Choose Toyota RAV4 - CVT or automatic

On Rav 4 cars automatic from Aisin company It is distinguished by reliability and long service life. The first boxes installed on Toyota cars were classified as “long-lasting.” The service life of the automatic transmission could reach the maximum mileage limits for the crossover. Below we talk about features of the machine on Rav 4, specifics of its maintenance.

The main differences between an automatic transmission and a variator, their advantages and disadvantages

Automatic transmission and CVT differ:

• fuel consumption (for cars with automatic transmission it is 10-15% higher);
• weight (variator design is more compact and lighter);
• frequency of oil changes (when driving a car with CVT, the procedure is performed more often and more expensive working fluids are used);
• the cost of repairs (restoring an automatic transmission is cheaper);
• reliability (variator is more sensitive to load).

The main advantages of automatic transmissions are reliability, increased service life, and maintainability. The variator ensures smooth gear shifting, acceleration without jerking, and lower fuel consumption. The disadvantages of CVT are:

• high cost of repairs;
• impossibility of use for extreme driving;
• limited resource.

Transmission

The manufacturer has pleased its fans with a reliable gearbox - Direct Shift-CVT. Let's take a closer look at the features of this transmission.

The cardinal difference of this gearbox is a real mechanical first gear with classic gears. What is the reason for this constructive decision? Everyone knows that the classic CVT does not like off-road driving, and slipping can be fatal for it. The manufacturer decided to get away from this problem, while maintaining all the advantages of the CVT gearbox.

The geared first gear can be used to get out of mud or snowdrifts without damaging the gearbox. The efficiency of the gearing is much higher than that of a conventional belt found in CVTs. Creating a gear drive helps avoid energy losses and reduce the load on transmission elements.

Of course, the design of the gearbox has become more complex, the number of parts has increased, but this has a positive effect on the reliability and service life of the transmission.

We also looked at the principle of operation of this variator on the Toyota Corolla

Another transmission option on the 5th generation RAV 4 is the 8-speed DirectShift-8AT automatic. It shifts quickly and has an impressive range of power output. In the previous generation, only a 6-speed automatic transmission was available.

We also considered this automatic transmission when we got acquainted with the Toyota Highlander III and Toyota Camry XV70, where it is installed with a V6 gasoline engine and optimal power for the Russian market of 249 hp.

There are also versions with a classic 6-speed manual transmission. This box can be found on the previous version.

Automatic transmission Rav 4 for 2.5 engine

Automatic transmission U660
In tandem with 2.5-liter Toyota Rav 4 engines, the automatic transmission is presented in several modifications. We are talking about six-speed transmissions produced by Aisin . The automatic transmission modification U660 (meaning U660E) was installed on popular Toyota cars (Camry, Avensis, RAV4). The basic gearbox on the Camry is installed in almost all of the concern's factories, and for cars with AWD and all-wheel drive there is the U660F version.

Since 2009, a new version U760E began to be produced. The improved automatic transmission with lower torque is designed for engines with a volume of less than 2.7 liters . The all-wheel drive option, aimed at minivans and crossovers (i.e. Rav 4), is the U760F.

Automatic transmission U760E

The U660-U760 family was born by strengthening the boxes of previous generations, reducing the load on the nodes that experience the greatest load. It can be argued that new automatic machines have replaced mechanics.

Driving comfort, efficiency and durability are the characteristic features of modern automatic transmissions.

Body

The car is based on the TNGA platform. It is familiar to fans of Toyota Camry cars. Thanks to this design solution, the machine is quite stable and controllable. The new body of the Toyota RAV 4 has become more rigid than its predecessor.

In terms of dimensions, the 2021 model is slightly different from the previous one. It became 5 mm shorter and grew 1 cm in width. The wheelbase has changed the most. The manufacturer lengthened it by 3 cm.

As for the appearance, the body has become more prominent and brutal. The new product has acquired a truly memorable design. But this is not the main thing.

The manufacturer paid close attention to weight distribution. To optimize this parameter, the fuel tank and electric power steering were shifted. This made the car more stable and maneuverable.

Automatic transmission Rav 4 for a two-liter engine

Four-speed transmissions U140E, U240 and U241 for Rav 4 2nd and third generations are considered the most popular, but the prospect of upgrading to five stages led to the introduction of a third planetary gearset . It was this innovation that increased the number of repairs, although it allowed the automatic transmission to maintain its position as a reliable device.

Planetary gear set for automatic U140E assembly

This family of automatic transmissions is reliable. Cars with three-liter engines are at risk because the gearbox operates in extreme conditions. Most often, the front planetary gear and sun gear fail. After restyling in 2011, a CVT .

