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Toyota Yaris Transmission Problems
Anyone change the gear oil on their 1.5 liter? I had a hell of a time doing it and wonder if any Toyota Mechanics are out there. DO YOU FILL THE TRANNY TILL IT COMES OUT THE FILL PLUG? I HAVE HEARD YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE A FEW MM BELOW THE PLUG OR YOU CAN BLOW SEALS.
Anyone QUALIFIED have an answer?
Anyone QUALIFIED have an answer?
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Comments
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Now as for synthetic vs dino ENGINE oil, well that's the age-old debate on these boards isn't it? I don't bother myself, but I won't say the folks who do it don't gain some benefit from it. It probably provides better lubrication at cold start-up, although Toyota engines seem to be able to go the stretch (200K) without it, so why go to the extra expense? Just change your dino oil every 5000 miles and save some money.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I think that answers your question. Why would you subject an expensive component that is not designed for braking to such abuse? Thats what brakes are for! IMHO: Next time buy a manual but sincev your stuck with a slushbox you will now need to properly maintain it every 25K. A complete transmission fluid flush should be done regularly and the filter changed. Yet another reason besides poor gas mileage to never buy an automatic. The US is the only country where automatics are in such high demand. Europe and Japan drivers know the advantages of manual transmissions and purchase accordingly. Its the fat lazy American that complains its too much work to shift gears in a car!!
Toyota makes many of its automatics with "lifetime" fluid (no routine fluid changes are called for) now, unless you use the car for towing. Feel free to view that with as much skepticism as you would like, and I don't know if that includes the new Yaris, but it certainly included the Matrix I had.
robertkn, I wouldn't do it, because I think it WOULD be hard on the transmission in the long run, although many will tell you that in these days of computer-controlled automatics they can handle the behavior you describe.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
1. How much does it cost to have a clutch replaced periodically?
2. The Yaris Owners Manual specifically explains how to perform engine braking by downshifting the transmission, thus my question (which yaris46 did not even address). If the transmission were not designed to do so, why would the process be discussed in the manual?
3. If a transmission is not designed for braking are you saying that you do not downshift your manual tranny to slow down your car? When in high gear you just depress the clutch and hit the brakes until it stops?
4. The gas mileage rating for the manual tranny is only 1 mpg higher than the automatic.
Hoping to hear from someone who knows.
From all the reviews I have read, many people with automatics are getting much worse than the EPA mpg estimates in real-world city driving... more like 27-30 instead of 34. However, manual owners are getting closer to the EPA city rating, in the 31-34 range.
That made my decision to order a manual-shift LB easier.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Its simple common sense that the less strain put on your engine will extend the life of your engine. The benefits of downshifting and bringing the RPM's up over 3-5 K are what exactly? I won't put brakes on for an extra 10,000 miles? BIG DEAL! I drive this car completely differently than my performance cars. I keep my RPM's under 4K at ALL TIMES and generally run at 2.5-3.5 thousand RPM. I not only get outstanding gas mileage but I am also putting very little stain on my powerplant and drivetrain. I have owned several Porsches, Audis, M3 BMW's etc. and I certainly don't drive a performance car in this manner. The Yaris is an OUTSTANDING econobox BUT IT IS AN ECONOBOX! Downshifting a Yaris to slow the car down is IMHO not the best way to extend engine life which is my ultimate goal. If your driving a Yaris as a fun sporty car and can't afford a performance car than I certainly can understand revving the engine and downshifting at red lights etc. Its ALOT more fun to drive this way! Unfortunately it is not something that helps to extend the lifespan of the engine.
As for "lifetime transmission fluid" if someone is that stupid as to not change the transmission fluid at least every 30,000 miles than God bless them when they need a new tranny. This again is simple COMMON SENSE. Would you not change your engine oil? Your transmission fluid is as important to the transmission as engine oil is to the engine!!
Well, bringing the RPM's up obviously isn't the intent of using engine braking. The intended benefit would be to slow the car down. But, I see your point now. The downshift brings up RPM's thus increasing heat and putting the stress of the car's inertia on the drivetrain rather than the rotors. Since brakes pads are cheaper than gears, why do it? Seems logical.
"If your driving a Yaris as a fun sporty car and can't afford a performance car than I certainly can understand revving the engine and downshifting at red lights etc."
Nah, not so much. I just sold my Volvo 240 with 214,000 miles on it and it still ran great. So, what does that tell you? (I know--hard to believe it actually ran "great," but it did. No internal engine work ever done--other than valve adjustments.)
I quit using the Fram stuff a couple years ago once I learned the "truth." The average consumer just doesn't know any better, as Fram has been around for so many years. I use Baldwin oil filters which seem to be really well made. It almost instantly cleared up a tappet noise I had in my 1988 Caravan.
