Clutch/gearbox?

[BLUEJ]

Seem to have a problem with either clutch or gearbox, have the 1.6vvti SR, the clutch to me seems overly heavy when depressing it, almost to the point i feel im lifting myself off the seat when driving & changing gear, the gear changes seem stiff/sticky almost to the point i feel im having to use force to change gear, the car is a 2008 model with 60k, according to stats it has a maximum speed of roughly 121mph but it seems as soon as i get to 70mph or above the transmission noise is almost unbearable, i get the car serviced at my local Toyota dealer, when last in on January i mentioned all this, they test drove it & said the clutch/gearbox etc seemed fine, asked them to change the transmission oil anyway but haven't noticed any difference, the clutch pedal squeaks quite loudly when depressing it & almost have to put my foot through the floor to start the car, i know it sounds a clutch problem & i have no qualms changing it but the thing is its not slipping at all, have checked the revs when driving so im sort of stumped, so still none the wiser as to whether its a clutch or gearbox problem & if i do get a new clutch put in would this help with the transmission noise at speed?

Any help appreciated thanks.

[avensisd4d786]

sounds like the pressure plate has gone. or the master clyinder, whats the mileage on car?

http://www.mrtransmissionofmarietta.com/problems/clutchsoft.html

[alan333]

If the friction plate is worn it'll slip. It sounds like your pressure plate is worn instead tho, which will give you a hard clutch to press but won't slip. My money's on the clutch.

[BLUEJ]

sounds like the pressure plate has gone. or the master clyinder, whats the mileage on car?

http://www.mrtransmissionofmarietta.com/problems/clutchsoft.html

It has done 60k, think must be due a clutch change.

[BLUEJ]

Im fed up doing long journeys & 1ltr Nissans, Hyundai's etc are flying by me and don't want to push beyond 70mph as the transmission noise is extreme, go above 70mph & it sounds like the gearbox will explode or your driving in a lower gear, i know it only has 5 gears when in reality should have 6 but surely it should sit quite comfortably at these speeds. Overall the car is absolutely fine, nice looking, comfortable, no squeaks or rattles at all, have not had to spend a penny on it apart from the yearly service just wish there was some way to make m/way speeds more enjoyable, i will get a clutch change but i believe the gearbox is very weak for a 1.6, when in fith gear it sounds like fourth & when in fourth sounds like third etc, has anyone found a solution to this problem.

[BLUEJ]

If the friction plate is worn it'll slip. It sounds like your pressure plate is worn instead tho, which will give you a hard clutch to press but won't slip. My money's on the clutch.

Thanks Alan

[TomdeGuerre]

BLUJ it seems you're a bit ticked off with your Auris and no wonder. Lots of ppl who bought the first version found it was too low geared and it wasn't long before Toyota did an update to a Multidrive model which included a 6 speed gearbox on the manual front. Take a look at the following post, especially Post #9 which gives you further links.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/95258-multidrive-transmission/

There's been a lot of complaints about the Auris clutch being heavy or stiff and not allowing clean gear changes and I wonder if the original design was just within limits* and so as the system wears it gets worse and worse. There was a modified master cylinder brought out at one time but by now you'd have to pay for it.

One thing I wonder about is whether your car has had an aftermarket clutch fitted to it at some time and it has a 'heavier' - or stiffer in operation - pressure plate fitted. this would make the clutch heavier to operate

* I'm no technical author but what I mean is If the master cylinder travel, as originally designed, was just within limits to provide the necessary linear travel to the slave cylinder push rod which pushes the clutch fork which pushes the release bearing which pushes the diaphragm fingers of the pressure plate to deflect the Belleville washer which is the diaphragm spring to fully disengage from the clutch driven plate thereby allowing free selection of gears. phew, don't ask me to type that again. I know that in the US they sell longer slave cylinder push rods for some Toyota cars (not Auris) where competition clutches are fitted to give an extra bit of travel.

I'd have said that normally when your clutch gets worn (driven plate and/or the friction surface of the pressure plate} the diaphragm fingers come out further which tightens up your pedal but it gets progressively lighter and further and further out before it engages.

[BLUEJ]

BLUJ it seems you're a bit ticked off with your Auris and no wonder. Lots of ppl who bought the first version found it was too low geared and it wasn't long before Toyota did an update to a Multidrive model which included a 6 speed gearbox on the manual front. Take a look at the following post, especially Post #9 which gives you further links.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/95258-multidrive-transmission/

There's been a lot of complaints about the Auris clutch being heavy or stiff and not allowing clean gear changes and I wonder if the original design was just within limits* and so as the system wears it gets worse and worse. There was a modified master cylinder brought out at one time but by now you'd have to pay for it.

One thing I wonder about is whether your car has had an aftermarket clutch fitted to it at some time and it has a 'heavier' - or stiffer in operation - pressure plate fitted. this would make the clutch heavier to operate

* I'm no technical author but what I mean is If the master cylinder travel, as originally designed, was just within limits to provide the necessary linear travel to the slave cylinder push rod which pushes the clutch fork which pushes the release bearing which pushes the diaphragm fingers of the pressure plate to deflect the Belleville washer which is the diaphragm spring to fully disengage from the clutch driven plate thereby allowing free selection of gears. phew, don't ask me to type that again. I know that in the US they sell longer slave cylinder push rods for some Toyota cars (not Auris) where competition clutches are fitted to give an extra bit of travel.

I'd have said that normally when your clutch gets worn (driven plate and/or the friction surface of the pressure plate} the diaphragm fingers come out further which tightens up your pedal but it gets progressively lighter and further and further out before it engages.

Thanks for your reply Tom, im not overly ticked off with the car, in fact i would say i have grown into it, at first i just couldn't understand the lack of power, the difficult gear changes, the woolly steering etc but ive grown to adjust to the vehicle & ive come to enjoy it now i know the best way to drive it thru the Toyota Auris forum, the forum taught me its the characteristics of this particular model, i do realise thru this forum that Toyota realised pretty quickly the transmission coupled with the 1.6vvti engine was inadequate & quickly rectified it to as you say the 6 speed 1.6 valvematic, i have grown to enjoy the car, its really nice looking, it looks new inside & out, it has no rattles or squeaks like others & i can be thankful its a manual & not MMT, my main gripe was the transmission noise at speed, just wish the boffins at Toyota had found a remedy for this but as my own mechanic states when you complain about a noise, just turn the stereo up!!, which is what i do, i have just purchased a set of front HEKO wind deflectors which sit & look fantastic on the car for a whole £23.99 & coupled with a clutch which i will have fitted soon it looks like i will be keeping her for a while yet, hey big spender lol but as i have said i have grown to enjoy the car & have no plans to change it anytime soon ( i usually change car roughly every 2yrs) but im keeping this one, tells you all you have to know really, thanks for all your replies folks, appreciated.

[avensisd4d786]

what make clutch did you go for?

[BLUEJ]

what make clutch did you go for?

I haven't purchased a clutch yet, my own mechanic as well as Toyota insist the clutch is absolutely fine, maybe as i have just found out on here the heavy clutch is just another characteristic of this model, at 7yrs old & 60k it has done well, so does anybody recommend a specific clutch or in this instance do you stick to Toyota if i do go ahead & replace it in the future.

[avensisd4d786]

if its really heavy then it needs looking at, if you can live with it, save your money until it get worse or starts slipping.