I just got a new 09 Corolla LE this weekend. After I drive it and park it in the garage, I notice a burnt smell from the outside front of the car that smells like burnt or melted plastic. I've open the hood and didn't see anything out of place.
Yes I smelt that burning smell for about 1000 - 1500 miles. I think it like the stickers and different other things burning off that are on like the muffler and headers pipes. i now have over 7000 miles and 5 months driving no smell and not other problem. (knock on wood)
Yes, we did go with the Honda Civic. Personally I would have waited because the 2009 Civic WILL have stability control and traction control, but my son needed a car this summer-so we did the deal. You might just wait until August to see exactly what the Civic will have--rumor also that it may include bluetooth.
We like our Civic--especially the color, royal blue pearl. It drives nice and smooth. Realistically it gets 26 mpg in town--we have never taken it on the highway for more than a couple of miles so I have no report on highway mpg, but most people on the Civic forum say 40mpg is easily attainable.
We did like the XLE Corolla, very nice car. My wife just preferred the Civic, color and styling.
Hope you find what you are looking for--I know the XLE's are few and far between in any color--we never did see a white one.
Our Civic EX was $19,100 including dealer handling. The XLE Corolla (w/nav) was going for about $19,900 at the time. The price of the Corolla was a little better considering the options.
Some people have complained about rear tire wear on the 2006-2007 Corolla due to a sway bar problem, but I am not sure if the problems extends to the 2008 model.
The Civics are getting pretty scarce here in Denver, especially EX auto and the price is going up a little. But as I am sure you are aware so are the Corolla's.
Thank you for asking about my purchase. Any other questions just let me know.
Thanks for getting back with me. I'm still considering both cars. I have a white/tan interior Civic coming into a dealer within the next 10 days that he is holding for me to take a better look at. I had mentioned to this dealer that I had heard online through bloggers that it is rumored the 2009 Civic would have stability and traction control. He took a day or two to get back with me and said, he spoke with three different sources (can't remember their titles, but his inventory guy, people like that) and they confirmed to him that there would be no stability, traction control or blue tooth in the 2009 Civics. So, I said I would take a look at the white/tan 2008 that he had coming in. Do you think he's lying to me to sell his inventory?
I've been test driving the Corollas too. They aren't as much fun to drive as the Civics, but they do have all the features that I would like when I hand it down to my daughter in two years.
We live in Michigan, so the roads can get pretty treacherous here with ice and snow as well. I did find a silver/grey XLE but it wasn't exciting to drive and the color was blah to my19 year old daughter. The white Corollla I drove a week ago wouldn't stay on the highway due to the touchy steering, so I turned that one down. The deals aren't that great because of supply and demand, but the financing they are offering this month on both vehicles here is creating an urgency in me to make a decision this month.
So, I'm wondering, what are your sources that make you think the Civic will have these updated features like bluetooth and stability and traction control, if the dealers haven't heard anything? I can't find anything on Honda.com.
I can understand your viewpoint concerning the low interest rates currently available. We had those same concerns when we looked at the Corolla, however the rates have stayed the same since the 2009 Corolla first debuted. Who knows about the future.
As far as sources regarding the confirmation of VSC for the Honda, I have no concrete evidence only conjecture. It is mandated by the Feds by 2010, so Honda may jump the gun and introduce it this year. The salesman would NEVER tell you something positive about the new model if he ever thought it would hinder a sale today. In reality they probably do not even know themselves.
Very hard decision--I mentioned the VSC to my sales rep when we bought the Civic and he just muttered that we have done without it for this long--why worry about it. That is like saying we did not have seat belts in the 40's so no need today.
Hope you get the car you like and it suits your needs.
I have approximately 3,500 miles on my 2009 Corolla S. Every time I check the oil, I'm not sure if it's just the way the dipstick is or what, but it seems like there just isn't any oil in the car!
I'm also getting a very annoying vibration in the steering wheel, especially when driving on the highway.
Oil: The oil that Toyota uses is almost colorless, and with the lack of emission pollution these days, it takes a long time for the oil to start to get dark. That said, take out the dipstick, wipe it dry completely, reinsert it, and then pull it out and move the thing around in the light....you should see the wetness on the end that distinguishes the oil level from the drier part of the dipstick that hasn't touched the oil. And keep in mind this has to be done with the car on level ground, or the whole exercise is meaningless.
