New Yaris Problem - A Lemon?
Hello: I have a brand new Yaris, liftback, automatic. The first day I had it, I noticed this problem (I did not notice is during the test drive) and I need to know if this is normal or do I have a car with a problem. When I take my foot off the gas, the engine sometimes slows down jarringly, like the car just hit a patch of wet sand. And sometimes it even feels like it surges back to normal again. This doesn't happen all the time when I take my foot off the accelerator but I notice it the most when I am in stop and go traffic and accelerate a little then take my foot off the accelerator. Sometimes I even feel it when I still have my foot on the accelerator but not giving it much gas. Like the engine surges down quickly and sometimes even back up again. I hope I am explaining this right. I haven't had a new car in 10 years so maybe this is normal? I want to use the term engine braking but I really am not sure if that is what it is doing. Can anyone tell me if they have this similar feeling? I am going to try to go out this weekend to drive other Yaris's to see if this is just how they drive. Anyone? Thanks so much! This is really bothering me.
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On the console you have a 3-D. If you have your shift leaver to the left side you are limited to 1st 2nd and 3rd gear, and the car seems kind of jerky. If the leaver is in right side you are in the normal drive position and the car drives and shifts normally. I hope this helps.
1. In the morning first thing, the transmission stays in lower gears to make the engine rev more and warm it up faster. It's an emissions thing. Trust me, if you rev it hard enough (like if you need to go freeway speed) it will eventually upshift.
2. It has "grade logic" for downhill - my Matrix auto had this. Depending on sensors under the hood that judge the grade and the amount you step on the brakes, it will downshift and hold the lower gear to provide some engine braking until the grade changes, or you step on the gas for longer than a second or two. This is far from unique to Toyota, for instance Honda has been doing this for about a decade now, and they go even further than Toyota does. I remember once being in my friend's '98 Civic (new at the time) and we got off the freeway on a downhill ramp and she got cut off briefly. Well she hit the brakes hard just for an instant and then let up, but that was enough to get the thing to downshift two gears, and we came down the rest of the ramp at like 4500 rpm. She was a little startled, needless to say.
Now is the behavior of your car(s) described by (1) or (2) above? Or did I totally misunderstand (which is quite possible! ;-))
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Either way, I would say it is an engine behavior, not a transmission problem. If it is bothering you and you can figure out how to make it happen at will, I would go in to the dealer, get a ride-along with a mechanic, and demonstrate it. They should be able to tell you whether it is normal or not.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
When you start your car, notice the green thermometer on the dash with the word, "COOL", under it. Your car will not shift into 4th gear until this light goes out. If you warm up the car and wait for the light to go out, it will shift fine. If you don't, you won't get out of 3rd gear. I guess it has something to do with EPA or gas mileage :surprise: I guess Toyoa thinks we are not smart enough to decide for ourselves when we are and are not worried about this. :mad:
It would have been nice if Toyota mentioned this little feature in the operator's manual, but sadly they did not. Perhaps if enough of us call them up and reference the lemmon law, they will get tired of all the complaints and put it in the manual.
They should have provided a way to turn it off, too.
This is NOT A PROBLEM!
It's a normal characteristic of the sophisticated electronically controlled transmission. Let me clarify. The specific designation for this transmission, and that of every automatic in the Toyota lineup of cars and trucks is: ECT. That stands for Electronically Controlled Transmission. Many people, even the Toyota technicians at the dealership do not understand this very well made, complex transmission.
1) It is designed to remain in the lower gears when you first start out in the morning or whenever the car is stone cold.
2) This has three benefits.
A) It warms up the engine quicker
C) It reduces emissions.
4) At 4,000 rpm this engine is just loafing, it's not working hard at all. Remember the red line is 6,000rpm. These engines have been in production and used in a variety of Toyota models for over 15 years both in the US and in the UK and other countries.
5) Should you feel some jerkiness while shifting that is also good news. It means that the clutches are engaging without slipping and wearing out. This is not your fathers old slushbox Buick transmission.
6) As someone who has personally owned 2 Toyota dealerships, and a person who was a professional racer, I can tell you that there is NO SUCH THING as A LEMON from TOYOTA.....period.
