Not so long ago, AvtoVAZ manufacturers released an improved Lada-Kalina automatic. In principle, the robotic box is the main modified unit. Only variants with a 1.6-liter power unit with a capacity of 98 “horses” are equipped with such a transmission. In terms of body style, the choice will be somewhat wider: hatchback or station wagon. Let's consider the features of this car, its characteristics, owner reviews, as well as behavior on the road.
Characteristics
Before purchasing a Lada-Kalina automatic, do not forget to familiarize yourself with the nuances of its design. Firstly, due to the different configurations of the main unit of a manual and robotic transmission, the automatic transmission will take up much more space. This was reflected in the ground clearance, which decreased by 20 mm compared to its analogue with the usual “mechanics”. Secondly, on the modification under consideration the pan is not made of steel, but of an aluminum alloy. When hitting an uneven road, the steel part will simply be scratched or receive a small dent.
The aluminum pan can burst even from a slight mechanical impact, leaving the motor unprotected. In addition, if the impact is significant, the engine may be damaged immediately. After purchasing the car in question, experts strongly recommend replacing the pan with a more durable version. By spending a small amount, you will insure yourself against expensive repairs or replacement of the power plant.
Automatic transmission parameters
The Lada-Kalina 2 car is equipped with an automatic transmission from Japanese (Jatco). Let's try to compare this part with a mechanical analogue, identifying all the existing pros and cons.
For example, the acceleration rate of the “robot” slowed down to 13.7 seconds/100 km. The manual transmission is a little faster – 11.2 or 12.4 seconds to “hundreds”, depending on engine power. It is worth noting that in the city such a difference will not be noticeable, but on the highway it will be completely absent.
The fuel consumption of the Lada-Kalina automatic was 7.8 liters, and in the city it was about 10 liters per 100 km. At the same time, the mechanical analogue “eats” 7 l/100 km (with an eight-valve 87-horsepower engine). A more powerful modification with 106 “horses” consumes 6.7 l/100 km. However, you should not make rash and hasty negative conclusions in the direction of automatic transmission. It is worth considering that with a manual transmission it is necessary to make an effort and spend time activating the clutch pedal and engaging the gear. Since this is not required on an automatic transmission, the starting acceleration is practically equalized.
"Lada-Kalina" automatic: reviews
Owners of the car in question note a number of shortcomings that are most often encountered when operating this model. This includes:
- Directly gearbox. The very inclusion of speeds does not cause any particular complaints; the lever confidently falls into place in any mode. However, installing the handle in an intermediate position is a challenge. For some reason these positions are not felt. In this regard, it is easy to miss them and the car will be “at speed” again.
- The brake and gas pedals are placed too close. When you click on one of them, you can easily hook the second element, even if not to the point of full activation, but this causes certain inconveniences.
In addition, owners of Lada-Kalina 2 have a problem with the Check Engine indicator flashing while driving. In this case, the vehicle behaves without any reaction to the signal. Experts advise solving the problem by removing the terminal for a few minutes. Most likely, the reason lies in a banal system error. Sometimes the light bulb turns off on its own after a certain time.
DIY replacement
If necessary, you can replace the automatic transmission yourself. To do this, you will need to stock up on the necessary tools, as well as purchase a new gearbox.
The sequence of actions for self-replacement is presented below:
- First of all, you will need to disconnect the terminals from the battery and open the hood completely.
- Next will be dismantling the oil filler cap. In addition, it is necessary to remove the damaged gearbox, loosen the fixing clamp and disconnect the sensors connected to it. You will also need to disconnect the intake pipe hose.
- The final action will be to replace the automatic transmission by installing the unit in place of the one that was dismantled. Additionally, lubricant is applied to the surface of the gearbox to increase the life of the parts included in the structure, and the front part of the car is reassembled in the reverse order.
As a rule, the cost of automatic transmission repair in Lada Kalina depends on what type of work will be carried out: partial or major. Undoubtedly, it is more profitable to repair a gearbox, since a new or used gearbox costs a lot of money.
Thus, the cost of a used automatic transmission varies from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles (taking into account delivery distance, etc.). The price of a new automatic transmission for the Lada Kalina ranges from 70,000-90,000 rubles.
"Lada-Kalina" automatic: test drive
The driver’s sensations when operating this car will largely depend on which car the person is changing from. If this is a VAZ “mechanics”, there will be positive emotions only from the fact that he will not need to pull the shift lever. In addition, he will not be bothered by the squealing of gears, which is less on an automatic machine due to processes optimized by the robot.
The driver will not be confused by the lack of “parking” and “drive” positions. Auto, the algorithm for turning on the engine is simple. Despite the absence of a recoil mechanism, this will not present any special problems, since the domestic “mechanics” do not have it either. But for a user who is accustomed to a foreign car with a classic automatic transmission, all these moments will not bring much joy.
Replacing wiring
Another problem that can lead to automatic transmission repair is the occurrence of faults in the wiring. Among the most common causes of such malfunctions are:
- Oxidation of contacts.
- Deterioration of wire insulation as a result of their damage.
- Broken wires or connecting clamps.
In any case, all causes can be corrected quite easily, especially if the location and extent of the breakdown is determined in a timely manner. Most repairs are carried out by professionals who are able to organize safe work with electrical wires. An attempt to eliminate the cause of the breakdown on your own, in the absence of proper knowledge, can only aggravate the situation and lead to a malfunction of any device, sensor or entire system.
What common?
The Lada-Kalina automatic is often criticized for the time it takes to change gears. This is not surprising, since the mechanism used is a real robot, and not of the highest quality.
When controlling the AMT, instead of a lever switch, a pair of actuators are introduced (for squeezing the clutch and changing gears). In addition, there is an electronic unit that was used on the G8 (with elements from German manufacturers). This unit turned out to be quite worthy of respect, as most experts agree.
We continue to compare AMT and automatic transmission
When choosing what is better for the Lada Kalina - an automatic or a robot, it is worth noting that the AMT version with five ranges has proven to be one of the most successful modifications. The robot functions more delicately than most Japanese or French counterparts. However, design features affect the noticeability of gear changes, which is most noticeable during active acceleration.
In comparison runs during test trials, it was clear that Kalina was a little faster than the model with an automatic transmission. True, this gap was only 0.2 tenths of a second, while acceleration with an automatic transmission was smoother and more pleasant to feel. The moment the gear is engaged on the Lada-Kalina, the automatic transmission is somewhat lubricated, which is due to the presence of oil operating in the transformer. AMT simply does not provide such a system.
Replacing the valve body
Finally, the last reason for the occurrence of problems during the operation of an automatic transmission may be a malfunction of the valve body. The problem may arise due to contaminants that accumulate during the operation of the vehicle. And the repair will consist of cleaning the valve body with special means.
Thus, the automatic transmission on the Lada Kalina is quite an effective, but at the same time, expensive unit, which will not only increase the cost of operating the vehicle, but will also cause dissatisfaction among the owners due to frequent breakdowns during improper operation of the car.
Interesting observations
One of the features of the test drive in question is that a girl who had previously driven an automatic was put behind the wheel of a modification with AMT. She immediately noticed several differences, namely:
- “Robot” is sharp at the start.
- It's noisier.
- There is no “creeping” transmission mode.
It is also worth noting the moments of switching, the inconvenience of which can only be detected during maximum acceleration and spurt. Since 99% of drivers do not have such a driving style, and it is only needed during testing, you can safely turn a blind eye to this.
How does the automatic transmission behave?
Many users note in their reviews that it makes no sense to get used to an outdated, albeit automatic, modification of the gearbox if it does not differ much in its operation from the AMT. But the Jatko box has a lot of advantages. Firstly, it shifts smoother, although slower than a modern AMT. Secondly, this is a completely imported unit. However, it is more expensive and requires an additional cooling system and original wheel drives during installation. For comparison: AMT consists of almost 80% domestic parts. As a result, the price of the Lada Kalina automatic increases by at least 25 thousand rubles.
The main problem with the Jatco automatic transmission is fuel consumption. In the city in the off-season, taking into account traffic jams, slipping, and frequent stops, the automatic transmission will “eat up” from 11.5 to 12.5 liters per hundred kilometers, depending on driving style. Under similar conditions, a car with AMT consumes about 8.5 l/100 km.
Problems that may arise when using automatic transmission
First of all, it should be noted that every 80 thousand kilometers it is necessary to replace the oil that maintains the functionality of the engine and gearbox components.
It is also recommended to overhaul the robotic gearbox after the car has traveled approximately 250-300 thousand km.
If you treat the operation of the vehicle negligently, without regularly inspecting the vehicle’s components and timely replacement of fluids, parts or devices, this can lead to rapid failure of the automatic transmission. As a result of such an attitude, the clutches will quickly burn out and the valve body responsible for the operation of the box will fail. Thus, further work will become impossible.
Tests on the track
The Lada-Kalina automatic station wagon was also tested directly on the track. The driver reset the readings and drove along the road where the above tests were carried out. Now he tried to make the most of it, overtook everyone he could, brake sharply in front of slow-moving cars, and sharply turned on the gas again. After such differences at the finish line, the fuel consumption figure was 8.5 liters per 100 kilometers. With absolutely identical behavior of the car with the “robot”, the same figure was a record 5.8 l/100 km.
It is worth noting that there is no significant difference in the price of maintenance between different transmissions. But it is noticeable when servicing 8 and 16 valve power units. In the second option, the first maintenance is not required at all, since there is no need to adjust the valves.
Another point that should be noted when testing Kalina with an automatic transmission is engine braking. Both cars were tested (AMT and automatic transmission). For long descents, the Jatko has fixed 2nd and 1st gears. But on the approaches to icy intersections I had to suffer quite a bit before finding the desired mode, and even then, thanks to ABS, EBD and other bells and whistles.
With an automatic transmission, getting into fixed gears in this situation is not the most pleasant test for the driver’s nervous system. With a robotic gearbox, everything is much simpler - you just need to move the lever to the “manual”, then pump it a couple of times, and the car is already driving in second, not fourth, speed.
Review of VAZ 21922-42-010 (2013)
Well, dear friends, as I understand it, I will be the first to tell about the new miracle of the Russian automobile industry live. True, the first report was published on the Kalinovodov’s profile website in a draft version with questions and answers, and now a thoughtful and detailed answer for a wider audience, so to speak, first-hand, from personal experience, and not what journalists write in their articles, in my opinion look completely fed up with cool cars and think that it costs less than 2 lyams to be complete crap, or read PR paid for by companies, for example, the most, in my opinion, stupid comparison of a Duster with a Chevy Niva (there is also such a car in the family), comrades, these are two perfect different cars...
So, on the 9th of this month, I became the owner of a white viburnum 2 of the penultimate configuration, which is what is available in real life (I really wanted one with ESP, but none of the dealers in Moscow had it in real life, although there was some kind of enticement over the phone). I must say that the choice of a Russian car was conscious, and outwardly, I was also drawn to the car, because the family desperately needed 2 cars, so the question was something up to 450,000 rubles. I myself am currently the owner of a one-year-old Chevrolet Captiva, but if it weren’t for the warranty repairs, which lasted for 2 weeks and put me in such conditions that without 2 cars I would be dead, because... runs are daily from 80 to 190 km per day, perhaps there would not have been a report. It was at this moment that I realized what country we finally live in and that repairing the car in the field and the availability of spare parts and their price (of course, the quality of spare parts is a pressing issue, but what to do) became a priority for me. I’ll say right away that this is simply a description of my personal feelings and observations. And I don’t care whether the car is worth the money or not (although in my opinion it is). In reality, I could afford a car that is an order of magnitude higher or higher, but the total calculation of future costs for insurance, taxes, maintenance, etc., especially that there is more than one car, allowed me to come to what I mostly drive now.
Choice.
