Crunching Gears

[Ilivfor6]

Peekay and I had this problem as well. We changed the flywheel and clutch which resolved a lot of these issues. We also put full synthetic oil in our gearboxes which also seemed to help. Peekay has now removed his Toms Flywheel and TRD clutch and gone back to a standard setup. He at this stage is not having any issues. I would suggest you try the full synthetic lube.... (We used Redline MT90)

We both agree the original clutch is too light but as a precurser try the Synthetic lube..at worst make the change to an after market Clutch assembly ie excedy or TRD. You do not need to do the flywheel as this was only installed for performance.

Good luck

[ADR_rolla]

So far service have fixed my gear problem, which was doing something to the clutch pedal, now if you guys wanna try what they did to me ask your service department to call nundaw service department ask for shane and he will tell you what they have done.

It feels great being able to change gears at any rev range!

Edited November 30, 2004 by ADR_rolla

[qkslvr]

ADR_rolla, good to here you finally got somewhere with the gear problem? do you notice any difference with the feel of the clutch? does it grab lower in the pedal travel? does it feel stiffer/softer?

[ZEEROLLA]

Bad news, the clutch pedal adjustment didn't work for me. They rang Shane at Nunawading Toyota and adjusted the pedal as advised. Shane did say he cannot guarantee it would work.

The service advisor told me once more that Toyota knows about the problem and it is clutch related. He even said Toyota knows people who can come up with a Clutch Kit but will cost close to $4000!! He also told me there is no way they will cover the cost if i decide to buy an aftermarket clutch kit and have it installed. They wanted me to give them feedback after i drive the car to see if it resolved the issue.

I will ring them again tomoroow to see what they say.

Edited November 29, 2004 by ZEEROLLA

[SILVABULLIT]

$4000 for a clutch kit! It would want to be gold plated for that price or be a damm good substitute for a wife! (washing,ironing,food,entertainment)

[Takumi]

Hello there ...

i am from South Africa and i fear that most of your issues could be related to the fact the car is made here.

Prior to E123 shape we had a AE111 i think ? with a 4age 20valve engine mated to a locally produced 6 speed box. Well let me tell you this gear box has given endless problems when used hard.

I know have a RunX RSi (SPORTIVO) 2ZZ-GE and to be honest i have been having the same and in some instances worse problems than you guys. A few guys here with these cars have come together to compare but the cars are like chalk and cheese ? To be honest we thought we were missing second because we were doing something wrong but you have to do a medium shift in order to get the gear .. as soon as you rush it .. it gets stuck .. third goes in but it does make a strnage noise when going in. Like many of you i love the car and it can be really rewarding but there are a few issues that seriously need to be addressed. Also i found under hard a hard launch from the mark it's more difficult to get the gear in than let's say froma rolling launch ... a friend of myne's clutch disintergrated at 20000 k's and they would not replace it under warranty stating that he was abusing the car. i asked them why sell a performance car then if not for abuse. they brag with figures and kilowatts but when it comes time to back up the claims they are useless .. i have written books to toyota about my problems and suggestions on how to improve the car like a strut brace at least for the front and even to make the car standard a bit lower than the other models but no luck .. they do not want to help ... anyways nice knowing that others with the same problem .. thought i could not change properly

[Ilivfor6]

If Toyota admitted there was a problem with the clutch that caused grinding & sticking of gears then for cars that have done a few km's I would think they would then also be liable for a new gearbox.

I would think you would have a very good argument as Toyota cannot say what long term damage could have been done to your gearbox from a faulty factory part. Look at the figures $500 for a new clutch & $3500 for new gearbox and we have the $4000 figure mentioned.

Unless they get a hot prod up the rectum from another outside body with influence/power I just can't see them doing anything about it. A case of there are just a few of you screaming so we can ignore that untill you go away, they don't see it hurting their sales figures!!!

It's a shame because they almost got the car right. Pity really!! :( :( :(

Edited November 29, 2004 by Ilivfor6

[ADR_rolla]

Sorry to hear that Zee that it didnt fix your gear problem. If i was you i would get that guy i had to look at the problem you have himself. He was a toyota official cant remember his name but try asking Shane he might be able to contact them for you. I remember the toyota official saying that he has come across 4 different problems with the gear related problem, one being the clutch pedal, anotherone being rust build up and 2 others. Best chance is to get him to look at your car or somone like him.

All the best

Adrian

Edited November 30, 2004 by ADR_rolla

[ZEEROLLA]

Well, i think there is only one alternative left for me and that is to get the clutch and flywheel installed by the same Toyota dealership. They said they will charge $480 for labour and will not void warranty if it was installed by them. This way i can only hope to maintain a good relationship with them and pray that if my gearbox does break during the warranty period, they will not double guess my driving and blame me for it. My car will be traded in for something else as soon as the warranty expires. I still have 2 years and 2 months remaining so might as well enjoy I am also thinking of getting Toyota to install the TRD CAI so that they know more about the mod, and that it is not something that will blow my engine up!

Just a question out of curiosity, arn't all the gearboxes made in Japan? The cars are probably assembled in SA but the mechanical parts will have to be engineered and made in Japan?

Zee

Edited November 30, 2004 by ZEEROLLA

[CAP]

Engine & Gearbox would come from Japan, however, because they sit in storage waiting to be assembled into the completed vehicle, they can be exposed to moisture, dust, etc. This can sometimes be the explanation as to why you can have two identical cars and one performs better than the other. Ford Australia had this problem with the US built Windsor V8 blocks they installed in the AU XR8's.

[ZEEROLLA]

Damn, i better get my car dynoed soon to make sure i am not down on any horses :o

[ZEEROLLA]

Damn, i better get my car dynoed soon to make sure i am not down on any horses :o But i have baselined with other cars and feel quite good about the car, just the stupid clutch.