All cars from 10k, to a million dollars, have different driving characteristics. It's normal. There is not a perfect car out there! One must remember that it's the most complex item you will ever own. The car makers cannot build any car that suits everyone perfectly so do not assume there is a problem.
Finally and perhaps the BIGGEST PROBLEM... is the supposed "Expert" at the dealership that you are speaking with. Instead of being honest, they will make up stories, or tell you whatever they feel like. Being a Toyota Technician is the easiest mechanic job in the world. Honda's too. Why, these guys are mostly parts changers. The cars are so good that there is simply not much these guys need to know. Just ask any real mechanic that works on a Nascar Team, An Indy Car Team, An American LeMans team, A Sprint Car team... Now those guys are mechanics.
Back to everyones Yaris. Stop and think, Toyota is the richest, largest, most successful company, that just happens to sell cars. Their engineers, designers and quality control people are not dummies. They are the finest in the business. There is no way that Toyota is going to build a car with a lot of problems. It just does not happen.
As far as downshifting under conditions in traffic or when you are going downhill, that is normal as well. It's to reduce wear on the brakes and other components. This used to a feature that you would only get on a car costing $40,000 or more. Just like the letters on top of the engine: VVT-i. That is a very complex, expensive system know as Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence. It's computer controlled, measures vehicle speed, throttle position and a host of other variables then adjust the camshafts to provide maxium fuel economy while also producing maximum horsepower. Toyota is the only car company in the world with that, as they own the patent. When you buy a Toyota you are getting far more than your moneys' worth.
Stop looking for things that you label problems.
Relax...breathe....enjoy your car!
It's one of the finest in the world.
Cheers!
When shopping for a car in this class I drove the Fit, the Versa, the Yaris, all in the same day, on the same stretch of freeway and over the same test route of city streets to give each a fair test, and to give myself a fair wayt to compare these cars. It was truly a very interesing experience, as most of you know, there is a heck of a difference between reading someone else's road test report and then actually driving the cars for yourself.
I honestly did not find a bad car in the bunch. I did'nt even consider any of them marginal. They were all good, just different. My decision making process came down to nothing more than my personal preferences. Having owned several new cars for Nissan, Honda & Toyota I believe I went at this with as neutral of a stance as possible. The only thing that would have made it more fair from my viewpoint was if both Honda and Nissan offered theirs in 2 door models, as I cannot stand four door cars, for anything other than familes. It's just my personal love of coupes or 2 door cars that makes a difference for me.
Anway I'm very happy with my choice and truly imrpessed as I had purposely lowered my expectations before driving them because I simply did not expect this level of quality and balance at such a low price point.
Well I would have to say that thousands of disapointed Toyota owners would disagree with you and your quote. Please refer to the Camry forum under "problems" and you will find quite a bumper crop of Toyota "Lemons".
Once the yaris is warmed up, how does everyone like it?
My problem is the smell coming mostly from the air conditioner. Whenever I turn it on it gives off an odor kind of sweet smelling.
A little history:
When I first bought my new Yaris I got nauseated and dizzy. The dealer said it might be caused by the new chemicals during manufacturing and would burn off. So I lived with it. Now the only time I notice anything is when the air conditioner comes on.
I'm wondering if an animal died somewhere in the car and they fumigated the car.
I'm reluctant to bring it back to the dealer, based on their response the first time.
Anybody else with similar experience?
Thanks.
I saw Yaris hatchback in Canada with 4 doors. Why don't they introduce it in US?? It'll make immense sense to do so!!!
(check the canadian Toyota web)
Best Regards
I'm in Canada and have been driving my '07 5-door (yes, handy indeed - I have a small child) mostly happy with its performance. I've found it's a particularly economical and practical city car (I spend around $50 CAN/month on fuel for weekday inner-city commuting and weekend hwy getaways) but I find it revs high above 90 km/hr and chugs rather than sips fuel on hwy trips. Overall, though, especially with the cost of fuel now, I'm quite happy with my car and my local Toyota dealer.
I'm itching to tow, though. I understand the torque restricts anything too heavy but if euroeans are towing 2000 lbs breaked and in Canada we can tow up to 700 lbs, I'm miffed with the difference.
I'd love to hear from anyone who has towed a teardrop camper, lightweight pop-up or other...
