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Toyota Yaris Transmission Problems

2

Comments

  • girlcarbuildergirlcarbuilder Member Posts: 225
    Okay, so far I have been seeing nothing but good on the Yaris.....I want to hear the dirt!!!!! I am getting older and my wrench turning days are numbered. I figure even with my skill, I can max out another 10 years out of my fleet here. Prime movers being an 89 Mazda 323 and a 86 Toyota Tercel. Both are manual five speeds, hatchback models. The Tercel layout under the hood is most clearly related to the Yaris. 1.5 liter with a 5 speed. I am getting 40 plus mpg in it after the recent overhaul. I see some drivers getting a 42-44 on the Yaris. Not bad given it is another 1000 pounds of weight compared to the 86 Tercel! Not yet enough to make me jump and buy, but its getting there.

    As always. Watching the junkyards tell me what holds up and what does not and why. I do not expect to wait 20 years for answers on the Yaris given Toyota's reputation. Yup, I still find a few 20 year old Toy's out there!

    So tell me the dirt on your Yaris....it looks like a buy to me or more like a steal at 12K. Sure beats rebuilding.
  • girlcarbuildergirlcarbuilder Member Posts: 225
    Ditto on Fram. I use WIX filters. Many an engine I have torn down to examine after using WIX is clean as a whistle. Another note, stay away from Quaker State and Pennzoil. Both cake up over time with chunks of Parafin. I became a believer on synthetic oil after the last new engine past the mileage of the original one and is in much better condition. Very little blowby on it. I have even found engine seals to be in much better condition. We changed a four speed tranny out for a five speed on the 89 Mazda because of cost of gas. I changed the rear main as well at 100k miles on that engine as a precaution. It was just as pliable as the new one!
  • 1stnewcar11stnewcar1 Member Posts: 1
    Should be picking my new hatchback up tomorrow and you bet it`s an automatic.And Yes I`m fat,american and lazy.But after spending 9 to 11 hours in a `07 tri-axle Mack dump truck I don`t want to have to spend my time shifting my way home.If that makes me a spoiled worthless american,so be it. :)
  • nivardnivard Member Posts: 3
    My wife got a used Yaris, auto transmission, hatchback, owners manual missing.
    There is a button? on the transmission console just above the Park light. In my wife's car this button is broken - there is only a piece of white plastic there - and I don't know what should be there and what function it has. Can anyone help?
    Thanks
  • nivardnivard Member Posts: 3
    Should there be a light to indicate which gear I'm in? - this is a Yaris with automatic transmission.
    Thanks
  • nivardnivard Member Posts: 3
    While using the transmission to slow your vehicle does put strain on your transmission in certain circumstances it may be your only option.
    When faced with a long , steep downhill stretch a driver who rides his brakes will burn his brake linings and boil his brake fluid and ultimately lose his brakes entirely. Obviously using the transmission to maintain a safe speed is the only thing to do in this situation.
  • cveroskocverosko Member Posts: 1
    i bought my 2008 yaris in december..5 speed manual, and after about a month or so i noticed my third gear would grind as i came out of second. after driving like that for a day or so i noticed it wouldnt do it if i engaged the clutch as i came out of second and into third, or came out of second or put it in neutral long enough for the rpm's to drop to an "idle" rpm then into third. basically it would only take the gear when the rpm's were at an idle. i dont think its my in-experience with a manual although this is my first manual, i was smart enough to read my owners book first and followed the instructions in the fact that i didnt stay in gear to long while driving it as instructed for the first few months. two or three weeks ago i took it to the dealership to get looked at (i also had a frayed drivers seat).
    they took it for a test drive, called me back down to the service area and said they were ordering me a new seat and a new transmission!!..and a replacement car would be given to me at no cost to me while the work would be done, and they would call me when my parts came in, then sent me on my way...which is all well and dandy, but..i wanted to know if anyone else has had a similar problem.
    and yes i engaged the clutch enough for the gear to be able to clear to enter third. many many times al the way to the floor with un-necissary force.
    the car was brand new when i received it..11 miles and three were from my test drive.
  • masanabumasanabu Member Posts: 1
    I have that same problem with the squeaking from frist to second gears with my yaris manual transmission. I was wondering if I could do it myself the lubing of it to stop the squeaking? Is it hard to get to it if your not a mechanic or don't have the tools or should I just bring it back to the dealer if it that hard to get to it to lube up.
  • toyotawontfxittoyotawontfxit Member Posts: 1
    I have had the exact same problem! When I took my car in for the first oil change at about 6k I had the shift problem. They didnt take care of it until about 16k miles, they said it was the synchros after I took it to a clutch specialist and had my husband go in. Now I'm looking at 32k and the exact same problem. My difference is that you had the entire transmission replaced, I just had it tore down, synchros replaced and put back together. Are you having anyother problems in your car besides that? Toyota wont admit that there are any known problems.
  • dmackey629dmackey629 Member Posts: 1
    Re: New transmission after two months?!? [cverosko]
    I had similar problems to those above at 9000. Under factory warranty they fixed it quickly saying they put a new transmission in.
    Now 70000 miles later I developed the same problems-- under extended warranty they made repairs but demanded I also replace the clutch (not covered). It took 2 weeks... I did get a replacement car.
    i put 40k a year on my car... how common is this transmission problem? I thought I could run a toyota to 200k... obviously mine won't make it and the next repair will not be under any warranty.
  • brylmrrsbrylmrrs Member Posts: 1
    Hi! I have a 2003 Yaris T3 semi-auto, regularly serviced. It has done 43,000 miles and has developed an intermitant series of bleeps after driving 2 miles or so. If I stop car and turn off engine when I start up there are no bleeps until another 2 miles. The pattern of bleeps are irregular, say 6 bleeps then pause then 10 bleeps pause then, perhaps, 6 bleeps. There is no pattern at all!
    Any suggestions, please?
  • DoctorDootsDoctorDoots Member Posts: 1
    I am guessing you have a bag or something heavy on the passenger seat!!
    The bleeping is the seatbelt warning signal - the item on the seat is triggering the sensor as if someone was sitting in the seat without their seatbelt on.
    ??????????????
  • mattwmdbmattwmdb Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a used yaris. I have noticed when the engine is cold, the transmission does not want to upshift. I can get in the highway and get up to speed and the car will still be in 3rd. Is this normal? The dealership is stating they cannot find anything wrong and saying the car just needs to warm up. This is a newer car and seems odd to me. This also happens when driving at lower speeds. I am concerned that this will cause damage to the engine/transmission in the long run. Any ideas? Thanks.
  • bamacarbamacar Member Posts: 749
    I have a manual, but the behavior sounds normal. See the following post:

