Clutch/gearbox Problems 54 Plate 1.8vvti

[ahmedh]

Hi,

I bought a 54 plate Avensis 1.8vvti about 4 months ago, now has about 35k miles on the clock.

I have noticed that the gear change was getting progressively more difficult, like the gear stick just wouldn't move out gear for me to change (mainly in second and third). Its almost as though the gear lever gets stuck in a particular gear and it really needs quite some force to shift it.

I took it back to the garage I bought it from for them to test drive it and try and find out what the problem was, the guy drove it pretty hard and stressed the clutch quite a bit to the point that a burning smell was apparent in the cabin! Ever since then, the gear change has been much much smoother and almost back to normal. But a couple of weeks on it seems to progressively returning to how it was - difficult to get into first, sometimes difficult finding third gear as well.

Do you know what it could be? I have only had the car about 4 months and it has been fine until recently. The clutch seems fine, not stiff. I havent checked the gear box fluid level, is this a possibility? Checked the clutch fluid level under the bonnet, and its just off the maximum level so should be fine. The clucth doesnt seem to be slipping, I have tried pulling off in 4 gear and it doesnt slip at all. Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Ahmed.

[ahmedh]

No replies as yet...

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this?

It seems to be an intermittent problem, sometimes it can slip into gears without an issue, then after a while it can become more difficult to change gear. Doesnt look to be cold weather related as the problem can still happen after driving round a bit when its warmed up.

Problem with anything clutch related is that to get anyone to look at it will cost an arm and a leg jus to diagnose it, but if someone has experienced something similar I hope that I can pinpoint it to something specific.

[JohnYossarian]

No replies as yet...

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this?

It seems to be an intermittent problem, sometimes it can slip into gears without an issue, then after a while it can become more difficult to change gear. Doesnt look to be cold weather related as the problem can still happen after driving round a bit when its warmed up.

Problem with anything clutch related is that to get anyone to look at it will cost an arm and a leg jus to diagnose it, but if someone has experienced something similar I hope that I can pinpoint it to something specific.

Is this problem more serius in the morning, when the car is cold?

See my thread about gearbox. I suffer similar behaviour but most likely due to old gear box oil.

[ahmedh]

No replies as yet...

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this?

It seems to be an intermittent problem, sometimes it can slip into gears without an issue, then after a while it can become more difficult to change gear. Doesnt look to be cold weather related as the problem can still happen after driving round a bit when its warmed up.

Problem with anything clutch related is that to get anyone to look at it will cost an arm and a leg jus to diagnose it, but if someone has experienced something similar I hope that I can pinpoint it to something specific.

Is this problem more serius in the morning, when the car is cold?

See my thread about gearbox. I suffer similar behaviour but most likely due to old gear box oil.

I think its partly to do with it being cold, but even after its warmed up, its still difficult to change gear.

After a lot of googling, it seems its a problem with the clutch not dis-engaging correctly, the following is taken from clutchwizard.com:

Clutch Release Problems:

Clutch release problems are common. Even though the clutch pedal is depressed, you have trouble shifting. In some cases it is impossible to get the transmission into gear. Sometimes there is an accompanying sound of grinding gears! When these symptoms occur, they are most often the result of the clutch not fully disengaging. The transmission input shaft is not allowed to come to a stop. Engine revolutions are still being transmitted to the transmission. Sources for this problem vary according to the type of clutch mechanism your vehicle has.

Although there are so many different things that could be causing this, not sure how I can pin-point to a particular area... By the sounds of it, it might need the clutch, master and slave cylinders changing to fix the issue, not good for a car with only 35k miles on the clock.

[igormus]

No replies as yet...

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this?

It seems to be an intermittent problem, sometimes it can slip into gears without an issue, then after a while it can become more difficult to change gear. Doesnt look to be cold weather related as the problem can still happen after driving round a bit when its warmed up.

Problem with anything clutch related is that to get anyone to look at it will cost an arm and a leg jus to diagnose it, but if someone has experienced something similar I hope that I can pinpoint it to something specific.

hello

I used to do double depressing of thhe clutch pedal -- depress --> neutral --> depress ---- > shift gear === it helps really

besides -- sometimes i used to rev the engine when shift from high to low gear asf: depress pedal --> neutral--> slightly depress gas pedal --> depress clutch pedal -- > shift from high to low gears === it works fine.

Cheers/Igor

[ahmedh]

hello

I used to do double depressing of thhe clutch pedal -- depress --> neutral --> depress ---- > shift gear === it helps really

besides -- sometimes i used to rev the engine when shift from high to low gear asf: depress pedal --> neutral--> slightly depress gas pedal --> depress clutch pedal -- > shift from high to low gears === it works fine.

Cheers/Igor

Thanks Igor, I tried your advice but it seems its not enough for even my clutch!

My problem seems intermittent, on some journeys the clutch seems to operate fine, then on the journey back say, it can struggle to dis-engage mainly second and third gears.

I am going to start getting some quotes for clutch replacements and see if the problem gets worse over the next few weeks.

Is there anything else apart from a clutch kit, master and slave cylinder that would be recommended to change at the same time to save on labour costs? Also what brands would people recommend for a clucth replacement?

Thanks.