Clutch Vibration And Noise At 4k Rpm - Did Toyota Fix It?

[SCOOB_81]

Hi Folks!

I'm new on here having picked my 05 T-Sport up at christmas and thought I'd say Hi. I know the handlings a touch soggy, but I've been very impressed with the car so far! Having owned a hat full of MR2's and an Integra type R I've said for years that I'd love to own a Toyota with a Honda V-Tec engine. I couldn't believe it when I test drove the Corolla - it's got V-Tec!!! :D Or 'lift' as you fella's call it! Anyway, what a great car and site to match.

I've read with great interest the problems some of you have had with the clutch, with the vibration on the pedal when changing at around 4k rpm under a little load and the 'zooom' noise that goes along with it. It doesn't slip, just vibrates and makes a noise, especially in low gears. I took mine back to the dealer to have it looked at and paid £35 to add a little yaris onto my insurance for a few days. When I came back I had to ask for a copy of the work they'd carried out for my service history and they reckon that they've installed a new 'clutch kit', although I'm not 100% what that entails as I'm not a techie and they wouldn't give me a straight answer. Well basically the noise isn't as prominent as before, but the vibration is still there and if I'm honest I doubted that they'd done anything bar grease a few parts. So back I went again and was told that someone should have called me to tell me that the work they were carrying out wouldn't fully solve my problem - WHAT!? What the hell was the point in taking my car in if not to fix it?? I had to pay £35 for the pleasure of that! I get the feeling that the entire clutch needs replacing (obviously pricey) and that they wanted to see if they could fix it on the cheap - and hoped I'd forget about it not be back. It's booked back in on the 1st of March, so I was hoping that anyone who's had that problem (I've read several threads on it) would mind telling me if Toyota managed to fix the problem and what they'd had to replace to do so?

Any help on this would be great, just I'm not a nasty fella and can quite easily be fobbed off so I want to be 'armed' with info!! :D

Cheers!

Scoob

(and sorry about the essay!) :)

[Dave567]

Hi scoob,

My car had exactly the same problem its a 54 reg t sport. so toyota had my car for a day and apparantly changed the clutch and master cylinder.

Well the biting point seems to be less vague than it was but after 2 days of driving it gently as I didnt want to thrash it after it had just been worked on I finally plucked up the courage to reach the magical 4k rpm mark and changed gear.... the noise and the viration is still there, not quite as bad as it was but still there. So the garage may be getting a call from me...AGAIN.

[Demo_202]

^ Snap

And my biting point is also more vague/ juddery athlough that may be my driving not being fully adjusted to the change

I doesnt really seem to be a mechanical issue more just annoying so I think ill live with it... for a bit at least

cheers

Simon

[shazzbaa]

The clutch is a little delicate IMO , keeps the weight down I spose .

Slipping it to get into lift is a big temptation , I tried it once and smoked it a bit , shant do that again .

[SCOOB_81]

Cheers for the replies lads!

I did exactly the same as you Dave where I drove like Miss Daisy more than usual for a week to let it bed in a touch (not even hitting 4k), but as soon as you give it a little push it's all still there :( I wonder what it is if after changing both the clutch and master cylider it's still there? I'm trying to push them down the replacing bits route so I'll let you know if mine turns out any different. The master Tech is going to have a look at it next time.

If they can't find a mechanical problem and it's just a trait of the car I'd not mind living with it either knowing it's not going to implode, but it's my 11th car and just feels weird to me! I know what you mean about the biting point though - I almost stall it a lot of the time!

Are the clutches really so fragile?? I've not tried slipping it (crazy foo'! ;) ), but thought they'd be quite robust? My mams car has it's ridden on evey hill and set of lights and it's still ok! :o

Cheers fellas!

[pezman2007]

Hi,

Right I finally test drove a TS on the weekend '05 plate with about 20k miles.

And this problem you guys mentioned with clutch seemed to be an issue witht he car I drove.

Well is wasn't just the clutch there was a problem when i tried to change gears in 3rd and forth too.

When i tried to change gear it made a grinding sound, like you get when the clutch is not down fully. Also when the put the clutch down its vibrates a little (kinda like somthing is scarping across the floor).

Is this the same issue you guys are experiencing?

The saleperson said it was something to do with the syncro-pad or something along those lines and that they can fix it.

You shouldn't have to live with an issue like that, and they need to sort it!

Can you let me know how it goes please, i'm deff not buying that particular car, even though the sales person said he can sort it.

Cheers

[fisel]

^Pretty sure it's an issue with the car. Mines done it ever since i got the car and i've driven over 10k miles

[SCOOB_81]

Yeah, that’s definitely the same problem! It can be quite subtle at times to the point where you think “am I just being a !Removed!??”, but at others it’s really noticeable. It does sound like it’s an issue with the car, maybe just the T-Sport (?), just my dad was clueless to what I was waffling on about and his last car was a 05 reg 1.6 Corolla. No worries mate, I’ll post what happens.

As for the gears I’m not guru, but my old MR2 did exactly the same changing up into 3rd and it was the same problem – it grinds! It just did when cold though and I used to miss 3th gear out. Not sure how easy it is for them to fix though.

