Avensis, Fifth Gear Stick Vibration

June 21, 2007

Hello to all of you,

I have just buought my firtst Toyota Avensis Estated T3-S, D-4D, O4 plate with 90k on the clock. It has been driven mostly on motorways as it used to belong to some sales manager. Fully serviced by Toyota and done 10k in the last 5 months, currently 90k.

So far very pleased apart from the strange behaviour of the gear stick when it goes in the Fifth Gear. It starts to rattle and I can feel the actual gears turning as if the gear stick is kind of touching the teeth of a gear wheel.

I have driven a few other makes of cars and I can tell when things look a bit suspicious. Unfortunately before I buy I did not go as far as try the car in 5th Gear.

I have read the other posts about 5th Gear poping out and I can tell that for now I do not have that problem. Went from Croydon to Gatwick Airport and apart from vibrating on various speeds everything else was OK. I also noticed that at 90mph the vibration as if disapeared, exept if you put some pressure forward by hand on the gear stick.

Could you please advise me if this is the tale tale signs of the so far mentioned in other posts 5th Gear poping out or it is normal. All other gears do not do that regardless of whether I put pressure to the gearstick forward or back when engaged in gear.

Can anyone tell me should I continue to drive this way and could I damage the gear box if disregard that vibration.

If it needs attention or repair what is the likely costs.

One final question: Does Toyota gearbox has any waranty at all and what are the terms. I have read that some people have mentioned 100k or 5 years, whichever is the sooner. Is this true or false?

Thanks,

PS. I would appreciate if anybody has the technical knowledge and explain what and why is happening and what needs to be replaced if any?

June 23, 2007

Hey there again,

I have contacted Toyota-Croydon, the one on Puley Way. The guy that I spoke to was kind of OK exept he told me that since he's been at Toyota, which is for 6 years, he has never heard or seen anyone complaining about the gear box or let alone the 5th Gear on the Avensis. He said that I would be wellkomed to go and see him and he would investigate the problem at the cost of £90 + VAT.

NOOOOOO PROOOOBLEM MATE. AT THIS PRICE TO INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINT, I AM NOT SUPPRISED YOU NEVER HEARD OF GEARBOX PROBLEMS.

Can anyone recomend me a garage that can be a bit more of help. It would be kind of reasuring if they had come across similar problems or at lest solved similar.

I admit I had a string of questions in my previous post, and I am still hoping someone clued up to advise me on my concerns.

Thanks,

PS. That guy also said there is no such warranty on the gearbox : 100k or 5years, whichever sooner.

June 25, 2007

Hey there again,
I have contacted Toyota-Croydon, the one on Puley Way. The guy that I spoke to was kind of OK exept he told me that since he's been at Toyota, which is for 6 years, he has never heard or seen anyone complaining about the gear box or let alone the 5th Gear on the Avensis. He said that I would be wellkomed to go and see him and he would investigate the problem at the cost of £90 + VAT.
NOOOOOO PROOOOBLEM MATE. AT THIS PRICE TO INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINT, I AM NOT SUPPRISED YOU NEVER HEARD OF GEARBOX PROBLEMS.
Can anyone recomend me a garage that can be a bit more of help. It would be kind of reasuring if they had come across similar problems or at lest solved similar.
I admit I had a string of questions in my previous post, and I am still hoping someone clued up to advise me on my concerns.
Thanks,
PS. That guy also said there is no such warranty on the gearbox : 100k or 5years, whichever sooner.

Hi kashbq i just read about your problem with the vibration in the gearstick my avensis also does this i drive a 2005 t3 and i also get this in first and second gear as well when i take of very quick, i have wrote to toyota gb and they where no help at all,so i went to a breakers yard and bought a gearstick out of another 2005 car and changed it over myself and it was as bad as my own, so i would say they unless you get a brand new one you probably wont get rid of the problem, hope this helps. Deakin

June 26, 2007

Thanks for reply, Deakin.

The only thing that your experiece proves is that the problem is not the gearstick. It is the gearbox. I have that only in 5th gear and it is not like rattling the gearstick it is more like when you select the 5th gear, you kind of feel the actual gears turning and touching the gearstick. Same even worse if you gently forse it forward. The only position I do not feel the gears touching the gearstick is when in 5th gear I move the stick to the left.

But one thing for sure is that 5th gear is as if a little loose.

The other thing I do not like about the Avensis is that you can not select 1-2-3-4-5 quickly. You kind of have to wait untill the gearbox is ready to take them. I know I probably sound like a boy racer, but I am not. It just takes too long time for the gearbox to get ready to take the next gear without forcing them - and I do not want to do that.

Thanks,

P.S. I just can't understand, how come a well known brand like Toyota can not get to build a proper gearbox.

September 27, 2013

I am begining to experience this vibration in 5th gear. I have researched it on the internet and it appears a common problem that is a worn 5th gear. I have done 136k miles. It only does it at 45-50 mph as it is warning up from cold, however, I expect it to start jumping out of gear soon. It appears to be easy to replace the 5th gear components with the gearbox in situ. You may be interested in the description and photos of the repair on a RAV4; I know it's not an avensis but it has the same D4-D engine and, from looking at my avensis the same sytle of gearbox (the ratios may be different). The description of the repair can be found on http://www.rav4world.com/forums/85-4-1-faults-fixes/64188-5th-gear-popping-out-self-repair.html.