How Smooth Is Your Rav4 Gearbox

[IanXT4]

Hi there

I purchased a petrol XT4 manual 5 speed back in June and have done around 5000 miles.

The gearbox was initially a bit tight but has now loosened up nicely. However, shifting from first to second is often notchy about 50% of the time.

I am curious to get some feedback from other Rav4 owners, how smooth is your manual gearbox especially from 1st to second gear.

Do you notice any notchyness ?

How has your gearbox changed in the first 5,000 to 10,000 miles?

Many Thanks

Ian

[jonbr]

Ian, I got my XT4 back in March and have done 12k in it so far. As you said, the gear box has loosened up nicely but I do find it a bit "clunky". This is not the gearbox its self, but the gear lever shifting through the gates, the gear box it self is very smooth.

As for first to second, I find the cluctch snatchs a bit as second egages but only on cold mornings. As soon it warms up it's fine :-)

Jon

[nickp]

I purchased a petrol XT4 manual 5 speed back in June and have done around 5000 miles.

The gearbox was initially a bit tight but has now loosened up nicely.  However, shifting from first to second is often notchy about 50% of the time.

Hi Ian, My Diesel Rav4 is 3 months old and has 2500 on the clock and I have exactly the same problem. I was going to contact my dealer today. Did you sort out the problem ?

[Dave 69]

Hi , everyone . My d4d vx has approx 28000 miles same prob ,? looks like it does not get any better 1st to 2nd not smooth ??? was going to get the gearbox oil changed at 30000 to see if it helps ??

[IanXT4]

Hi Nick,

Following my last post, I spent about an hour searching on the web. There I found numberous references to "notchy Rav4 " gear boxes, when transitioning from 1st to second gear. Most owners had been told by their garages that it was standard, and I even found a couple of reviews of the Rav4 that mentioned the gear box was notchy (see http://www.mynrma.com.au/motoring/cars/buy.../toyrav4.shtml). I have a strong feeling its a "design feature" caused by what seems to be a very low first gear ratio. It happens about 50% of the time and I guess its something to do with the synchro gear not reacting fast enough.

It seems to be worse when the car is cold, I am going to give it to the first service to see how the gearbox beds in, as it has significantly loosened up since new. I am curious to hear if changing the gearbox oil makes a difference.

Rgds

Ian

[nickp]

Thanks Ian

Just got this reply from another forum

It's the same with any RAV, many people (including myself) have commented on the rough shift between first and second gears. I believe part of it is because first gear is not synchronized. It does get a little easier as you break in the gearbox, but it will always be a little "notchy" or rough. You get used to it after a while.

[Gerry 2]

My RAV is always notchy 1st to 2nd, done 6000 miles.

It seems to be a standard fault--no idea why--nor do garage!

Gerry.

[Mark139]

I have a Mk1 thats done 58K and 1st to 2nd is "notchy" so I would be inclined to agree with your second post that it's more down to the high ratio 1st gear rather than the toyota gearbox.

[robbish]

I have a Mk1 thats done 58K and 1st to 2nd is "notchy" so I would be inclined to agree with your second post that it's more down to the high ratio 1st gear rather than the toyota gearbox.

←

[robbish]

Hi there

I purchased a petrol XT4 manual 5 speed back in June and have done around 5000 miles.

The gearbox was initially a bit tight but has now loosened up nicely.  However, shifting from first to second is often notchy about 50% of the time. 

I am curious to get some feedback from other Rav4 owners, how smooth is your manual gearbox especially from 1st to second gear. 

Do you notice any notchyness ?

How has your gearbox changed in the first 5,000 to 10,000 miles?

Many Thanks

Ian

←

Anyone thought about pulling away in second gear?

[mooranger]

My missus is always giving me a hard time for crunching the gears on my new Rav - I've been driving for years and never had this problem before, but felt there was something different with the Rav. I have to have the seat further forward than normal so I can get the clutch right down, but sometimes still get caught out with a lazy shift. You certainly have to make sure the gear is fully in before letting the clutch out. Owning an auto IS200 before this car didn't help! Still love the car though - it get's stuck in the Devon mud at weekends and cruises the motorways all week - and still gives me 40mpg average.

[GaryXT3]

Hi,

I have been driving a petrol XT3 manual since August 2004 and have done about 5000 miles. Changing from 1st to 2nd has always been a bit "clunky" and sometimes can be quite annoying.

I haven't been back to the dealer yet (obviously it mustn't be that annoying!!!) but as it appears to be a characteristic of the gearbox I'm not really sure what they will be able to do about it??? Has anyone any experience of raising this an issue with Toyota??? Were they able to do anything to cure the problem???

