MMT gearbox problems- Clutch actuator

[arousa]

Hello all

My 2005 Corolla with MMT is giving me problems. Keeps shifting into neutral when driving and at times will not engage at all. MMT warning light comes on. Have to shut off engine/remove key and restart and it engages again.

Was looking for info on how to repair this as Toyota wants a load of cash to repair and wanting to throw at it a bunch of parts, ie ECU, actuator etc.etc. which I find insane. 

Anyway, was looking for information online and found a Russian or Ukrainian website and youtube videos where they repair the actuator by replacing bearings and sleeves. Apparently this fixes the problem? Youtube vid for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGl8uUVpAAw

Has anyone ran into this problem? Does anyone know anywhere to buy these parts to repair actuactor?

Also, any help on what diagnostic software is available to check MMT codes. Using an ELM connector and torque(basic) but doesn't read transmission ECU. And also where I can get a repair manual to see install procedure for actuactor. It seems my preload on the clutch actuactor rod is not correct as it has some up/down movement when checking following this tech bulletin. http://svaret.free.fr/TCVII/depose/MMT/CP5013_0_1.pdf?utm_source=ToyotaOwnersClub&utm_medium=ForumLinks

[arousa]

Surprised with all the problems the MMT has, no one has any info?

[FROSTYBALLS]

I think in the UK, most independent garages won't touch the Multi Mode Transmission, and owners have frequently had to resort to Toyota dealers to get problems resolved.

[arousa]

Yes, same in Spain. That is why I am searching for info to repair it myself. Only info I have found is in Russian, seems they are more into fixing things themselves. Seems like the problem is the bearing/sleeves for the mechanism support that wear down. And they replace these with bearings. 

[arousa]

I removed my clutch actuactor from transmission today and didn't take it apart as when moving the clutch actuactor rod there was no play inside the actuactor. Anyone have any experience with this? I assume if it is faulty, there would be some movement?

[dirarko]

Old post, but see here:

 

[ryan9713]

Hello. i am ryan.

I bought second-hand car in Toyota Autowelt 1 year ago
recently, i found my car(Aygo,2009yo) has severe Problem about MMT.(while wife's driving with a child , car stopped on the street, what a horrible experience !)
and then we have read many issues and complains at this in Internet and newspapapers.

Apparaently, This issue is only from Toyoto MMT Technology.
my car is still within Guarantee. we visited Toyota regional Autowelt  But They told me i must pay
1450 Euro for replacememt of Clutch and ECU. (Clutch was not included as gurantee items, ECU was included 33% only)

If my car has Problems by mistake of Driver, Of course, Customer must pay all

but This car was born with potential mal- function . 
How do i do?  my mistake was only i didn't check Quality of Toyota and
believed just thay are honest enough  to sell the product.

I was so sad and sometimes angry at Toyota Service Qaulity because Toyota didn't say this issues before they sell the car.
They are selling car ,hiding issues and Problems...

The clear one is, Perfectly,
I wouldn't like to purchase Toyota in future. and i must let many customers know this issues.
this is not customer's problem

But Should I pay for this replacement of ECU and Clustch? This is normal?

[FROSTYBALLS]

The multi mode transmission isn't the best automatic around.

However, the car in question is ten years old, you've owned it for one year, and you say the issues only recently surfaced. Any comeback you may have is with the company who sold the car to you (Autowelt), as that is who your contract of sale is with, or the warranty company - not the manufacturer.

It is common for clutches to be excluded from extended warranties as they are viewed as a wear and tear item. 

 

[ryan9713]

Normally, How Long lifespan of cluctch has?

[Catlover]

Lifespan of clutch depends on how it is used - or abused. 

My wife had a 2006 Citroen C1 (same as Aygo and Peugeot 107). The clutch started slipping at around 28,000 miles, which I thought was too low. Internet search showed it was common for clutch to wear 27k-35k and need replacing. The car had been built with a 7” clutch, problem was solved by putting a larger diameter clutch from Yaris. Customer had to pay for this. We were very disappointed that Toyota/PSA (PSA is Peugeot/Citroen) had put a clutch plate in new cars that was not big enough to do more then 35k miles, but still up to customer to pay. 

