2020 Kluger transmission issues?

[Canoe]

Hello Everyone,

I just bought a 2020 Kluger and the transmission doesn’t seem right to me. Seems to be in the wrong gear very often, downshifts aggressively and it feels a bit like I’m towing a trailer. Has anyone else had any issues? 

Thanks in advance 

Rohan

[campbeam]

If you look at the ToyotaNation website, there are similar posts about transmission changes in 2019 Toyotas. Looks like there was a technical bulletin issued in the USA and the solution is for the dealer to update the transmission software..

Best to go to your Toyota dealer and get them to investigate.

[Tony Prodigy]

8 hours ago, campbeam said:

the solution is for the dealer to update the transmission software

It's funny how not that long ago when we reported transmission issues it would almost entirely be a mechanical issue. Not anymore as the modern transmissions are computer controlled. If the software isn't right it will make the transmission behave badly and stupidly I must say and can be frustrating.

I'm sure the dealer can sort this out during the next service or warranty inspection.

Let us know how you go 

[11/16Aurion 12Kluger]

On 7/24/2020 at 4:27 AM, Tony Prodigy said:

Not anymore as the modern transmissions are computer controlled. If the software isn't right it will make the transmission behave badly and stupidly I must say and can be frustrating.

The auto transmisions of today are far superior to those of decades ago.  It was common to have odd behaviour from them back then where now it is rare.
I have had Toyotas for about the past 20 yrs and have never had a problem with their transmissions.
OP should read up on the posts on Toyota Nation and maybe even print some out to take into the dealership.  Usually they plead ignorance to common faults and it is best to have the info ready to show them.  Toyota in the USA react more positively to problems than Toyota Australia. 

[Heretic]

The 8 speed transmission in the 2019+ Klugers are a complete debarkle. The worst transmission i've ever driven. Ive owned the Kluger 5 speed and the 6 speed to compare to..... Massive lags, Hash downshifts, vibrations on light acceleration in second as told to the dealer from 10,00 k service, holding onto gears far too long, locking down the transmission to the point it overloads and shakes, unresponsive to throttle, gutless, jerky, unpredictable at low speeds and soft throttle. Rolling through give way signs or up to corners is pot luck between holding the gear too high and not responding to throttle, "smash" shifting it to first causing the car to jolt, or occasionally doing everything ok. Totally unpredictable. They have now hobbled the 218kw with the 8 speed into such a non responsive gutless pile of garbage. Its an embarrassment to Toyota. A complete mismatch.

I got to the point that I took it back as a warranty claim with a thorough written account of the issue, printed out research from US forums, including the apparent class action against it in California and provided docs to prove the issue was there from new as this cannot be usual or acceptable for a purpose of a family SUV, maybe if it was an F350 towing a horse float thats acceptable, maybe thats the US market nowadays, make it drive like a piece of early 70's Russian agricultural equipment...

I took out their head gearbox tech guy for a drive with his tablet and illustrated the issue ( particularly the hesitation and vibration which is hard to reproduce on the spot on demand )  which he noted on the log data timeline, they said to bring it back in, they had it for 2 days and then said it was "within manufacturer tolerences". Move on nothing to see here. It is not acceptable.

The Toyota Klugers with 8AT transmissions are a complete pig and should be avoided. 

[Heretic]

On 7/20/2020 at 5:08 PM, Canoe said:

Hello Everyone,

I just bought a 2020 Kluger and the transmission doesn’t seem right to me. Seems to be in the wrong gear very often, downshifts aggressively and it feels a bit like I’m towing a trailer. Has anyone else had any issues? 

Thanks in advance 

Rohan

Tagged, Meant to quote you in my reply but forgot, as per my post I feel your pain, we cant be the only ones.

[Tony Prodigy]

Hi Aaron, wow, now that's what I call a report !

Good to see you took it straight up to Toyota, and although they "couldn't find a problem", I would say that it is just poorly designed and not working as it should because of it's inherent design. It can be within manufacturer specs, as they say and still behave badly at times. That really sucks and I hate the cop out Toyota throws out. I guess their hands are tied as the dealer isn't a manufacturer, but in saying this, they should represent their customers better even if they have to bash the door down at Toyota for their incompetence in this regard.

Are these the same 8 speed in the Camry too ? I have a mate with a current Gen Camry V6 and I've not heard of any issue with his.

[Tony Prodigy]

On 7/30/2020 at 3:51 AM, 11/16Aurion 12Kluger said:

The auto transmisions of today are far superior to those of decades ago.  It was common to have odd behaviour from them back then where now it is rare.
I have had Toyotas for about the past 20 yrs and have never had a problem with their transmissions.
OP should read up on the posts on Toyota Nation and maybe even print some out to take into the dealership.  Usually they plead ignorance to common faults and it is best to have the info ready to show them.  Toyota in the USA react more positively to problems than Toyota Australia. 