    Edmunds Post
  • dakedake Member Posts: 131
    Yes, in short, it's completely normal. If you look in the left hand corner of your instrument cluster, you'll see a small light that looks like a thermometer. That means the engine is cold. It won't upshift until that light goes out.
  • herb18herb18 Member Posts: 1
    bought mine new 5/07. i was told the delayed upshift when cold is computer controlled and normal.
  • aztec1972aztec1972 Member Posts: 2
    Well after looking at this some will say i got taken hook line,sinker so thats why i decided to post this for thread for any comments or suggestions for future references:
    Well i went and picked up a 2009 Toyota Yaris (3dooor hatchback ,automatic) from A toyota dealership
    Sale Price of Car$15,423.29
    Manuf Rebate - $1,500.00
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sale Price $13,923.29
    Texas Sales Tax$870.21
    Dealer Vehicle Inventory Tax$26.45
    Documentary Fee$50.00
    Deputy Fee$5.00
    License Fee$59.80
    Title Fee$49.00
    State Inspection Fee$36.25
    Extended Service Contract$3,900.00
    Total Insurance Product(Gap/Credit Insurance$1903.47
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal$20,823.47
    Down Payment$2000.00
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Amt Due$18,823.47
    What i would like is someone that is really knows toyota contract to look this over and tell me those fees that i can avoid next time i go and get another car. :cry:
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    That's easy. You paid way way WAY too much for the extended service contract and the gap insurance, where "too much" is probably anything over $0. With a reliable and low-maintenance car like the Yaris, you really don't need any extended warranty or service contract. Certainly not one that's $3900. And for what you paid for Gap insurance, you could have just increased your down payment by that amount and pretty much eliminated any chance you would be "upside down" on the loan, given that the Yaris and Toyotas in general hold their value well.