Note: if you really believed the oil level was below the level of the dipstick, it's already too late - the engine would be ruined. That would have manifested itself with very high coolant temps, and other symptoms that would be obvious.
Vibration: There are two things that will cause your problem - wheel balance, and/or tire/wheel runout. [Runout refers to the amount the tire and wheel combination deviates from perfection in two planes - roundness and straightness. Out-or-round tires are not unusual, I'm sorry to say.] A good tire shop with a road-force balancer can easily measure the problem and fix it. It's possible one of your front tires is actually defective, with an internal problem [belt irregularity]....all of these possible problems can be solved by a competent shop, and should be covered under your tire warranty. Check your warranty materials for the tire warranty for your brand, and pick a shop that sells that kind of tire.
An easy way to test what's going on is to swap the wheels from front to back - if the problem disappears or gets dramatically better, then you know you have a tire that needs attention.
Another, very remote, possibility is severely warped brake rotors, but that is very unlikely in a new car, and in any case, the symptoms there would be obvious more on braking than steady-state driving.
I got mine 2 weeks ago and I got the same problem except it climaxed to a lot of smoke under the batterry and my console had a significant amount of smoke come out from the mid console. I wouldn't park it in the garage after that and actually i'm getting it towed to Toyota on monday. Does this problem still occur with yours?
My car was smoking from the inside under the centre console and then when i lifted the hood their were sparks coming from the right drivers side main engine computer. Anyone else expereince this please post. my car only has 324 km and is 2 weeks old. other than that it worked well to this point.
Found the source, My car came with a hitch as requested and the wiring harness was inapproipatly installed by the dealership, this melted a part on my battery and and several other parts throughout and around my electrical. Even underneath the car. The faulty wire had a plastic covering that had melted into the wire and melted completely off in some portions. The dangerous part was that this wire was constantly live and sparked whether the car was on or off.
Besides that the car would probably be working quite well with no rattles or any other issues.
I'm still pleased with the Corolla and would never question the integrity and quality of the service of toyota despite this mishap.
Thank you for these suggestions! I really appreciate them.
I am bringing the Corolla to Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston (Massachusetts) and having them take a look at it to check out the possible wheel balance issue.
By the way, I'm a little confused about the recommended tire pressure. The tires were inflated to around 40 when I bought my 2009 Corolla S from the dealership, but the owner's manual recommends a 30 PSI. What is everyone else inflating their tires to?
Tires are over-inflated at the factory so that they don't develop flat spots after sitting around for a while. The dealer did not drop the pressure like they were supposed to. The best bet is to put them at 30, but I keep mine at 33. Be sure to check tire pressures at least once per month - most people overlook this crucial safety check.
I have a 09 s model and on the driver door it says 32psi. That is what i put it at but my dealer also in massachusetts (norm wagner) set it at 38. When i got it from boch toyota it was set at 38 also....but my door and book says 32. so thats is what i change it too, I also have to change the TPMS so it doesn't say i have a low tire while driving.
Nope all S model has the Direct Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) as a standard thing. Check your book but if it a S it should have it. the reset buttom in on the right side of the steering wheel under the dash....it might be hard to find but the book should show you where. If you don't reset it and you change the psi down it could go off for that 5 psi saying you have a flat or low tire.
it a little light n the dash that go on...i don't know if it beeps or just flashes on the dash. i never had it go on. Check you book to see if you have it (you should it yo have a S) and read up on it and reset it when you change you psi. if you need help ask herb chambers they will help you out. Boch and norm wagner helped me when i thought i had thing wrong, but it ended up being thing that was normal.
On the 09 XLE, TPMS is a single indicator light located at the lower left of the dash light cluster. It flashes on/off VERY quickly and then stays off during start up, during the warning light test mode sequence. It has not tripped for real, so I cannot describe its actuator function when tripped for "real" .It appears to be a very basic single warning lamp system
Only had the Corolla XLE a couple of weeks now. I have never had an economy sedan before, so I am in learning mode myself . So far, so good, and my timing for the purchase, could not nave been better. The oil spike occurred 2 days AFTER I BOUGHT IT.....Let's just say there were LOTS more buyers than there were cars.For once, my timing seems to have been good! :shades: It is a good feeling to pass gas stations without having my wallet at the ready!!!
