New Yaris Gearbox Problem.....

[petesimla]

Purchase a new Yaris 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual in late August, car has done less than 800 miles and the gearbox is giving trouble. When you change down from third gear to second, you can't select second gear leaving you stranded as you are too slow for third gear and too fast for first. It's been dangerous at times, especially when coming off a motorway or approach to a roundabout as you are left stranded without being able to select a gear. Car went back to the dealer at the start of this week, no courtesy car was offered, after a few hours told by the dealer they can't find any fault. When asked if they had driven the car the dealer said 'no'. Left the car with the dealer for further investigation and stressed that they need to road test it to find the problem. After 3 days, still not heard back and called the dealer for an update. Dealer said they still can not find any fault so they are going to change the gear selector cables but by their own admission admitted that this will not solve the problem. Has anyone else had problems with the 6 speed manual gearbox in their Yaris as trying to put a portfolio of incidents together to take to Toyota and the media to try and get this resolved. If the dealer can't rectify this, then I'm going to reject the car and buy a Polo instead!

[tk-421]

Welcome to YW! :thumbsup:

I'm not familiar with the 6-speed gearbox, but I can definitely relate with the gear ratios problem on my 5-speed.

In my case, the "fix" was to learn how to get used to the awkward ratios, and install both NST SSKs from MicroImage. It takes a while to get used to the changes, but it is 100% worth it.

For more info on the SSKs, go here:
http://shop.microimageonline.com/product.sc?productId=3&categoryId=2
http://shop.microimageonline.com/product.sc?productId=112&categoryId=2

[tomato]

Hello and welcome! I drive a 5 sp manual transmission (no diesel / 6 sp in the US) and let me tell you, I had a LOT of trouble with that transmission in the beginning. Most of us have to go through an adaptation period with the Yaris manual transmission.

I know what you mean, when you approach the roundabout, you want to downshift to slow down and the Yaris isn't happy with your gear selection, then won't let you select anything else for a few seconds, and yes, it is dangerous.

Perhaps you are in the wrong gear at the time for the Yaris? The gears are really different on the Yaris, and while you may be used to downshifting to second or third right before entering the round about, the Yaris may require a different gear ? That happened to me when I first drove the car home from the dealership, I was on the freeway, approached a turn I usually took in 2d with my Honda, and heard the Yaris SCREAM back at me (I should have taken that turn in 3rd or even 4th). Yeah, the gear ration is really different on the Yaris. The only advice I can give you is this:

1) first, always make sure your pedal is ALL THE WAY down when you try to switch gears. You may think it is, but if it's missing even only 1 or 2 millimeters to be all the way down, you'll have problems or you wont' be able to shift gears at all (happened to me, then I found out that the Yaris mat was slipping a little bit under the pedal because it was off its hook (yes, it's THAT sensitive) and was causing a problem.

2) You need to just give yourself enough time to get used to the Yaris MT, take it out to the country and practice switching gears and downshifting (yes, even if you have been driving MT for years, and yes, it's totally humbling :redface:) The Yaris transmission - IMO - isn't intuitive at all and takes A LOT of getting used to. I've been driving MTs for years, and this is the FIRST time I had so much trouble adapting. By comparison, I drove my brother's Audi when I was in Europe 2 months ago and I was one with the car within seconds. Not so with the Yaris, which, I"m ashamed to say, am still kinda getting used to after 6 or 700 hundred miles (although we get along much, much better now than in the beginning!)

There are a few threads on this board about getting used to the manual transmission and many forum members have recommended the NST kits but I ended up getting used to the Yaris as is after a while. I still stall it now and then when I'm not paying attention, to be honest.

Bottom line, is I'm really glad I didn't take it back to the dealership (believe me, I was real close to doing that in the beginning) because once you get used to it, it's really quite the cool little car, honestly.

The MT could be smoother, true, and Toyota should probably address that, but you'll get used to it, we all did. Hope that helps.


:burnrubber:

[Bob Dog]

My 5 speed took a little getting used to, but now I drive, trouble free with agility. I suspect the lower horse power of the diesel engine may make it more prone to stalling. I also suspect you will find that practice is the key.

[auxmike]

I went with the auto tranny myself.
Just move the gated shifter into "D" and off you go!:thumbup:
But seriously, I wanted a stick too. But at the time all I found was a Bare bones red hatch 5 speed. No sale....
What really bugged me was a few months after my purchase of the A/T, a Meteorite HB with 5speed AND the power pkg. shows up on the lot!:mad:
I hope you get justice on your Yari...

[tomato]

OP. I don't understand why your dealership won't take the car for a test drive?! That's weird!! Can you go to a different Toyota dealership?

Or can you maybe hire a private mechanic shop to look at it, then if the mechanic says you have a problem, have them put their diagnosis in writing, then go back to the dealership? Seems really weird that they won't even drive the car around the block.

But yeah, it does take a while to get used to the Yaris's MT.
Hope Toyota does something about that.

[unknownuser]

This is a known fault.

