Help 1st To 2nd Gear Shift Problem

[paraponi]

Hello there,

I am the owner of a second hand Yaris 2003 model 1.0 liter engine.

I am currently at 43000 Km and since I bought it, I have a problem with 1st to 2nd gear shift. It is possible to perform it but there is some difficulty like something is preventing it (the lever is stuck).

Please share any information if anybody had similar problems and how they were solved.

[Yaris SR Kid]

Take out the plastic console were the gear stick is located, if you cant see anything out of the ordinary there then will probably mechanical so take it to a garage!

[Gnome]

How bad is the problem?

The Yaris models, especially P2's, tend to suffer from "notchy" lower gears.

Mine had this feeling between 1st and 2nd as well.

Always seemed a bit stiffer to shift gear here, than any of the other gears.

[Woody27]

Yeah i would say its the normal harder to shift between 1st and 2nd problem. Tbh i dont think its a problem, n the peeps who know more will explain the problem fully, but i'm guessing it's something to do with 2nd being synchromeshed n 1st not or something? As isn't 1st gear similar to reverse in that it is slightly different from all the other gears? Either way i wouldnt worry about it! When i am drivin hard you notice it specially as you try and throw the gear thru the box! It feels like it hits an obstacle which you have to pull hard to get past! Unlike, say, 3rd to 4th which you can throw through without any problems! Hope that helps :)

[Red Yaris 54]

How bad is the problem?

The Yaris models, especially P2's, tend to suffer from "notchy" lower gears.

Mine had this feeling between 1st and 2nd as well.

Always seemed a bit stiffer to shift gear here, than any of the other gears.

LOL at you Gnomey........................now you have sold it all the little niggles are coming out

You are priceless He He

[AJB]

I have no technical knowedge what so ever, however i have had 2 yaris' and both were particuly stiff when changing from 1st to 2nd gear.

[Gnome]

How bad is the problem?

The Yaris models, especially P2's, tend to suffer from "notchy" lower gears.

Mine had this feeling between 1st and 2nd as well.

Always seemed a bit stiffer to shift gear here, than any of the other gears.

LOL at you Gnomey........................now you have sold it all the little niggles are coming out

You are priceless He He

Lol - This was pointed out to the new buyer though. ;)

[mark999]

My 00 1.0 GS Yaris always had a notchty gearchangr from 1st to 2nd. It got much worse after I had the gearbox oil changed (75w-90 synthetic as per handbook). The dealer changed the oil to ATF and fitted a modified gear linkage. this helped a lot but it still wasn't right. I had the ATF changed with Redline MTL now much improved.

[corradovr6]

would it help to add any gearbox or lube additive? I've used some stuff called Micro Mu which doesnt contain any PTFE or other suspended particles, to alleviate roughness or to improve a general lubricant, but am somewhat unsure about using this in the gearbox.

[Madasafish]

I spray all gear linkages with WD40 which gives lubrication . Solved my problems...

[Yaris SR Kid]

Mine are a tad notchy might try that cheers Madasafish!

[Ray99]

Hi Paraponi

Have a look at your floor mats. It's quite common for the mat to push forward underneath the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal needs virtually full travel to get from 1st to 2nd. Just a small amount of carpet will reduce the travel significantly. Almost all the Yaris I see with poor gear selection is operator error. Try to make a concious effort to push the pedal all the way (after clearing the mat), if you still have a problem, Mr. T should road test and diagnose for free. Let us know how you get on. Regards Ray

[corradovr6]

Hi Paraponi

Have a look at your floor mats. It's quite common for the mat to push forward underneath the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal needs virtually full travel to get from 1st to 2nd. Just a small amount of carpet will reduce the travel significantly. Almost all the Yaris I see with poor gear selection is operator error. Try to make a concious effort to push the pedal all the way (after clearing the mat), if you still have a problem, Mr. T should road test and diagnose for free. Let us know how you get on. Regards Ray

Is this really the way it should be? Surely the thickness of the mats cant make such a difference? This is also what Mr T told me but to me this sounded like a copout. Maybe on an old car you would consider this to be the case but with new technology, and Toyota at that, i find this surprising. Or is it a design fault?

[Al J]

My last Yaris (1.0) developed a "notchiness" (not a word but it should be) to the gearbox coming up to three years old. There is a fix that Mr T is totally aware of where a large weight or counterbalance is added to the linkage train in the engine compartment.

One or two of us have had this done (mine was just within warranty) and the difference was notceable with sliky smooth changes. Might be worth having a word?

[corradovr6]

OK, mine is out of warranty, but despite that Toyota should fit this as standard on a recall basis. I'll get in touch and see what they say. If not, then how much should this be, approx?

