could be very costly.

I will drive my FFH a while (less than a year) before I decide if I will likely keep it beyond the factory warranty period. If it looks like a keeper, I'll get the ESP (whichever one has the longest time frame with the lowest mileage since we are low mileage drivers).

 

The CVT in a Civic is an entirely different animal than the one in the FEH--the Honda uses a belt driven system, and the Ford uses a planetary gearset. The Ford (Aisin) system has a lot fewer moving parts, and is a lot more durable than the Civic's tranny.

That being said, for both cars, the tranny is considered part of the hybrid system, so if it goes south on you, it is covered under the hybrid part of your warranty, not the 3 year 50k bumper to bumper part. That will add some extra coverage for you for free. I'm of the school of thought that says you never insure against losses you can afford, but my wife likes the piece of mind an extended warranty gives her. Needless to say, both our Civic and Mariner are covered by extended warranties .

Edit: by the way, as Red mentioned, a Ford plan is probably best. If for some reason you were considering a thrid party plan, make abolutely sure that ALL of the hybrid components are covered. I've heard interweb rumors that many third party insurance plans do not cover hybrid components.

 

My take on this is that we will have problems in the electrical side of our FEH's transaxle well before the mechanical side. The planetary gearset is way too simple and, so long as the lube oil (ATF) in it has no problems, then the gears won't either.

No matter how well they cool it, heat stress will eventually catch up with electronic components. Don't take that as a criticism of the FEH electronics cooling circuit, just experience with electronics used in a potentially heat stress environment.

My bet is that failures in it won't show up within the Hybrid Components warranty period. I believe they set the warranty length to prevent any significant number of major claims. There is an engineering methodology for predicting component failure rates and I would expect them to set, probably, three standard deviations out as the far side of the warranty period.

I buy cars for the long haul so I think it will go well beyond that for most of us.

 

In some states you get 10 yr/150,00 mile warranty on the hybrid powertrain:

EV Battery/CVT warranty is 8/100,000 or 10/150,000

 

The Federal government set the standards, not the car manufacturers.

 

I don't think so--I have a different (shorter) warranty for my HCH hybrid stuff than my MMH. If the federal government set it up, all manufacturers would have the same period. I think Honda set it originally with the Insight, Toyota went a little longer witht he Prius, and then Ford mimiced that with the FEH.

 

I don't know to what extent the Feds decree the warranty other than setting minimums. But if they go beyond minimums then they will use a methodology based on engineering practices.

In the case of new technology, with little on the road experience available, they will resort to the predictive methods available.

 

The Feds regulate the warranty period insofar as adverse tailpipe emissions are concerned, nothing beyond.

 

No, I think it was the EPA for most states and the CARB for those states who follow California emissions rules. The extra warranties are to ensure that the hybrid technology actually continues to pollute less.

The rules kicked in around 2004, IIRC, so the first year of the HCH did not come under the longer warranty. Same story for the Gen 1 Prius.