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Toyota Corolla Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...please get this political trash off these boards. Aside from the inappropriate subject matter, there are those of us who actually have another point of view - which is equally irrelevant to any auto-related topics.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Off topic hallucination deleted. Thank you jcrt.

    shifty the host
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    a universal post across many threads, it would seem...

    just crossed 12,500 miles in my Matrix...two oil changes so far, dealer wants $219 for 15K service coming up - thinking of looking into whether or not it is OK just to do the stuff myself. They only do about three things for the $219 - seems like a lot of $$. The rest is inspections.

    No problems so far except the rattles and the twilight sensor design flaw (replaced under TSB).

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • sonny18sonny18 Member Posts: 5
    my light sensor turns the lights on and off way too much also. if i called the dealer, would they replace this for free?
  • boilermanboilerman Member Posts: 35
    It stands for technical service bulletin. Is the car a Matrix? I believe there is a bulletin out for that car regarding this and it should be fixed under warranty. Many Toyota dealers are very reluctant to fix for free under warranty in my area though. Good luck!
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    if you take it in to get the twilight sensor changed out. This is only true for Matrix, as it appears Pontiac is not participating in this campaign.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • sonny18sonny18 Member Posts: 5
    my car is a 2003 corolla s, and it seems like the light sensor clicks on and off way too often.

    would this be fixed under warrenty?
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    apply to the corolla as well, although I have only heard of it being a problem on Matrix. Since corolla is so closely related, it couldn't hurt to take it in and ask the dealer.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • thedilbythedilby Member Posts: 3
    Rear windshield seals were reinstalled within 400 KM of purchase as Toyota agreed they were installed wrong, causing alot of rear windshield vibration and rattling. The rear windshield still rattles, as my dealership sends the car back with 3 new problems every time it goes in i. e. buffing the driver's door pull results with it having to be replaced.....the list is too long for this site.

    When in the driver's seat viewing forward, the lower windshield seal appears to come up and out of the dash as it approaches the drivers front pillar, while being invisible everywhere else around the front windshield - I've looked at other 03's and no others I've seen have this. Does anyone else have this problem?

     I live in cold climate (below -25F), and the windshield has now cracked - the crack origin being being exactly where this seal is protruding. Toyota is saying it's all a chip - I have other chips in the windshield already, and none have cracked EXCEPT this one!! The crack has travelled over a foot in 8 days!! I agree that the chip may indeed have initiated the crack, but they have been advised of creaking/rattling front windshield for over a year and refuse to replace the seals, even though they already did the rear ones. Now, as soon as the weather gets above freezing, the windshield cracks from where this seal is protruding. Don't get me started on the word games they've been playing.....

    Like everyone else on this board, the dash rattles like crazy, and the front/rear windshield rattles increase exponentially when it's below freezing. Toyota has already admitted the back shield seals were installed wrong - duh, what are the odds the front ones were as well.

    Meeting with Canada-wide arbitrator shortly - anyone else having windshield/dash/seal problems with their 03 Corolla??
  • thedilbythedilby Member Posts: 3
    please see #380 in Corolla/Matrix probably/solutions. Having tons of trouble with my front/rear windshield vibrating and rattling. Toyota replaced the seals in the rear windshield, but have done nothing about the front. From the drivers seat the seal protrudes from the lower windshield as it moves toward the driver's side pillar. Toyata has been advised of heavy rattling and vibration since the 3rd week of ownership but has done nothing. Now, I have a deep crack that originates from the popped seal area and extends for about 14 inches.

    Toyota has admitted the rear seals were installed wrong - well, duh, what are the odds that the front seal is incorrectly installed as well??? Now they are saying the crack is not their problem.