Automatic transmission U240

Automatic transmissions for Rav 4 2nd generation are the U140, U240 and U241 families. The pilot version of the U140E was released in 1998, and was aimed at the 2.4-liter Lexus . After modernization, the enhanced modification was applied to almost all Toyota models. All-wheel drive cars were equipped with an automatic transmission with the letter “F” (i.e. U140F). But the box did not suit three-liter engines, so it was decided to replace it with a stronger version.

The U240-241 packages have demonstrated success on popular cars, including the Rav 4. The Underdrive (U241 automatic) has become extremely loaded. The pump, axles, drums and planets were strengthened. The five-speed family (U150-250) was born on the basis of previous gearboxes that had undergone a baptism of fire (after the identification of “diseases” the transmissions became indestructible).

Reinforced drum with shaft of automatic transmission U241

The reason for the large number of automatic transmission repairs on Rav 4 is that they go in tandem with million-dollar engines.

The impeccable operation of the internal combustion engine lulls drivers' vigilance, so maintenance regulations are not observed. If we are talking about three-liter engines, then the temptation to test their limits leads to a decrease in the service life of the machine.

The desire of manufacturers to bring the Rav 4 automatic to the level of comfort of a CVT (with imperceptible switching) and to increase acceleration has led to negative consequences. As a result, the resource of the “long-lasting” 4-mortar U140 was lost.

Reviews from car owners about the resource of the Toyota RAV4 CVT

The number of cars with a CVT transmission is growing every day. But, even taking into account the fact that today cars with CVT are not uncommon in Russia, a large number of car enthusiasts are still skeptical about this gearbox. This is because a continuously variable transmission is expensive in terms of maintenance and repair. Today, in large cities of the Russian Federation, there are not many specialized services that have proven their professionalism not in word, but in deed. There are only a small number of really smart specialists involved in restoring transmissions from Jatco and Aisin. Official dealers, as a rule, do not restore the gearbox, so they offer immediate replacement of the assembly.

If you notice a faulty operation of the CVT transmission (car jerking, noise, jerking when changing gears, the gearbox going into emergency mode), talk to friends/acquaintances who have experience owning a car with a continuously variable transmission. Perhaps, just like you, they encountered problems with the functioning of the transmission and were able to find a competent specialist. It is very important that the contractor uses original repair kits and spare parts. The quality of the repair will determine the stability of both the engine and the gearbox. Next, we will highlight reviews from car owners who learned from personal experience what the service life of the Toyota Rav4 CVT is.

