Is my CVT gearbox faulty

[Louie]

Hi Guys

I took my Corolla for a fast spin on a long quiet stretch of the A47 and accelerated to above legal limits just for a moment to see how the car would behave.  It obviously has not got the raw punch of my old Golf GTD but its respectable. I did notice a sound which suggested that the CVT box decided to spend  a lot of time hunting for the correct ratio as I could hear the box continually changing up and down during acceleration This stopped when I settled down to a steady speed.

Now i know nothing about CVT boxes so is this behaviour normal ? I am familiar with standard boxes and my old Golf which was either a 7 or 8 speed GTD box with smooth ratio changes. Now I am not saying the Toyota is rough but the gear changes are odd or has Toyota played me by introducing special sound effects. 

On another note how exasperating is the lack of autolocking on this model which I fail to understand why Toyota left  out on a car that has everything else just plain crazy in the fact that the car locks itself if you open it but dont get in within 10-15 secs. There must be a simple mod for this somewhere in addition to remote boot opening and yes i know its on the Exel model etc but cmon Toyota.

Oh before I forget if you want assassinate someone quietly without any fuss (I am joking of course) this is the car to use how come? well the number of people i have driven up to without them being aware of my presence until I am on top of  them is remarkable. Perhaps they should use it in the next 007 franchise. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

53 minutes ago, Louie said:

Oh before I forget if you want assassinate someone quietly without any fuss (I am joking of course) this is the car to use how come? well the number of people i have driven up to without them being aware of my presence until I am on top of  them is remarkable. Perhaps they should use it in the next 007 franchise. 

Later models are fitted with an Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS), which have an external sound generator. This makes a noise between 56 and 75 dcb when running on electric power up to speeds of 12.4mph specifically to alert people there is a vehicle approaching - intended to benefit visually impaired pedestrians.

Mandatory on new electric/hybrid cars with new Type Approval from July 2019, and all new electric/hybrid cars from July 2021.

 

[Louie]

My Corrolla was acquired in Jan 2020 and was definately not fitted with AVAS then. Now AVAS became mandatory in an EEC country in July 2018 so as we parted company with the EEC in Dec 19 how does the law stand here ? In any event as this is a contract hire vehicle i cannot see my leasing company rushing off to fit one.

[Catlover]

Louie, your car does not need to be fitted with the sound alarm.

Regarding the CVT box, it is not changing gear, it’s an electronic box . I think the sports model can make a noise like it’s changing gear, buts not. Does you car have paddles either side the steering wheel?  Again that a gimmick to make it sound you have a gearbox, Bit pointless really.

[Cyker]

You're lucky; You deffo couldn't sneak up on anyone in my Mk4!!

It sounds like a UFO or something when going at 16mph or less with the ICE off 

Older models that had it had a button to turn it off temporarily; I really wish they kept that as it sounds so loud I feel like I'm going to wake everyone up when I'm trying to sneak back through the street to my house at 3am on a weekend!

 

My Mk4 has a completely different engine to yours so this might not be useful, but I find if I'm hooning about, small pressure changes to the accelerator cause the rpm to fluctuate disproportionately to the change. For instance, if I'm at speed and back off the pedal pressure bit, past a certain point the engine rpm drops quite sharply. I also find, even at motorway speeds, if I back off on the accelerator, again past a certain point, the engine will actually shut down and the car will run on the leccy motor alone!

I find the car prefers progressive consistent pedal pressure to get a nice smooth rising rpm.

It may also be they've put in gear change simulation on yours - Mine doesn't have it, but my dad's Verso, which has a real (not hybrid) CVT, if you accelerate hard to pretends it has real gears by doing step changes on the CVT ratios instead of a smooth change.

 

[TonyHSD]

Yaris engine is similar to the Corolla 2.0 just one less pot, and has a different sound typical for 3 cylinders engine. The eCVT part of the hybrid drivetrain has no gears at all, the 2.0 Corolla may have some sort of fake simulation but this will only happen when gear change is made via steering wheel paddles or gear selector in S mode with + & -, when in D and pushed to accelerate should be one continuous smooth acceleration from 0- max speed, there are two scenarios when something like gear change can be felt :

1. When on acceleration  slightly release the gas pedal and depress again (RPM will drop a bit and then rise again) with experience you can literally simulate yourself a gear change even with Yaris or Prius.

2. When the engine is cold and is within its heat up cycle and you push it harder to accelerate but not with full throttle the car may switch between both power supplies and then it feels strange, like diving it’s nose then suddenly accelerates with loud engine noise rpms rise, then again dive it’s nose and rpms drops , this will be accompanied by fast Battery drain too since when the car accelerates while in heating up cycle will use mostly it’s e motor to propel itself instead of ice., but once it noticed more power is needed will engage the ice to help accelerate faster, perhaps safety reasons. 
Any other times Toyota hybrids accelerates like electric car or airplane on take off., continues smooth acceleration. Try that on the south side of M25 with the horrible concrete surface and you really gonna feel like you are in an airplane ✈️ 😂👌

[Trewithy]

AVAS is fitted to my Corolla: Registered 7th December 2020, manufactured early November 2020.  when in EV mode it makes a noise from 0 to 16 mph and when slowing down it comes back on at 14 mph.  The sound increases with speed and is only audible inside the car if a window is down.  The noise generator is at the front of the car so when reverse is engaged and the car moves backwards the sound is louder to compensate.  When I first got my car my wife would say that the car makes a grinding sound when reversing out of the garage, took me a while to work out what it was.  Sounds like a strangulated duck to me.

[Cyker]

Yeah, I don't know how they made it so loud outside but almost inaudible inside - I didn't realise it was making the sound until my neighbour asked me about it!

