Toyota Aygo is there something wrong with my car?

Toyota Aygo is there something wrong with my car?

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Discussion

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Not exactly a sports coupe, I know, but I like to drive it... enthusiastically... shall we say.

I'm not sure if this problem has arisen recently or has been there all along or whether it is even a problem at all. I love many things about this car. It's boot is big enough to fit the weekly shopping and it's one of the last of the era of featherweight cars, so it's lively off the mark for a 67bhp toy.

The thing I hate about it with a passion: The Gearbox.

It feels like stirring a pool of medicine balls with a disposable spoon.

It resists being put into 1st from anything above about 10mph unless you really force it. And it sounds and feels as though when I put it in 3rd there's a click I haven't heard before. Plus the interior is starting to rattle at certain engine speeds. Also, there's a burning clutch smell when I change it quickly (when I'm driving extra enthusiastically) even though I took my foot off the throttle when I dipped the clutch. Is there any way to DIY check the health of gearboxes? What should I be looking out for, or is this normal on a car with no sporty intentions whatsoever?

People talk alot about looking after their motor and I'm starting to wonder what I do to look after my motor. Not much off the top of my head. It goes in for its MOT every year... But I wouldn't say I misuse it. Wouldn't that involve crashing into a wall or tipping it upside down after going round a corner too fast? I've only been driving 6 months and to me looking after your car means reading a dipstick. Starting to wonder, what if I'm neglecting my car?

Toecutter

232 posts

211 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
You're clutch needs adjusting.

The clutch is operated via cable rather than hydraulically, so the cable streches and leads to the problems you are experiencing with the gearchanges.

Look here on how to do it.

http://www.c1oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&...

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Toecutter said:
You're clutch needs adjusting.

The clutch is operated via cable rather than hydraulically, so the cable streches and leads to the problems you are experiencing with the gearchanges.

Look here on how to do it.

http://www.c1oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&...
Thanks for replying. Isn't the info on that page just to do with adjusting the bite and to prevent clutch slippage? My problem just seems to be a notchy jerky gear change. Doesn't seem to be a problem with clutch bite/slippage unless I misunderstand lol.

Toecutter

232 posts

211 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
If the clutch has never been adjusted you will get clutch drag which can manifest itself with poor gearchanges/smelly clutch.

Also it may be worth replacing the gearbox fluid, Toyota recommend changing it every 4 years or 40,000 miles.

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Thanks again lol. I'll have a gander under the bonnet. Btw, how do you know all this? I wish there was a manual telling you exactly how your car works and all the possible things that could go wrong with it and how to fix it.

Toecutter

232 posts

211 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
I use to have an Aygo, took it back to Toyota complaining about the gearchange and smelly clutch.

Toyota replaced clutch with the upgraded 190mm dia version and the tech showed me how to adjust the clutch via the screwnut ontop of the gearbox.

You need to check with Toyota if you're car had had the upgraded 190mm dia clutch fitted whilst it was covered under the manufacturers warranty.

I reccomend you bookmark the webiste I provided the link to earlier, it has some useful information on DIY bits and peices.



Edited by Toecutter on Wednesday 28th November 14:08


Edited by Toecutter on Wednesday 28th November 14:10

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
We replaced the clutch with the newer 190mm one about 6 months ago. I didn't have my license when it went so I don't know how it felt. It's my gf's car actually. Just texting her now to ask her what she noticed about the clutch that made her take it in for repair.

Toecutter

232 posts

211 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
BadBanshee said:
We replaced the clutch with the newer 190mm one about 6 months ago. I didn't have my license when it went so I don't know how it felt. It's my gf's car actually. Just texting her now to ask her what she noticed about the clutch that made her take it in for repair.
A clutch replacemnt 6 months ago and no evidence of clutch adjustment (the clutch has now started to wear) is most probably what is causing you problems with difficulty in engaging gears.

I would recommend replacing the gearbox fluid, it made a massive difference to the gearchange, especially in colder winter months.

I have a full set of winter tyres (Continental Wintercontact TS800) with steel wheels for the Aygo in my garage, PM me if interested?

