Gearbox Problems!

[gloucester]

Only recently joined this forum. 1.33 MMT 2011. I've noticed MMT fitted cars have come in for a lot of criticism and some say other makes are quite often much better. I don't know if these people read other forums but it's not just Toyota MMT 'boxes that have problems and faults. So far this one has been very good. Also owned one in Spain for 2 years and that was good as well. Check out the VAG forums. Not perfect by any means. Not got around to checking out other makes yet. No doubt some of you will say I should get out more and you are quite right! Must start using up all that "free" petrol. Regards.

[Mistermena]

Only recently joined this forum. 1.33 MMT 2011. I've noticed MMT fitted cars have come in for a lot of criticism and some say other makes are quite often much better. I don't know if these people read other forums but it's not just Toyota MMT 'boxes that have problems and faults. So far this one has been very good. Also owned one in Spain for 2 years and that was good as well. Check out the VAG forums. Not perfect by any means. Not got around to checking out other makes yet. No doubt some of you will say I should get out more and you are quite right! Must start using up all that "free" petrol. Regards.

VAG can't make auto boxes for toffee! Whith the exception of the DSG box. Some Audi owners have so many problems with there autos...

[gloucester]

It's the DSG box I was talking about. I remember when I was in the car rental business on the maintenance side that VW autos never went wrong under warranty. That was more than 20 years ago though. Regards.

[Mistermena]

It's the DSG box I was talking about. I remember when I was in the car rental business on the maintenance side that VW autos never went wrong under warranty. That was more than 20 years ago though. Regards.

I was lead to belive that the VAG DSG box was a good one! As long as the oil was changed every 50k...

[Cyker]

Well I don't know about reliability as I've not owned a car with one, but I have driven a few and can say that the DSG is *far* superior to any MMT-style auto box in terms of seamless shifts and gear choice.

You can nail it and it'll respond perfectly and give you a strong, smooth and predictable acceleration.

If you try and nail an MMT or Tiptronic box it's so rough and jagged it's like the gearshifts are being done by an inexperienced learner!

When I had tried one out, I did just that to get onto a roundabout and that was the scariest 3 seconds of my life as it shifted too early and lagged then when I tried to force a kick-down it just dropped the gear in and almost gave me whiplash

The MMT is fine as long as you're driving it veeeery gently, but even at a brisk pace I found the gear changes to be very jerky compared to pretty much any other gearbox type.

The DSG is less good when going back down the gears, but still better than the MMT.

The biggest problem with the DSG is that's it's exorbitantly expensive and when the clutches need to be changed that is also veeery expensive!

I haven't tried the updated MMT in the newer Aurisisisususs 'tho; Supposedly it's a lot better.

But if I was forced to drive an auto, I'd much rather get a HSD :P

[Mistermena]

Well I don't know about reliability as I've not owned a car with one, but I have driven a few and can say that the DSG is *far* superior to any MMT-style auto box in terms of seamless shifts and gear choice.

You can nail it and it'll respond perfectly and give you a strong, smooth and predictable acceleration.

If you try and nail an MMT or Tiptronic box it's so rough and jagged it's like the gearshifts are being done by an inexperienced learner!

When I had tried one out, I did just that to get onto a roundabout and that was the scariest 3 seconds of my life as it shifted too early and lagged then when I tried to force a kick-down it just dropped the gear in and almost gave me whiplash

The MMT is fine as long as you're driving it veeeery gently, but even at a brisk pace I found the gear changes to be very jerky compared to pretty much any other gearbox type.

The DSG is less good when going back down the gears, but still better than the MMT.

The biggest problem with the DSG is that's it's exorbitantly expensive and when the clutches need to be changed that is also veeery expensive!

I haven't tried the updated MMT in the newer Aurisisisususs 'tho; Supposedly it's a lot better.

But if I was forced to drive an auto, I'd much rather get a HSD :P

I agree. I've used the DSG box and I thought it was the best box I've ever used.

