03 Stivos watch out!!

[Blackzze]

After all the complaining of my 'faulty gear change' 1st to 2nd, and Toyota telling me NOTHING is wrong with my gearbox...... it now crunches EVERYTIME i downshift into second......

Just had a 60,000k service yesterday, and the synchros on second gear (they are DOUBLE synchros) are stuffed- the gearbox is coming out and synchros are getting changed, a big job for toyota under warranty.

If your gearbox crunches 1st to 2nd..... the synchros on 2nd gear days may be numbered!!!!!

I guess overall I'm lucky, as it gets fixed by toyota. And my gearbox should FINALLY change gears like it should.

Anyone else had this done yet??

PS, for the upshift side of things, castrol full synthetic 75w90 has never made my gearbox feel better, I got it put in this service, and the changes are very smooth. I will put the same back in after they do the repair (in 8 weeks, parts ex japan).

[E-Gene]

Hmmm, I guess once my car starts to do this I'll know what the problem could be. Had my gears adjusted by Toyota due to the stickiness of the 1st to 2nd gear. Is definitely better now then it was before but it can still be a lot better.

[Blackzze]

I had the gear selector cables changed at 40,000 but it made no difference.

[influx]

yeah i am having the same done with mine

@ 70 000 km the change from 2nd down to third has now become impossible

no problems changing up, and all other gears are wonderful.

toyota are doing it under warranty.

[CHA54]

2nd gear syncho's on the FWD corolla gearboxes has been notorious for wear since the 80's and the first C50 and C52's.

Take it easy on your downshifts, make sure you rev-match correctly to reduce the abuse on the synchro's.

[CAP]

So, if this work wasn't covered under warranty, how much would you be looking at for the replacement of the Syncro's seeing the gearbox has to be pulled apart for this work?

[DANZZT231]

quite a lot

[Blade Hunter]

Yeah mines dreadful too, I need to book in for a fix :(

Can you get warranty repairs carried out at dealers other than the one you purchased it from?

After all the complaining of my 'faulty gear change' 1st to 2nd, and Toyota telling me NOTHING is wrong with my gearbox...... it now crunches EVERYTIME i downshift into second......

Just had a 60,000k service yesterday, and the synchros on second gear (they are DOUBLE synchros) are stuffed- the gearbox is coming out and synchros are getting changed, a big job for toyota under warranty.

If your gearbox crunches 1st to 2nd..... the synchros on 2nd gear days may be numbered!!!!!

I guess overall I'm lucky, as it gets fixed by toyota. And my gearbox should FINALLY change gears like it should.

Anyone else had this done yet??

PS, for the upshift side of things, castrol full synthetic 75w90  has never made my gearbox feel better, I got it put in this service, and the changes are very smooth. I will put the same back in after they do the repair (in 8 weeks, parts ex japan).

←

[2ZZ-GE Sportivo]

Had my mine changed aswell back in Dec 03.

I thought it was my drivin style, toyota tried to shift the blame on me. But they replaced the gear linkages and ran 50% motor oil and 50% tranny oil, and that improved it slightly. But then it came back, and they replaced the clutch under warranty and all was good from there.....

The clutch was the problem.. Wasn't aligned correctly from FACTORY

[CHA54]

...how do you not align the clutch properly?

More likely you had a damaged clutch disk/pressure plate that wasn't fully releasing during shifts.

[Blackzze]

IZZ FE, the cost would likley end up around $1500-2K, thats my guess.

With what 2ZZ GE says, perhaps my clutch is misaligned?

Thanks for the info.

[darkeh]

i just got my clutch replaced under warranty, pressure plate was ******.

i had problems, crunchng 3rd gear.

pulled box out and the pressure plate had basically no tension at all on the forks, so the clutch wasn't really even realsing

hotspots on clutch and it was fairly worn.

toyota was reluctant to fully warranty it at first but eventually agreed.

still getting a bit of crunching into 3rd when cold though, i'm worried cause car only had 30,000km

going to change gearbox oil because they changed it to something lighter i think when i was complaining about sticky shifting 1st-2nd initially

[ZEEROLLA]

2md gear will always be the first to go since most hard driving occurs on te 1-2 change up.

Before i got my clutch changed the gear shifter was stuck at high revs (pressure plate wouldn't release) and i would occassionally crunch 1st-2nd. but now with new clutch and flywheel, the shifter releases with no problems at all but i still crunch 1-2 occassionally. 3rd-2nd no worries bcuz i always rev match but i can feel 2nd gear shudder in my palms sometimes.