    Has anyone else noticed a seal out of line on the front windshield? Has anyone else experienced rattling and vibration in either windshield? (the dash rattling that plagues this model excepted). The Toyota Canadian dispute resolution guy is coming in to look at this shortly - thanks for letting me know if you've had problems as well.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...produced in March of '02 [an early '03 model] did indeed have the irregular front inside windscreen seal you describe. However, our car had no noise problems, and no evidence of glass defects, and I just ignored the whole thing.
  • tw8tw8 Member Posts: 4
    ditto to the above msg. I also noticed my driver's side windshield foam protruding very subtly, but I ignored it bc I have no noise or windshield problems.
  • corolla03corolla03 Member Posts: 17
    Our 03 Corolla is really stinky. Sometimes sickening. But not always.
    When I take it to the dealer, I can't reproduce the problem. Any ideas?
  • boilermanboilerman Member Posts: 35
    I usually have the stinky left over burrito smell just soon afterwards filling up the gas tank all the way full. You may want to try this. Do you notice the smell as soon as you fill the tank full also? Just an idea.
  • hpoohhpooh Member Posts: 13
    It happens like twice a month... first time is waiting at signals... Transmittion @ D Position... stepping on the brake.. engine died w/o any shaking/vibration nothing... when the signal turned green, i step on gas, then i realized that engine stopped.

    2nd time was waiting for my friend at the front of his house.. transmittion @ N position... hand brake is up... it died after 2 minutes.

    3rd time was doing a stop and go traffic @ Freeway... car is moving very slow (like 5 mph) died right there...

    4th time was at signal light also... and it's like 2 months already

    Dont' know what's wrong, went to dealer. They said i couldn't duplicate the problem so they couldn't do anything... People said the idle speed might be too low... went to machanic and requested to set it at a higher idle speed "Can't do it, coz it's control by a device called something 'Idle sensor or something'"

    Any idea?
  • hpoohhpooh Member Posts: 13
    It happens like twice a month... first time is waiting at signals... Transmittion @ D Position... stepping on the brake.. engine died w/o any shaking/vibration nothing... when the signal turned green, i step on gas, then i realized that engine stopped.

    2nd time was waiting for my friend at the front of his house.. transmittion @ N position... hand brake is up... it died after 2 minutes.

    3rd time was doing a stop and go traffic @ Freeway... car is moving very slow (like 5 mph) died right there...

    4th time was at signal light also... and it's like 2 months already

    Dont' know what's wrong, went to dealer. They said i couldn't duplicate the problem so they couldn't do anything... People said the idle speed might be too low... went to machanic and requested to set it at a higher idle speed "Can't do it, coz it's control by a device called something 'Idle sensor or something'"

    Any idea?
  • jas9297jas9297 Member Posts: 26
    I'm looking at buying a '98-'00 Corolla (and also Saturn or Sentra) with under 50,000 miles and am concerned about the quality of the engines. I've read about a few engine failures on this board (about 65k miles) and seems like the engine quality is suspect.

    Can anyone shed some advice about the quality of these cars?

    Thanks!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...look at the data from a large sample, like Consumer Reports. That should put your mind at ease. Have a look at their April Auto issue - should be still in the stores.
  • LuzerLuzer Member Posts: 119
    In neutral, idle should be around 800 to 900 RPM's

    A little more in drive.
  • ronaldsdavisronaldsdavis Member Posts: 1
    On my Toyota Matrix, the clock sometimes resets itself to 12:00 noon when I start the engine. It only happens when the temperature is below -20°C, and even then only sometimes. I thought this was a glitch, but the dealer replaced the radio (of which the clock is an integral part) and the new one promptly did the same thing, just once before the weather warmed up. I'll wait until an oil change is due in July before I request another radio (which the dealer is willing to provide - he knows I would gain nothing by lying about this). Maybe by then Toyota will have another batch of radios.
  • herzogtum71herzogtum71 Member Posts: 470
    is the time the clock in my '94 Corolla reset to when I changed the battery. Could the extreme cold be causing a radio/clock connection to contract to the point that the power supply is temporarily interrupted?
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    do you lose your station presets?

    by the way, the radio is GM/Delco - take a jaunt through the lot of your local Pontiac dealer - other models have exactly this same radio.

    I have given more than one thought to just paying for a high-power Toyota radio. I dislike all the big silly-looking buttons on this one, and the fact that if you are using the preset equalizer it resets itself every time you change bands. Still haven't figured out how to use the TRAF button when the TRAF light comes on in the display.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • LuzerLuzer Member Posts: 119
    TRAF and INFO is a joke because the stations have to send out the signals.

    In NY/NJ area, I hit the traffic and there is one station that it goes to. INFO yields nothing.