I don't know if i'm allowed to mention this but anyway for your benefit (mods can remove if you want):

Look at the Yaris section in the toyota owners club forum and look for a thread called "Gearbox Crunch"

Here's a direct link if i'm allowed to post it:

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100083

Edit:

Just realised that this might look spammy being my first post.
I don't have any connection with the above forum apart from being a lurker.

[tomato]

No problem, unknownuser

The great majority of the forum members on here drive auto (most cars in the US have auto trannies), so have no idea what we're complaining about here :wink: but I know it's different in Europe where practically everybody drives a manual transmission.

Welcome to Yaris World, and enjoy the forum :smile:

[unknownuser]

Thanks for the welcome.

Manual is more common but auto is increasingly gaining popularity in towns & cities.

That said when test driving I hated the yaris MMT, the gear changeover was never smooth and felt a bit sluggish.

[tomato]

^ hmm... yeah I guess that would depend on what you compare the Yaris to? First gear is the worse, IMO, otherwise it's not that bad (either that or I finally got used to it, lol!)

You're welcome. Enjoy the forum!

[Altitude]

Apart from the problems with the MT off the line (which can be dealt with), I've never had an issue with up-shifting or down-shifting. The only thing that annoyed me at first was the odd engine rev when engaging the clutch to shift.

[Bredayaris]

I have the Yaris diesel 5 speed and never had problems with this gearbox.
Toyota gearboxes are normally one of the best.

If the dealer can't rectify this, then I'm going to reject the car and buy a Polo instead!

If you want to visit a car dealer often you have to make that choice of course!!

[unknownuser]

I was comparing with the manual equivalent.
With the MMT I experienced sudden deceleration each time it changed gears.

[tomato]

I was comparing with the manual equivalent.
With the MMT I experienced sudden deceleration each time it changed gears.

That's weird. :confused:
I've driven 2 different MT Yarii and never noticed that. :iono:

[Bredayaris]

That's weird. :confused:
I've driven 2 different MT Yarii and never noticed that. :iono:

MMT is a semi automatic gearbox, not a manual transmission.

[tomato]

MMT is a semi automatic gearbox, not a manual transmission.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh... OK. :redface:
thanks !!

[suiller]

Purchase a new Yaris 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual in late August, car has done less than 800 miles and the gearbox is giving trouble. When you change down from third gear to second, you can't select second gear leaving you stranded as you are too slow for third gear and too fast for first. It's been dangerous at times, especially when coming off a motorway or approach to a roundabout as you are left stranded without being able to select a gear. Car went back to the dealer at the start of this week, no courtesy car was offered, after a few hours told by the dealer they can't find any fault. When asked if they had driven the car the dealer said 'no'. Left the car with the dealer for further investigation and stressed that they need to road test it to find the problem. After 3 days, still not heard back and called the dealer for an update. Dealer said they still can not find any fault so they are going to change the gear selector cables but by their own admission admitted that this will not solve the problem. Has anyone else had problems with the 6 speed manual gearbox in their Yaris as trying to put a portfolio of incidents together to take to Toyota and the media to try and get this resolved. If the dealer can't rectify this, then I'm going to reject the car and buy a Polo instead!

I've the same gearbox even if my engine is the 1.33 dual vvti (101hp), anyway I suspect that all these "new" gearboxes are fault from origin, here in italy almost 100% of 6 gears transmission give troubles from the beginning, toyota knows but doesn't do anything to solve the trouble (probably they can't)... toyota quality (generally speaking) has fallen very much during last 4/5 years... perhaps is better to start looking somewhere else :biggrin:

I've partially solved by changing the gear oil from the crappy "genuine toyota oil" to the very good RedLine MT-90, I mixed 80% MT-90 + 20% of MTL (always RedLine brand)

[unknownuser]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh... OK. :redface:
thanks !!

Sorry I should have made that clearer in my post.

[unknownuser]

Suiller check with a Toyota dealer it should be fixable by now (at least it is in the UK don't know about Italy though).

[tomato]

no worries.

Then in that case, I got nothing, except the part about taking it to a different dealership or private mechanic and getting something in writing. Good luck with that, let us know how it works out.

[suiller]

Suiller check with a Toyota dealer it should be fixable by now (at least it is in the UK don't know about Italy though).

I fixed by myself after changing the poor (default) gearbox oil with the better quoted RedLine, as reported in this forum generally speaking toyota gearbox are a bit "woody" (is it the right word??)

anyway are past 500/600km after the change finally I have a decent gear, the rear gear goes without making any noise, all the other gears engage with just a finger... right now this oil is the best investment :headbang:

how they solved around the great Londiunium? (for who didn't know is the original name of London... named in this way about 2000 years ago :smoking:)

[unknownuser]

They replace some parts in the gear, here's where I got my info:

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100083

[dblade]

Hello everyone i have the same problem toyota yaris 2009 diesel 6mmt
At first i can't put from 5th to 6th then i change the syncros and the "brakes" and the problem solved.
But one month later i can;t put for 6th to 5th anyone ideas because i give up....