Now, if you go to synthetic oil do you still have to drop both the oil and filter every 5k during the warranty period? I thought I once heard that with synthetics you don't need to drop the oil at every change. Thanks for the tip about formally "notifying" Toyota of the lubricant change.
Maybe you can post your mechanic credentials online since you feel that you obviously know more than the rest of the universe. LIGHTEN UP!!!!
While someone who doesn't change their transmission fluid ever is on one end of the spectrum, you are on the other end and needlessly wasting money. My mechanic who has been taking care of my vehicles for the past 14 years recommends 60,000 mile change and I trust him a lot more than I do a random poster on this message board. :mad:
This kinda stuff is just plain common sense. Why on earth would someone be so cheap as to only change their tranny fluid every 60K? ITS CHEAP INSURANCE TO CHANGE IT EVERY 25-30K! ALOT CHEAPER THAN REPAIRING AN AUTOMATIC TRANNY!!
As for synthetic oil changes you can actually go for over 25,000 miles on some synthetics and by having your oil tested you can confirm its OK. Once again this is also simple common sense: I WILL GLADLY PAY THE EXTA MONEY FOR MOBIL 1 AND A MOBIL 1 FILTER AND CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 6,000 MILES. Does my car need a filter and oil change at 6,000 miles when using Mobil 1? Of course not but its CHEAP INSURANCE and synthetics have been proven time and again to be superior particularly during cold starts where alot of engine wear occurs. BOTTOM LINE: SPEND THE LOUSY FEW EXTRA BUCKS AND DUMP YOUR TRANNY FLUID AT LEAST EVERY 30K!
USE FULL SYNTHETICS AND A MOBIL 1 FILTER! (At this time there is no other quality oil filter available for the 1.5 liter motor)
If you were fortunate enough to buy a manual I suggest dumping the gear oil and replacing it with REDLINE SYNTHETIC.
Well MR KNOWITALL...as a matter of fact my mechanic uses a device which replaces 100% of the fluid. Funny how you like to make assumptions about the quality of his work. I would stack his knowledge of cars against yours any day of the week.
ITS CHEAP INSURANCE TO CHANGE IT EVERY 25-30K!
Why start at 25K miles. Why not change your schedule to every 15 thousand or maybe even drop it to 10 thousand miles. And you could buy that expensive synthetic oil and change it and your filter every 1000 miles.WHY.....BECAUSE IT'S CHEAP INSURANCE AGAINST AN AUTO REPAIR
you could also attach foam rubber to the exterior of your car to avoid ding and dents from stone and car doors in parking lots. Let us not forget about acid rain...make sure to cover your car each and every night to protect the finish.
WHY...BECAUSE IT'S CHEAP INSURANCE AGAINST COSTLY AUTO BODY REPAIRS AND REPAINTING BILLS.
Please do tell us how you have amassed such an expansive knowledge of auto care and repair. I don't know why we didn't see sooner that all the car manufacturers and mechanics in the world are wrong and you are right.
My car was an '03 Toyota Matrix. Not only did the maintenance schedule for that car SPECIFICALLY SAY no routine fluid changes were recommended for the automatic transmission fluid, they actually put a sticker right on the transmission dipstick handle saying the same thing.
The only exception was if you used the car for towing (that car had the very modest towing limit of 1500 pounds).
So it wouldn't be stupid, it would be following the owner's manual, written by THE PEOPLE WHO DESIGNED AND BUILT THE CAR. SERIOUSLY, lighten up, your tone is fairly offensive. :-(
edit...BTW, many modern cars are the same way. I haven't read the Yaris's owners manual so I don't know what is recommended for this model, but since other Toyotas have the same maintenance-free auto trans fluid, the Yaris may also...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Toyota SELLS CARS. They MAKE MONEY when you BUY CARS.
This is routine maintenance 101. ALWAYS change fluids earlier and more often than recommended. My MX5 states oil changes at 7500 miles using dino. Do I wait 7500 miles? Thats ridiculous. I change my oil at 6K PERIOD and use only synthetic. My Porsche 911 manual specified oil changes at 15,000 miles. Do I change it as specified by Porsche? Of course not. Oil and filters are far too cheap too wait 15,000 miles between changes. Its YOUR CAR, YOUR TRANSMISSION. I can assure you of one thing. An automatic transmission that is flushed and maintained properly every 25-30K has a FAR BETTER chance of extended life and being problem free. Has anyone ever changed their own tranny fluid? Anyone ever dropped a pan on an automatic to see what happens when fluids aren't changed? I have seen clogged filters, burned and filthy transmission fluid, and failed transmissions because PEOPLE THINK THEY KNOW WHATS BEST. Another common misconception: rear end gear oils last the life of the car. Ford specifically states on my Explorer that the rear end gear oil is not to be changed for the life of the vehicle. THE QUESTION IS: WHO DETERMINES THE LIFE? FORD WHO SELLS CARS OR YOU THE OWNER? And why are there plugs in the housing that allow you to change the gear oil?