    The other thing that stands out is that it appears you did not get any discount on the car except the manufacturer's rebate. If so, you paid too much for the car. The Yaris is not selling very well right now, so you should have been able to get a discount on the car above and beyond the manufacturer's rebate.

    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I wish you had posted your question before you bought the Yaris. :sick:
  • aztec1972aztec1972 Member Posts: 2
    iwell i guess we all live and learn but i will be better prepared next time i walk into a dealership.Backy quick question after looking over my note for example most dealerships charge you (Sale price of car,sales,tax,title,license,but you never see when a car is being advertised being charged for
    1.Dealer Inventory Tax $26.45
    2.Documentary Fee$50.00
    3.Deputy Fee$5.00
    4.State Inspection$36.25
    If you have any friends that work for toyota or have connectionscan you or they explain these other charges :)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The only one that looks out of the ordinary to me is "dealer inventory tax". You might call the dealer's finance person and ask them to explain that fee. Actually, the time to ask the finance person what the fees are was when they presented the paperwork to you at the dealership. But I suppose you realize that now.
  • kavikavi Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a yaris 1.0 (yr 2005) - automatic transmission and changed the gearbx oil. Its running fine exept that while idling for about 4mins in the morning gearbox oil drips out of a tube, apparently an air tube. At first the quantity was consequent, gradually diminishing to about 20 drops but does not stop. Can anyone advise me please.
  • lhansonlhanson Member Posts: 268
    Backy, I hate to admit it, but you are right on every point you made in this post. I would only add that I have never seen a bigger rip off than these charges for the extended warranty and and gap insurance. Actually, they are almost criminal in nature. All of the other add-ons are inconsequential in comparison. It reminds me of William H. Macy in Fargo with the undercoating scam, only worse. I think that the dealer should be reported to Toyota. The extended warranty shouldn't be much over $1,000 for this car.
  • dakedake Member Posts: 131
    HOLY CRAP, I'd go back to the dealer and demand a refund on the extended warranty or threaten a lawsuit. It hasn't even been a week (since your post anyway) and I think in Texas you get 30 days. Tell them if they don't a) reduce the cost of the plan or b) remove the plan completely with a full-refund you'll give them the car back. At the absolute minimum, tell the sales manager you will report their dealership to Toyota and the Better Business Bureau for unfair business practices.

    Just for reference, I paid 1170 dollars for the Platinum Extended Warranty on my wife's '08 Yaris (7 yrs or 70k miles). I really only bought it b/c I got more than double for my trade-in than what I expected so it was basically free in my mind. In the grand scheme of things, I doubt I'll ever need it. 3900 bucks is the cost of a good, used second car - that's just outrageous.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually that's an excellent point--these extended warranties usually have a refund clause. I just got nearly all of an extended warranty on my car refunded because it was totaled (the refund wasn't dependent on the car being totaled).
  • phllbitphllbit Member Posts: 8
    no it is not completely normal - I too have a 2007 yaris auto and mine won't even get out of 2nd gear when it is cold let alone 3rd! True, until the engine coolant has reached about 68 degrees I am told by the dealership, it won't go into top gear and that is for emissions control they say?

    I have found some error codes with my code reader even though the dealership say there is not a problem and the codes all point to air intake and coolant sensor issues - the might be intermittent or there could be an open circuit somewhere. This is all happening right now in May and the air temperature outside is well into the 70's!

    If your coolant light stays on for more than a few minutes and it is warm outside take it back now and demand they check/change the sensors. Before that if you can, go to your local automotive shop and purchase a code reader they are about 100 bucks or have some one check your car with a code reader - if any codes come up this will help your cause.