Toyota RAV4 CVT Aisin

1. Valentin, Moscow. Good afternoon I have owned a Japanese crossover since 2013. I purchased a Toyota Rav4 with a two-liter gasoline engine and a CVT gearbox at a dealership. Overall, I consider the combination of gearbox and internal combustion engine to be successful. Due to the immediately available torque, the car quickly accelerates and instantly overcomes the 100 km/h mark. The build quality of the machine is at a high level. Today the mileage is already 120,000 kilometers. During this time, I changed the transmission oil 3 times. Personally, I set the optimal period for myself - 40,000 kilometers. I would change it more often, but financially it would be expensive. Although it is better to replace fluid and filters at such intervals rather than once every 60 thousand kilometers or more. The first time I changed the filter and oil at the dealer, after which I did the work myself. There are many instructions and videos on YouTube that clearly show the process. I strongly recommend installing only original filters, gaskets, seals and other consumables.
2. Sergey, Magnitogorsk. Before buying a CVT version of a car, analyze the prices for transmission maintenance and repair so that you don’t grab your head later. I often hear from car owners who have never driven such cars before that repairing CVT transmissions costs a fabulous 100, 150 thousand rubles. This is absolutely not true. The final cost is calculated based on the cost of the service plus the purchase of spare parts and a repair kit. In most services, the cost of a repair service is about 10,000 rubles. Then everything depends on the severity of the breakdown and the high cost of the failed gearbox components. On my Toyota RAV4 (all-wheel drive, 2.0, 146 horsepower) produced in 2014 with 150,000 kilometers, the torque converter has already been replaced. I did not warm up the car with the gearbox before driving - this is the main reason for the breakdown, as I was later told at the service center. In total, the repairs cost 60,000 rubles.
3. Kirill, Krasnodar. The main signs of a faulty variator condition: the variator kicks, the car jerks, the box goes into emergency mode. These and other symptoms of a problem must be responded to immediately. Delay may result in significant subsequent repair costs. I once encountered some symptoms of CVT failure, but managed to avoid serious costs. I have a 2011 Toyota Rav4 (mileage 178,000 kilometers), I changed the oil every 50 thousand km along with filters and other consumables. Recently I have reduced the replacement interval to 30 thousand km. This was the only way to return the variator to normal operation. If your car begins to behave inappropriately, first of all, replace the ATF and filters, and only then look for a repairman. Often, just one replacement of an already exhausted ATF solves all problems. Also, do not forget to clean the magnets that are installed in the tray assembly. They catch metal shavings and prevent them from penetrating into the oil passages. If you don’t clean the magnets, shavings can get into the “donut” and then the box is finished.
4. Vyacheslav, Tyumen. Last year I purchased a Toyota Rav4 with a CVT gearbox. The car was produced in 2021, I took it new from the showroom. The mileage is only 15,000 kilometers, I don’t drive as much as I would like. I note that the gas pedal is extremely sensitive to pressure. You start to stall if you give a little more gas at a traffic light than you should. Overall, the transmission and engine take some time to get used to. I only drove it one winter, I can say that the car is a little capricious in difficult conditions. In ice or slush it is quite difficult to move smoothly. It may well be that I simply have not yet been able to fully adapt to the car and switch from a manual transmission.
5. Egor, Krasnoyarsk. The brand of variator on my car is Aisin K111F - all-wheel drive version with a two-liter power unit. I think that the service life of the unit is hundreds of thousands of kilometers. I personally saw a car with CVT that traveled about 400 thousand km without a single serious transmission failure. Of course, you cannot do without replacing the metal belt or bearings, but with proper care you can significantly extend their service life. I only use Toyota CVT Fluid TC/FE oil and install original filters - this is very important if you want the transmission to be able to fully develop the potential set by the manufacturer. The metal variator filter (the one with coarse cleaning) can be washed once and put in place. Although experts recommend replacing it with a new original copy every time the transmission fluid is changed. The paper cleaning element (fine cleaning) needs to be changed every time - there is nothing to discuss here. It's inexpensive. Only pour oil into the variator recommended by the manufacturer!
6. Maxim, Taganrog. Before buying the Rav4, I, like many other potential buyers, was primarily concerned with the question of how long the CVT on the Toyota Rav4 lasts. After talking with my acquaintances and friends who are well versed in modern cars, I came to the conclusion that this is a fairly reliable unit, which certainly belongs to the automotive future. The variator itself, as I understand it, was invented a long time ago, but the actuators for it were developed quite recently. Much can still be improved in the continuously variable transmission, but now it can already be called reliable and durable to some extent. If you prefer quiet trips in the city and don’t like racing from traffic light to traffic light, then you have nothing to fear at all. Listen to the operation of the gearbox: noises, metallic clicking and grinding noises should alert you. So far I'm completely happy with the car. I like how quiet the transmission is and am also pleased with the low fuel consumption.

The variator will not cause serious problems if you do not try to deliberately “kill” it. The box does not like slipping in snow or mud, and will not “survive” the load in the form of an additional trailer. That is, we actually get that the Toyota RAV4 2.0 with a continuously variable transmission is an obedient compact city crossover. If you approach maintenance responsibly and don’t forget to change the ATF fluid at least once every 40-50 thousand km along with filters, there will be no serious problems with the car’s transmission. The final resource of the Toyota Rav4 CVT still remains a big question, because the car arrived on the Russian market relatively recently. No one has yet collected statistics, so it will be possible to talk about a reliable figure only in a few years. But it is already clear that boxes from Aisin are quite reliable and durable - 400 thousand km is a conquered peak for them.

How to extend the life of an automatic transmission?

Operation of the Toyota Rav 4 automatic transmission must meet certain requirements.

The cost and timing of major repairs can be daunting, so information about the causes of premature wear of transmission parts will be useful.

The Rav 4 automatic transmission will last longer if :

1. In cold weather, the transmission oil will warm up before driving. For reliability, you can switch gears from drive to reverse. It is also not worth accelerating and skidding.
2. Check the oil at least twice a year ; for used cars, emphasis should be placed on this. Dirt (due to a clogged fine oil filter) leads to wear on the bushings, disrupts the operation of the valve body valves and affects other components.
3. Do not allow transmission fluid to overheat. The wear of friction clutches and seals will increase when the permissible temperature range is exceeded. For Rav 4 crossovers with high mileage, it is worth installing an additional cooling radiator. Overheating is caused by the use of low-quality oil, prolonged slipping, and infrequent lubricant changes.
4. Operate the machine without excessive loads - overloading and towing heavy vehicles. A Rav 4 loaded to the limit in hot weather will destroy the machine faster. Increased speed also has a detrimental effect on the service life of the automatic transmission. If the manufacturer allows towing, it must meet the requirements.

Automatic transmission oil filter
If problems are detected that indicate wear on the Rav 4 automatic transmission, you need to prepare for an inspection of the unit (possibly a major overhaul). Dirty oil, leaking oil seals, traces of metal friction in the pan are characteristic signs of wear.