Also wondering if anyone has tried fully synthetic gearbox oil (or a lighter/heavier grade of gearbox oil???) and did it make any difference???

Regards,

Gary

[HawkeyeRav4]

I recently bought a 7month old Rav 4 and despite being pleased with it on most counts I couldn't believe the difference in the gear change feel between the Rav4 and my old Alfa 156. Having searched the web with speculative terms such as notchy and clunky it was with mixed emotions that I found this post. I was pleased to see that, having been fobbed off by the sales man that there was nothing wrong with the gear change I am not alone but it sounds like this is something I have to live with (which I'm not sure I can). Before finding this post I was tempted to go back to a Toyota dealership and test drive other Ravs of similar age and milegage to see if they have similar problesm but this now seems fruitless. A colleage of mine (who is no mechanic) suggested that the clutch wasn't dissengaging the gears sufficiently, which made some sense and gave me hope it was a problem that could be fixed. If you or anyone finds a way of improving the situation please let me know.

[cooperman66]

hi all , have had my rav 3months now its a 2001 gx model with 44000 miles on the clock, cant say i notice any notchy gear change between 1st and 2nd maybe its well loose now....

[nickp]

Hello again

When I made my original post back in January, the notchy 1st to 2nd gear did irritate me. The car has now done 6500 miles and I can't say I notice it anymore. It's probably still there but I think the gearbox does loosen up.

Nick

[IanXT4]

My Rav4 has now done about 7000 miles and the gearbox is considerably better.

Its still a bit clunky from first to second when cold, but its much better when warm.

(One notchy shift in five, I guess)

Having said that its not the best gearbox I have ever driven. A lot of the issue/problem I believe is down to the very high gear ratio in first.

The shifts between all other gears are mostly smooth.

regards

Ian

[Sssnake]

Hi there,

Read all the above with interest - I thought it was just me. I've had an XT3 since June 04 but have only done 3800 miles.

The gear change is awful, not between 1st and 2nd but between 2nd and 3rd. Crunches quite a lot, especially when cold, but is slowly (!) improving.

Also when first had the car reverse was awful - wouldn't engage at all when cold/coldish without a lot of revving and putting in gear as revs died away - like an old fashioned gear change - have noticed an improvement here but there is a definite knack to it.

Hopefully all will be well when the car passes 6/7k or so. The car I test drove had done about 10k and the gear changes were smooth so I live in hope!!

[Rav4ndy]

Well if only I'd have read this before

Its 9 years on my 56 reg xt4 2l petrol has only done 23000 miles, I thought it was my gammy left leg

Something I'll just have to get used to, but I didn't notice it when I drove it last year before buying the car from my next door neighbour who says he never had any problem

so it's a common fault, so why do they say toyota and japansese are engineered to the hilt and unbreakable and so reliable then I wonder?

[korat102]

My Verso's the same from 1st to 2nd. I have to make a real 'extra' effort to get a smooth change. The rest are fine.

1st gear on the Verso is remarkably low though, seems to be nothing more than a 'get me moving' gear.

so why do they say toyota and japansese are engineered to the hilt and unbreakable and so reliable then I wonder?

Hasn't broken has it? :)

[Madasafish]

There are gear oils specifically designed to improve gearchanges. Castrol do one.

[Rav4ndy]

My Verso's the same from 1st to 2nd. I have to make a real 'extra' effort to get a smooth change. The rest are fine.

1st gear on the Verso is remarkably low though, seems to be nothing more than a 'get me moving' gear.

so why do they say toyota and japansese are engineered to the hilt and unbreakable and so reliable then I wonder?

Hasn't broken has it? :)

Hands up! got me there!! LOL

[Rav4ndy]

There are gear oils specifically designed to improve gearchanges. Castrol do one.

Thank you for this, will do some homework on the perfect oil to use

[ALake]

I've had my petrol rav for about a year and 15k miles now and the gearchange from 1st to 2nd is basically kak. The heavy spring nature of the clutch and the stupid over-rev when you dip the clutch generally makes for a fairly crappy gearchange imo. I've got used to it now, but its definitely one of the 'bad' points of the car!

[battleaxe]

I covered this problem about 2yrs ago, my 09 plate was terrible 1st to 2nd, it would also creep forward while in neutral when cold, took it to my local three wise dip sticks be hind the reception, oh they all do that, yer right, went in for service and after that no creep and 1st to 2nd 90% better, can only think they used thinner oil in the box.

B-A