[gloucester]

I've not driven a car with a DSG box I'm only going on what is said on some other forums. What type of auto box has the Avensis got? If it's a "normal auto" it would drive somewhat differently to the MMT box. I could be wrong but I get the impression that some comments are from people that don't own a car with the MMT box and are just not used to how other cars can behave. I worked in the car trade for many years and could go from one car to another with no thought whatsoever. Trying to drive a Bedford van with column change or a Peugeot with one and see if you can find the gears. Or a Morris Minor with a pudding bowl mixer gear stick. Seems like stirring cake mixture in a bowl! Very spongy. Anybody remember any of this? Makes any modern car seem fantastic. They weren't really the good old days. This might make me seem very old but it was in the 60's when I started work. Are we allowed to reminisce on here or just stick to the facts? I hope none of this comes across as personal but I think it makes for interesting conversation to discuss all of this. Regards.

[Mistermena]

I've not driven a car with a DSG box I'm only going on what is said on some other forums. What type of auto box has the Avensis got? If it's a "normal auto" it would drive somewhat differently to the MMT box. I could be wrong but I get the impression that some comments are from people that don't own a car with the MMT box and are just not used to how other cars can behave. I worked in the car trade for many years and could go from one car to another with no thought whatsoever. Trying to drive a Bedford van with column change or a Peugeot with one and see if you can find the gears. Or a Morris Minor with a pudding bowl mixer gear stick. Seems like stirring cake mixture in a bowl! Very spongy. Anybody remember any of this? Makes any modern car seem fantastic. They weren't really the good old days. This might make me seem very old but it was in the 60's when I started work. Are we allowed to reminisce on here or just stick to the facts? I hope none of this comes across as personal but I think it makes for interesting conversation to discuss all of this. Regards.

My Avensis is a 6 speed manual gearbox. But I've driven so many types of car being a driving instructor. I think that the engineering on the DSG is amazing how its already selected the next gear whilst your driving in a lower gear which all makes for a seamless drive. Its good to reminisce about days gone by! Remember driving my old 1976 1.3L Ford Escort, and the gear change was awful! no spring loaded boxes in those days! Now that was fun to drive . No power steering ect.

These 17 year olds I teach dont know there're born compared to what some of us had to do to get a 3 point turn done! I use to come home after my driving lessons with arms like Arnold swarchenegger! :lol2:

[gloucester]

I don't doubt the engineering of the VAG group. They didn't get to their position by making junk that's for sure. The point I'm making is they do go wrong and people have said the gearboxes can behave in a strange manner. Just like the MMT 'box can. As for repair costs, someone has said it's prohibitive on VAG. Don't suppose it's cheap on Toyota either. Glad I've the 5 year warranty.

What car do you use for teaching? Regards.

[Mistermena]

I think that if and when these gearboxes go wrong then you need very deep pockets with very long arms . But having said that, if any box messes up its gonna cost you. That why I alwas beleived in changing the box oil every 30k miles or so. That way I've never had a gearbox fail on even driving school cars. My Polo Tdi isn't far off 200k! And still on the original Engine/clutch/gearbox/turbo ect.

[Cookie-monster]

I would agree with the point about gearbox oil changes - for some reason the service schedule for the Yaris does not include a gearbox oil change - ever. It only specifies checking the level of the oil every so often. Then people wonder why the gearboxes pack up after 70-100K miles. When I drained my gear oil last month on a car thats 12 years old with 54K miles on it, the oil was black, burnt and very smelly - its little wonder the boxes start complaining if their oil gets manky. I would rather spend less that a tenner on 2 litres of gear oil than fork out for a new gearbox for want of a gear oil change. I cant understand why Toyota never specified a gearbox oil change every 40K miles.

[acetip]

I would agree with the point about gearbox oil changes - for some reason the service schedule for the Yaris does not include a gearbox oil change - ever. It only specifies checking the level of the oil every so often. Then people wonder why the gearboxes pack up after 70-100K miles. When I drained my gear oil last month on a car thats 12 years old with 54K miles on it, the oil was black, burnt and very smelly - its little wonder the boxes start complaining if their oil gets manky. I would rather spend less that a tenner on 2 litres of gear oil than fork out for a new gearbox for want of a gear oil change. I cant understand why Toyota never specified a gearbox oil change every 40K miles.

i am sure toyota would advise reguler g/box oil changes if they were needed, whatever is burnt g/box oil.as for smell is there a particuler aroma to judge the quality of the oil.

as for being black,yes it will be darker than new oil would be,but black i doubt.whats to make it black.

no harm in changing g/box oil if needed.but its not a must.

some commercial g/box do not even have means of draining.think of the work these boxes have to do.