RAV4 2.0 - manual transmission problem

[MarkoMilosevic]

The problem concerns the shifting gears of my Toyota RAV4, with chassis number JTMZ43FV70D157243.

Specifically, the issue arises when transitioning from a complete stop, such as at a traffic light, where the gearbox fails to engage first gear. Upon further testing, I've observed that this problem persists across all gears (1-6), only that in real use cases it is possible to notice it only when engaging first gear or when shifting into reverse.   

During my testing, I discovered that if the vehicle is not on a flat surface and the transmission becomes stuck, releasing the brake (while holding the clutch) and gentle movement of the wheels allows the transmission to engage the previously elusive gear without any intervention from the driver.

Furthermore, while searching for similar experiences online, I stumbled upon a forum where numerous users in the USA described identical issues with various Toyota models equipped with manual transmissions. This indicates that the issue is not isolated to my vehicle alone, and given Toyota's esteemed reputation, it warrants immediate attention.

In response to my concerns, the service center attempted to fix the issue by replacing the gearbox, but to no avail. It's perplexing that the replacement gearbox exhibited the same malfunction, raising doubts about whether the gearbox was genuinely replaced or if the issue lies elsewhere.

Following my insistence on the persistence of the problem, the service center proposed replacing the clutch. However, after the initial repair, which resulted in the vehicle being detained for a month, I retrieved my car only to discover a misaligned gear stick and damage to the decorative plastic, as evidenced in the attached photos.

The misalignment of the gear stick has led to a situation where the gear positions are inaccurately represented—first gear is now positioned where third gear should be, and so forth. I declined further repairs for the aforementioned reasons, compounded by concerns about potential additional damage to the new car during subsequent repairs. Service center's explanation was that the factory incorrectly installed the gearbox—an assertion that is simply not true.

To resolve this issue effectively, it's imperative to accurately diagnose the root cause, a step that appears to have been overlooked thus far.

The situation as it stands is untenable for both Toyota as a manufacturer and its authorized service centers, as it undermines the 10-year warranty that is unusable in this case.

It seems like Toyota today doesn't know how to make manual transmissions anymore.

If Toyota is as serious a company as they say they are, Toyota should take this model and investigate where the manufacturing issues are, instead of just ignoring it and repeating the same manual transmission problem over and over again.

[FROSTYBALLS]

You should escalate the issue to your Toyota importer (Toyota Serbia?) and ask them to liaise with the service centre to expedite repairs.

[MarkoMilosevic]

I have already done that and also wrote to Toyota Slovenia and Toyota EU and they all sent me back to the initial service, a service that did not solve the problem and caused more problems, so I am currently stuck with the first service (Nis, Serbia) as no other service will not take over a car that other service started to "fix".

So, by my experience until now Toyota want to solve this problem by just ignoring it... and it is not just mine problem but general problem they have with manual transmissions. 

I don't want to repeat myself, but Toyota doesn't know how to make a manual transmission anymore and they give you a 10-year warranty but if you need a repair their service centers can't fix it, but they definitely know how to create more issues than you already had.