The continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an electronically controlled automatic transmission with drive and driven pulleys, and steel belt, and HCF-2 transmission fluid. The CVT provides non-stage speeds forward and non-stage speeds reverse. The entire unit is positioned in line with the engine.

The torque converter consists of a pump, turbine, and stator assembly in a single unit. The torque converter cover is connected to the engine crankshaft and turns as the engine turns. Around the outside of the torque converter is a ring gear which meshes with the starter pinion when the engine is being started. The entire torque converter assembly serves as a flywheel, transmitting power to the transmission input shaft. The transmission has four parallel shafts: the input shaft, the drive pulley shaft, the driven pulley shaft, and the final drive shaft. The input shaft is connected to the torque converter turbine, and integrates the forward clutch on the drive pulley shaft end. The drive pulley shaft and the driven pulley shaft consist of movable and fixed face pulleys. Both pulleys are linked by the steel belt. The input shaft includes the forward clutch pack, and includes the ring gear on the forward clutch drum end. The drive pulley shaft includes the drive pulley and the planetary sun gear/forward clutch hub.
The input shaft is connected with the drive pulley shaft by the planetary sun gear/forward clutch hub, and by the ring gear, the planetary pinion gears, and the planetary sun gear. The planetary carrier is positioned between the ring gear and the planetary sun gear, and engaged with the planetary pinion gears. The driven pulley shaft includes the driven pulley (with the park gear), and the secondary drive gear. The final drive shaft is positioned between the secondary drive gear and the final driven gear. The final drive shaft integrates the secondary driven gear and the final drive gear which serves to change the rotational direction of the drive and driven pulley shafts, because the drive pulley shaft and driven pulley shaft rotate the same direction. When the input shaft is joined with the drive pulley shaft by engaging the forward clutch or by engaging the reverse brake, power is transmitted through the input shaft, then drive pulley shaft, driven pulley shaft to the final drive shaft provide drive.

The electronic control system consists of the powertrain control module (PCM), sensors, and solenoid valves. Shifting and lock-up are electronically controlled for comfortable driving under all conditions. The PCM is located in the engine compartment.

The valve bodies include the main valve body, the secondary valve body, the linear solenoid valve body, the clutch reducing valve body, and the transmission fluid pump. These valve bodies are installed on the transmission housing, in the transmission. The main valve body contains the TC check valve, the LC shift valve, the LC control valve, the shift inhibitor valve, and the accumulator valve. The secondary valve body contains the CVT clutch pressure control solenoid valve and the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve. The linear solenoid valve body contains the CVT drive pulley control solenoid valve, CVT driven pulley control solenoid valve, the PH regulator valve, the one way valve, the drive pulley regulator valve, the driven pulley regulator valve, the accumulator valve, and the PH control shift valve. The clutch reducing valve body contains the shift solenoid valve B, the modulator valve, the relief valve, the CR valve, and the TC regulator valve. The transmission fluid pump contains the vane-type pump assembly, the shift solenoid valve O/P, and the pump shift valve.
The transmission fluid pump is driven by the engine turns. The transmission fluid pump drive sprocket is connected to the toque converter cover (pump), turns as the engine turns, and drives the transmission fluid pump driven sprocket with the transmission fluid pump drive chain. The transmission fluid pump supplies hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic circuit. Fluid from the transmission fluid pump passes through the one way valve and the PH regulator valve to the various control valves, pulleys, clutch, and reverse brake.

To shift pulley ratio, the PCM controls shift solenoid valves B and O/P, and the CVT drive pulley control solenoid valve, the CVT driven pulley control solenoid valve, the CVT clutch pressure control solenoid valve, and the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve while receiving input signals from various sensors and switches located throughout the vehicle. The PCM actuates the CVT drive pulley control solenoid valve and the CVT driven pulley control solenoid valve to change drive and driven pulley pressures. The drive pulley pressure is applied to the drive pulley, and the driven pulley pressure is applied to the driven pulley, and pulley ratio is changed to their effective ratio.

The lock-up mechanism of the torque converter clutch operates in D, S, and L (six-position/mode). The pressurized fluid is drained from the back of the torque converter through a fluid passage, causing the torque converter clutch piston to be held against the pump. As this takes place, the input shaft and drive pulley shaft rotate as the same as the engine crankshaft. Together with hydraulic control, the PCM optimizes the timing of the lock-up mechanism. When the shift solenoid valve B activates, the shift solenoid valve B pressure changes to switch lock-up on and off. The LC control valve controls the volume of lock-up according to the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve. The shift solenoid valve B is mounted on the clutch reducing valve body, and the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve is included in the secondary valve body located in the transmission housing. They are all controlled by the PCM.

The CVT comes in two types; five-position/mode transmission comes equipped with the paddle shifters, and six-position/mode transmission.

The A/T gear position indicator in the gauge control module shows which shift lever position/mode has been selected.

When the transmission is switched into the 7-speed manual shift mode, the shift indicator in the gauge control module displays the gear selected, and the M indicator next to the shift indicator comes on. The shift indicator also displays the gear selected in the D-paddle shift mode, but the M indicator does not come on.