    Good luck.
  • raggy1raggy1 Member Posts: 1
    i purchased this car used (37k miles) last week. 1 owner car with carfax report. so far i've put approx 150 miles on car. noticed in morning when starting car down street at 20 mph slight jerking sensation. jerking sensation seems to go away when car driven a bit longer. yesterday at highway speed 70 mph still noticed very slight jerking sensation. anyone experience similar situation, or is my change of vehicles from long term ownership of saturn causing me this discomfort.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Sounds like you're pretty new to the vehicle and you may simply be noticing the difference between what you're used to. Once you notice something in a car, it's hard to "not notice" it, but I'd try to keep track of when it happens and see if there's a pattern. That could help determine if there's an issue and what exactly it might be.
  • girlcarbuildergirlcarbuilder Member Posts: 225
    I would have purchased the extended warranty from someone like AAA! The credit life is very pricy as well. Cheaper to buy term insurance! If they insisted you buy, say it is this or I walk. You have 10 minutes to revise the sale or I walk! And do so!

    If you have trouble at the sales counter.....wait till you need repairs!
  • 1275gt1275gt Member Posts: 1
    hi my dads yaris 1L AUTO keeps sticking in drive and whont let you dissengage it till you have locked the car again allso it keeps sticking in a drive gear and whont change when driving any body else having this trouble and any body know the fault causeing it as no faults are show on my friends snap-on fault tester?? thanks
  • lhansonlhanson Member Posts: 268
    I think you need to go back and get your GED before you appear in public again.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Note the "1L". Quite possible this poster does not speak English as a first language. Even if he does... GED is not a requirement for Town Hall participation.
  • lhansonlhanson Member Posts: 268
    Perhaps you would care to translate his posting to English. I was getting a headache trying to do so.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Aspirin might help. Try reading it phonetically and inserting a couple of periods, that might do the trick. PgDn would work also, if the message is that much of a pain for you.
  • flapsflaps Member Posts: 3
    To ANY Toyota Mechanic: How can I get rid of the auto-downshift system for down hill driving and also for the auto-braking system? When I go down any kind of hill--even a very slight, short downhill--the Yaris will downshift into 3rd as soon as I touch the brake pedal causing a very unconfortable ride. I also note a big change in RPM and I still need to use the brake to slow making the shift un-necessary.
    No wonder the car---which by the way is the replacement for the Echo ( a GREAT LITTLE CAR)---gets MUCH less milage on gas. I always thought HUMAN inventions GOT BETTER--at least they used to when I was growing up.
    We lost a few people, machines, and some rockets; BUT we DID end up on the moon at the end. If we tried it today, it would cost more, break down more often, and the public would have to bail the scienctists out for over planning and under estimating.
    Help me pull the 'plug', or in this case, 'wire' so I can have a much longer life from this car.
    Oh yes, just one more thing. How do you turn off the Maint Needed light when all the fluids have been changed?
    Thanks. If you can help, and it works, I will put something in your Chirstmas Stocking this year.
    Flaps--or Bill for short.
  • lhansonlhanson Member Posts: 268
    The instructions to turn off the Maintenance Required light are in the Owners Manual.
  • gilzaragilzara Member Posts: 1
    Hello everybody, newbie poster here - love this place - and new to Yaris too.

    I am sorry in advance if one of the posts I see covers my problem, but as ignorant in mechanics as I am, I am not entirely sure about it being the same issue.

    We have bought recently a nice used automatic '08 hatchback Yaris, with very low mileage on it.

    What I notice (and haven't been able so far to get across to the Toyota mechanic!) is the following. When I let go of the gas pedal, say at 30 MPH, on a perfetly flat and seemingly horizontal pavement, no strong wind blowing, I barely make it to 150 ft before stopping. (Yes, the trans is at Drive and not the "3" position.) If I drop the pedal at 15 MPH (on a similar pavement surface), I feel the engine downshifting to the point of ALMOST pulling the upper body of driver and passenger forward... (We're not fat, yet not skinny types either...) Not to exaggerate, let's say to a point that does NOT make for a pleasant ride in the city! Yesterday was covered with a rather thick snow blanket here in Eastern Canada, and so the "dragging" effect was even more unpleasant, as I needed not be braked any further still at all (I drive slow and over-carefully).

    Plus, I cannot imagine that this does not affect gas mileage in any negative way...

    Any hint as to what my problem might be, or is this normal to this model, and I simply grew too old with the previous car we had?