I also noticed if you have insufficient gearbox fluid it will crunch big time. Also try Nulon's G70 transmission treatment, it works! I also use Castrol Syntrax 75W90 full synthetic.

But from what i heard and read on other forums, cars like the TypeR, S2000, even Honda's NSX have problems with gearboxes. So TAKE CARE OF THEM! I think they require same care and attention as the engine.

As to costs, i know a local qualified mechanic can fully repair a broken 2nd gear in a Subie WRX for $1600 (parts incl.).

Z

Edited September 1, 2005 by ZEEROLLA

[kev]

Hi guys, im somewhat new here and share the same concerns about the Gearbox and clutch.

Does warranty still cover the gearbox and clutch if we've added a CAI? I've got a TRD one in my Sportivo. I know they are separate but does mods void the warranty?

[Mintos]

Dang, it sounds like the stivos transmission is made out of rubber - everyone has broken second gear synchros!

That is most uncool, however the good ol' 1zz holds up well, havnt had transmission or clutch touched in 3 years, haha, but then again it has been well driven and looked after...until i started modding 6 months ago, but even still, it has taken everything i have thrown at it: alot of burnouts (mostly unintentional of course...), the occassional gear punching when i am taking some clown in a Lancer who wants his go...

But as much as i praise the indestructability of the 1zz i still for some reason feel the need to <touch wood> It cant last forever, just longer than the stivo

[E-Gene]

Hi guys, im somewhat new here and share the same concerns about the Gearbox and clutch.

Does warranty still cover the gearbox and clutch if we've added a CAI? I've got a TRD one in my Sportivo. I know they are separate but does mods void the warranty?

←

It's because that they are seperate therefore it'll not void your warranty. What do they have to do together anyway? Don't let your dealer fool you if he says that it's not under warranty due to your CAI.

[kev]

Hi guys, im somewhat new here and share the same concerns about the Gearbox and clutch.

Does warranty still cover the gearbox and clutch if we've added a CAI? I've got a TRD one in my Sportivo. I know they are separate but does mods void the warranty?

←

It's because that they are seperate therefore it'll not void your warranty. What do they have to do together anyway? Don't let your dealer fool you if he says that it's not under warranty due to your CAI.

←

Cool! Thanks for that, i'll be bookin my sportivo in for a look than. Better sooner than later ay! :D

[shaohaok]

Hi guys, im somewhat new here and share the same concerns about the Gearbox and clutch.

Does warranty still cover the gearbox and clutch if we've added a CAI? I've got a TRD one in my Sportivo. I know they are separate but does mods void the warranty?

←

It's because that they are seperate therefore it'll not void your warranty. What do they have to do together anyway? Don't let your dealer fool you if he says that it's not under warranty due to your CAI.

←

"the CAI has increased the performance of the engie and thus created extra strain on the gearbox..." trust me, they will try that ;)

[DANZZT231]

hahaha. good one.

[--Rudes--]

That is most uncool, however the good ol' 1zz holds up well, havnt had transmission or clutch touched in 3 years, haha, but then again it has been well driven and looked after...until i started modding 6 months ago, but even still, it has taken everything i have thrown at it: alot of burnouts (mostly unintentional of course...), the occassional gear punching when i am taking some clown in a Lancer who wants his go...

←

Hmm... I wish it was so Minto... but my 1ZZ gearbox with 70,000km crunches at high revs going into 2nd... so does my friend's AE86... doesn't look like it's isolated to the stivo gearbox...

[martenj76]

I got the european version of the Corolla named Tsport instead of Sportivo but our cars surely shares the same transmission-setup.

I have driven about 50 000 km with mine now and i can't say none of my gears are really crunching with a loud scraping sound but sometimes i can feel a little "edgy metallic" feeling when entering a new gear (changing up gears and only down when engine-braking hard). I feel this when driving normal, when hard driving their is just normal and not hard to engage the gears.

Should i be worried or is this the caracteristics of the gearbox? I can't really remember if this was from day one.

Edited September 3, 2005 by martenj76

[Pecker]

far out, i cant believe the syncros are stuffed already... my stivo has 45000 very hard km on it but no probs yet. fingures crossed.

did you all get your cars serviced at toyota?

cos i never have so im a bit worried if my sycro goes they wont want to fix it.

[2ZZ-GE Sportivo]

Read this in another forum, related to this thread..kinda interesting..

