vivaro gearbox problems

Car manufacturers use the same drivetrain across different vehicles. Not all gearboxes can withstand the load when placed in vans and SUVs. I experienced this recently.

Stock noise from the gearbox!

A sound reminiscent of the centrifuge at home or when the hard drive on your PC is dying. There is often a bit of noise from French gearboxes, but not like this! As you know, the Opel Vivaro is based on the Renault Trafic. Same car as the Nissan NV300 and Fiat Talento, although the Vivaro is manufactured in Luton, not France.

Well-known problem

It is about the manual 6-speed gearbox for the Opel Vivaro A and B (PK6/PF6). I found the website of a British company that repairs gearboxes on behalf of dealers. They say that both Vivaro A and Vivaro B can have problems with bearing noise in sixth gear, as well as eventually problems with getting into third and fourth gear. According to the website, the same gearbox is used in both series of Vivaro, although some changes have been made for the Vivaro B. Despite this, they are now receiving damage to gearboxes in cars with very low mileage, - from as little as 22 miles. It may seem that Renault has only made a half-hearted attempt to fix a known fault.

The website I refer to recommends owners change the transmission oil at every service. Their pictures can send a chill down the spine of even the most seasoned car owner.

Gearbox faults – Renault Trafic/Master, Vauxhall Vivaro/Movano, Nissan Primastar

Not dimensioned for the van's total weight

The Vivaro I recently drove was barely two years old with just over 42 km on the odometer and had a stock noise in sixth gear. How is it possible for components in the gearbox to wear out so early? The torque of the 000 CDTI engine is "only" 1,6 Nm, so the gearbox should be able to handle it. I am therefore guessing that the gearbox breaks down because it is not sized for the van's weight - own weight with driver 1758 kg - total weight 2920 kg.

Volvo's first SUV suffered the same fate

Volvo already had the XC70, based on the V70. The drivetrain was made for a tall SUV - one thought. The problem was that the gearbox was not sized for the heavier XC90. I know an owner of an XC90 with a manual gearbox. He had to change the gearbox 3 times before he traded in the car. Fortunately, everything went under warranty. Many have had similar experiences with the XC90. Here, not only were the gearboxes undersized, but also other components in the steering and undercarriage. If you are looking for a used XC90 mk1, you should buy one that is as new as possible.

Unknown extent

Gearbox problems in the Vivaro and its sister models are well known, especially in the first production series – the one with the 1,9 liter turbodiesel engine. That the problems also appear in the current model is worrying, but undersized gearboxes need not be equally critical for everyone. For example, if you drive a Vivaro with a light interior, for example as a service car, the gearbox can hold up well compared to a car that is used to transport heavy objects and tow trailers. The engine in the Vivaro B, 1,6 liter biturbo CDTI, is nothing to complain about. It is very responsive for being a diesel. Here you get both the tenacity and economy of the diesel engine, as well as the responsiveness of a petrol engine.

Vivaro C is here soon

The collaboration between Opel and Renault ends. The new Opel Vivaro C is here immediately. It is announced to go on sale in Germany in February 2019. Like its predecessor, it will be manufactured in Luton and sold as Opel and Vauxhall. Apart from the grille, it is 100% based on the Peugeot Expert and Citroën Jumpy, as well as the Toyota ProAce that I drove last week. In 2020, the Vivaro will be available with an electric motor. In time, the current 2-litre BlueHDI engine will probably also be scaled down. Then we can only hope that PSA/Opel provides gearboxes that can withstand the load.