These Are The 4 Automatic Cars That Break Down The Most In Brazil In 2025, According To Workshops And Procon, With Repairs That Can Cost Up To R$ 18,000 For Drivers

Written by Valdemar Medeiros

Published on 11/12/2025 at 10:22

Foto: Estes são os 4carros automáticos que mais dão defeito no Brasil em 2025, segundo oficinas e Procon, com reparos que podem custar até R$ 18 mil aos motoristas

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CVT, DSG, and Powershift Transmissions Lead Complaints in Brazil in 2025. Here Are the 04 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most, According to Procon and Workshops, with Repairs That Can Reach R$ 18 Thousand.

In the last ten years, automatic transmissions have shifted from being a luxury to becoming increasingly common in Brazil. According to data from Fenabrave, in 2025 more than 65% of new cars sold in the country will leave the factory without a clutch pedal. This trend has brought comfort but has also opened space for a problem that concerns drivers: the increase in failures and breakdowns in automatic systems, which can be very expensive to repair.

The Weight on the Driver’s Wallet

If a manual car’s clutch repair can cost between R$ 1,500 and R$ 3,000, in automatic vehicles, the prices are much steeper. Specialized workshops report that repairs can vary from R$ 8 thousand to R$ 18 thousand, depending on the brand and type of transmission.

According to Procon-SP, a significant portion of the complaints registered in 2025 involves CVT and dual-clutch automatic transmissions (DSG/DCT), known for their early wear.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

These Are the 6 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most in Brazil in 2025

1. Nissan Kicks CVT

The compact SUV from Nissan is a sales leader but also a champion of complaints in workshops.

Common Problem: overheating of the CVT, especially during intense urban use.
Consequence: jolting during shifts and loss of power.
Average Repair Cost: R$ 10 thousand to R$ 15 thousand.

2. Honda Civic (CVT from Previous Generations)

Despite the brand’s good reputation, Civic models manufactured between 2016 and 2020 have accumulated complaints.

Common Problem: premature wear of the CVT belt.
Consequence: transmission “slipping” and risk of locking up.
Average Repair Cost: R$ 12 thousand to R$ 18 thousand.

3. Volkswagen Golf and Jetta (DSG)

The dual-clutch transmissions (DSG) from Volkswagen have always been praised for their speed, but they are also subject to criticism.

Common Problem: overheating of the mechatronic module.
Consequence: jolting and total transmission failure.
Average Repair Cost: R$ 15 thousand to R$ 18 thousand.

4. Ford Focus Powershift

The Powershift transmission from Ford has become one of the most controversial cases in Brazil, with legal actions and lawsuits at Procon.

Common Problem: failures in the clutches and electronic module.
Consequence: loss of acceleration and risk of sudden breakdown.
Average Repair Cost: up to R$ 14 thousand.

Why Do Automatic Transmissions Have So Many Problems?

Specialized mechanics in automatic transmissions point to three main reasons:

Lack of Preventive Maintenance – Many drivers believe that automatic transmissions do not require oil changes, but experts recommend replacement every 40,000 km.
Overheating – Intense use in heavy city traffic accelerates wear.
Sensitive Designs – CVT and dual-clutch transmissions have been created for efficiency but are more delicate and require extra care.

The Impact on the Used Car Market

These problems also directly affect the used car market. Models like Focus Powershift and Golf DSG have lost resale value, as buyers are wary of inheriting a problematic transmission.

In some cases, the depreciation reaches 20% below the market average, precisely due to the negative reputation of the transmission.

How Can Drivers Protect Themselves?

Change the transmission oil on schedule (even if the manufacturer says it is “lifetime”).
Be attentive to jerks and unusual noises.
Request a transmission report on used cars before purchase.
Seek specialized transmission workshops for early diagnosis.

What Do Manufacturers Say?

Manufacturers generally claim that the problems affect a “minority of vehicles” and that some failures result from improper maintenance.

However, consumer protection agencies warn that in some cases there have been design defects, which even led to international recalls.

Automatic cars have won over Brazil, but they have also opened space for a new headache: fragile transmissions and exorbitant repairs. According to data from workshops and records at Procon, models from Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen, Ford, Chevrolet, and Renault are among those that presented the most defects in 2025.

For drivers, the lesson is clear: preventive maintenance is the only way to avoid costs that can reach R$ 18 thousand.

4 Comments

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Ademir Negri

#210432

17/12/2025 11:27

A verdade é que os condutores não sabem operar corretamente câmbio automático!

Respond

Emerson

#209800

16/12/2025 09:51

Até onde eu sei o câmbio DSG e Powershift são automatizados e não automáticos.

Respond

Alcides

#208939

14/12/2025 17:23

Em determinado momento dessa postagem há o subtítulo “Estes são os 6 carros automáticos que mais dão defeito no Brasil em 2025”, porém a matéria não reflete o que diz, já que meciona somente 4 carros.

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Hilton Brent

#210744

Reply to Alcides

17/12/2025 22:50

O possível jornalista está a procura dos outros dois modelos…. para finalizar a possível matéria

Respond

These Are The 4 Automatic Cars That Break Down The Most In Brazil In 2025, According To Workshops And Procon, With Repairs That Can Cost Up To R$ 18,000 For Drivers

CVT, DSG, and Powershift Transmissions Lead Complaints in Brazil in 2025. Here Are the 04 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most, According to Procon and Workshops, with Repairs That Can Reach R$ 18 Thousand.

The Weight on the Driver’s Wallet

These Are the 6 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most in Brazil in 2025

1. Nissan Kicks CVT

2. Honda Civic (CVT from Previous Generations)

3. Volkswagen Golf and Jetta (DSG)

4. Ford Focus Powershift

Why Do Automatic Transmissions Have So Many Problems?

The Impact on the Used Car Market

How Can Drivers Protect Themselves?

What Do Manufacturers Say?

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These Are The 4 Automatic Cars That Break Down The Most In Brazil In 2025, According To Workshops And Procon, With Repairs That Can Cost Up To R$ 18,000 For Drivers

CVT, DSG, and Powershift Transmissions Lead Complaints in Brazil in 2025. Here Are the 04 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most, According to Procon and Workshops, with Repairs That Can Reach R$ 18 Thousand.

The Weight on the Driver’s Wallet

These Are the 6 Automatic Cars That Break Down Most in Brazil in 2025

1. Nissan Kicks CVT

2. Honda Civic (CVT from Previous Generations)

3. Volkswagen Golf and Jetta (DSG)

4. Ford Focus Powershift

Why Do Automatic Transmissions Have So Many Problems?

The Impact on the Used Car Market

How Can Drivers Protect Themselves?

What Do Manufacturers Say?

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

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