[PiyushD]

@Parag
It's a wonderful thread that you have maintained. Just wanted to check for the steering control DIY. Is it coming?

P.S. - looking to emulate the DIY on my swift.

[paragsachania]

Gearbox Synchronizer issue surfaces for the first time @ 97,000 kms!

So, this issue finally crops up in my Ertiga at 97,000 kms & yes, out of extended warranty!

Off late, shifting from 3rd to 2nd was abnormally difficult and was infrequent without any particular pattern. The car would hesitate to engage to 2nd from 3rd only.

The only work around was double clutching or fooling the system by trying to slot in 1st or 3rd and slot to 2nd and that would work all the times.

The biggest challenge here was because this issue was infrequent and intermittent - Usually as a driver I would be under the impression that it will slot to 2nd without any issues and it does but at times it doesn't. So one cannot really ascertain this and plan the work around and end up losing momentum and then give rest of the tailing traffic a hard time. Luckily, it hasn't been the case so far and whenever this has happened, tailing traffic was either far away in my IRVM or there was none at all.

Simplest of use case would be when approaching a speed breaker and you drop from 3rd to 2nd in city traffic or even when turning at intersections at slower than 20 kmph speeds.

The symptom clearly hints at the Synchronizer Ring failure and the solution is to replace the Ring between 3rd and 2nd Gear.

However, for "complete satisfaction" replacing the clutch plate and the cover assembly is also advised to ensure:

• The issue doesn't resurface due to worn out clutch
• You anyway pay for that labor to replace the ring and as well get the clutch replaced within that labor

The clutch on my Ertiga is stock at 97k and has zero signs of any juddering or hardness even now. In reality, it will pain to replace it for no reason when it would have easily lasted another 30k kms without any issues.

The plan is to get this replaced this week as I am heading out to ghats in next couple of weeks and you really don't want the 2nd gear not to engage when climbing that hairpin!

Ownership update:
Nothing but usual to update that the Odo keeps ticking. Few long drives planned this month and hopefully that should take it to the 1L mark. Barring the latest issue with the Gear Synchronizer, there are no other remarks to refer.

Major replacement soon would be the tires. The tread wear so far hints another good 8-10k kms but this was the case even when I gave the 90k update too .

[vinodv001]

Is this a common failure area in Ertiga; I had the exactly same issue at 59,000 Kms, Luckily the extended warranty is valid till August 2016. Got the synchro ring and clutch replaced in extended warranty.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Gearbox Synchronizer issue surfaces for the first time @ 97,000 kms!

So, this issue finally crops up in my Ertiga at 97,000 kms & yes, out of extended warranty!

Off late, shifting from 3rd to 2nd was abnormally difficult and was infrequent without any particular pattern. The car would hesitate to engage to 2nd from 3rd only.

The only work around was double clutching or fooling the system by trying to slot in 1st or 3rd and slot to 2nd and that would work all the times.

.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vinodv001

Is this a common failure area in Ertiga;

It is indeed and not just limited to the Ertiga but Swift and Dzire too.

A separate thread on this already exists where I updated too.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Gearbox Synchronizer issue surfaces for the first time @ 97,000 kms!

So, this issue finally crops up in my Ertiga at 97,000 kms & yes, out of extended warranty!

Write to Maruti and request for a goodwill warranty as this a known problem. Hope they do give goodwill warranty. It is a good idea to change the clutch too, as unmounting the gearbox again is a not good idea and as the labour would be covered in this synchronizer issue fix.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

Write to Maruti and request for a goodwill warranty as this a known problem. Hope they do give goodwill warranty. It is a good idea to change the clutch too, as unmounting the gearbox again is a not good idea and as the labour would be covered in this synchronizer issue fix.

Thanks Krishna, I plan to do the same and regarding clutch replacement, I echo the same thoughts. Better to replace it when the Gearbox will be unmounted anyway and you are paying the labor for it that you would otherwise pay later for replacing the clutch alone.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Thanks Krishna, I plan to do the same and regarding clutch replacement, I echo the same thoughts. Better to replace it when the Gearbox will be unmounted anyway and you are paying the labor for it that you would otherwise pay later for replacing the clutch alone.