    I guess it's like HDTV, build it and they will come...one day..
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    the INFO light has to be on in the display. Then if you press it, the display tells you whatever blurb the radio station has programmed to show up, like the name of the station, and sometimes the type of music they play, or whatever.

    I was amused to rent a $30K Trailblazer a few weeks back, and see exactly this identical radio in there. It was like sitting in my own car! LOL

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • vonnyvoncevonnyvonce Member Posts: 129
    I have found a number of stations that broadcast "info" around Southeastern Massachusetts. Some stations broadcast info like upcoming shows.One station broadcasts the title and artist of songs. One Boston station broadcasts a signal so pressing hour/minute button at the same time updates the time. Probably none of it is essential but handy at times. I have found no station where the TRAF thing works. BTW 23000 miles on Vibe and so far so good, it may not be perfect but it's a terrific little car.
  • LuzerLuzer Member Posts: 119
    Does the INFO button work for CD song titles?
    I got the 6-CD changer which was basically a rip off for $325 (sticker) as the radio should have been upgraded per the moons and toons package.

    Is this double dipping?
  • jregen7243jregen7243 Member Posts: 91
    I've been reading about the rotten egg smell from Corolla and 4-runner owners for the last year or so, but yesterday I smelled it first hand. A young girl in an 03 Corolla was in front of me yesterday. A few seconds after she floored it, I almost passed out from the horrible smell. Reminded me of a Ford Taurus from the mid 80s.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Pontiac's moons and tunes was the CD/cassette combo with the moonroof, but I am not sure since I have a Matrix, not a Vibe.

    I don't know how to make INFO work to show CD song titles, but that would be fun if it could.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    crack my windshield over the weekend, dropped it off at the dealer last night to do the 15K service (they recommend A/T fluid flush but I said "no" since it is not in the maintenance schedule that came with the car; therefore they will be doing a 5K service instead at half price) and the glass replacement.

    Retail for the windshield on this car is $867!!!!

    SO glad I have comp insurance. Watch out for your glass folks!

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • matthew525matthew525 Member Posts: 52
    Nippononly - - YGTBKM! 867 for new glass on your Matrix? I replaced my front windshield after owning it for less than three week. Only $247.87. Not an insurance claim, I carry $500 deductible. Why so much?
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    confirms what I suspected: if you ask for the "Toyota genuine glass" it costs a whole lot more. $50 of it, btw, was for a replacement upper molding, which apparently gets destroyed when they remove the old glass. The exact price for the glass itself was $800.65.

    Did your replacement windshield still have the black-dot sun blocker around where the rear-view mirror mounts, between the sun visors? I wanted to be sure my replacement would still have that.

    Beyond that, it seems clear that even in the new millenium, some Toyota retail items are still a total rip-off.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • xr5speedxr5speed Member Posts: 13
    If the glare off of the rings around the gauges bothers you, here is a fix. Grab the black plastic rings around the speedometer/tachometer and pull straight out. Take a flat screwdriver and carefully lift each of the numerous tabs which hold the silver rings in place (you will understand when you see it). This removes the rings and I took a permanent black marker and blacked out the silver and snapped it back in. Looks great and no glare.
  • kit81kit81 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I noticed many people are having problems with the foul odor on the Corolla in certain geographical areas, is this a big problem in the midwest?
  • jcoulterjcoulter Member Posts: 7
    I live in Wisconsin and have owned a Corolla for a little over a month. I currently have 1,200 miles on it. I have not noticed the sulphur smell at all, and I have been looking for it since reading about it on this board. So far it has not been a problem.

    I am averaging 31 mpg in a combination of city and highway driving, which is less than advertised but about what I expected.

    I also have been checking my engine oil level, since people on this board have complained about high oil consumption during break-in. Thus far, the engine does not seem to be consuming any oil.

