Corolla Sportivo not engaging 2nd in lift!!!!!!

[Punk_200sx]

After getting my car back from the last service a few weeks ago, I haven't been able to engage second gear over 7500RPM. Now i'm not sure if Toyota adjusted my clutch pedal or it was just time for an adjustment, but it drove me nuts!!!!!!!! I would either brake my arm trying to get it into second or it would crunch second when the clutch was fully depressed.

Edited April 24, 2008 by punk_rolla

[CHA54]

That's the pedal height adjustment bolt... That doesn't effect the throw of the clutch master pushrod unless your pushrod is massively mis-adjusted.

You're meant to adjust the pedal height with that bolt, so it's level with the brake pedal... and then adjust the pushrod length to get the correct amount of freeplay in the clutch master.

After getting my car back from the last service a few weeks ago, I haven't been able to engage second gear over 7500RPM. Now i'm not sure if Toyota adjusted my clutch pedal or it was just time for an adjustment, but it drove me nuts!!!!!!!! I would either brake my arm trying to get it into second or it would crunch second when the clutch was fully depressed.

Now working full time, I only ever have time to take my car to Toyota every 10000km.

Tonight after it again crunched with my clutch fully depressed, I had enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driving like this was going to destroy my second gear syncros!!!!!!(Fn Toyota design flaw, they should have done a Recall the bastards)

I decided to adjust to adjust the clutch myself!!!!!!!!!

I opened the tool pouch that came with my Rolla, got out the 14mm spanner.

Got under the dash where the clutch pedal (Time 6:38PM).

I loosened the lower nut, then turned the upper bolt a few times.

I then tightened the lower nut (Time 6:39PM)

Then I took it for a drive.

It engaged second perfectly within in lift first go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After 6 more 1st to second lift changes, its smooth and hits lift between gears no problem.

All it took was a 14mm spanner (which comes with the Rolla) and 1 minute of my time.

Attached Photo, of what needs to be done!!!!!!

Hope this helps out some of you out!!!!!

[Punk_200sx]

Yeah I know, I have attached the adjustment procedure. Now it is within correct parameters

Freeplay was fine in mine, a slight pedal height adjustment was all that needed adjusting.

[Northy]

how can toyota issue a recall for somthing thats caused by wear and tear?? its like them issuing a recall for the tyres because they wear down when you drive the car.....

[theDefiant1]

how can toyota issue a recall for somthing thats caused by wear and tear?? its like them issuing a recall for the tyres because they wear down when you drive the car.....

What a novel idea I wonder when Hyundai will do it...

[Punk_200sx]

how can toyota issue a recall for somthing thats caused by wear and tear?? its like them issuing a recall for the tyres because they wear down when you drive the car.....

What a novel idea I wonder when Hyundai will do it...

I don't know of any other car that does not allow you to select 2nd after a high RPM gear change. Seems like its only the corolla and not the celica with this problem (tell me if I'm wrong). Clearly something is not right there. Plus i just had a service!!!!!!!!!!!!

I needed an adjustment at 1000km, 10000km, 30000km and now 60000km. Thats alot of adjustment if you ask me. I'm sick of taking it back and the problem returning. and causing damage to my box.

Edited November 13, 2007 by punk_rolla

[Seano]

Yeah that'd be sweet.

Just a quick semi-hijacking question. Why did Toyota choose to use a cable clutch over a hydraulically driven clutch?

[Northy]

how can toyota issue a recall for somthing thats caused by wear and tear?? its like them issuing a recall for the tyres because they wear down when you drive the car.....

What a novel idea I wonder when Hyundai will do it...

I don't know of any other car that does not allow you to select 2nd after a high RPM gear change. Seems like its only the corolla and not the celica with this problem (tell me if I'm wrong). Clearly something is not right there. Plus i just had a service!!!!!!!!!!!!

I needed an adjustment at 1000km, 10000km, 30000km and now 60000km. Thats alot of adjustment if you ask me. I'm sick of taking it back and the problem returning. and causing damage to my box.

my point still stands.....

[Hiro]

Yeah that'd be sweet.

Just a quick semi-hijacking question. Why did Toyota choose to use a cable clutch over a hydraulically driven clutch?

Corollas have had hydraulic clutches ever since the AE71 in 1984. No idea why you think it has a cable clutch

[Seano]

Yeah that'd be sweet.

Just a quick semi-hijacking question. Why did Toyota choose to use a cable clutch over a hydraulically driven clutch?

Corollas have had hydraulic clutches ever since the AE71 in 1984. No idea why you think it has a cable clutch

*crawls under rock* i think ill just stick to what i know from now on

[Punk_200sx]

Ah drove it to work this morning, with my newly adjusted clutch pedal. Gear changes are so smooth now.