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
Not an expert on the Aygo, but do you really need to be forcing it into 1st gear above 10mph?

I think of myself as a reasonably enthusiastic driver (although certainly not as fast as some on here), and in most of my cars I only use 1st to get the wheels rolling, or occasionally to make some noise! Accelerating fast in 1st is different smile

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
Not an expert on the Aygo, but do you really need to be forcing it into 1st gear above 10mph?

I think of myself as a reasonably enthusiastic driver (although certainly not as fast as some on here), and in most of my cars I only use 1st to get the wheels rolling, or occasionally to make some noise! Accelerating fast in 1st is different smile
+1

You probably shouldn't be forcing it into 1st gear when going above 10mph anyway.

Toecutter

232 posts

211 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
RobCrezz said:
sunbeam alpine said:
Not an expert on the Aygo, but do you really need to be forcing it into 1st gear above 10mph?

I think of myself as a reasonably enthusiastic driver (although certainly not as fast as some on here), and in most of my cars I only use 1st to get the wheels rolling, or occasionally to make some noise! Accelerating fast in 1st is different smile
+1

You probably shouldn't be forcing it into 1st gear when going above 10mph anyway.
+2

Agree with you guys regarding forcing it into 1st gear above 10mph.

1st gear is pretty short on the Aygo but 2nd gear is pretty long so there is a bit of a gap between the gears when crawling in traffic for instance.

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
You guys are missing out big time. As soon as you start piling on the gears, you start killing the torque. 2nd gear at 10mph is pointless. Might aswell just resign yourself to boring driving because your wheels are rolling so it's too late to go into 1st... or knock it into 1st and watch what happens when you floor the throttle, especially mid corner smile

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
I bow to your superior knowledge!














Badbanshee - coming to a hedge in your area soon! smile

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
I just think it's pretty foolish if you're sat in too high a gear and flooring the throttle wishing you had a more powerful car. Foolish because you're strangling its power in the first place.

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
OP with the greatest respect you're the one asking for advice while systematically trashing your girlfriend's car.

Even with the least powerful car in my collection I generally find I can manage to select a gear/speed combination which enables me to make suitable progress.

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
I'm not trashing her car at all...

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
BadBanshee said:
I'm not trashing her car at all...
I've never known any car to like being put into 1st at anything above crawling speed. You are trashing the syncromesh.

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
BadBanshee said:
You guys are missing out big time. As soon as you start piling on the gears, you start killing the torque. 2nd gear at 10mph is pointless. Might aswell just resign yourself to boring driving because your wheels are rolling so it's too late to go into 1st... or knock it into 1st and watch what happens when you floor the throttle, especially mid corner smile
Nothing wrong with flooring it in 1st, when you engaged it from stationary, but banging it into first when you are doing 10mph just wrong.

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
BadBanshee said:
Not exactly a sports coupe, I know, but I like to drive it... enthusiastically... shall we say.

...It resists being put into 1st from anything above about 10mph unless you really force it...

And it sounds and feels as though when I put it in 3rd there's a click I haven't heard before...

Plus the interior is starting to rattle at certain engine speeds...

Also, there's a burning clutch smell when I change it quickly...

Starting to wonder, what if I'm neglecting my car?
I thought maybe your first post suggested you might have been mistreating it a bit - so I highlighted the bits which led me to think that it might not be enjoying your attentions as much as you seem to be.

smile

P.S. When I come back from a hoon all I have is the smell of leather, hot oil and the plink plink of an engine cooling. nuts

BadBanshee

Original Poster:

650 posts

136 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
quotequote all
RobCrezz said:
Nothing wrong with flooring it in 1st, when you engaged it from stationary, but banging it into first when you are doing 10mph just wrong.
What's the difference? I can understand if you believe flooring it in first is wrong too, but if you're going at 10mph and you knock it down to 1st, you're revs are going to be much lower than if you floored it in first from setting off. When pushing hard I don't change up to 2nd gear until I'm at around 30mph. So at 10mph going from 2nd to 1st, doesn't seem like it should be a big deal at all.