I agree to a point. I think it's getting out of hand with these 8 speed, 10 speed things. Why do we need 8 freakin gears to propel a vehicle ?? We got by with 3 speeds, then 4 speeds, then 5 speeds and finally 6 speeds and all was good in the world. Now they have to keep pushing the envelope such that these fancy new transmissions are so complicated and have way to many gears it doesn't know what it wants to do. 8 speed will always be shifting back and fourth. I can only imagine what PIA the 10 speed would be like.

I have to say, The U660E in the Aurion is fine enough for me. It is absolutely flawless in operation. I have never had an issue. Not even a funny shift, ever.

[Heretic]

49 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Hi Aaron, wow, now that's what I call a report !

Good to see you took it straight up to Toyota, and although they "couldn't find a problem", I would say that it is just poorly designed and not working as it should because of it's inherent design. It can be within manufacturer specs, as they say and still behave badly at times. That really sucks and I hate the cop out Toyota throws out. I guess their hands are tied as the dealer isn't a manufacturer, but in saying this, they should represent their customers better even if they have to bash the door down at Toyota for their incompetence in this regard.

Are these the same 8 speed in the Camry too ? I have a mate with a current Gen Camry V6 and I've not heard of any issue with his.

Tony I believe they are, but the Camry are also around 4-500kgs lighter, on my research i did see some comments in relation to Camry as well. 8 speeds is probably a great idea however theres quite a bit going on there, If you have a look at the design of the 8AT box it has both a clutch and a fluid coupling. To me? it feels like the problem is the software, or a dodgy sensor(s) input, is telling the clutch ( direct drive) to lock direct as soon as possible and stay there long as you can, I think the vibration, which feels like its twisting the car under light throttle in second is the clutch not being able to decide whether it should lock or let it spin up under the fluid drive part as it should, rapid partial engagement - disengagement cycles per second, it also explains the lack of throttle response, after locking it down and the engine holding on to high gears and finally dumping it "bang" when it shouldnt.

I also found out from the US forums if you put it in "S8" it knocks out the "artificial intelligence" feature thats there in D and it seems to keep it in the fluid drive longer and lets the motor spin up more on acceleration and light on off throttle, but still functions as an 8 speed. It doesnt seem to knock the fuel economy much at all. To me it seems like the box was designed for a smaller diesel or a 4 cyl turbo, something with lower down torque, not peaking at 3200 rpm like the V6 motor.

Your right the design is the design however its overloading the transmission and I believe it will ultimately lead to failure, probably second gear will eventually decide to hold up the little white flag, call it quits and go its own way in a year or two. That makes it a future safety concern for my family. Is that fit for purpose and what should be expected in a new car, no.

The 2016 Kluger 6 speed I had was great, the 2012 5 speed Kluger I had  was great, The 2010 RAV 4 speed I had was great. I drive it compared to my wifes HRV her car is more responsive and smooth to drive. **** even the 2008 Berlina I had before that was ok.

 

The 8AT is a dog.

Edited January 9, 2021 by Heretic

[Tony Prodigy]

I suspect this is another one of those R&D scams perpetrated by the motor industry. It seems like the "first" of any new model will carry flaws and they watch and wait for the feedback to come in and then go to work fixing the issues in the back rooms. Somehow, I feel the next series, these issues will be fixed, unless they come up with a fix for the current series boxes. All this new tech is making it harder for manufacturers to keep up with. 

[Heretic]

So an update for anyone interested, after 2 years and just over 44,000 kms of reporting back on every service a genuinely infuriating everyday driving experience and after no acknowledgement or help what so ever from Toyota in Western Australia the problem is resolved. It ended up to be an unintentional and simple fix.

I moved house.........

Now, whether it was the extra load placed on the transmission repetitively towing a furniture trailer back and forth or the change in terrain, or both not sure. We now live on the side of a rise, so to get home or drop the kids to school or go to work we have to drive up a short incline, its not Greenmount hill but short and steep where on the last house it was flat with very low throttle and short distance to a series of slow speed corners, a lot of slight positive , neutral or negative throttle. The gearbox is now working as I would expect, its on NO WAY the same gearbox. The transmission spins up and doesnt lockdown or hold the gears between 1, 2 and 3 as it did before to the point of shaking the gearbox when overloading it. Overall a lot smoother and far far more responsive to throttle input, as i would expect and It also doesnt shudder going up freeway onramps like it used to or lag downshifts to the point of me wanting to set fire to it on a daily basis. I guess putting the transmission under higher load regularly by driving up the hill and towing a trailer the AI "learnt" OR there was an issue or blockage or whatever from manufacture that has corrected itself due to the harder and different environment.

So in hindsight it kinda makes sense and Im sure as **** glad its fixed because I decided to keep it for a few years instead of getting rid of it. But the infuriating thing was the complete lack of acknowledgement or help or even input or understanding from Toyota WA when the gearbox was clearly not operating properly in any way properly, when compared to how it is now.  Its a total disgrace. Im sure if I was in the Eastern states I may have got a different result. 

Hope that helps for anyone with the same issue.