It a dream to drive now, once again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steinny72]

After getting my car back from the last service a few weeks ago, I haven't been able to engage second gear over 7500RPM. Now i'm not sure if Toyota adjusted my clutch pedal or it was just time for an adjustment, but it drove me nuts!!!!!!!! I would either brake my arm trying to get it into second or it would crunch second when the clutch was fully depressed.

Now working full time, I only ever have time to take my car to Toyota every 10000km.

Tonight after it again crunched with my clutch fully depressed, I had enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Driving like this was going to destroy my second gear syncros!!!!!!(Fn Toyota design flaw, they should have done a Recall the bastards)

I decided to adjust to adjust the clutch myself!!!!!!!!!

I opened the tool pouch that came with my Rolla, got out the 14mm spanner.

Got under the dash where the clutch pedal (Time 6:38PM).

I loosened the lower nut, then turned the upper bolt a few times.

I then tightened the lower nut (Time 6:39PM)

Then I took it for a drive.

It engaged second perfectly within in lift first go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After 6 more 1st to second lift changes, its smooth and hits lift between gears no problem.

All it took was a 14mm spanner (which comes with the Rolla) and 1 minute of my time.

Attached Photo, of what needs to be done!!!!!!

Hope this helps out some of you out!!!!!

im having the exact same problem (lift wil engage 50% of the time from 1st to 2nd shifts....) ill attempt to do the same procedure ... how many times did u tighten and loosen the bolts?

[Punk_200sx]

maybe check your pedal height with technical manual (above).

Edited April 24, 2008 by punk_rolla

[steinny72]

i just went downstairs to the car to have a look / check

i think the clutch and its height etc is fine ... the problem seems to be more in the gearbox (possibly just my shifting)

it seems that when im shifting from 1st to 2nd im pushing way to far to he left ... as if im shifting into the reverse gear but shifting down offcourse (not upwards)(remember its a sportivo so reverse is next to 1st)

it just seems that the resistance that used to be present between reverse and 1st / 2nd area has dissipated a little bit ... or maybe its just me pushing to hard to the left instead of maintaining my 1st to 2nd down the 'side wall' .... im not sure

i think alot of times things like this are in my head... or maybe my 2nd gear syncro is going?

[Strawberryface]

This isn't just a corolla issue.

Alot of Type R's have the 1-2 gear crunching problem :)

[and1]

i'm havin the same problem too.. its so ***** annoyin.. so a service will fix this right? i got my 30,000km comin up so yea..

[Jonn0]

I got mine adjusted at Toyota a while back, what the guy told me there is the clutch is meant to be slightly higher up then the break pedal, this might be a quick way to check if you need to do the adjustment or not, if it's the same height or below you most likely need to adjust...

That's what I've been told any way and since they've adjusted mine it's been great every since... and before that it was shocking even needed a gear box rebuilt because of the damaged it caused... :-P

Cheers

Fudge

[theDefiant1]

Another hijacking - when changing from 1st --> 2nd and hitting the divot in the selector between 1st/2nd and reverse... can that cause any/substantial damage? I hit it a few times when I first was getting used to the gears etc. Just wondering if a quick misplaced change would cause problems.

[SuperDave]

Another hijacking - when changing from 1st --> 2nd and hitting the divot in the selector between 1st/2nd and reverse... can that cause any/substantial damage? I hit it a few times when I first was getting used to the gears etc. Just wondering if a quick misplaced change would cause problems.

I guess you could bend the shifter or the gate.

[Punk_200sx]

2 day update, 1-2nd shifting is still smooth and has never missed a beat

[Delsar_delsar]

i dont see how your point stands northy, because when my car was brand new it had the same problem it has today.....hard to shift into 2nd...even if it is within the paramaters set by toyota.

[Northy]

i dont see how your point stands northy, because when my car was brand new it had the same problem it has today.....hard to shift into 2nd...even if it is within the paramaters set by toyota.

once its been done right, problem goes away.....i think it has more to do with the skill of the driver then a possible fault with the car.

[GtiRboy]

my car does the whole not wanting to go into 2nd crunching crap sometimes..although that is when i'm changing gears lazily and not thinking about the change..if i think about the change, not push it so far to the left, and just gently slot it into 2nd, it'll go in no problems, and i'll still land in lift, and it will be just as quick as the change you're trying to get when it wont go in.

[Punk_200sx]

i dont see how your point stands northy, because when my car was brand new it had the same problem it has today.....hard to shift into 2nd...even if it is within the paramaters set by toyota.

once its been done right, problem goes away.....i think it has more to do with the skill of the driver then a possible fault with the car.

Well that what i thought till the problem came back. It can be the driver, cuz there are alot of sportivo driver out there who cannot shift to save their lives, but there is defineltly a problem here. Plus I am running the stock clutch as with many others here. I assume your running aftermarket Northy, maybe when the aftermarket clutches are adjusted correctly, they actually let you get into gear for their lifespan.

[Northy]

the after market clutches seem to be more forgiving when trying to land in lift, not sure if its an adjustment related thing or weather its somthing in the design of the clutch itself...