[Red Yaris 54]

My last Yaris (1.0) developed a "notchiness" (not a word but it should be) to the gearbox coming up to three years old. There is a fix that Mr T is totally aware of where a large weight or counterbalance is added to the linkage train in the engine compartment.

One or two of us have had this done (mine was just within warranty) and the difference was notceable with sliky smooth changes. Might be worth having a word?

The New Yaris (2006 onwards) has this counterbalance in the gear linkage as standard.

I can assure you that it works and makes the gearchange silky smooth and slick

[corradovr6]

Is the counterbalancing something that can be done at home with regualr tools?

[Blue84]

Hi Paraponi

Have a look at your floor mats. It's quite common for the mat to push forward underneath the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal needs virtually full travel to get from 1st to 2nd. Just a small amount of carpet will reduce the travel significantly. Almost all the Yaris I see with poor gear selection is operator error. Try to make a concious effort to push the pedal all the way (after clearing the mat), if you still have a problem, Mr. T should road test and diagnose for free. Let us know how you get on. Regards Ray

Is this really the way it should be? Surely the thickness of the mats cant make such a difference? This is also what Mr T told me but to me this sounded like a copout. Maybe on an old car you would consider this to be the case but with new technology, and Toyota at that, i find this surprising. Or is it a design fault?

following on from that I find that if I dont press quite hard on the pedal then the gear change is very jerky in both Yarii that we have. I dont mean you have to exert a heavy amount of pressure, but in the Blue the mats are pretty thick which does restrict the travel slightly. It's just one of those things that you get used to IMO.

[dshor]

My last Yaris (1.0) developed a "notchiness" (not a word but it should be) to the gearbox coming up to three years old. There is a fix that Mr T is totally aware of where a large weight or counterbalance is added to the linkage train in the engine compartment.

One or two of us have had this done (mine was just within warranty) and the difference was notceable with sliky smooth changes. Might be worth having a word?

Hi,

I got a 2000 1L yaris with this problem. I'm going to try the MT-90 first.

Can you explain a bit about the gear linkage counterbalance?

The dealer here doesn't know about it, and say that the sifting is fine and smoth (grrr)…

Any reference on that mod ?

Thanks

:)

[calgon]

if its hard to preform such a operation slam the bas***d into gear its wat i do now its getting smoother

[Al J]

My last Yaris (1.0) developed a "notchiness" (not a word but it should be) to the gearbox coming up to three years old. There is a fix that Mr T is totally aware of where a large weight or counterbalance is added to the linkage train in the engine compartment.

One or two of us have had this done (mine was just within warranty) and the difference was notceable with sliky smooth changes. Might be worth having a word?

Hi,

I got a 2000 1L yaris with this problem. I'm going to try the MT-90 first.

Can you explain a bit about the gear linkage counterbalance?

The dealer here doesn't know about it, and say that the sifting is fine and smoth (grrr)…

Any reference on that mod ?

Thanks

:)

Sorry for the delay in replying. Just spotted this on returning from my holidays. I don't have a reference for the mod but it certainly made a difference.

I've done a search for the thread...

click me please!

Might be worth printing out and showing to your dealer?

[sphinktar1988]

ah mines got 107,000 on it n its quite a clunky change now but bit of force n its in no problem like to hear that a big bit of metal is movin when i change anyways

[RickyG512]

Hi guys im new to da forum

i have 2 yaris's and both have same problem, it is 2003 15k miles and 2001 45k miles both 1.0 L

basicaly it wont go into gears, first into second is virutally impossible now that i have to force it, yes my cluth is all the way down, going into reverse first time is also impossble, the only way i can do it is pressing the cluth a few time(releasing and pushing down again), every time i change gear it makes a loud sound

any one got any advice

thanks

[johnp]

Hi Ricky,

Welcome.

I had the same problem esp when cold. My wife refused to drive the car.

I was advised to change the oil to Mobil1 fully synthetic.

Was a last resort so this is what I did. A simple job.

a couple of weeks later the box was perfect and my wife is out now in the car.

Whether it was that or not I have no idea, but it is silky smooth now.

(It was as if the clutch had gone and something was blocking the gear change.

When you got it in gear by force, it crunched and grated)

It is worth a try and cost £30 for 5 litres. That shoud do both cars.

[Red Yaris 54]

Hi guys im new to da forum

i have 2 yaris's and both have same problem, it is 2003 15k miles and 2001 45k miles both 1.0 L

basicaly it wont go into gears, first into second is virutally impossible now that i have to force it, yes my cluth is all the way down, going into reverse first time is also impossble, the only way i can do it is pressing the cluth a few time(releasing and pushing down again), every time i change gear it makes a loud sound

any one got any advice

thanks

Sounds like the clutch operating cylinder may need bleeding (To get rid of any air in the system which will compress and make you have to press the clutch pedal a few times to make it work)