It sounds like there’s a fair few of us with this issue. If Toyota hasn’t managed to fix anyone’s hopefully I’ll have a few more names on the list by the 1st of March, so I’ll print the thread out and take it in. Surely they must have encountered this before?

Oh and another gripe!! They never fixed my problem, but road tested my car for 11 miles with an average mpg of 20 – they ragged it basically! Going round the block would have shown the problem was still there. I wasn’t amused with that either!

Cheers!

[fisel]

Yeah, that’s definitely the same problem! It can be quite subtle at times to the point where you think “am I just being a !Removed!??”, but at others it’s really noticeable. It does sound like it’s an issue with the car, maybe just the T-Sport (?), just my dad was clueless to what I was waffling on about and his last car was a 05 reg 1.6 Corolla. No worries mate, I’ll post what happens.

As for the gears I’m not guru, but my old MR2 did exactly the same changing up into 3rd and it was the same problem – it grinds! It just did when cold though and I used to miss 3th gear out. Not sure how easy it is for them to fix though.

It sounds like there’s a fair few of us with this issue. If Toyota hasn’t managed to fix anyone’s hopefully I’ll have a few more names on the list by the 1st of March, so I’ll print the thread out and take it in. Surely they must have encountered this before?

Oh and another gripe!! They never fixed my problem, but road tested my car for 11 miles with an average mpg of 20 – they ragged it basically! Going round the block would have shown the problem was still there. I wasn’t amused with that either!

Cheers!

LOL wow, they must have been hitting lift in every gear. When i've ragged my car the lowest i've got is 23mpg. Looks like that just took the ubik lol

[SCOOB_81]

Tell me about it mate! Stuff like that really pisses me off as you’re kinda press-ganged into using the hillbillies at the main dealer for stuff like a service or you just can’t sell the car, yet my little local garage has been run by the same mechanics for like 20 odd years and they’re so professional. I’m saving crap like this up to open a big can of whoop-@ss is they don’t fix it!

[fisel]

I know yeah. It was probably an apprentice but I wouldnt be suprised if it was a senior either.

I may take mine down to have it looked at.

[SCOOB_81]

Aye, if you're under warranty it's got to be worth a crack!

Remember to check your mileage as Mr Toyota likes a 'spirited' drive!! ;)

[SCOOB_81]

Hi everyone!

Sorry to revive this old chestnut, but have a few questions if anyone can help please?

Well I reported to Toyota after a few weeks of ownership that my clutch has a vibration at 4k rpm. It doesn’t slip, smell (burning) or make nasty clonking noises - it’s mechanically ok, just vibrates. As I’d said previously our friendly neighbourhood Mr T had replaced the clutch kit, but came some way short of actually fixing the problem, which they’d admitted. I then booked it back in for them to finish the job, only to be called away with work meaning I had to cancel, which is obviously not Toyotas fault. The thing is I had it in at toyota for it’s first MOT last Wednesday, so thought I’d try and combine that with my clutch issue. I explained everything again and expected to have to leave it in for a few days. The thing is that the servicing manager spent an age trying to convince me that it’s a trait of the car, pointing out that one of the sales team has an 05 plate too, but he wouldn’t let it drop. I had everything from the workings of Toyota parts R&D department, explaining how as the cars no longer in production the clutch will never be redesigned (I’m sure I’ve read that it was, which I pointed out), to the fact that they were ’chasing ghosts’ - they’ve got some nerve! I was sat in the seating bit, and he kept coming over every 5 minutes with more and more reasons why it’s just the way it is, yet he’d been out with the head mechanic in the car. I wonder why that could be?? Clutch vibration perhaps… I may be totally wrong here, and maybe a touch cynical, but he was making TOO much of it. After that he almost skipped over to tell me that he'd been looking into my car and as the 3 year manufacturers warranty expired a few days prior to my MOT, that the clutch work wasn’t covered with my extended warranty. I then pointed out that I’d brought this up almost immediately after buying the car, again a month later and again with the MOT. I’m really not trying not to be cynical, but I feel totally fobbed off, and as I pointed out, I feel like they’ve known all along what the problem is, but felt they could quietly usher me out of warranty avoiding a very costly job, as there was only 3 months of the 3 years left. I was told that I could take this further with Toyota, and I feel I have every rite too, but first I’d really appreciate some help if anyone knows anything about this ‘newer’ clutch; ie part numbers, dates of entering service or anything along those lines?? They’re not stupid, they know that it exists as well as what the problem is, but neither am I, and I wont let it drop.

Like I said though, I really feel it’s not broken as such, but they’re quick to hand out warranties to sell cars, only to shirk away from responsibility when they have to redeem them. I tell ya what though, I had a rattle from my dials surround, a 2 minute job to remove a screw and tighten another and that wasn’t covered by warranty either! They did it out of the goodness of their hearts though, bless them. So to recap, unless your engine explodes in a Hiroshima-esque mushroom cloud your warranty pretty much covers nowt! :ffs:

Cheers, and sorry to rant.

[dmm86]

have the same problem with mr t's warranty, doesnt cover my clutch or my rattly window regulator! call their customer services, if it is a national dealer. thats my plan neway!