    I am a previous owner of a Corolla '98 (bought new) and have never noticed any of this effect. Plus my wife and I both have the impression of not getting any better mileage out of that Yaris over the old (280 000 km under the belt) Corolla, contrary to what we were expecting. But I did not measure this gas mileage yet. (I am not sure I even know how to do it!)

    Thanks in advance for any help!
  • jlbetsworthjlbetsworth Member Posts: 1
    I'm glad to hear that both you and raggy1 noticed this as well!

    My 2010 Yaris automatic also jerks/applies the brake while I am coasting between 20-25 miles an hour. I also noticed it between 30-35, so I figured it was related to the downshift. However, when I notice this issue it happens for 4-5 seconds and does not happen every time the car downshifts. (I can feel the downshift when it feels normal too, and it only lasts about 1 second, if that)

    I took the car in to the Toyota mechanic at the dealership and they told me I was only feeling normal downshifting - which makes me think that it just did not happen while the mechanic was driving the car. (Unfortunate, because it does this to me all the time) I did not get charged for the visit, but I am still concerned. I know what a downshift feels like, and 4-5 seconds of jerky braking is not it.

    Has anyone else experienced this?
  • dakedake Member Posts: 131
    I think it's normally "abnormal". What I mean is that the transmission is strange on the Yaris automatic - it's my one major complaint with the car. It doesn't bother my wife who is the primary driver, but it annoys me and were I to buy one to replace my Echo, I'd buy the manual or nothing.

    It definitely seems to not quite shift when you expect it to. Whether forcing a downshift to accelerate which takes a heavy tromp on the gas pedal and then not upshifting as quickly as you'd think either.

    So, it is normal, it's just a little weird. You get used to it pretty quickly, but I always notice it at first after I've been driving my car for a while and then I drive my wife's.
  • flapsflaps Member Posts: 3
    I own 2 Yaris's---an 07 and an 08 and they are quite different cars. Both with same transmission and engine, but the 07 has less power, does NOT shift when cold, and I found that if you press the brake lightly when down hill, it will downshift---but when you press the brake hard it will NOT downshift.
    I am looking for a professional Toyota MEch that can tell me just what to disconnect for the down hill braking, and also what sensor monitors the Cold Temp for up shifts in the morning. My Echo was a FAR better car than this will ever be.
    This car with same engine gets less milage because of shift points and RPM changes. It also has less overall perfomance. IF there is a Toyota man out there, email me at [email protected] Thanks
  • dakedake Member Posts: 131
    The Yaris is also heavier than the Echo - that's the biggest factor.
  • rslykrslyk Member Posts: 3
    If you own a 2007 Yaris 3dr Hatchback below vin# jtdjt9#3*75126293 there is a defect that will cost you $1200 to fix when the defect causes a failure. It is not a personal safety issue just a preventable costly repair. Toyota chose to change on going production, but not correct defect in cars already produced. They will correct the defect and failure if discovered within the Warranty period.
  • drg7drg7 Member Posts: 1
    ok, so I picked my brand new yaris up today: cant believe the lag/drag when it shifts up, not down. most here complain of some downshift problem. mine decelerates as if i was breaking when shifting from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd.........checked the handbrake several times to make sure it was not the break causing this. please tell me this this something toyota will immediately take care of, fix it, and apologize. it cant be that the car drives like this!!!!!!
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    shouldn't do that. I'd call your dealer and complain ask them if your car needs an immediate ECU flash right outta the box.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • girlcarbuildergirlcarbuilder Member Posts: 225
    I believe what you may be experiencing is not a transmission issue! I have 2 manual transmission units an 09 and 10 in the fleet. These cars have an electronic throttle body which is controlled by the computer. On the manual units, I have to take my foot of the gas, count about 1-2 then hit the clutch. The response time of the computer shutting off the gas is slow. It takes about the same amount of time for it to apply the gas when you hit it. Therefore on an auto unit, you will also have an additional lag in timing response for the transmission to respond to the action of the throttle body!

    As for jerkiness, you may be drifting between the shift points and the tranny is having trouble deciding what gear to stay in. Try staying a bit above/below that point on the gas pedal and see what happens.