There is a section in the manual on the TPMS system
yes it does feel good passing gas station without filling up. I owned a chevy s10 before this corolla. it was a 20 gal tank and got like 17 mpg highway. This car is only 13 gal and i been doing 38 mpg highway!!! thats double the miles for less money!!!! Plus that s10 was nothing but problems, i paid 16,000 used for it and i think another 6,000 to fix everything that broke on it over 4 years!!!
Re: TPMS - READ YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL. The TPMS is standard on all Corollas for 2009, and indeed there are some basic things to pay attention to as a result.
Re: Tire Pressures - As mentioned above, the cars are routinely shipped with over-inflated tires to fight flat-spotting, and dealers often leave them that way on the lot for the same reason. HOWEVER, they are supposed to be reset correctly before retail delivery. Well, don't count on it - always check your tires before leaving the dealership after ANY service visit, and always after taking delivery. My experience is that they will be wrong 99% of the time.
Correct pressures are on the sticker in the car, and in the owner's manual.
As boring as this advice may sound, read the owner's manual from cover to cover. It's there for a reason.
Anyone know if the 2009 Corolla has a different size cabin air filter than the 08. If so a source? No place I have checked (except the dealer) has it yet TIA
Just for the heck of it, I took out the oem filter out to look at it. (simple and in the manual).
I hope Toyota's other filters are better than this piece of junk. I would value it at less than $5 and it took about about 5 minutes or less to take it out and put it back in . I am not a mechanic either so do not let your dealer rape you! This is the easiest one I have ever taken out and put back in! :shades:
Hopefully there will be some 2009 3rd party cabin filters soon. they would have to be of better quality than the oem one. One with activated charcoal would be nice!
I have an 09 XLE w/a little less than 1000 miles on it and I do like it (dumped my 2007 SUV regretfully, but gas is not going down IMHO.).
The filter already had some debris in it and I would be surprised if it were not delivered that way. I had to use my compressor on very low pressure to blow the debris away for fear of damaging the element! I mean really flimsey! :mad:
I am experiencing vibration in my 2009 Toyota Corolla S. I feel it all over the car, really, but especially the steering wheel. It is nothing that really visibly shakes the car, but it is definitely noticeable when gripping the steering wheel.
The vibration is most noticeable on the highway but I also experience it at lower speeds.
It doesn't seem related to engine vibration, as I noticed it last night when coasting down a steep hill, as well (my foot was off of the gas pedal at that point). It is uncomfortable to drive this way. I usually love fresh pavement, but it seems lately I'm more comforted by rocky roads because they're a nice retreat from the constant vibration.
I took the car to the Toyota dealership from which I bought it, and they claimed they test-drove the car on the highway and didn't notice the vibration. They also did a wheel balancing and this obviously didn't help.
Take your car to a repected tire dealer in your area and have them take a look at it. I suspect it is a tire issue, and most dealerships aren't equipped to deal with defective tire issues.
I have an 09 Camry LE I4, and know what you mean. It's as if you can feel the suspension/road in the (steering) wheel. My '95 Camry's wheel was totally isolated from road and suspension feel. On the '09, it was worse when I had the steering wheel telescoped out. It was like increasing the length of the vibrating shaft. Pushing it back in all the way made it better. Still, the steering wheel feels much more 'hollow' than the '95 one did. I try not to think about it. I also had the wheels checked for alignment, and they were out of spec (at 1500 miles on the ODO). Hope you find a solution. - Jack
It's not that I feel the road or the suspension in the steering wheel. It's some vibrating that's going on that feels like a tire or suspension issue. I don't mind feeling a bump or a "hum" in the steering wheel. It's when it's an annoying vibration that I really get upset.
That does sound like a wheel or tire balance issue. As those can be tricky to resolve, and not every dealer has the right kind of equipment, a tire specialist would be the place to go. If it is a tire problem (as in tire out of round), check to see if there is a limited warranty on the tires--there usually is on a new car.
Hello I just bought a new corolla 2009 LE! After 430 miles I have noticed some rattling on the right front side by the glove box mostly. I noticed some people have had the same problem here. Im just wondering if anyone has gotten that fixed some how.
Well, no one answered, so I called the dealer, who said the 08 and 09 were the same filter part . Went to Autozone and got the Bosch Cabin air filter replacement for an 08, which was about 3/8 inch too long to fit the 09 :mad: . wonder what's up with that?
same here... I just bought a 2009 LE Corolla felt the vibration on the highway ... everything moves.. seats...steering wheel...really annoying ...I let you know what the dealer has to say tomorrow...
