Manual Transmission...Safety Issue!!!

[drifto]

just feather the gas a little, whats so difficult?
ive driven cars with much more annoying clutches i.e. any civic with a cable clutch, 1988 vw jetta. even though annoying, never felt the need to complain about it

[woof]

I wish I had seen this thread in '06 instead of 12/09! I have been going through an ordeal with my dealer and regional rep who first told me nothing was wrong and now the "clunking" in the drivetrain is "acceptable".

What has happened is that the first year I owned my 5-speed hatch I stalled about 200 times coming off the line. It was because the dead pedal area keeps the clutch from going to the bottom of the floor board.

I may have to go to our state's AG office because the service manager is a real, lying prick. I think Toyota is aware of this and is doing everything to dodge the bullet by what the regional rep said.

I never thought Toy would go this low.

[tomato]

I don't know what your particular case is, but we all go through a ... ahem.... let's call it "break-in" period with the Yaris clutch.

I've said it many times on this board, to the point of having people wondering if I was a troll in disguise, but I do maintain that the Yaris clutch is weird, and takes a good deal of getting used to. First gear especially.

Something similar to the OP's wife happened to me when I drove the car home from the dealership (they forgot to hook up the mat after they detailed it and believe it or not, that alone can prevent you from shifting gears properly, AND will also prevent you from starting the car in the morning).

I hated the clutch so much in the beginning, even seriously considered taking the car back to the dealership during the first week, but eventually you DO adapt.

Yes, Toyota could have made an effort (my Honda Civic 1st Gen manual transmission was so easy to drive in comparison) but it is an entry level car, after all, I DNK

[tomato]

BTW, about this thread: I understand the OP is upset, believe me I do understand but the title? that was really poor wording.

The Yaris clutch is weird, but I would definitely not call it a "safety issue"

Part of the problem may have been in the driver seat

[Lewis]

I'm 62 and have driven only manual transmission cars my whole lifetime.

My take on this is that the Yaris is indeed a bit unique in how the throttle/clutch interact but it does not seem defective in any way- just a bit different. The only car I had to adjust so much to was my old 1973 Porsche 914 (wish I kept that puppy) and that was because of the unique racing 5 speed shift pattern with 1st all the way to the left and down (with the other gears in the conventional "H" pattern having 2nd where 1st usually resides).

With the Yaris it feels to me like the touchiness comes from the combination of the slightly lower than normal idol speed and the slightly jerky engagement of the electronic throttle that seems to make it a bit touchy starting out in 1st.

My own theory with the trouble the thread starter has had is that---- if you have several stick cars it COULD be tricky going back and forth to the Yaris because of it's uniqueness.

Since it's the only stick car in our family I've adapted easily.

You want difficult?- try a classic British car with the Moss box- now THAT"S difficult!!- used to have a share of a 1962 Morgan with the Moss box- that stick was more like an exercise machine attached to a manual coffee grinder. Luckily the Lucas electrics made up for it. Want to experience a REALLY jerky throttle- - install an old Lucas diaphram fuel (sometimes) pump feeding dual SU belching (really that wasn't ME!) carburetors into a modified tractor engine (Triumph TR-4) with a hot cam exiting to a free flowing exhaust. That my friend will teach you the meaning of the term jerky throttle.

Praise to TOYOTA - when everything actually works on a car the press calls it boring- well as a former Morgan owner I KNOW the value of boring!

When Toyota builds a car with a little shall we say personality- they get criticized (and threatened with lawsuits) like this- folks- you can't have it both ways.

[YarisSedan]

I havent read all the posts. But I think the yaris has a hydralic clutch. Typically whenever i get into a new car that is stick shift. I sit in the parking lot for about 30 seconds. Rock the car with only my foot on the clutch pedal not the gas. To get a feel for the car and the point where the clutch grabs. I guess you could call it the sweet spot. Once you know where that is. Then driving the car is easy. I hopped into a friends yaris never driving a manual yaris before and never had any issues once i found that spot. Even was able to chirp the tires on the 2-3 shift

[supmet]

Originally Posted by woof

What has happened is that the first year I owned my 5-speed hatch I stalled about 200 times coming off the line. It was because the dead pedal area keeps the clutch from going to the bottom of the floor board.