So I assume that using the logic presented that the SMART THING TO DO IS NEVER CHANGE THE GEAR OIL? Even if the Explorer has 300,000 miles and a new engine for example? ITS SIMPLE COMMON SENSE, CHANGE ALL LUBRICANTS AND FLUIDS IN YOUR DRIVETRAIN ON A REGULAR BASIS AND DON'T USE COMPANY SPECS AS A GUIDE. THEY SELL CARS!!
"If you have a manual [transmission], it can help a lot to leave it in gear when decelerating, as that helps the rings to seat, which will contribute greatly to decreasing oil consumption later in life.."
I wouldn't even bother trying to have any type of dialog with Yaris46. I wish there was an ignore button like the yahoo message boards have that would filter out his posts. I enjoyed jabbing fun at his ridiculous posts but I will no longer respond to him.
There are many types of people in this world and occasionally you run into someone like Yaris46. They are the type of people who always think that they are right, will try and talk over everyone else in meetings or discussions and unfortunately alienates almost everyone they meet with their abrasive manner.
Most of the posters on this board while having different opinions, can have a civilized dialog with each other. Apparently yaris46 isn't one of them.
I like to pass my 2 cents on the technical aspect of the discussion.
Unlike what some auto mechanics and manufacturers say, anything beyond 30K tranny oil replacement interval is an invitation for costly repair bill.
Conventional tranny oil will start showing contamination signs @ after 20K usage. I usually reach that point @ 18K. I perform the flush myself, pretty much every year.
Unlike EU manufacturers, US manufacturers don't even mention brake fluid and PS fluid replacements as maintenance items in their manuals. However, they are crucial items.
So, the point is, don't believe everything you hear or read. Do your own search and make desicison.
Yaris is a new design, consumers shouldn't be surprised if some problems arise. But overall, it is backed by Toyota.
I would suggest 2 things. First, check the owners manual for information on the transmission. The manual sometimes provides some unique details about the car that you would not otherwise know. Second, I would definitely take it to a dealer and let someone else drive the car while you ride along. In that way you could point out the problem and maybe determine whether it is related to driving style.
If the characteristic is present with any driver and the dealer just blows you off I would take it up direct with the manufacturer. You still might not get anything done, but at least it would be reported. You never know when something like this might lead to a recall some day.
You do lead a sheltered life...
My Yaris Liftback M/T has 5900 miles on it.
This weekend (driving around San Francisco) and today (driving home in very heavy traffic) I noticed the gear linkage squeaks when moving from first into second. Inside the cab, the squeak isn't too loud, but sitting on the driveway with the engine off and the door open, it's very loud. The shifter moves smoothly, and it doesn't make noise moving out of second or shifting from third to second.
Has anyone else noticed this problem? Does it sound like impending doom?
The driving conditions for these two days were way out of my norm (open freeway commute, short distances in town).
The shifter does not just move up and down but also rocks left to right. As I understand this, if you leave it pushed to the left it's in third gear but if you push it to the right you are then in fourth gear?
That's weird. What could possibly be the reason for designing it this way?
Toyota says to change the tranny fluid on an as neede basis...this can mean going 100,000 miles or more between changes, your situation depending.
I have had several Toyotas that I NEVER changed the tranny fluid on, and all of them reached 120,000+ miles with no tranny issues.
And the reason Toyota suggest little or no changing of the fluid is NOT to sell more cars...this is stupid thinking...but the reason is because if the fluid is okay (regardless of milage) then changing the fluid is just waste, regardless of how cheap it cost to change.
If going so long was so bad, then Toyota would have millions of complaints which would translate into a really bad reputation, massive loss of sales, etc...of course this is not the case...Yaris46 is big on emotion, low on facts, and reality....sad.
This is not a design problem. Mercedes and Chrysler use this "gated" design, and it is a benefit, not an impediment, as it helps prevent mis-shifts.
Read the manual! ;-)
You are an exhaust port.
________________
Drew
Toyota 07 Yaris - Get the Toyota 07 Yaris Catalog by Toyota Motors
A good mechanic never assumes he/she has the correct answer. If I went by history, it would be fill to the level. But I would not assume, I would check the service manual. That also gives you the correct service interval and fluid type.
That factory manual may be expensive from the dealer, but it is well worth it in the long haul.
But the bottom line folks is good lubrication extends the life period no matter what you drive. As for another good tip, many fleets are now installing an inline filter and oil cooler for automatic transmissions. The inline filter has a magnet in it and it has a service life of 10K miles. Best to locate it before the cooler. Change it regularly and you will no tranny headaches to speak of. Oh, I have only found these parts at the transmssion supply houses like Transstar.