Now if only they could work that magic on the road noise! 

 

@TonyHSD - Does the Corolla Hybrid have paddles?! I never noticed that...! They seem such a pointless thing in EVs and Hybrids - The only time I've seen them used for a sensible purpose in such cars is to control the level of regen in the Hyundai Kona.

[TonyHSD]

30 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Yeah, I don't know how they made it so loud outside but almost inaudible inside - I didn't realise it was making the sound until my neighbour asked me about it!

Now if only they could work that magic on the road noise! 

 

@TonyHSD - Does the Corolla Hybrid have paddles?! I never noticed that...! They seem such a pointless thing in EVs and Hybrids - The only time I've seen them used for a sensible purpose in such cars is to control the level of regen in the Hyundai Kona.

Yes, In Hyundai they do work I have yet to try them, in the Corolla 2.0 they should too but again I never try one. The avas noise on Hyundai is so funny like spaceship or Samsung washing machine those with large window and big screen 😂buts least  has a button to disable it which is handy although when restart the car goes back ON by default. I can also hear inside the car.

[AndrueC]

On 6/28/2021 at 11:19 PM, Cyker said:

It may also be they've put in gear change simulation on yours - Mine doesn't have it, but my dad's Verso, which has a real (not hybrid) CVT, if you accelerate hard to pretends it has real gears by doing step changes on the CVT ratios instead of a smooth change.

Honda did the same with the later model Jazz. Bit of a shame really. They finally ironed out the computer logic to handle the switch between Atkinson and Otto cycles smoothly then they fake gear changes when you accelerate hard.

Honda put pedals on the Jazz but I only found two uses for them (one being somewhat debateable).

1. Maximising acceleration - pull the down shift pedal twice then floor the accelerator. Eliminates the delay of kick-down and you accelerate at the red-line immediately.

2. Engine braking - on steep hills it was handy to drop down a ratio or two rather than riding the brakes. Of course now that I own a hybrid riding the brakes is no longer a sin 🙂

[flash22]

Mines the pedestrian hunter version too, the hybrid is not a conventional CVT nor a traditional auto it is its own beast and does take some learning, hybrids are all about smoothness of driving, you coast down hills, up to junctions and roundabouts - once up to speed you don't need to hold the throttle just back off you can usually maintain speed using the top 1/4-1/3 of the pedal unless going up hill

re. AVAS - The UK, AVAS has been compulsory on all new types of electric and hybrid vehicles since 1 July 2019, and it will be required on all hybrid or electric vehicles sold from 1 July 2021 onwards.

[Cyker]

1 hour ago, AndrueC said:

2. Engine braking - on steep hills it was handy to drop down a ratio or two rather than riding the brakes. Of course now that I own a hybrid riding the brakes is no longer a sin 🙂

This is another thing that's hard to get used to!

Over 20 years of using down-shifting and engine braking to slow the car down instead of riding the brakes down hill, and now I have to unlearn all that and actually ride the brake down hill!  It feels so wrong!!!

I've even found this is much better than using the B-mode as the B-mode doesn't even max out the regen like people were telling me!! It just does a level-1 regen and dumps the rest into spinning the ICE with MG1, while actually braking will get you up to level 3 regen!

I've suspect it's because in B-mode the brake lights do NOT activate when slowing, like in a normal car, but regen levels 2 and 3 will ONLY trigger with the brake lights on, presumably for safety reasons?

But yeah, everyone who says B-mode gives maximum regen is flat out wrong, at least on the Mk4 Yaris!

[TonyHSD]

26 minutes ago, Cyker said:

This is another thing that's hard to get used to!

Over 20 years of using down-shifting and engine braking to slow the car down instead of riding the brakes down hill, and now I have to unlearn all that and actually ride the brake down hill!  It feels so wrong!!!

I've even found this is much better than using the B-mode as the B-mode doesn't even max out the regen like people were telling me!! It just does a level-1 regen and dumps the rest into spinning the ICE with MG1, while actually braking will get you up to level 3 regen!

I've suspect it's because in B-mode the brake lights do NOT activate when slowing, like in a normal car, but regen levels 2 and 3 will ONLY trigger with the brake lights on, presumably for safety reasons?

But yeah, everyone who says B-mode gives maximum regen is flat out wrong, at least on the Mk4 Yaris!

You can try B mode in slow speeds up to 20mph , see if ice will start to spin or it will be only regenerative braking., and please share with us.  Out of interest. Thanks in advance. 👍

[Louie]

Guys guys guys this is all bewildering to a 72 year old !Removed! you need to slow down so i can take it all in and what the hell is B mode ? Anyway my car has paddles or ears as i call them anyway  i have often wondered why they exist ? Talking of noises why does my car horn sound like a strangled chicken ? I am better off winding down the window and shouting. This car reminds me of my new iPhone namely i have to go back to college to learn all the tips and tricks on how to use it efficiently. Oh wait i have just found a sensible Youtube vid on how to use it like a pro so I dont  look daft jabbing at the screen and swearing well such is modern tech I guess designed to keep you on your toes.

Stay safe guys.

[Cyker]

Haha yeah, it definitely is a bit more 'busy' than normal cars; Just be glad it's not German - They seem to be going all-in on touch screens so even the heater and aircon controls are touchscreen! I can see that being a PITA to try and use while driving...!

B-mode is the simulated engine brake mode, supposed to be used for e.g. going down that terrifyingly steep hill on the way to Bath to save the brakes from overheating. On mine it's the mode after D on the gear stick, but I think the Corolla has something different so ignore me 

 

[AndrueC]

15 minutes ago, Louie said:

Talking of noises why does my car horn sound like a strangled chicken ?

Nah.

 

[Cyker]

Hah, that reminds me of: