Lada Granta automatic - chic car magic or?.. Review with description and reviews

Cars with automatic transmission are no longer a luxury, but a common means of transportation. For Lada Granta cars with an automatic transmission, owner reviews vary greatly. Some give positive reviews and characterize the Granta machine from the most favorable positions. Others are categorically against the innovations introduced into this car.

We would like to offer you our view on this issue - in the form of a short review-description of various aspects of not only owning this car, but also its operation - including the reviews of our clients who chose the Lada Granta as a rental car. By the way, it is the long-term rental of a Lada Granta automatic, as it seems to us, that will allow you to take a closer look at the car and make a more informed decision than any short-term test drive.

Automatic transmission Lada Granta

It took the AvtoVAZ plant more than one year to improve its automatic transmission products to an ideal level. The manufacturer produced cars with this configuration, since it was not possible to obtain a product that could please all consumers with its qualities.

The reliability of automatic transmissions has been actively tested by consumers since 2013. This year marks the peak of car sales.

At the same time, we would like to note that AvtoVAZ itself does not yet produce automatic transmissions of its own production. And transmissions from other manufacturers in most cases did not fit the car body. Therefore, a global search for suppliers was undertaken. And as a result, the auto company entered into an agreement with the Japanese company Jatco . Nissan car manufacturers .

Advantages and some nuances

Reviews of the Lada Granta show all its advantages compared to its predecessor, the Kalina:

• The gear shift lever is located at a convenient distance from the driver's hand,
• The mode transitions themselves are smooth and soft.

Particular attention during testing was paid to sudden or involuntary switching into reverse gear. The car reacted to this “with intelligence.” At first there was a soft and gradual braking, and then a transition to reverse driving mode. At the same time, all mechanisms remained without damage and the transmission worked like new.

In general, positive reviews - not only from owners of new cars, but also from our customers - prevail.

And, of course, the manufacturer assures (and we, for our part, can confirm this) that automatic transmission failure rates should be minimally low.

However, some negative reviews from owners of the Grant automatic primarily related to the additional noise that appears after several months of using the car.

For example, on the Internet we found a very indicative story in this sense:

Story No. 1

One of the owners of a Lada Granta with an automatic transmission purchased his car in mid-2013. He made his choice after long periods of reflection and analysis of various offers on the market. He liked the Lada Granta automatic model more than others because of the mass of innovations introduced and, especially, because of the transmission. The purchased car (itself a new product) did not remain with the owner in the same 2013 without new things. Additionally installed:

• complete sound insulation;
• expensive music and video equipment;
• expensive tires and wheels (for a winter-summer set).

Accordingly, a lot of money was invested. Therefore, a few months later, having discovered periodic noticeable vibration when switching to drive mode in a traffic jam, the car owner went to the service department for help and clarification.

The initial assistance provided brought results - the car stopped making vibration noise.

But an unpleasant aftertaste remained from the fact that the factory assembly required such rapid intervention.

Options

The automatic transmission is available only in the “Norma” and “Lux” trim levels. And this fact could not but be reflected in the interior design. For example, for the “Norma” modification, there are two airbags - one for the driver, the other for the passenger. For the “Norma” and “Lux” modifications, almost all categories in the Comfort section are open, which cannot be said about the “Standard” configuration. The owner of the “Lux” package will be grateful to the manufacturers for:

• possibility of adjusting the steering wheel height;
• power steering;
• front and rear window lifters (the latter are not available in the “Norma” configuration);
• fuel tank lock;
• climate system.

Gasoline consumption on automatic and manual

In our review, we cannot help but touch upon such an aspect of operating the Lada Granta automatic as its fairly high gas consumption. The average consumption is 12 liters - with 8.5 liters declared by the manufacturer in the urban cycle.

But you should not forget that an automatic transmission always consumes more fuel, and the quality of domestic roads “guarantees” rapid wear and tear of the engine and its resources.

Therefore, for those of our clients who are focused on maximum fuel cost savings during their trips, we recommend renting a Lada Granta with a manual transmission:

1. Lada Granta
2. Lada Granta+

Acceleration to 100

The slight difference in speed gain when accelerating to 100 kilometers per hour is almost imperceptible with manual transmissions and automatic transmissions.

• The mechanics cover this distance in time in 11.6 seconds,
• and automatic – in 13.5 seconds.

However, such a difference will not be noticeable when overtaking a car on the track, but to participate in races you will still need to “pump the engine,” so 2 seconds is not a barrier to refusing to purchase an automatic.

Control unit for "Grant" automatic

The Granta automatic transmission control unit is an electronic computing device. It controls the operation of the automatic transmission. The part controls the speed of the car and the load on the power unit. It prevents the transmission from shifting to higher gears at low speeds and to low gears when driving fast. This eliminates increased load and damage to engine components. The brains of the Lada Granta automatic transmission regulate the operating mode of the machine based on information received from sensors. The system also records data from switches and some other devices.

Granta automatic transmission control unit

The correct operation of the controller depends on the condition of the mechanical elements, firmware and fuse functionality. The fuses on the Granta-automatic are located in the mounting block. It is located under a cover on the car's dashboard near the driver's left foot.

To find the fuse responsible for the operation of the Grant automatic transmission, you need to open the fuse box of the Grant automatic transmission in the passenger compartment. The required element is numbered F5. You can find it using the diagram in the car's operating manual.

Also, malfunctions in the operation of the machine are often due to the fact that the brains of the Lada Grant automatic transmission are faulty. Violations in the ECU lead to improper functioning of the transmission. At the same time, the firmware of the unit fails infrequently, but mainly the mechanical part, that is, the part itself, suffers.