Let's start in order, the primary criterion when buying a car was the presence of an automatic transmission, ABS and at least front airbags (I’ll make a reservation right away that buying a used or Chinese car is not our method, so the question doesn’t even come up, the rest (even Renault) is closer to 530 don't come). As a result of searching, the grand version came to mind, especially since I first saw it at the Moscow exhibition, well, nothing, I was already ready to part with a certain amount of money, but having learned from the Internet that dealers had finally received Kalina 2, I decided to go to the salon for the viewing. In the salon there were a bunch of grand cars of different styles, and in real life one luxury viburnum of icy color (by the way, a very nice color). After a short test drive as a passenger on the Kalina 2 and the Grande, I was more and more inclined towards the Kalina, I really liked the size, the interior trim and various bells and whistles that were previously not typical of Russian cars (the only thing that really unpleasantly surprised was the persistent rubbing in of different variants of the Grande, such as the You have three children, there’s a lot of space, a big trunk, and you can leave even now). As a result, a call to a friend, an hour later my wife arrives with a stroller (chassis, and a car seat on it) and, with the manager’s permission, a test load of the chassis, in the end you can even stuff a few bags from the supermarket. It’s also a battle test of how to sit in different places in front and behind. Result - it’s decided, we’ll buy this one (see the description of the configuration on the AvtoVAZ website), because I already have one 7-seater barn, but I wanted a small hatch for every day.
Purchase.
So, according to the manager of the car, there is white, red and black. I choose white. This is where the most interesting thing begins - we need extra work, I say thank you, in principle there is no need, in response - well, you understand, cars are poorly painted, etc., we still did anticorrosive for everything in the world + installed protection, so be kind 13000r anyway. And then trade began, as a result, the price of the car was 440 TR, additional extras were 28 TR, they included full anti-corrosion protection, floor mats, an alarm with auto start (by the way, the alarm is really expensive and good), as well as parking sensors. Well, let’s formalize it, because... The purchase of a car was unplanned, so I took out a certain amount on credit, and, by the way, the preferential lending program works at 10 percent in my case. By the way, insurance together with compulsory motor insurance cost 26,000 rubles, which is good news, including additional equipment.
Living together
Well, first of all, at the moment the mileage is already under 2000 km, and I must admit that I, who last drove my own Lada in 2005, am very happy for our automobile industry. It’s not that the car is wow, but it gives more and more pleasure from driving, given my consumer attitude towards the car.
I really liked the appearance, the car has become much more interesting than its ancestor, in front there is a face ala Volkswagen Polo, in the back it is also interesting, although there are minor changes, the car actually looks smaller than it later turns out to be inside.
Well, actually, let's start with the driver's seat and interior, the seat and steering wheel adjustments are Spartan, although with my height of 185 cm and weight of 105 kg, I calmly settled down with a large margin above my head and calmly, without resting my knees, I sit behind myself in the back. The seat is a little soft, but you can see that due to the weight, I’m sitting tightly, I even feel good lumbar support, I don’t go anywhere in turns, the 5th point doesn’t get tired, the seat is long enough, I compared it the other day with the old Viburnum, the seat there is really stiffer and less comfortable. The maximum mileage at a time is 250 km, I really don’t get tired while driving. The steering wheel here, of course, is AvtoVAZ as usual, the steering wheel itself is thick in grip, the optimal size, but the remaining flash around the edge is unpleasant, I think I’ll cover it with leather, it looks especially stupid compared to the type of leather automatic transmission lever. I would say the panel is interesting, it looks a lot like a Renault (which is understandable), but all the instruments are in place, within reach, the plastic is really hard, but it looks like a soft one. A good on-board computer with many parameters. I still don’t understand why though. We saved on the engine temperature sensor, there is none at all. The rest of the buttons and on/off are all within sight, no need to reach out and look anywhere. The touch-screen radio is well located, although without an SD, but it reads MP3 from SD and USB (more on that a little later).. Convenient Renault-type air duct knobs. It’s also comfortable to sit next to the driver’s seat, the interior is wide enough, my wife and I don’t elbow each other, for some reason the only seat is higher than the driver’s seat. It's surprisingly comfortable in the back, the tilt of the back is optimal in my opinion, the ceiling doesn't droop, there's no desire to slide down, size 44 legs fit freely at the bottom, the margin in the knees is exactly 5-7 cm. The passenger capacity test passed with a bang, there were 2 child seats in the back and one passenger in the middle, size 52, everyone enjoyed the ride. The trunk is still, in my opinion, too small, although it is convenient to load and the shape of the trunk is the best, there are no empty spaces, but still, if you take the car as one in the family, a station wagon is better. By the way, the seats fold out into a straight floor, which is very convenient and doesn’t stick anywhere.