The Toyota cars with MMT gearboxes have long time had a reputation of being potentially troublesome. I tested some years ago a used Yaris with MMT gearbox and left it with the dealer. I like the concept of MMT but what I had read on internet kept coming back to my mind. Fortunately I had done some research..

we are now on our 5th Toyota, and generally I find Toyota very reliable, and the company themselves more forthcoming with serious problems like product recalls. More forthcoming then some other major manufacturers.

[irahim]

HI Catlover. Does the MMT only exist in the mark2 Yaris?

I was considering the 2011+ model (mark 3). Is that a conventional automatic gearbox?

[FROSTYBALLS]

The third generation Yaris automatic has a CVT gearbox, and the hybrid an eCVT.

 

 

[Joachim Manjengwa]

Hello everyone. Is it possible to replace the Toyota auris mmt gearbox with a full automatic gearbox, say from a Japanese full automatic toyota auris

[AisinW]

MMT is like other type of manually automated gearbox DSG, Hyundai and Ford Direct-**** etc.  They are all not reliable in Toyota standard.  If you want automatic transmission, stick with torque-converter type 6,or 8 speed, belt CVT (made by Aisin/Toyota), and E-CVT (fully gears) in hybrid.  The MMT needs clutch replacement as part of wear and tear like brake pads and it cost about 800 euros.   If you have Toyota with MMT, just sell it and get something else like hybrid with E-CVT that last forever.  Hybrid in UK has 15 years warranty in Battery and as long as you change all the fluids (ATF WS every 60k miles, brake 2 years, oil 6-12 months), your Toyota will last 3 generations. 

[sceh]

scrapyard. Even if you do repair it or get it repaired, you will have the same problem again and any manufacturer that designs a clutch to only do 30000 miles should be avoided. 4à years ago clutches lasted for 100K so if this is progress..

I have a similar issue and the scrapyard is very close even though I have only done 30K

[sceh]

On 3/17/2021 at 2:10 PM, Joachim Manjengwa said:

Hello everyone. Is it possible to replace the Toyota auris mmt gearbox with a full automatic gearbox, say from a Japanese full automatic toyota auris

Cheaper to buy a new car. Something simple 

[sceh]

On 6/29/2021 at 10:43 AM, AisinW said:

MMT is like other type of manually automated gearbox DSG, Hyundai and Ford Direct-**** etc.  They are all not reliable in Toyota standard.  If you want automatic transmission, stick with torque-converter type 6,or 8 speed, belt CVT (made by Aisin/Toyota), and E-CVT (fully gears) in hybrid.  The MMT needs clutch replacement as part of wear and tear like brake pads and it cost about 800 euros.   If you have Toyota with MMT, just sell it and get something else like hybrid with E-CVT that last forever.  Hybrid in UK has 15 years warranty in battery and as long as you change all the fluids (ATF WS every 60k miles, brake 2 years, oil 6-12 months), your Toyota will last 3 generations. 

Don't bother with CVT - it is rubbish and hard to drive and if it breaks it will cost a fortune. Buy an electric Zoe or Tesla

[flash22]

The Toyota cvt's are very reliable, the e-cvt has been proven to do 400k miles before needing any major work but the E-cvt is not a conventional cvt, the op posted this back in 2017 !!!

Now Jatco (nissan) cvt's are utter trash - your lucky to get 60k miles out of them

 

You have a mmt what is a semi auto (basically a manual with a lot of electronics) they are fine while working but have known issues - 60-80k miles between clutch changes, clutch motors and position sensors cause issues - low mileage cars suffer with clutch issues as most of the driving is done at lower speeds and the clutch is engaging/disengaging a lot more

[YarisPNate]

Hi to everyone, got same issue with my toyota yaris 2006 mmt ( moving to neutral suddenly) .  Have tried: clutch replacement, actuator ( new ) replacement, sensor replaced, ECU unit ( used ). Any idea what else to try? ( apart from selling it 🙂  ).