Where are the “brains” of the automatic transmission on the Lada Granta?

The brains of the Lada Granta with automatic transmission are installed above the front fender liner of the car on the left side. They are a small box with wires coming from it. Finding the Granta automatic transmission control unit is not difficult. It is enough to remove the wheel and fender liner.

Disadvantages of location

The part does not have any additional protection. It is located in a place where road dust, dirt, and moisture can constantly enter. Therefore, the Granta automatic transmission control unit is poorly located.

Often he suffers during a traffic accident. Especially if the impact hit the left front part of the car. Sometimes the automatic transmission lock on the Lada Grant can work even with a slight impact. In addition, irreversible damage to the unit is possible.

It’s good if the problem turns out to be minor, and you can unlock the box by pressing a special button. It is located under the decorative cover near the transmission selector in the cabin. By the way, manually shifting the automatic transmission to the neutral position may be required when the car is de-energized and in some other cases.

How to fix the situation

In case of mechanical damage, the Lada Granta automatic transmission control unit cannot be repaired. In this case, it needs to be replaced. And this is an expensive pleasure associated with the purchase of a device, installation and firmware.

Repair and replacement of the control unit

Therefore, many owners of this domestic car are thinking about how to protect the Granta automatic transmission control unit from water and dirt, as well as impacts. The right solution is to move it to another, safer place.

Some car enthusiasts suggest installing the unit in the cabin. But this is due to the build-up of wiring. After this, various failures in its further work cannot be ruled out. Therefore, this solution is not the best.

Brake system

Some complaints from owners of early production (before 2014-2015) of the car were caused by the brake system in this car. The brake pedal was a little stiff and was also “uninformative.” Regardless of the force of pressing the pedal, the reaction speed remained almost the same. At the same time, the pads did not work immediately, so the braking system requires a long time to get used to. Collective appeals reached the manufacturer’s company, and in 2014, at a press conference, the leading tester of the Lada Kalina project, Alexander Teryanov, said that work on adjusting the brake system did not stop. By the way, the work was planned on a fairly large scale:

• increasing the service brake on the front brake mechanism;
• selection of the best brake booster characteristics;
• selection of the best characteristics of the main brake cylinder.

Renault specialists joined this process and set themselves the task of improving the car’s maneuverability and smooth ride of the Kalina and Grant family of cars.

Instructions for diagnosing the Lada Granta via OBD2 connector with your own hands via a laptop or smartphone

Determine where the OBD2 connector is located

Determine which scanner is suitable for your car

The selection of a scanner (adapter) for LADA GRANTA depends on the ECU model, as well as the needs of the diagnostician / car owner.

To select diagnostic equipment, use the calculator: “Selecting a scanner for the Lada Granta”

Download the diagnostic program for the scanner

The diagnostic adapter requires software that can be installed on a laptop or smartphone/tablet. Auto scanners with their own software shell and display do not require software.

To select a program for the adapter, go to the section: “Programs”

Use the instructions and carry out diagnostics

When you purchase an adapter, instructions are included with the adapter. More detailed instructions on diagnostic car scanners and descriptions of their operation are posted in the section: “OBD2 car scanner reviews”

Identify errors and decipher them

Error codes and their interpretation are displayed in the scanner program interface. You can also study the complete database of errors for your car in the section: “OBD2 error codes for Lada Granta”

Make repairs according to the error code

The unit is repaired according to the decoding of the error (problem) or contact a car service to eliminate a particular malfunction.

Check errors again

Scan Tool Pro - budget multiscanner for LADA GRANTA

A good choice for a novice diagnostician

Nowadays there are scanner models with different versions of firmware and chips on sale. Scan Tool Pro with firmware 2021 is the most stable version so far, and also has maximum compatibility with cars manufactured since 2001, including LADA and VAZ.

By following the link on the right you can get acquainted with the scanner for autodiagnostics “Scan Tool Pro”. This is an official dealer website that provides a 12 month warranty.

Modernization

Gradually the car underwent improvements.

By 2014, the company began using a new fluid for shock absorbers, which should provide better performance and increase their service life. In parallel with this, work was carried out to introduce new NAK oil seals into shock absorbers.

Renault specialists, who support this project and actively participate in it, proposed changing the characteristics of the shock absorbers, as well as modifying the rear suspension.

In 2014, special attention was paid to the operation of the hydraulic booster and its so-called information content, especially in the near-zero zone. This will ensure a soft and even ride of the car when turning and eliminate jerking.

Disadvantages and methods for eliminating them

As with most VAZ models, one of the main disadvantages of the car is its noise inside the cabin . After a few months, the driver or passenger seat may begin to squeak. And after another couple of months, the dashboard or door trim may begin to make various hissing, rustling sounds. And this, of course, with complete sound insulation.

The car is very noisy on rough roads. It's especially loud for rear passengers, as they are closest to the noisy seat belt reel. In 2014, manufacturers promised to eliminate this deficiency. For this purpose, silent coils were ordered from the foreign company Takata. But such reels are often used only in the “Lux” package, since their cost clearly goes beyond the average set.

You can also often hear noises from the air conditioning compressor belt. In order to avoid this situation, you need to carry out maintenance of the air conditioner more often than required. There are often complaints about the appearance of a “chip” or “check” signal, which indicates a malfunction of the indicator system. Simply replacing the sensor can solve the problem.

There are many complaints about door seals. There is a joke among drivers that there is a “dust man” living inside the car who endlessly sprinkles dust. Getting rid of this problem is quite easy. One has only to install the seals from the Lada Kalina car, they fit and serve as an excellent barrier to dust.

And also, you should not skip scheduled technical inspections, which may reveal other deficiencies due to the fault of roads and wear of spare parts.