So, let's go. The engine is a standard AvtoVAZ 98 hp, but that’s not the main thing, let’s start with the automatic. The automatic is no longer new to me, there is something to compare it with, so the work of the tandem between our engine and the Japanese gearbox is more and more impressive. At first there were incomprehensible noises and howling, within reason, then after 500 km they passed and now it’s babbling. The automatic switches very softly, almost imperceptibly, it reacts to kick down with some hesitation, although we must pay tribute, apparently we are getting used to each other, hesitation Less and less. The unit itself, in a calm driving manner, likes to engage high gears for any reason, but you quickly find a common language with it. From a standstill, if you press the slipper, the car goes quickly, but somehow lazily, and then wakes up, traffic light races are not for it, but On the highway it's a different matter. In general, I noticed that the automatic transmission loves 4000 rpm and above, here you really get the feeling of a kick in the ass and very playful acceleration. What I didn’t like is that if you’re driving calmly at 70-80 km per hour and need to overtake sharply, then there’s a slight hitch when kicking down and until 3,4000 rpm the acceleration is sluggish, and this must be taken into account when overtaking, but if you go over 100, then it’s a slipper to the floor and an instant pick-up somewhere up to 135, then 4 and we calmly reach 160, but if you put pressure on the slipper during a quiet ride after 140 and want to accelerate sharply, then wait for a slow increase in speed, and so 3rd gear rules. By the way, the automatic machine really knows how to brake on its own, you just don’t have to put pressure on the slipper, and if you’re moving up to 70 km per hour, you can safely turn it on no higher than 2 and you get additional engine braking. At first I didn’t use overdrive because... In fact, the button is located in a stupid way and it’s not comme il faut to reach for it every time, but then I got used to it and if I need engine braking or fast driving, I turn it on. Overall, this is an automatic machine, and I really recommend a machine with this automatic machine. In short, there is no shortage of dynamics, the car really drives at its best, I actually accelerated to 190 on the speedometer once, but I realized that the maximum comfortable speed at which the car goes like a glove is 160, then it’s possible and the desires no longer coincide. In general, you can safely drive a car quickly and have fun, naturally making allowances for the status of the car.
At first the consumption was 13, now it’s 8.5, and this is with the climate always on. I noticed that the instantaneous consumption at 160 is 10-10.5 liters.
Steering wheel, suspension and tires. The steering is comfortable, the car clearly follows where you point it, does not scour the road, but at first the slight hollowness in the center was somewhat annoying, but everything was resolved by replacing the tires. When sharply entering a turn, which is usual for front-wheel drive, there is a small, barely noticeable drift of the rear, but it is immediately corrected with gas, but again on the original tires. I would say the suspension is realistic for our roads, there has never been a breakdown, it is moderately elastic, it allows you to drive quickly at 160 comfortably and there is no feeling of flying through air pockets and the car does not jump like a hare on bumps, it does not wobble in ruts, it allows you to pass the police without straining at a reasonable speed, somewhat reminiscent of my Chevrolet. The tires from the factory are really noisy, of course, but you can drive, but they were replaced with Michelin ones due to an incomprehensible to me shot of the rear wheel at 120, by the way, the car was great, it drove rooted to the spot on the road until a characteristic knock made it clear what had happened. Bottom line - The car has become quieter, softer and now makes turns without skidding the rear axle. The ground clearance is normal when I looked at the car on a lift, the bottom is flat, the silencer is removed, so in reality the lowest point is protected, the suspension is simple, there is nothing fancy. I checked it by driving on the intersection, they will allow you to maintain a decent speed when braking in the pits, the car practically does not sag, it was protected only once, the geometric cross-country ability due to small overhangs and a short wheelbase is excellent, of course I didn’t mess it in the mud, so I won’t say anything here.
Comfort. I can’t say that the car is quiet, but it doesn’t put any pressure on my ears, although I still did the noise and vibration insulation of the front doors, the noise has become less, but comparisons with the Chevy need to be improved, maybe I’ll go broke completely. The engine begins to put pressure on the ears only after 130 and then within acceptable limits, and if the Mouzon is on, it is not noticeable at all, but at a speed of 140 you can speak without straining the ligaments. The interior does not creak or rattle now, at first the driver's seat creaked, lubricant and caress They solved the problem, and the front doors were also muttering, but the noise did its job. I really liked the way the climate works (it really evaluates solar activity and the temperature outside and inside, but it doesn’t change the flow), I set the car to on on the feet and on the glass and only adjust the temperature (I don’t even touch all the other modes), the car really works in the heat it quickly cooled down and the fan operation after 5-7 minutes of driving is no longer audible and it is dry and comfortable, the people in the back are very comfortable, in the rain, for example, all the windows are dry and do not sweat. In short, time will tell how the stove will perform in winter, but the condo is 5 points. Time will tell how the heater and windshield heating will work.
