Rav 4 Gear Change

[stusussex]

Hi

This is my first post as i have just found this forum.

Have returned from local dealer with my wife`s d4d rav 4 on a 55 plate(3years old next month)

Having had constant problems since new with the gear change, the car has already had a gearbox stripdown and repair a year ago. Now it has had the box out again with a new 2nd gear fitted.

The problem is this when changing up from 1st to 2nd the stick does not want to go thru the gate,as if it is catching on something. Or it simply will not go in at all. Also reverse is sometimes difficult to engage.

The garage says it is all fixed now (£1600 warranty bill)

Driving the car home i cannot tell the difference.

Do not know which way to turn now?

can i get it independantly checked out or who should i contact at toyota.

is this a common problem

any help would be much appreciated.

many thanks

stu

[anchorman]

Stu

There is a known problem of "notchiness" with these gearboxes but its hard to comment on whether yours is the same thing without the chance to try it.

I don't know how mechanically minded you are but there are 2 cables from the lever to the gearbox, one to control side to side movement and one for fore and aft. If you sit with the engine running and move the lever from 1st to 2nd and back again just ease a little pressure on the stick to the left but within the the gate for 1st and 2nd. Then try it again to the right and see if either makes it easier. The reason for doing this is that to engage 1st and 2nd you need to first move the sideways cable in line with the 1st/2nd gate and then pushing or pulling to engage the gears is a function of the fore and aft cable. The 2 cables have to be perfectly aligned to get a clean change. If they are not then there will times when it is physically impossible to get the gears. If they do go but it is just "clunky" then this could be the normal problem experienced with some boxes.

Adjusting the cables is not easy but I can proffer the following procedure in the absence of the manufacturing jigs. Lift the bonnet and look down at the 2 cables. I don't have any photos of the RAV cables but these are off my old Corolla and are similar;

You can see one has got red dots on it. Get an assistant to move the gearstick left and right across the gate. While you watch, make sure that the cables are secure and that all the brackets are tight and secure. You can see the adjusting nut in the photo. Slacken the nut and turn the cable anti clockwise exactly half a turn and lock the nut up again. Start the engine and try the 1st to 2nd again. If it is better, make sure you can get the other gears. If it is worse stop the engine and turn the cable back clockwise one full turn (exactly half a turn clockwise from the original position). Start the engine and try again.

You can see that it is a matter of trial and error but be sure to be certain of the original starting point or you can get into a terrible mess and not get any gear!!! If you find half a turn in one particular direction makes it better, you can go further in that direction but just watch it doesn't start to make a mess of getting any of the other gears. It is likely to start making a clean selection of 5th and reverse more difficult before it affects 3rd and 4th. Do not adjust the fore and aft cable.

I hope this all helps but if you are unsure and want to discuss it more then pm me and I will give you a phone No to get me on.

Good luck and welcome to the club.

[bothwell_buyer]

If theres another member close by that reads this, perhaps they coulod try the car to give an opinion on the gear change.

Or, you could try a landrover and see just how difficult it could get!! I can't even find the overdrive lever on mine despite there being an overdrive unit fitted!! :lol: The rest of it is easy - start in 1st then work yer way round til eventually 2nd is found. A dramatic crunch indicates reverse has been located!

[anchorman]

If theres another member close by that reads this, perhaps they coulod try the car to give an opinion on the gear change.

Or, you could try a landrover and see just how difficult it could get!! I can't even find the overdrive lever on mine despite there being an overdrive unit fitted!! :lol: The rest of it is easy - start in 1st then work yer way round til eventually 2nd is found. A dramatic crunch indicates reverse has been located!

Its probably under the spare engine bothy. Roll it over onto the passenger seat where you normally keep the spare gearbox. :P

[bothwell_buyer]

If theres another member close by that reads this, perhaps they coulod try the car to give an opinion on the gear change.

Or, you could try a landrover and see just how difficult it could get!! I can't even find the overdrive lever on mine despite there being an overdrive unit fitted!! :lol: The rest of it is easy - start in 1st then work yer way round til eventually 2nd is found. A dramatic crunch indicates reverse has been located!

Its probably under the spare engine bothy. Roll it over onto the passenger seat where you normally keep the spare gearbox. :P

hahahahaha

NOT QUITE.

Its welded onto the chassis to keep the gearbox up! The lumberer goes into a garage this week to get a 200tdi engine fitted in order to help start the original 2.25 dieselly oilly smokey engine. I thought the thing was fitted with a snorkel to wade under water - not so! Its for the passenger compartment to grab fresh air.

So, after the new engine is fitted, I'll manage 8mph (as I can't find 2nd gear either). The man in front with a red flag is being replaced by hazards flashing belisha beacons!!!(remember them eh?)

[anchorman]

If theres another member close by that reads this, perhaps they coulod try the car to give an opinion on the gear change.

Or, you could try a landrover and see just how difficult it could get!! I can't even find the overdrive lever on mine despite there being an overdrive unit fitted!! :lol: The rest of it is easy - start in 1st then work yer way round til eventually 2nd is found. A dramatic crunch indicates reverse has been located!

Its probably under the spare engine bothy. Roll it over onto the passenger seat where you normally keep the spare gearbox. :P

hahahahaha

NOT QUITE.

Its welded onto the chassis to keep the gearbox up! The lumberer goes into a garage this week to get a 200tdi engine fitted in order to help start the original 2.25 dieselly oilly smokey engine. I thought the thing was fitted with a snorkel to wade under water - not so! Its for the passenger compartment to grab fresh air.

So, after the new engine is fitted, I'll manage 8mph (as I can't find 2nd gear either). The man in front with a red flag is being replaced by hazards flashing belisha beacons!!!(remember them eh?)

Unfortunately, yes!