Toyota must have gotten complaints about this because when I filled out our new owner survey they specifically asked if this was a problem. It's not just a small car thing either, b/c my Echo's pedals are in a seemingly normal position in relation to one another and compared to any other vehicles of differing sizes I've driven lately. But I get into the Yaris and I have to make a conscious effort to adjust my foot. Weird.
Cheers, dumcrief
I got a permanent maker and filled in the places where the chips are then I wax over it with a dab of NU FINISH....the chips disappear and I am happy...but I wax my car every three months with NU FINISH and they look brand new...
Easy to put on easy to take off...I think its Teflon.....Look around the parking lots whenyou go somewhere does your car need a wax job? all of them did but mine...and if you wax the front end on a trip with NU Finish..the bugs won't stick...
I would prefer now to own a Mazda 3 which is much more poerful and comfy than the yaris.
If you could get someone to check your diagnostic codes that would help.
transmission wont shift into second at time so bad I have pull over and stop then step back on gas to kind of reset it to shift. at times when it don't shift it's kind of like holding your breath waiting for it to but need to gasp before it finely does.
we have high pitch ringing sounds coming from it also 3 different levels, one level when ideling, a different when taking off and stoping and yet a third while drivivg. it drives me mad especially since that sound level I hear excruciatingly well.
we started having the tranny problems approx 3 weeks after getting it. the third week I finely pulled over due to not shifting at all and checked the fluid. the stick was dry.
we had to add some to get home it did ok for a couple of weeks then acted up again so I checked again, low again but not dry.
we've also been experiencing a aweful smell coming from the heating air system smelling like the old cars when they experienced a heater core dump. and losing power up to 2 level fan in air system. and the ignition key when turned on continues to rotate the starter after letting goeven after the car has started and at times car has trouble starting just rotates.
we took it into our dealership they said nothing was wrong. I was floored. I told them I knew that they were wrong because I had checked the tranny fluid before bringing it in.
they flipped out and responded why didn't you tell us when you braught it in?
I said it is your job to find it and since that should be the first thing you check when a complaint is made on tranny problems you should have found it.
so this fool mechanic opens the hood and proceeds to pull out the dip stick.
I stated the car should be running and warmed up to get the correct reading.
this pissed him off. He got defensive and proceeded to ask me what temp was the car when I checked. I told him the engine had been running and at temp when I checked. then he got nasty and stated I want to know exactly what temp!
I dont carry a thermometer but the stick was hot when I pulled it.
he slammed the hood and took it back for an additional hour.on top of the three they already had it. came back and said there was nothing wrong with the car.
The tranny behaved for another 3 weeks.
I took it in again, and while in there I called my attorney with all that was wrong he said it qualifies as a lemon and to keep taking it back going to different dealers til it is found. Abgain this dealer said nothing wrong.
so we did go to different one. They came back saying the boot on the exhaust was loose needing replacing, the ignition did the continuous rotating on them and the previous day another owner of the same make and model, yr had complained of same tranny problem and they would have to open a case against it.
we've had the boot replaced and finely the ignition but the problems still exist infact the air system now smells like gasoline coming through.
we have contacted the lemon law attory generals office. despecially now that the new mechanics are saying they didn't find these things wrong and wouldn't give me the paper work the day of first repairs and papers recieved at time of ignition repair states they never found the problems I stated was wrong.
But fortunately I had 2 witnesses to them saying they found all problems I stated was wrong.
Sugguestion keep taking in before warrenty up, keep all paperwork and don't let them say I'll mail it to you cause they wont and they alter in their computer to say different. take a witness other than spouse so you have strong evidence against them when you go to lemon law help. And by all means don't delay if you have these problem or any and it doesn't get fixed go to file as a lemon you'll be suprised that it isn't as hard as the dealers want you to think.
Anyway, the A/C blows cold air but it makes a fluttering sound like when you were a kid and you'd stick a sheet of paper in the fan, remember that? Anyway, I called the service dept of the Toyota where I purchased my car and they said it would cost me 120 bucks for them to look at it. But I haven't even had it a year! So I called corporate and they said they'd work with their rep from that dealer to get it checked out for free. I shouldn't be having these problems. Any idea what it is or if it is a trend?
Thanks for your help!