I am so glad to hear you say that. I thought I was starting to get obsessed, but I am so annoyed. :mad: Do you mind giving me a call when you find out from the dealership? I'm planning to bring my Corolla S to my local dealership Saturday. Email me at haan.erik@gmail.com and I'll give you my phone number.
I have about 1500 miles on my 09 LE. When I first got the car I too felt some vibration in the steering wheel on the highway when the car only had a few hundred miles. It has went away. Maybe the car has to break in a bit ..I don't know but the car is smooth now. I did have to lower the cars tire pressure a bit as all the tires were way too high.
My only complainant about this car is the steering. The car feels like you are driving in windy conditions all the time. The steering with this car is simply not right. I have contracted Toyota about this issue by email and Toyota has responded quickly by email and wants me to see my dealer...but there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car. This is a design issue with the EPS and only Toyota will be able to rework or fix this issue. Surely, Toyota has to know about this steering issue as all the car magazines test reviews, as well as the internet forums have pointed this major flaw out. It will be easier to just move on instead of wasting time and effort with Toyota on this issue ..... so much for the Japanese making the best cars and Toyota was suppose to make one of the best......it's all just a perception by the public that the Japanese make a better car, because it's certainly not the case with this 09 Corolla... don't the engineers at Toyota actually drive the cars they design....if they do how could they allow the steering like it is in this 09 Corolla. I just wish I would had read more about this 09 Corolla before I spend my money.
I also get that constant "driving in windy conditions" feel. I wonder if it's related to the vibration I'm experiencing.
The vibration I experience is so annoying. It also feels like the car never rides smoothly on even the smoothest of pavements. It's like it's always taking these tiny little "hops", which seems to lead to the vibration. So ridiculously annoying. I just want to enjoy fresh pavement!
By saying "It will be easier to just move on instead of wasting time and effort with Toyota on this issue", do you mean you're trading in / selling your Corolla?
I just bought my Corolla and am considering a new set of Winter wheels/tires.
The TPMS sensors might be a problem, since the system will "loose sight" of the 4 summer sensors when I install my winter wheels.
One dealership told me that the system will eventually reprogram itself for the new sensors. Another dealership contradicts that. I know it was true for < 2008, but one of them claims that the 09 has the new capability.
It it out of the question that I visit my dealer twice a year to get the TPMS reprogram.
Can anyone with factual knowledge confirm that the 09 is either capable or not of self-reprogramming?
-It's highly unlikely that the system will "reprogram itself"
-Why worry about it? Do without the sensors on the winter set, and just let the light glow....or cover the light with a small piece of black tape, which is what I did on our '06 Prius when I replaced the OEM wheels with a new set that had no sensors.
I think the TPMS is a complete and total waste of time and money. Use a tire gauge, check the tires regularly, and ignore the stupid system. I agree completely that fooling around with this nonsense twice a year is insane.
The TPMS is yet another thing that the government forced on all of us because people are too lazy to check their tires! I'd get the electrical tape out!
I think the TPMS is a great system. I wouldn't try to over ride something that was designed to help us save gas. What better of a tool could you have when gas is over $4.00 a gallon? After all, you paid for it when you purchased your new Corolla.
I took my 2009 Corolla S to a Toyota dealership this past weekend. The technician refused to drive the car on the highway (stating it's too far for him to drive), even though I told him the vibration was most noticeable on the highway. He instead drove on pothole-filled Boston roads, and told me the vibration I feel is due to the bumps.
Does anyone else feel this? What I'm referring to is you're on a perfectly flat section of road, you take your foot off of the brake and let the car power itself forward (slowly) and you feel this constant (slight) dipping feeling?
The TPMS system in more expensive Toyotas has a button for two modes, A/B that allows two sets of sensors. I learned yesterday that the corolla does not. I'm guessing they save about 10c per car that way. Thanks Toyota.
This is my wife's cars. There vanishes the dream of the tire pressures being checked regularly.
Since you will need wheels anyway for these Winter tires why not purchase wheels that are "sensor ready" and purchase two additional sensors or have the tire guy transfer your original sensors to these new rims for the Winter ? I read these sensors can be transferred to another wheel if it is "sensor ready".
The TPMS wasn't intended to save gas. It was to keep those, like you, who never check their tire pressure from killing themselves when a tire self-destructs because of low air pressure.