Without excessive fanfare or noise, Toyota released a lifted and tucked Corolla Sportivo ZZE123R in Aptil 2005, bringing it up to date with the revisions to the rest of the (now best selling) Toyota Corolla line-up. All that has been publicised about the face lift mostly boil down to new bodykit styling, added MP3 compatibility to the 6 stack CD player, some minor interior updates and a $1,000 price drop to just $28,990.

I first started looking deeper into the Corolla Sportivo when I found a serious lack of discussion around the revision, as slightly updated styling and MP3 playback is a suprisingly small update. Looking into it further, I was suprised to see how many problems people have had with their car, and how Toyota has struggled with the model.

Nice Move

In theory it's a killer hot hatch. 141kw 2ZZ-GE engine from the 7th gen Celica, 6 speed manual transmission, and all the practicality of a Corolla, the ZZE123R Corolla Sportivo is a surprising move for Toyota Australia - its the first time the 'G' engine has been apart of our line up since the AE9X platform.

Equally surprising was the feature list and value for money represented in its $29,990 price tag. Six stack CD player, leather faced seats and trimmed interior, Lexus-style instruments, an updated bodykit from the Levin model, climate control, all modern electrics and remote central locking, 16" lightweight alloys, 'Sportivo' exhaust and lowered, stiffened suspension gear - PLUS the 2ZZ-GE engine (boasting 41kw over the 1ZZ-FE of the other models) and 6 speed manual, all for less than $10,000 over the base model.

A hot hatch relies on a strong power to weight ratio, sacrificing ride quality, noise levels, economical gear ratios, and Mum-friendly steering for a 'true' sports car experience.

The Renault's Clio Sport, along with other ever present members of the GTi club, are enjoying boosted popularity in these times of rising fuel prices. Back in 2003 the new Corolla Sportivo was launched to mediocre press.

What went wrong

Weighing in at over 1,200kg, frustrations were expressed at lack of power under 6,000rpm, riding on timid 'sports' suspension, light steering, and the lack of any real effort on Toyota's behalf failed to make the car much more exciting than a tyical Corolla. The handling, in particular, being a weakness against its European competition.

Even worse was the performance-related recall in earlier models. Rumored to have been fitted with the detuned European ECU meant that a stock Sportivo was putting out about 90kw at the wheels, falling short of Toyota's flywheel figure by over 40%.

The South African built Sportivo has had plenty of quality issues too. Unaligned clutches, warping rotors, average interior quality, and plenty of creaks being a constant source of customer complaints.

Today

It has been announced that the current Corolla Sportivo will cease production on October 1st 2005. Despite recalls and bad press, the ZZE123R Corolla has held its value well, poorer condition second hand models consistently priced in the low $20k range with newer and post-facelift models often in the mid to high $20k's. An abundance of aftermarket branded (and copy) parts available from throughout the Asian, North American and European markets, thanks in particular to the Celica, the 2ZZ-GE has caught the attention of the performance and tuning scenes, earning serious research and development.

Despite the downfalls of the Corolla Sportivo's chassis, handling and suspension, aftermarket LSDs and suspension modifications have made it a competitor again.

Good examples of tuning (through piggy-back and SAFC type ECU additions, intake and exhaust systems) and suspension work (lower, stiffer springs, under car, engine and in car struts) are seeing competitive times down the quarter mile and around the track, against both the European hatches and Japan's NA pocket-rockets.

In my searches online, I have found very limited press that the face-lifted model even exists, at best, it's just a copy of Toyota's PR. One owner of the pre-updated Sportivo at the Toyota Owner's Club forums took the 2005 revision for a test drive and came back with a longer, mostly cosmetic, list of updates, but three were particularly interesting:

"Performance is very different with the engine having a lot more torque under 6000rpm although this makes the lift point nowhere near as vicious as the previous model."

"The shifter cables and they seem to have been revised to a plastic coated cable from the recall rubber coated ones"

Compared to the old model "gear shifting was nice and crisp without being notchy."

These kind of comments suggest to me that through the performance recall of August 2004, and many clutch, brake, suspension and interior warranty claims, Toyota hasn't advertised the updated model as being improved, as its the faults of the Corolla Sportivo ZZE123R were never acknowledged in the first place.

[ZEEROLLA]

Read this in another forum, related to this thread..kinda interesting.. 

Without excessive fanfare or noise, Toyota released a lifted and tucked Corolla Sportivo ZZE123R in Aptil 2005, bringing it up to date with the revisions to the rest of the (now best selling) Toyota Corolla line-up. All that has been publicised about the face lift mostly boil down to new bodykit styling, added MP3 compatibility to the 6 stack CD player, some minor interior updates and a $1,000 price drop to just $28,990.