The reason  I am still trying is that it works most of the time during the year, just during the summer when the morning temperatures is 24 Celsius, it starts with failing to change the gear.

[flash22]

Have you checked to see if there are any codes in the gearbox ecu, i take it you did a calibration with the new ecu

[YarisPNate]

yes, calibration was done as in the same go clutches were changed. Didn't catch any codes at all, as if nothing occurred.

Independent garage that did the work, suggested Clutch fork to be changed, so I will consider that. Explanation was that faulty actuator might have caused for damage.

[AisinW]

On 8/11/2021 at 2:55 PM, sceh said:

Don't bother with CVT - it is rubbish and hard to drive and if it breaks it will cost a fortune. Buy an electric Zoe or Tesla

I never consider primitive Zoe with air cooling on the HV Battery.  You should always choose any EV or PHEV with proper heat pump heating/cooling for the Battery like in Tesla and RAV4 PHEV.  Toyota hybrid only have 1-3kWh Battery, much smaller and air cooled is enough and it last at least 15 years.  But not for Zoe, they will die or less than 50% capacity in less than 15 years.  

Any clutch type transmission (manual or automatic like DSG, MMT, etc.) will need clutch replacement unlike E-CVT or Torque converter type automatic transmission (CVT, 5,6, or 8 speed Aisin) which has no clutch or use fluid as the coupling.  Ford, Benz, Toyota, Honda are abandoning  automated manual transmission for reliability reasons.  It will last long enough if yo do not drive in hectic traffic with a lot of stop and go, and creeping phase, slow climbing, slow speed. Otherwise, stay away from MMT transmission.  

[Eliza K]

On 8/20/2021 at 8:35 PM, YarisPNate said:

Hi to everyone, got same issue with my toyota yaris 2006 mmt ( moving to neutral suddenly) .  Have tried: clutch replacement, actuator ( new ) replacement, sensor replaced, ECU unit ( used ). Any idea what else to try? ( apart from selling it 🙂  ).

The reason  I am still trying is that it works most of the time during the year, just during the summer when the morning temperatures is 24 Celsius, it starts with failing to change the gear.

 I thought my Yaris of 2010, of less than 45000kilometers was reliable, but does not have a good automatic transmission (like Prius, another car in the family) and cannot ‘climb’ uphill or/and uphill hairpin bends, so I have to change into manual gear shift; but this week it slipped into N[eutral] while I was driving uphill on a hairpin bend with a trail of cars both behind and ahead of me and from opposite direction on a narrow road (public holiday, near village restaurants). It was very risky, as I could not put it into gear, either on automatic [E], or manual, on an almost perpendicular(!!!) slope. The cost of repair [needs new MMT, clutch actuator] is very high/main dealers, car always and meticulously serviced by main dealers, I feel this should not have happened and there should have been a recall. Very disappointed with Toyota, had Rav4, Prius, etc. in the family. Lost faith.

[TonyHSD]

21 hours ago, Eliza K said:

 I thought my Yaris of 2010, of less than 45000kilometers was reliable, but does not have a good automatic transmission (like Prius, another car in the family) and cannot ‘climb’ uphill or/and uphill hairpin bends, so I have to change into manual gear shift; but this week it slipped into N[eutral] while I was driving uphill on a hairpin bend with a trail of cars both behind and ahead of me and from opposite direction on a narrow road (public holiday, near village restaurants). It was very risky, as I could not put it into gear, either on automatic [E], or manual, on an almost perpendicular(!!!) slope. The cost of repair [needs new MMT, clutch actuator] is very high/main dealers, car always and meticulously serviced by main dealers, I feel this should not have happened and there should have been a recall. Very disappointed with Toyota, had Rav4, Prius, etc. in the family. Lost faith.

Hi, 

sorry to hear that happened to you. Most of us here knows about these mmt transmissions and their design faults and defects and many of us will avoid buying and owning a car like that. Best way is to get it fix and sell it or exchange for something better, hybrids from Toyota has the best auto from all cars with petrol engines. 
Good luck