You probably don't remember all the Ford Explorer roll-over crashes due to Firestone tire tread separations in under-inflated tires when running at highway speed. Many occupants were killed or seriously injured because they were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle. There was a manufacturing defect at the Firestone tire plant in Decatur, Illinois that caused the tread to separate in hot tires if they were under inflated. It was generally the left rear tire that failed.
I frequently noticed that for some unknown reason that it was frequently the left rear wheel on any car or truck with a low tire.
The TPMS won't help save gas because the tire pressure has to drop below a set point before the sensor triggers the warning system. That set point is well below the vehicle's recommended tire pressure.
I have found from owning a variety of Toyota cars and trucks over the last 26 years that most Toyota service techs do not have accurate tire pressure gauges or know how to or have the time to accurate set the tire pressures. I used the same dealer for over 23 years and rarely were the tires properly inflated if they had to touch them. They were generally over-inflated and as previously mentioned they come from the factory over-inflated.
If a vehicle has been driven you should wait a minimum of 3 hours to check tire pressure.
If the shop had removed the wheels for some maintenance task then the first thing I did when I got home was to get out the the torque wrench and check the lug nuts and then check the tire pressure later. I had a Tacoma 4x4 in for service and discovered when I got home that one of the lug nuts had disappeared and the rest were loose on that wheel. I have also found where the lug nuts were seriously over tightened. A torque wrench must be used to tighten the lug nuts to the spec for that vehicle.
Tire under and over-inflation as well as under and over-tightened lug nuts can cause front end vibration. The tires can also have manufacturing defects causing vibration and the wheels themselves can be out of round causing front end vibration.
Comments
Has anyone else had this problem?
B: Look under the engine, low down toward the front - warning - the exhaust manifold tends to make getting at this less than easy.
Yes, we did go with the Honda Civic. Personally I would have waited because the 2009 Civic WILL have stability control and traction control, but my son needed a car this summer-so we did the deal. You might just wait until August to see exactly what the Civic will have--rumor also that it may include bluetooth.
We like our Civic--especially the color, royal blue pearl. It drives nice and smooth. Realistically it gets 26 mpg in town--we have never taken it on the highway for more than a couple of miles so I have no report on highway mpg, but most people on the Civic forum say 40mpg is easily attainable.
We did like the XLE Corolla, very nice car. My wife just preferred the Civic, color and styling.
Hope you find what you are looking for--I know the XLE's are few and far between in any color--we never did see a white one.
Our Civic EX was $19,100 including dealer handling. The XLE Corolla (w/nav) was going for about $19,900 at the time. The price of the Corolla was a little better considering the options.
Some people have complained about rear tire wear on the 2006-2007 Corolla due to a sway bar problem, but I am not sure if the problems extends to the 2008 model.
The Civics are getting pretty scarce here in Denver, especially EX auto and the price is going up a little. But as I am sure you are aware so are the Corolla's.
Thank you for asking about my purchase. Any other questions just let me know.
Brad :shades:
I did the spellcheck but the brain freeze checker is optional.
Sorry, Brad
Thanks for getting back with me. I'm still considering both cars. I have a white/tan interior Civic coming into a dealer within the next 10 days that he is holding for me to take a better look at. I had mentioned to this dealer that I had heard online through bloggers that it is rumored the 2009 Civic would have stability and traction control. He took a day or two to get back with me and said, he spoke with three different sources (can't remember their titles, but his inventory guy, people like that) and they confirmed to him that there would be no stability, traction control or blue tooth in the 2009 Civics. So, I said I would take a look at the white/tan 2008 that he had coming in. Do you think he's lying to me to sell his inventory?
I've been test driving the Corollas too. They aren't as much fun to drive as the Civics, but they do have all the features that I would like when I hand it down to my daughter in two years.
We live in Michigan, so the roads can get pretty treacherous here with ice and snow as well. I did find a silver/grey XLE but it wasn't exciting to drive and the color was blah to my19 year old daughter. The white Corollla I drove a week ago wouldn't stay on the highway due to the touchy steering, so I turned that one down. The deals aren't that great because of supply and demand, but the financing they are offering this month on both vehicles here is creating an urgency in me to make a decision this month.
So, I'm wondering, what are your sources that make you think the Civic will have these updated features like bluetooth and stability and traction control, if the dealers haven't heard anything? I can't find anything on Honda.com.
I can understand your viewpoint concerning the low interest rates currently available. We had those same concerns when we looked at the Corolla, however the rates have stayed the same since the 2009 Corolla first debuted. Who knows about the future.