Brakes. Here, of course, there are comments, at first the brake pedal was really tight, now it’s noticeably lighter, it brakes perfectly, it doesn’t lead anywhere, it’s predictable, but the creaking of the front pads during slow braking when crawling in a traffic jam is already annoying, as I understand it, the problem is typical and is being solved replacing the pads, I'll change them one of these days. I tried a couple of sharp braking, well, what can I say, no worse than the Kia Rio of the previous generation, the meaning of the brakes was the same.
Music. Well, here AvtoVAZ is practically great. The head has a good sensor, everything works, video, flash drives, phone (really works, even the bastard downloads the phone book to himself or just lets you dial a number on the panel, sound quality is 3+, the only minus is the music volume and conversation volume at the same level, after a conversation you get a sound shock), however, all the potential is built on the old Windows 6.0, which gives its own disadvantages and limitations for video and photos. The sound, even with the crap that is in the doors, is not bad, but somewhere in the middle of the volume the speakers begin to rattle along with door and few high ones, here we had to apply handles, replacing the speakers with 2-way Herts and Shumka, the sound became clearer and richer, a scene appeared, although when turning up the radio's power to 75 percent, even these speakers can't stand it, although it really hurts the ears.. Radio reception excellent even 100 km from Moscow. It’s a pity there is no navigation, although if there are no traffic jams, then it will be of little use.
Some other features and points. When purchasing, I immediately changed the brushes to frameless ones, not like they came from the factory g... I just love these. But the back g... really doesn’t clean well, I’ll look for frameless ones. The new brushes clean well and without squeaks, but the volume of the tank has let us down, as I understand it, there are 3 liters, no more, and there is no alarm. The nozzles were basically fine, although they initially blew water anywhere, adjustment solved the problem. I noticed an interesting feature: in the rain at a speed of 90-110, when it was light, the water quickly runs away from the glass, I didn’t even turn on the wipers for a long time. And a small moment that I don’t understand, when the wipers work in the rain, the relay clicks, what is this, guru, explain, is this normal or should I just change it to an adjustable one with a pause, if it suits? Window lifters - there were some jokes here, the fact that they don’t go all the way down made me very happy, although for me they are only an option, everything is paid for by the climate. I was also pleased, in quotation marks, with the door opening system, at first only the driver’s, and the rest only through it, okay, I’ll get used to it, but the main thing is that even with an additional signal, this is the only way it can be implemented.
I would rate the light at 4+, I drove at night 100-110, it was comfortable even without high beams, I was pleased with the daytime running lights, I drive with them and don’t worry about the near daylight, they shine very brightly. The car can really be seen from afar..
Yes, there is a significant drawback, at the moment for the wife, unfortunately, the passenger airbag is not open, you won’t be able to carry the baby in the cradle in front, and if it’s stupidly turned off. connector, will it work later or will it give a stupid error that will need to be reset, that’s the question.
One final important point: when the ignition is turned off, the power consumers, lights, sidelights, everything that is plugged into the cigarette lighter (by the way, only 1, which is terribly inconvenient), and the radio are not turned off, so keep this in mind and check everything before disembarking. Otherwise, dancing with tambourines is guaranteed.
So, to summarize, I liked the car, of course there are problems, but in principle they can be solved. Compared to the previous generation, according to familiar potassium growers, the difference is more than noticeable. The price is still somewhere around the machine’s capabilities. In general, in my opinion, this will be an ideal women’s machine for its price. Well, then life will show what and how
Well, lovers and opponents of our auto industry, ask, but I’ll just say right away in response to the comments, you’re like, what the f…. I took it, I won’t even answer, this is my personal business and I hate someone’s inflated self-conceit, people, we have to be realistic, because... There is life beyond the Moscow Ring Road too.
