Toyota Avensis

[Deakin]

Are all you toyota avensis owners out there trying to tell me that you have never had problems with your gear linkage?,i have drove 5 different cars and they have all been doing the same thing, a snatching feeling in the gears.

[Penfold]

only if I don't press the clutch pedal far enough or try to grab the gear too quickly.

[Deakin]

only if I don't press the clutch pedal far enough or try to grab the gear too quickly.

Thanks for the reply Penfold but why should it make any difference what way you change your gears?i work as a taxi driver and your always rushing about,trying to get to the next job as soon as you can because times money in this game but i have always changed gears in the same way in all my cars and never had this problem in 25 years in the same job.

[CarlP]

Agree with Penfold on this. I've found that with my 1.8 T3X and my previous Avensis 2.0 that the gear change is far smoother if not rushed. The clutch needs to be fully depressed also. I recall a review on the new T180 said that fast shifting was not that comfortable and a bit vague.

The gear change on mine seems better some days than others, for example the recent cold wet weather seems to have an effect. Don't know why this should be so but to be fair I've found that to be the case on most cars that I've owned. Generally I don't find it an issue and the new model's gear change is a vast improvement on the old.

[buzlby]

Hi There

I've compained about the gearshifting on my 2002 D4D since the day I got it - never seems to willingly go into gear. Dealer (Oxford) have been very patient, but said its fine.

In 60,000 miles it has got no better or worse

It does improve when I drive through a large puddle, so if i can work out how to get lube in the shift mechanism (is it cables ? ), will let you know

Otherwise take your time over the shifts - lifes too short !

Cheers

[Deakin]

Agree with Penfold on this. I've found that with my 1.8 T3X and my previous Avensis 2.0 that the gear change is far smoother if not rushed. The clutch needs to be fully depressed also. I recall a review on the new T180 said that fast shifting was not that comfortable and a bit vague.

The gear change on mine seems better some days than others, for example the recent cold wet weather seems to have an effect. Don't know why this should be so but to be fair I've found that to be the case on most cars that I've owned. Generally I don't find it an issue and the new model's gear change is a vast improvement on the old.

Thanks for the answers guys, but i dont think it should make any difference how quick you change gear?as far as i can see there is some sort of fault and no one wants to admit it , one of my taxi friends has just bought a T3 and when i said to him about the problem he said that he was feeling the same thing we cant all be wrong,has anyone thought of putting a short shifter kit in?or can you get one for a toyota avensis?i know a lot of young ones are putting them into their toyota yaris cars it might be an idea.

[Penfold]

It all comes down to the vehicle age, temperature and setup.

Synchromesh cones rely on the oil in the gearbox to create drag on the gears during a change as well as lubricate the components. It is this speed differential that prevents the cones from hammering into the gears. You can force the cones together more quickly by snatching the gears. This is achieved by either moving the gear linkage more quickly or reducing the amount of time the clutch is disengaged.

The hotter the oil the less drag. Also, the hotter the car the tighter the metal parts are on the linkage. Conversely on a cold day the metal parts will be looser in their bearings yet cables will be tighter as the plastic liner shrinks slightly.

Somewhere in the middle is a happy medium of pedal travel, linkage & gear oil temp and left arm control.

My wife's 01 corolla(27k) has a shorter throw than my 98 Avensis (87k) but they are both light to use. Mine IS a bit notchy but I put this down to the age. If I slow down the change and hold the pedal down longer I can make the gear change feel smoother than an automatic (honest!) and there is no notchiness.

My '72 triumph(115k) though is a completely different beast and I can make it grate in most gears if I rush the change, which is why I always double de-clutch on the way down.

Drivers may not change but each vehicle does have its own characteristic (how many cars have you had that you just didn't like the feel of?)

Short shifting is taking the gear earlier in the rev range than normal. It won't get rid of the notchiness if you are still accelerating hard and throwing the gear lever around the box.

What about an auto? If you're driving for a living it'll save that left knee.

[Deakin]

It all comes down to the vehicle age, temperature and setup.

Synchromesh cones rely on the oil in the gearbox to create drag on the gears during a change as well as lubricate the components. It is this speed differential that prevents the cones from hammering into the gears. You can force the cones together more quickly by snatching the gears. This is achieved by either moving the gear linkage more quickly or reducing the amount of time the clutch is disengaged.

The hotter the oil the less drag. Also, the hotter the car the tighter the metal parts are on the linkage. Conversely on a cold day the metal parts will be looser in their bearings yet cables will be tighter as the plastic liner shrinks slightly.

Somewhere in the middle is a happy medium of pedal travel, linkage & gear oil temp and left arm control.

My wife's 01 corolla(27k) has a shorter throw than my 98 Avensis (87k) but they are both light to use. Mine IS a bit notchy but I put this down to the age. If I slow down the change and hold the pedal down longer I can make the gear change feel smoother than an automatic (honest!) and there is no notchiness.

My '72 triumph(115k) though is a completely different beast and I can make it grate in most gears if I rush the change, which is why I always double de-clutch on the way down.

Drivers may not change but each vehicle does have its own characteristic (how many cars have you had that you just didn't like the feel of?)

Short shifting is taking the gear earlier in the rev range than normal. It won't get rid of the notchiness if you are still accelerating hard and throwing the gear lever around the box.

What about an auto? If you're driving for a living it'll save that left knee.

Thanks for the reply Penfold my car by the way is a 2005 toyota avensis and when i got it there was only 29,000 on the clock i did not notice it doing this when i first got it ,but then when i started working the car as a taxi it was a different mater i have to say as well that i am also getting a terrible vibrating noise up through the gear stick any ideas .

[Penfold]

Generally speaking (as I haven't had to strip my Avensis lever down yet) the gear lever sits in a swivel mechanism. This allows the lever to move smoothly and dampens any vibration from the gears travelling through the linkages. In some cars it presents itself as "sizzling" at a particular speed/gear combination of the swivel mechanism is loose (worn knuckle or weak spring).

The question is what is causing the vibration?

Check the oil level for the gearbox. If you work the box a lot then change it sooner than the service schedule says - as a precaution.

Check to see if any of the collars on the linkage rods/cables are loose or touching against another component and picking up vibration.

Check the swivel at the bottom of the gear lever

If none of these get rid of the vibration then you are looking at a worn gear set or possibly a slightly bent selector fork.

Have we got a professional (non-DIY) Toyota repairer out there who can shed further light?

[kashbg]

Hi there,

I have recently got my Avensis T3-S, D4-D and the first thing that I noticed about the car was the slow shift of the gears. If you want to shift faster you would have to press the clutch and blip the throtle a bit then select the gear. It is a bit faster but overall, from what I have read so far it seems to me that one of the so kown for its realiability cars still have not found an answer to how to build a reliable and properly functioning gear box. Shame ! As far as the rest of the car is concerned - I love it. It feels good, it stays on the road well, it looks good but needs to be driven like on a parade.