As far as sources regarding the confirmation of VSC for the Honda, I have no concrete evidence only conjecture. It is mandated by the Feds by 2010, so Honda may jump the gun and introduce it this year. The salesman would NEVER tell you something positive about the new model if he ever thought it would hinder a sale today. In reality they probably do not even know themselves.
Very hard decision--I mentioned the VSC to my sales rep when we bought the Civic and he just muttered that we have done without it for this long--why worry about it. That is like saying we did not have seat belts in the 40's so no need today.
Hope you get the car you like and it suits your needs.
Brad
I'm also getting a very annoying vibration in the steering wheel, especially when driving on the highway.
I would appreciate any help!
Thanks,
Erik
:confuse:
Note: if you really believed the oil level was below the level of the dipstick, it's already too late - the engine would be ruined. That would have manifested itself with very high coolant temps, and other symptoms that would be obvious.
Vibration: There are two things that will cause your problem - wheel balance, and/or tire/wheel runout. [Runout refers to the amount the tire and wheel combination deviates from perfection in two planes - roundness and straightness. Out-or-round tires are not unusual, I'm sorry to say.] A good tire shop with a road-force balancer can easily measure the problem and fix it. It's possible one of your front tires is actually defective, with an internal problem [belt irregularity]....all of these possible problems can be solved by a competent shop, and should be covered under your tire warranty. Check your warranty materials for the tire warranty for your brand, and pick a shop that sells that kind of tire.
An easy way to test what's going on is to swap the wheels from front to back - if the problem disappears or gets dramatically better, then you know you have a tire that needs attention.
Another, very remote, possibility is severely warped brake rotors, but that is very unlikely in a new car, and in any case, the symptoms there would be obvious more on braking than steady-state driving.
Besides that the car would probably be working quite well with no rattles or any other issues.
I'm still pleased with the Corolla and would never question the integrity and quality of the service of toyota despite this mishap.
I am bringing the Corolla to Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston (Massachusetts) and having them take a look at it to check out the possible wheel balance issue.
By the way, I'm a little confused about the recommended tire pressure. The tires were inflated to around 40 when I bought my 2009 Corolla S from the dealership, but the owner's manual recommends a 30 PSI. What is everyone else inflating their tires to?
Erik Haan
Massachusetts
Thanks,
Erik
Only had the Corolla XLE a couple of weeks now. I have never had an economy sedan before, so I am in learning mode myself . So far, so good, and my timing for the purchase, could not nave been better. The oil spike occurred 2 days AFTER I BOUGHT IT.....Let's just say there were LOTS more buyers than there were cars.For once, my timing seems to have been good! :shades: It is a good feeling to pass gas stations without having my wallet at the ready!!!
There is a section in the manual on the TPMS system
Re: Tire Pressures - As mentioned above, the cars are routinely shipped with over-inflated tires to fight flat-spotting, and dealers often leave them that way on the lot for the same reason. HOWEVER, they are supposed to be reset correctly before retail delivery. Well, don't count on it - always check your tires before leaving the dealership after ANY service visit, and always after taking delivery. My experience is that they will be wrong 99% of the time.
Correct pressures are on the sticker in the car, and in the owner's manual.
As boring as this advice may sound, read the owner's manual from cover to cover. It's there for a reason.
TIA
I hope Toyota's other filters are better than this piece of junk. I would value it at less than $5 and it took about about 5 minutes or less to take it out and put it back in . I am not a mechanic either so do not let your dealer rape you! This is the easiest one I have ever taken out and put back in! :shades:
Hopefully there will be some 2009 3rd party cabin filters soon. they would have to be of better quality than the oem one. One with activated charcoal would be nice!
I have an 09 XLE w/a little less than 1000 miles on it and I do like it (dumped my 2007 SUV regretfully, but gas is not going down IMHO.).
The filter already had some debris in it and I would be surprised if it were not delivered that way. I had to use my compressor on very low pressure to blow the debris away for fear of damaging the element! I mean really flimsey! :mad:
I am experiencing vibration in my 2009 Toyota Corolla S. I feel it all over the car, really, but especially the steering wheel. It is nothing that really visibly shakes the car, but it is definitely noticeable when gripping the steering wheel.
The vibration is most noticeable on the highway but I also experience it at lower speeds.
