1.8 Vvti 2001 Gearbox Issue

[terryirwin]

Hello everybody. Last posted long time ago on the oil burning issue but watch daily email closely.

Have recently had the seemingly well known gearbox bearings problem and had full replacement bearing kit fitted by gearbox specialist garage here in N Yorks.

They also put in new clutch. This was in September.

Last weekend could not get reverse! Green Flag thought possibly broken clutch spring and we towed the car back to the garage which did the bearings.

Mechanic went under the bonnet for 20 seconds got it into reverse, and said the gear change cable had snapped.

Estimate is £400+ ontop of the £450 I gave them two months ago to do the bearings!

My problem is that I find it a coincidence too far to say that after nearly nine years and 106000 miles the cable decides to break within 8 weeks of the gearbox being taken out and refitted. I can only assume that incorrect refitting has caused the break. OR the cable has not snapped and this is an excuse to get me to pay for the work they are doing (whatever that might be ) to rectify their bad workmanship.

As things stand I cannot argue with anything they tell me as I have to leave the car with them to fix it. ie they have me over a barrel and they know it.

Grateful if anybody has any input to my problem. Does anyone know for sure that it is possible for gearbox/clutch to be refitted in such a way that cable could snap as a result? I must say that when I collected the car after the bearings change it did not seem to"click" into reverse as usual.The gear lever did not seem to travel quite as far and I had to lift the clutch to be sure it was in reverse.

Alternatively, if the cable has actually not snapped ( and I am being conned ) would some other fault cause the same problem . eg faulty new clutch but easier to get money to resolve the issue from me rather than the clucth supplier?

Or am I being totally paranoid and I really should believe everything my garage tells me. I haven`t used them before but they were recommended by a friend who does own a garage.

Any comments would be helpful.

Many thanks

[Loom]

Or am I being totally paranoid and I really should believe everything my garage tells me. I haven`t used them before but they were recommended by a friend who does own a garage.

I think your concerns are valid. Sorry I can't help you but I'll keep an eye on this thread to see how it turns out. Hope you get it sorted soon and inexpensively.

[Jamesbelfast]

Sorry to hear of your woes and it looks like you are caught between a rock and a hard place - OUCH!!

Yes there may be a possibilty the cable was either damaged or poorly fitted during the gearbox repair but proving it may be difficult. You could seek a second opinion but even at that it is likely to be open to argument and interpretration and possible involve more expense.

Considering the vehicle has done 100K (plus) I doubt very much the failed cable could be classed as in pristine condition and obviously would have been subject to quite a bit of wear and tear. Additionally the wear in the gearbox prior to it being repaired may have contributed to excessive wear and also when the gearbox was rebuilt it may have been that bit stiffer which in turn put additional pressure on an already worn component.

Personally I think the most cost effective way out may be to try and negotiate some form of discount such as you pay for the components and the gargage swallow the cost of labour. Additionally it may be worth seeking alternative prices from another garage if you think you are being ripped off. In my experience as an engineer it is not unusual for the next weekest link in the chain to fail after one related component is repaired or replaced. This principle just doesn't relate to cars but also many other aspects of engineering or even the home.

You could also seek legal advice on the matter - that is entirely up to you.

Good luck with whatever you decide:)

[terryirwin]

Gone ahead with the cable renewal and came out less than expected at £380. Have also realised that there has been the odd occasion when I have had difficulty getting into first. I now think that was probably the first signs of the cable being worn. This predates the work done on the bearings and so I cannot now think the bearing work caused the cable problem.

Still, seems to be a weak point in this model Avensis at 100,000 or so.

Thanks for responses

terryirwin

[Dmitriy]

Hi terryirwin,

Do you know how exactly they swapped out the cable? Did something large have to come out first to allow access?

One of my cables has just snapped and the area where the cables enter the cabin doesn't look reachable at least without lifting the car.

Thanks in advance,

Dmitriy

[Thermal]

Hi,

For your reference, the attached manual contains some exploded views of various engine/transmission combinations where the cables are shown, including directives how to get to them.

It's the 2002-2007 manual, so your transmission may or may not be shown.

Use wisely.

MANUAL TRANSMISSION & TRANSAXLE.pdf

[Dmitriy]

Hi,

For your reference, the attached manual contains some exploded views of various engine/transmission combinations where the cables are shown, including directives how to get to them.

It's the 2002-2007 manual, so your transmission may or may not be shown.

Use wisely.

Hi Thermal - thank you,

I had it all done yesterday.

Btw looks like Avensis Mk2 has the same cable set as Mk1, or so it looks (except for the plate with the rubber the cables go through).