    Best of luck to you on this. I hope this may help.
  • isthatahemiisthatahemi Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2011
    Here is what is happening....
    When you let off the accelerator;
    1. The ECU cuts engages the locking torque converter, in the transmission. This links the engine to the drive wheels, in the same manner driving a standard with the clutch engaged and the transmission in gear.
    2. The the ECU shuts off the fuel injectors, so when you are coasting the engine is kept running by the inertia of the vehicle.
    3.As the vehicle slows, the transmission must downshift to keep the engine at a "normal" operating speed.
    This helps "recapture", some of the energy used to accelerate the vehicle, in a similar manner to a hybrid vehicle. So don't worry, it is saving you fuel, and if you have a standard trans; coast in gear to allow the engine to use ZERO fuel while caosting down. It takes getting used to, but after awhile, it goes unnoticed.
    Now why Toyota doesn't put this in the owner's manual, is beyond me! :)
  • flapsflaps Member Posts: 3
    My problem is just the opposite. When I lift off the accellerator and head down a slight hill, the engine goes into 3rd gear making the rpm INCREASE from 2500 to 3200 or more.
    If I brake on a slight hill, the same things happens. This DOES NOT SAVE GAS. The reason the Yaris gets poorer milage than the Echo is because of this feature and others like it that were NOT included in the Echo model.
    I want the connection from the brake to the transmission CUT so I can brake when I need to. I will manually use the trans to 3rd IF I feel the need for more braking.
    SO---Let me know how to disconnect this system from the trans.
    Thanks
  • butler83butler83 Member Posts: 14
    My 2001 Echo was totaled. I am looking at a 2007 hatchback, AT with 25,000k miles for $9,000.

    Please post any wisdom on the 2007 & what you think of 9k? The car is nice and clean, but I think that price is high no matter what KBB says.

    Thanks!!!
  • yolanda8yolanda8 Member Posts: 1
    Besides the transmission problem that I had been experiencing since August the car engaged in first gear but not able to go in second and toyota has not been able to correct this problem. Now I had a problem this week with my accelerator, it got stock I was lucky I was only able to stop the car by putting it into park while car was still accelerating the handbrake did no good. Toyota is researching the problem......so far they say is nothing wrong with the car.....Has anybody had the same problem?
  • joeyrabjoeyrab Member Posts: 65
    "Questions about Yaris transmissions" would fit this post better than "Yaris transmission problems" for there really are no problems. Now if this were Chrysler or Ford, yes, you can call it "Transmission problems" all day long.
  • britridgbritridg Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2011
    Hi all, I have noticed this has become a common topic of discussion in the form and well i do not have the attention span to read through every post in order to find one with the answers to my questions. so here goes...
    I own a 2010 Yaris sedan automatic which i brought brand new in december of last year. As of late I have noticed the gas pedal feels like it is sticking, when i press down to accelerate the car hesitates then launches forward. it is really starting to bother me mainly because i thought it was the way i was driving the car but no matter how i drive it the problem remains. The car, Wyli, as i have dubbed him, is still covered under toyota's warranty.

    Now the dilemma: 2 months after owning Wyli, only my 2nd car in 6 years and my first brand new car, a driver lost control of her car in the lane next to me on a highway. The driver hit my driver side back door panel at speeds of 40-50mph causing my car to skid out of control jerking violently with the traction control (which btw thank god for traction control, myself and my car would have been in far worse condition without) I am worried that the problems i am experiencing with the manner in which my car drives can be traced back to this accident. My frame was damaged and the vechile was not driving straight, pulling to either side. Repairs were made but unfortunately i did not go to a body shop the insurance co backed; my uncle works for a body shop and referred me to a very good family friend's body shop as my uncle could not vouch for his shop's recently hired painter. So as far as i know future repairs are not covered by said body shop.

    Question/Issue: the gas pedal sticks, hesitating then launching my car forward and the car does not seem to be driving straight or the steering wheel/tires are experiencing much vibration. So will toyota fix these issues as it is under warranty-despite the history of an accident? Also, does the history of this accident negate my standing if i were to claim a violation of the lemon law?
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