    About the only thing I do not like about the car are the tires that are on it. It came with Goodyear Integrity tires and they do not seem to grip or stop well on wet pavement. I wish Toyota would have put a better quality tire on my Corolla.
  • jtbruinjtbruin Member Posts: 40
    I have a new camry le and like you I love my toyota, except for the same reasons you stated.
    toyota seems to highball their mileage ratings. I'm only getting about 20-23 mpg on mix highway/city, which is low considering the range is 23-32.

    my camry also came with the goodyear tires, which seems to have high road noise and bad traction in rain. I want to get them replaced as soon as possible, do you know how long these treads last?

    also, nipponoploy, what is comp insurance and why did it cover your windshiled? i thought that you would need to pay the deductable? thanks.
  • boilermanboilerman Member Posts: 35
    Gas mileage on the 2003 Toyota Corolla is DEFINITELY highballed. In the warmer weather, I average around 30-31 mpg in very conservative and interstate driving after 9 months of ownership. In the wintertime, the gas mileage on the 2003 Corolla is downright lousy for a lot of drivers. The Goodyear Integrity tires are a JOKE and a way Toyota cut costs on this car. I replaced them at the 1,000 mile mark and the car does not wander and skid on wet pavement anymore. The car is not all bad , but the tires and the highballed gas mileage are a problem.. Very few people get close to the 30/38 epa sticker on the car. If you do buy it, prepare for around 30 mpg combined driving in warm weather, and maybe mid to upper 20's combined driving in cold weather.
  • stillageekstillageek Member Posts: 114
    Toyota doesn't highball anything, the EPA does ALL gas mileage testing, Toyota has zero say in them. Case in point, Toyota orignally estimated Matrix XRS for 23 city and 28 highway (this can be seen in early Matrix Brochures). When the EPA tested the car they found 25 city and 30 highway. In fact higher than Toyota. Millions of factors play into gas mileage and if you read the fine print on your window sticker it will tell you the true range for vehicles in your size class.
  • boilermanboilerman Member Posts: 35
    True, the EPA sets the numbers in large print on cars such as 30/38 which is on the 2003 Toyota Corolla . So, when someone is BUYING the car do you tend to notice the 30/38 in VERY LARGE print or the minuscule print that says a million of factors play in your mpg that you will obtain.. Just a thought.. Maybe Toyota should put the mileage in LARGER print that you may get anywhere from 15-41 mpg .. Car manufacturers and the EPA have to be in bed with each other setting inflated mileage estimates...
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Toyota almost always estimates gas mileage low by a point or two in their cars - their early sales stuff always shows figures that get increased when the EPA tests them.

    And by the way, my Matrix showed 28/33 on the sticker when I bought it. I always get 32-33 mpg in this car in 'round-town driving, and in my first all-highway trip in it last week, I managed to get 36 on one tank and 37 on the other. (800 miles round trip). So you must also look to the way you drive. The EPA has to allow some latitude for little old ladies and pedal-to-the-metal types.

    boilerman: while I won't disagree that Toyota has done some of its usual cost-cutting on the corolla and Matrix, I invite you to take a couple of hours out this weekend and tour the local car dealers to examine what tires they have on their sub-$20K cars. You will find mostly Bridgestones, Generals, and Goodyears, all of which are medium brands - not terrible or great. The only exceptions to this I have ever witnessed are the Korean brands, which often use really cheap Korean tires. Oh yeah, and way back when Hyundai was just re-entering the U.S. market, they put out for some Michelins on their cars to impress consumers.

    One more exception: I believe Mini uses premium tires because they are run-flats - very rare on a sub-$20K car.

    One last note: the tires Toyota uses vary regionally - most of the corollas I have seen on the lots out here use the Bridgestones.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    was short for comprehensive insurance - this will pay for glass replacement due to poor pavement and other "natural" causes, if you want to hit up your insurance for it.

    My deductible is $50, so I was out a few bucks. :-(

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • corolla03corolla03 Member Posts: 17
    I know nothing about the science, but I do know that our 2003 Corolla LE sometimes smells so bad it makes me nauseated. I have had to open the windows in rainstorms, to try to get the smell out. One rider honestly thought we were parked over an open sewer. The trouble is that it doesn't happen all the time, so I can't replicate the problem when I take it to the dealer.
  • LuzerLuzer Member Posts: 119
    Try this to replicate.

    Close window and make sure the knob is NOT on recirculate, so that you get the whiff from the outside...

    Turn on AC or fan.
    Go up a hill and floor it.
    Near the top, let go of the gas pedal.