I first started looking deeper into the Corolla Sportivo when I found a serious lack of discussion around the revision, as slightly updated styling and MP3 playback is a suprisingly small update. Looking into it further, I was suprised to see how many problems people have had with their car, and how Toyota has struggled with the model.

Nice Move

In theory it's a killer hot hatch. 141kw 2ZZ-GE engine from the 7th gen Celica, 6 speed manual transmission, and all the practicality of a Corolla, the ZZE123R Corolla Sportivo is a surprising move for Toyota Australia - its the first time the 'G' engine has been apart of our line up since the AE9X platform.

Equally surprising was the feature list and value for money represented in its $29,990 price tag. Six stack CD player, leather faced seats and trimmed interior, Lexus-style instruments, an updated bodykit from the Levin model, climate control, all modern electrics and remote central locking, 16" lightweight alloys, 'Sportivo' exhaust and lowered, stiffened suspension gear - PLUS the 2ZZ-GE engine (boasting 41kw over the 1ZZ-FE of the other models) and 6 speed manual, all for less than $10,000 over the base model.

A hot hatch relies on a strong power to weight ratio, sacrificing ride quality, noise levels, economical gear ratios, and Mum-friendly steering for a 'true' sports car experience.

The Renault's Clio Sport, along with other ever present members of the GTi club, are enjoying boosted popularity in these times of rising fuel prices. Back in 2003 the new Corolla Sportivo was launched to mediocre press.

What went wrong

Weighing in at over 1,200kg, frustrations were expressed at lack of power under 6,000rpm, riding on timid 'sports' suspension, light steering, and the lack of any real effort on Toyota's behalf failed to make the car much more exciting than a tyical Corolla. The handling, in particular, being a weakness against its European competition.

Even worse was the performance-related recall in earlier models. Rumored to have been fitted with the detuned European ECU meant that a stock Sportivo was putting out about 90kw at the wheels, falling short of Toyota's flywheel figure by over 40%.

The South African built Sportivo has had plenty of quality issues too. Unaligned clutches, warping rotors, average interior quality, and plenty of creaks being a constant source of customer complaints.

Today

It has been announced that the current Corolla Sportivo will cease production on October 1st 2005. Despite recalls and bad press, the ZZE123R Corolla has held its value well, poorer condition second hand models consistently priced in the low $20k range with newer and post-facelift models often in the mid to high $20k's. An abundance of aftermarket branded (and copy) parts available from throughout the Asian, North American and European markets, thanks in particular to the Celica, the 2ZZ-GE has caught the attention of the performance and tuning scenes, earning serious research and development.

Despite the downfalls of the Corolla Sportivo's chassis, handling and suspension, aftermarket LSDs and suspension modifications have made it a competitor again.

Good examples of tuning (through piggy-back and SAFC type ECU additions, intake and exhaust systems) and suspension work (lower, stiffer springs, under car, engine and in car struts) are seeing competitive times down the quarter mile and around the track, against both the European hatches and Japan's NA pocket-rockets.

In my searches online, I have found very limited press that the face-lifted model even exists, at best, it's just a copy of Toyota's PR. One owner of the pre-updated Sportivo at the Toyota Owner's Club forums took the 2005 revision for a test drive and came back with a longer, mostly cosmetic, list of updates, but three were particularly interesting:

"Performance is very different with the engine having a lot more torque under 6000rpm although this makes the lift point nowhere near as vicious as the previous model."

"The shifter cables and they seem to have been revised to a plastic coated cable from the recall rubber coated ones"

Compared to the old model "gear shifting was nice and crisp without being notchy."

These kind of comments suggest to me that through the performance recall of August 2004, and many clutch, brake, suspension and interior warranty claims, Toyota hasn't advertised the updated model as being improved, as its the faults of the Corolla Sportivo ZZE123R were never acknowledged in the first place.

←

That sums it up ;) But no mention of failing gearboxes.. i suspect the mis-alligned clutch significantly contributes to synchro wear and subsequantly gearbox failure. I had problems shifting gears (jammed shifter and crunching gears) since Day 1 but after the replacement of the clutch kit it has improved 100% but i'm afraid damage has already been done. However having it looked at asap is still the best bet. I have taken the car back to Toyota numerous times and written numerous complain emails so they have a record, and if my gearbox does fail one day i have that to back me up.

[oz_viking]

Zee, I hope you are right but if your dealer wanted to dance, they could blame a gearbox problem on your aftermarket fly and clutch.