This is a true testament to the greatness of toyota. Operator error that would kill most modern cars, but your yaris keeps ticking. I think you should write to your regional toyota rep, and tell them how amazed you are, that no matter how hard you tried to kill the clutch and the tranny, it still runs.

Honestly, 1000s of half-clutched shifting, and 100s of stalls would kill any non toyota or honda.. Go get a kia and shift for 2 years without the clutch and tell me if you miss your "clunk"

[Zaphod]

Originally Posted by supmet

This is a true testament to the greatness of toyota. Operator error that would kill most modern cars, but your yaris keeps ticking. I think you should write to your regional toyota rep, and tell them how amazed you are, that no matter how hard you tried to kill the clutch and the tranny, it still runs.

Honestly, 1000s of half-clutched shifting, and 100s of stalls would kill any non toyota or honda.. Go get a kia and shift for 2 years without the clutch and tell me if you miss your "clunk"

I was so sloppy with the clutch on the Jeep that I often had the clutch engaged before even having it in the next gear. Seriously, once that little beast reached 8 years old and it was apparent that rust was going to take that 4 cylinder DOG down before I could, I started treating it like a rented mule. I mean I ABUSED that vehicle ... and it still went to 180,000 before the throwout bearing went out.

I can understand buyers remorse on such an expensive purchase, and I'll definitely agree that the clutch, idle and throttle response makes for a quirky 1st and reverse. But seriously, is doesn't take long to get used to it.

[wooverstone8]

Originally Posted by tomato

I hated the clutch so much in the beginning, even seriously considered taking the car back to the dealership during the first week, but eventually you DO adapt.

:

I had problems at first too, but after a month I finally adapted.

[advocate]

There's a real simple fix to this:

GIVE IT MORE GAS.

Really. Your safety, your time, and your grey hairs are not worth the .5 MPG lost attempting to launch the car at the absolute lowest RPMs possible. I can't believe this thread even exists.

Sure the Yaris clutch isn't the greatest and the throttle is drive by wire but still... The Yaris was my second manual car ever and I got it after only 15,000 miles on an old Jetta. I stalled it twice at the dealership and then never again.

You shouldn't be getting into a manual car expecting it to launch exactly how you want. You have to launch it exactly how it wants to be. So adjust and learn how to drive the car, for the engine's sake and yours.

[markitect]

I test drove a manual before going with the 5 door (before it was available with one), and I didn't stall it once on the test drive. And I haven't owned a manual in several years.

[yannis-b]

No probs at all. (09 model)

[cdavidhess]

I am 60 years old and have driven manual transmission cars my whole life.

There is always an adjustment period whenever you switch to a different car with a different manual transmission. I found the adjustment period with the Yaris to be no longer or more difficult than with any other car I have ever driven.

I regard the manual transmission in the Yaris to be very smooth.

[bronsin]

Having noticed the throttle lag with my auto transmission Yaris I shudder to think what it would be like driving a Yaris with a manual. You definately want to test drive that manual transmission Yaris before plunking down your hard earned cash. I was so shocked by the deal I got on my Yaris that I turned down the salemans offer to go for a test ride. After all I owned an ECHO for eight years previously. Had I done so I probably would have insisted they fix it before I took delivery. (Ha that would have been a mess!)
My wifes 2005 Camry (drive by wire) does the same thing. Unbelievable they allow their cars to be sold like that. (that ECHO was one sweet driving car)

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by advocate

There's a real simple fix to this:

GIVE IT MORE GAS.

Really. Your safety, your time, and your grey hairs are not worth the .5 MPG lost attempting to launch the car at the absolute lowest RPMs possible. I can't believe this thread even exists.

you don't have snow and ice down there.... normally i'd agree with you... winter time is a different story... sometimes giving a little gas means you can't start cause you spin the tires.

My question is.... does adding the NST crank pulley decrease this problem at all?

[advocate]

spin the wheels, melt the ice, get traction, boom you're off!

[Gideon]

Originally Posted by talnlnky

My question is.... does adding the NST crank pulley decrease this problem at all?

Yeah, it does a bit. I have the underdrive installed and it made going from a stop a LOT easier.

[serious]

Originally Posted by Kitt

Bottom line is: Im not having the issue, Im happy with my car and there is no reason for me to return it...

+1