    You should have the stink in your car by now.
  • jcoulterjcoulter Member Posts: 7
    After only 1200 miles, I decided to bite the bullet on the Goodyear Integrity tires that came with my Corolla. I bought a set of Michelin X-Ones to replace the Goodyears.

    The results are amazing. With the change of tires its handling and stopping characterisitics are significantly improved.

    The good news:

    1. Michelins are much quieter (less road noise) than Goodyears.
    2. Handling on both dry and wet pavement is much better.
    3. Improved braking and shorter stopping distance (especially on wet pavement).

    The bad news:

    1. Michelin X-Ones are expensive.

    I live in a climate that requires me to drive in highly variable conditions, including rain, sleet, snow and ice. So I could not make do with an inferior tire for 50,000 without taking a great deal of risk.

    I had no experience with Goodyear Integrity tires prior to purchasing the Corolla. So I did not know whether they would be suitable for the kind of driving I do. I found out soon after purchasing the car that they were not. It is unfortunate that when purchasing an economy car, you can end up being forced to take marginal tires as part of the deal.
  • steve285steve285 Member Posts: 8
    Anyone else having this problem? We own a 2002 Corolla with 30k miles and a 1989 Corolla with 235k miles. Both have the darkest interior colors available for their years. Both brought new and treated the same.

    The interior on the 2002 is showing a lot more wear and staining relative to its age. The factory floor mats on the 1989 actually look better at this point than the ones on the 2002. The driver's side floor mat on the 2002 is worn through to the rubber backing.

    The engine and transmission on the 2002 are clearly superior to the 1989, but I'm beginning to wonder if we're going to be able to hold on to the 2002 like we have for the 1989. I'm thinking that the interior may get too shabby to keep by the time the car has 125k miles or so.
  • matthew525matthew525 Member Posts: 52
    Nippononly - the installer said that it would take and extra $60 for the molding, but he would try to reuse it. And he was successful. He said that it was difficult to get off with damage, but that he was careful. No problems, so he must have been. Yes, I was surprised that the replacement had the black-dot sun blocker around where the rear-view mirror mounts, and between the sun visors. Also carrys down the passenger side. My dealer said that they could replace it, but actually recommend several other replacement firms. Hope you don't catch another one, but just in case you do.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    the dealer told me the molding was strictly throwaway after the glass was removed.

    As far as Toyota's interiors, news flash to everyone in Toyotaland: the floor mats they sell now are NOTHING like the ones that used to be in their cars. You can wear a hole right through these peach fuzz ultra-thins in about six months of driving. I recently had a pre-90 Camry go through my hands with the original mats, and the difference was amazing. That was back when carpeted actually meant INCLUDING CARPET.

    I am not sure if it is just Toyota being ultra-cheap (wouldn't surprise me) or if it is a weight thing - "a few ounces here, and a few ounces there, is the way to save weight"

    The same trend is occurring with the regular carpets and the seat upholstery.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • calynzeacalynzea Member Posts: 2
    I took delivery of a new '03 Corolla LE Tues. It had 80 miles on it when I bought it (dealer trade) and now only a lil over a 100. My car is making a noise. I am also a first time driver, but I had someone go out and listen to my car w/ me and she is baffled. When I start the car it is fine, but when I shift to reverse (I have an automatic) it makes a strange sound- a loud clicking or something along those lines that appears to be coming from the front of the car. If I shut off the car and start the process all over immediately it doesn't make the sound. If I do a start from park to drive it doesn't make it..

    what is causing this noise? should i contact the dealer? I am also parked on a very slight incline in a garage, not sure if that affects it-
    any ideas???
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    don't set your parking brake before putting it in park, and it is on an incline, then it might just be the sound of park disengaging from where the vehicle's weight was resting against it?

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • matthew525matthew525 Member Posts: 52
    I wear boots to work with heavy rubber heals - just about tore up the driver's mat near the gas peddle where my heal rested. Went down to Walmarts and got a clear plastic one to put over the top to reduce wear / tear. Guess that defeats the purpose of having floor mats doesn't it. Didn't want to wear out that Matrix emblem.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    I DON'T wear boots when I drive, and still in eight months I have worn a large bald spot on the mat...wearing a hole right through can't be far behind.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

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