Why should you be paying the labour for unmounting the gearbox when something is being fixed under warranty. I wont be surprised if the part cost is lower than the labour cost. Get the costlier one waived off in case they dont want to bear the full cost for fixing the issue.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

Why should you be paying the labour for unmounting the gearbox when something is being fixed under warranty. I wont be surprised if the part cost is lower than the labour cost. Get the costlier one waived off in case they dont want to bear the full cost for fixing the issue.

Well, the problem is its a Maruti. Extended Warranty ends at 80,000 kms and mine is on 97,000 .

Else, whenever they have covered this under warranty (for other cases that I know here and outside the forum), they never paid a penny.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Gearbox Synchronizer issue surfaces for the first time @ 97,000 kms!

So, this issue finally crops up in my Ertiga at 97,000 kms & yes, out of extended warranty!

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

... and mine is on 97,000 .

If I am not wrong, your average running is more than 100 KMs per day. There must be some days when you do not drive at all, so what do you do and how do you manage such long driving hours? (It must be 3+ hours on the road every day)

[paragsachania]

Couple of updates that I missed since my last one that would do justice to "Long Term ownership review":

1. Periodic service at 94,000 kms

At 94,000 on the ODO I had got the 9th Periodic Service done at the Maruti ASC. This was because the previous service was at 82,000 and then I had driven to Goa and Mangalore in the interim that made the Odo climb up to 94K.

Following were the replacements carried out as part of this service:

• Mud Flap - Front left hand side (went over a dead dog)
• Oil Seperator Hose (Lighter signs of oil traces)
• Air Cleaner
• Engine Oil filter
• Front suspension strut bush kits - Both sides
• Engine Oil

Post replacement of strut bush kits, the ride got better while the steering felt even more smoother than before.

2. Update on the Synchronizer Ring Issue:

Last Friday I went ahead and got the job attended as couple of drives were coming up and I didn't want to "Live" with a crucial issue like this. As part of the job, following elements were replaced:

• Synchronizer rings - 2 Nos (1<->2 Gears, 2<->3 Gears) - 1449/- *2
• Flywheel - 1751/-
• Clutch Plate - 1600/-
• Clutch Plate cover assembly - 1096/-
• Clutch slave cylinder - 2739/-
• Oil Seals & Gaskets - 500/-
• Brake Fluid - 327/-
• Gear/Transmission Oil - 887/-

The major labor charges:

• Unmount/Mount the gearbox - 1350/-
• Replacing the Sync Rings in the Gearbox - 2200/-

The stock clutch had very little signs of ageing at 96000 kms. Since the clutch was replaced, I was finicky about ignoring the flywheel and the slave cylinder and went ahead and replaced the same during this job so that everything related to Gearbox and clutch got complete attention since the car had run considerable kilometers now that I didn't want the flywheel or the Slave cylinder to cause issues later.

3. Post synchronizer rings replacement:

I may have already clocked around 1000 kms after this was replaced last week along a single day 700 kms rainy drive 3 days back on Tuesday covering Coorg - Sakleshpur (Hassan) - Chikmagalur districts.

Had I pushed the replacement of these rings to a latter date, I am sure I would have got into tricky situations during many instances of this drive where there were multiple hair pins along with bad roads that demanded 2nd gear while negotiating the hair pins at much slower pace. I may have downshifted from 3rd to 2nd at least 50-60 times in this drive while managing certain terrains climbing up.

In a nutshell, the issue stands resolved now, completely! New clutch has made little difference except that during take off from stand still, I can make out its a new clutch because of the way it gain momentum. Apart from this, outright acceleration & smoothness of the Clutch pedal remain unchanged.

4. Few parting shots from the recent drive:

Here's a dashcam grab of one of the roads we traveled during this drive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xuphys5wuA

What Next?
The Odometer is little above 97,000 kms now and there is a 2000 kms Monsoon drive coming up next weekend. With my regular office errands and this drive, I am hoping that the 1L mark will reach either during our return leg or in next week after return during my office drives.

