Aisin TF-71SC/Geartronic behavior

[innocent2k]

Hi

I've had the car (V60 1.5L/Automatic) for a little over a month now and I don't really have any complaints, but I am a bit skeptical about the transmission. Firstly, I may just be paranoid about it, because my previous car purchase also ended with a transmission failure.

If this behavior is normal, I'm fine with it. But here goes. I feel that sometimes when accelerating, especially at a slow pace, certain shifts (especially from 2 to 3 I think) can feel a bit jerky. Most of the time I can hardly even notice the gear shifts, but they can occasionally be felt.

The other behavior is, when slowing down (in particular by engine braking), it sometimes feel the same way as if you're shifting down a bit early on a manual with the slight jerk/extra slow down that will create.

The reason I ask is that others claim you hardly notice these transmissions shifting, so I'm wondering if I'm just being overly paranoid due to my previous failure and this is actually a completely normal response, or if something is not right. I have no problems with it if this is normal behavior, but just thought it's a bit odd, especially since it's not entirely consistent.

[The Thong]

Ok, take it to the dealer and get it hooked up to diagnostics. Get them to reset the parameters. Is the latest software upgrades been done? How many Kilometres has it done?

TT

[innocent2k]

Originally Posted by The Thong

Ok, take it to the dealer and get it hooked up to diagnostics. Get them to reset the parameters. Is the latest software upgrades been done? How many Kilometres has it done?

TT

No idea about software upgrades. Not even sure there are any for this specific transmission. The car has been serviced at dealership every year the previous owner had it, though. It's got 81000km on it. Transmission oil was changed (flush) 3 weeks ago by me, but behavior is the same pre and post flush. I asked the dealer but you know how that goes.. almost always you have the standard "this is normal"-speech.

Edit: Should specify that I did not do the flush-job myself, I had it at an autoshop with specialized equipment for it

[The Thong]

Six or eight speed?

[innocent2k]

Originally Posted by The Thong

Six or eight speed?

The 71SC is a six speed.

[The Thong]

To be honest it’s probably ok. As long as you’re not getting harsh shifting like it bangs into gear, bangs when selecting between reverse and drive, a hesitation when pulling away or flares it’s probably ok. I have a transit connect auto and that makes some odd shifts especially at lower end gearing. You can feel the up shift on an Aisin gear box but it’s not harsh.
I have a Subaru with a CVT and normal auto boxes feel rough even though they’re not 🤣🤣

TT

[innocent2k]

Originally Posted by The Thong

To be honest it’s probably ok. As long as you’re not getting harsh shifting like it bangs into gear, bangs when selecting between reverse and drive, a hesitation when pulling away or flares it’s probably ok. I have a transit connect auto and that makes some odd shifts especially at lower end gearing. You can feel the up shift on an Aisin gear box but it’s not harsh.
I have a Subaru with a CVT and normal auto boxes feel rough even though they’re not 🤣🤣

TT

Yes, you are now touching the reason why I think I may be overly sensitive to this. I came from a car with CVT transmission (and that transmission was pretty much the only think I liked about the car.. a MY2013 Avensis, rest of the driving experience was just not my cup of tea).

And yes, I feel both upshifts and downshifts. They do vary a bit on the hardness of the shifts. Upshifts ranging from not noticeable at all to a slightly hard shift but no bangs or clunks. The downshifts, which also sometimes comes a bit inconveniently imho, will for a split second often cause an aggressive-ish braking. Compared to a Focus we also have with a MPS6 transmission, it's mostly softer changing but it feels a bit more unpredictable.

Main point is, nothing of the above is really any dealbreakers, I can adapt and get used to this as long as I know it is within normal operation If the erratic up/down shifting bothers me I always have the option to switch to manual gear selection. Or just switch to sport mode which is jerky by nature :P (but holy crap it's snappy and really kicks off for an engine of this size!)

[The Thong]

You’ll find the box is ok. My V60 flare was an annoyance for four and a half years but otherwise didn’t deteriorate any. Used to get the odd hard shift but it was very intermittent. Don’t know how long you keep you cars for but I wouldn’t worry. Start worrying if it gets worse. Enjoy the car

TT

[innocent2k]

Originally Posted by The Thong

You’ll find the box is ok. My V60 flare was an annoyance for four and a half years but otherwise didn’t deteriorate any. Used to get the odd hard shift but it was very intermittent. Don’t know how long you keep you cars for but I wouldn’t worry. Start worrying if it gets worse. Enjoy the car

TT

No flaring going on, luckily. Saw a few videos about that on the older Geartronics.. that would certainly have annoyed me. What MY and engine/transmission config was your V60?

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by innocent2k

No flaring going on, luckily. Saw a few videos about that on the older Geartronics.. that would certainly have annoyed me. What MY and engine/transmission config was your V60?

2015 Cross Country D4 Lux Nav. Don’t get me wrong, it never let us down overall but the transmission started to fail at 65k miles so it was time to say goodbye to it. The rear Diff started to fail so it was looking to cost a lot of money for a 7yo car. I’d had the Polestar optimisation done with actually improved the gearing behaviour, smooth quicker up shifts rather than the lethargic gear changes that it came from the factory with.
The clincher for me was when the salesman at Subaru offered me a generous trade in…. Ok, done deal.

TT