[Nish]

Engine & Gearbox would come from Japan, however, because they sit in storage waiting to be assembled into the completed vehicle, they can be exposed to moisture, dust, etc.  This can sometimes be the explanation as to why you can have two identical cars and one performs better than the other.  Ford Australia had this problem with the US built Windsor V8 blocks they installed in the AU XR8's.

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Hi ... I am also from South Africa, where they make the car we are all complaining about. I have a friend who used to work for the Toyota SA factory, and trust me, the car is a assembled from Start to Finish in that factory. This includes the "wonderful" gearbox. Yes ... I also crunch into 2nd all the time ... I also thought it was the way I was changing.

One thing though ... you guys think your Toyota dealerships are full of nonsense, we cannot even fit any aftermarket parts without voiding the warranty .... I have been trying to get my car lowered since day one of ownership ... the only option they have given me is to buy (import) the Sportivo kit which I think your cars come out with as standard and have it installed by Toyota SA. Only problem is, the dealers are so ignorrant, because not all of them know about the approved kit, only a couple of them are willing to fit the kit .... hows that for customer service

How's that ... we export a car to Aus, only to be told that the only approved lowering kit for the car comes from Aus ...

[shaohaok]

Engine & Gearbox would come from Japan, however, because they sit in storage waiting to be assembled into the completed vehicle, they can be exposed to moisture, dust, etc.  This can sometimes be the explanation as to why you can have two identical cars and one performs better than the other.  Ford Australia had this problem with the US built Windsor V8 blocks they installed in the AU XR8's.

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Hi ... I am also from South Africa, where they make the car we are all complaining about. I have a friend who used to work for the Toyota SA factory, and trust me, the car is a assembled from Start to Finish in that factory. This includes the "wonderful" gearbox. Yes ... I also crunch into 2nd all the time ... I also thought it was the way I was changing.

One thing though ... you guys think your Toyota dealerships are full of nonsense, we cannot even fit any aftermarket parts without voiding the warranty .... I have been trying to get my car lowered since day one of ownership ... the only option they have given me is to buy (import) the Sportivo kit which I think your cars come out with as standard and have it installed by Toyota SA. Only problem is, the dealers are so ignorrant, because not all of them know about the approved kit, only a couple of them are willing to fit the kit .... hows that for customer service

How's that ... we export a car to Aus, only to be told that the only approved lowering kit for the car comes from Aus ...

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it's not that much lower anyway

[lucio_libre]

So what have you guys in South Africa done about it?

[peekay]

Well, i think there is only one alternative left for me and that is to get the clutch and flywheel installed by the same Toyota dealership.  They said they will charge $480 for labour and will not void warranty if it was installed by them.  This way i can only hope to maintain a good relationship with them and pray that if my gearbox does break during the warranty period, they will not double guess my driving and blame me for it.  My car will be traded in for something else as soon as the warranty expires.  I still have 2 years and 2 months remaining so might as well enjoy   I am also thinking of getting Toyota to install the TRD CAI so that they know more about the mod, and that it is not something that will blow my engine up!

Just a question out of curiosity, arn't all the gearboxes made in Japan?  The cars are probably assembled in SA but the mechanical parts will have to be engineered and made in Japan?

Zee

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What a ripoff to fit an assemlby (I was charged $350) no matter what they say as soon as you fit the Clutch and Flywheel it will affect those parts re warranty wise. (By the way the flywheel is not neccesary to fix the problem only the clutch) .....Them fitting the CAI they don't need to do it it won't blow your engine up.. and they will rip you off fitting it anyway.

When it comes down to it any non Toyota Part is not warranted in any shape or form by Toyota Australia even though TRD is a Subsidiary company. So be careful with what they say.

It will not invalidate your warranty if you fit them on the Car as a whole (ie if your windows stop working how can they say it was the CAI or Clutch). If you do have any issues with the engine (which in the 18months that I had the CAI never caused me any issues) you just fit the original air box back.... Just don't drive through deep water that comes up half way up the wheels... :D

[Nish]

So what have you guys in South Africa done about it?

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The story should sound familiar .... complain complain complain ... with absolutely no results.

We get the same story you here ... "our tech team will be looking into it ... blah blah blah"

I truely regret buying this car due to the bad customer service I am getting from Toyota. Your "Jenny" sounds exacly the same as our "Rodger Griffith" ... the SA customer service manager.

Feel free to forward all your e-mail to him as well :D 'rgriffiths@tsb.toyota.co.za'

But to be honest we (myself and a friend of mine) have not made a big stink about the gearbox issue ... we seriously thought it was the way you needed to change gears. But the more owners I meet, and now after reading your forum we plan to make a big stink about it. We have mainly been complaining about rattles, handling, fitting apporved aftermarket accesories, etc. We didnt even get this gearbox cable recall ... but I hear if you complain about a rattle they replace it.

[Nish]

How's that ... we export a car to Aus, only to be told that the only approved lowering kit for the car comes from Aus ...

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it's not that much lower anyway

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I hear so ... from one of your Aus branches. But just a question. Do all your Models come out at the same ride height ? Or is the Sportivo slightly lower to begin with. Cause down here, all the models come with the exact same ride height ... wheres the respect for 141kw.

This is pic of my buds car ... check the height ... we could go mountain climbing at this hegith

[Danthuyer]

This is pic of my buds car ... check the height ... we could go mountain climbing at this hegith 

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yep mine is the same...it could easily compete in monster truck carnivals :P

[mtbrider]

When the car first came out the motoring writers where saying "whats with the Prado like gap between the wheels and the guard"

[ZEEROLLA]

Exact same height, just that we get a body kit which makes the car look lower.