Update on Fog lamps:
I haven't replaced them as yet and awaiting delivery of a pair I ordered from Aliexpress. Would like to see how they can ideally be the replacement and act as DRLs rather than "Fog lights". Will update later as I install them.

[Herbie98]

I am eagerly waiting for the most popular Ertiga on t-bhp to reach the 100k km!

Infact i was always hoping that in your hands the Ertiga will never face the synchronizer issue, but sad to know that it gave up at 97k kms. Have been a silent reader of your thread, watching and waiting for every updates. Thank you for all details mentioned, it really gives a complete insight to long term ownership of Ertiga.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

If I am not wrong, your average running is more than 100 KMs per day.

I calculated after you posted this and it comes to around 97 kms per day .

However, My daily office runs aren't more than 70kms and then I don't really drive to work every day as I work from home few days in a week too.

Having said that, there is this constant itch to drive out almost every weekend and that continues!

There must be some days when you do not drive at all,

Oh yes, It happens many times that I don't crank the Ertiga for almost 5 days owing to work from home, weekends or extended weekends mainly because I don't drive anywhere on long weekends and use the WagonR for inter city commutes.

so what do you do and how do you manage such long driving hours? (It must be 3+ hours on the road every day)

Not really. It takes me around 50 minutes in the morning to reach work with a 0630 departure and max 75 minutes with a departure at 1500. So that's closely 2 hours on road.

If you ask me how does it feel or how do I manage - Well, 8 years now since I am driving the same circuit and I don't complain much but adjust to it either with flexi timings or practicing maximum patience.

Imagine this - I really can reach work at 0830AM too but I prefer to reach by 0730 as anything after this means I have to drive with office buses and TTs heading to EC and more than their presence, its their driving antics at that hour & the PDI (Public Display of Indiscipline) that irks me and I just avoid them.

Same is the case in case I am leaving later to 2100 hours too. I leave around a time that's 15 minutes before a "Round Figure". So I normally depart at 2045 or 2145 so that the office cabs would have still not left and I can drive peacefully.

Few things like these have always helped and will continue to do so. In fact, this is the same practice I follow whenever I am heading out of town too - I am never part of Rat race. I reach either a day before or later.

Originally Posted by Herbie98

I am eagerly waiting for the most popular Ertiga on t-bhp to reach the 100k km!

Not too far away now. Should happen within the next fortnight for sure.

Infact i was always hoping that in your hands the Ertiga will never face the synchronizer issue, but sad to know that it gave up at 97k kms.

Trust me I was equally confident whenever everyone asked and I responded in negative about my Ertiga facing this issue. More than the issue with the Sync Rings, I was helpless in replacing a good clutch that would have easily lasted another 30-40k kms in its present condition.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

In a nutshell, the issue stands resolved now, completely!

Good to know that your Ertiga is back on the road and munching miles

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...ordermaker.jpg
Is this taken near Surlabbi? Else please do share location as I plan to be driving between Sakleshpur - Somwarpet next weekend and can try to drive around to this place if possible.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by procrj

Good to know that your Ertiga is back on the road and munching miles

It was never stationary even with this issue as it was infrequent and inconsistent. My worry was driving with this issue in ghats. Gladly, all it took was 4 hours of work at the ASC to get it alright.

Is this taken near Surlabbi? Else please do share location as I plan to be driving between Sakleshpur - Somwarpet next weekend and can try to drive around to this place if possible.

Around Somwarpet - Sakleshpur region and at this point that is all I can say .

[fusionbang]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Couple of updates that I missed since my last one that would do justice to "Long Term ownership review":

Nice to know your car is back with all issue sorted and ready to target the next 1 lakh kms. Wish you many more such miles Parag bhai.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Around Somwarpet - Sakleshpur region and at this point that is all I can say .

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Coorg - Sakleshpur (Hassan) - Chikmagalur districts.

Now I get hold of some idea, as to where will this meet happen Hopefully I get through the registration