It doesn't seem related to engine vibration, as I noticed it last night when coasting down a steep hill, as well (my foot was off of the gas pedal at that point). It is uncomfortable to drive this way. I usually love fresh pavement, but it seems lately I'm more comforted by rocky roads because they're a nice retreat from the constant vibration.
I took the car to the Toyota dealership from which I bought it, and they claimed they test-drove the car on the highway and didn't notice the vibration. They also did a wheel balancing and this obviously didn't help.
Does anyone else experience similar symptoms?
:confuse:
I just bought a new corolla 2009 LE!
After 430 miles I have noticed some rattling on the right front side by the glove box mostly. I noticed some people have had the same problem here. Im just wondering if anyone has gotten that fixed some how.
If anyone has, plz let me know.
ty
Thanks,
Erik
My only complainant about this car is the steering. The car feels like you are driving in windy conditions all the time. The steering with this car is simply not right. I have contracted Toyota about this issue by email and Toyota has responded quickly by email and wants me to see my dealer...but there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car. This is a design issue with the EPS and only Toyota will be able to rework or fix this issue. Surely, Toyota has to know about this steering issue as all the car magazines test reviews, as well as the internet forums have pointed this major flaw out. It will be easier to just move on instead of wasting time and effort with Toyota on this issue ..... so much for the Japanese making the best cars and Toyota was suppose to make one of the best......it's all just a perception by the public that the Japanese make a better car, because it's certainly not the case with this 09 Corolla... don't the engineers at Toyota actually drive the cars they design....if they do how could they allow the steering like it is in this 09 Corolla. I just wish I would had read more about this 09 Corolla before I spend my money.
The vibration I experience is so annoying. It also feels like the car never rides smoothly on even the smoothest of pavements. It's like it's always taking these tiny little "hops", which seems to lead to the vibration. So ridiculously annoying. I just want to enjoy fresh pavement!
By saying "It will be easier to just move on instead of wasting time and effort with Toyota on this issue", do you mean you're trading in / selling your Corolla?
Erik
The TPMS sensors might be a problem, since the system will "loose sight" of the 4 summer sensors when I install my winter wheels.
One dealership told me that the system will eventually reprogram itself for the new sensors. Another dealership contradicts that. I know it was true for < 2008, but one of them claims that the 09 has the new capability.
It it out of the question that I visit my dealer twice a year to get the TPMS reprogram.
Can anyone with factual knowledge confirm that the 09 is either capable or not of self-reprogramming?
Thanks!
-It's highly unlikely that the system will "reprogram itself"
-Why worry about it? Do without the sensors on the winter set, and just let the light glow....or cover the light with a small piece of black tape, which is what I did on our '06 Prius when I replaced the OEM wheels with a new set that had no sensors.
I think the TPMS is a complete and total waste of time and money. Use a tire gauge, check the tires regularly, and ignore the stupid system. I agree completely that fooling around with this nonsense twice a year is insane.
Does anyone else feel this? What I'm referring to is you're on a perfectly flat section of road, you take your foot off of the brake and let the car power itself forward (slowly) and you feel this constant (slight) dipping feeling?
This is my wife's cars. There vanishes the dream of the tire pressures being checked regularly.
That only leaves the black tape solution.
You probably don't remember all the Ford Explorer roll-over crashes due to Firestone tire tread separations in under-inflated tires when running at highway speed. Many occupants were killed or seriously injured because they were not wearing their seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle. There was a manufacturing defect at the Firestone tire plant in Decatur, Illinois that caused the tread to separate in hot tires if they were under inflated. It was generally the left rear tire that failed.
I frequently noticed that for some unknown reason that it was frequently the left rear wheel on any car or truck with a low tire.
The TPMS won't help save gas because the tire pressure has to drop below a set point before the sensor triggers the warning system. That set point is well below the vehicle's recommended tire pressure.
If a vehicle has been driven you should wait a minimum of 3 hours to check tire pressure.
If the shop had removed the wheels for some maintenance task then the first thing I did when I got home was to get out the the torque wrench and check the lug nuts and then check the tire pressure later. I had a Tacoma 4x4 in for service and discovered when I got home that one of the lug nuts had disappeared and the rest were loose on that wheel. I have also found where the lug nuts were seriously over tightened. A torque wrench must be used to tighten the lug nuts to the spec for that vehicle.
Tire under and over-inflation as well as under and over-tightened lug nuts can cause front end vibration. The tires can also have manufacturing defects causing vibration and the wheels themselves can be out of round causing front end vibration.