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2009 Toyota Corolla Problems and Repairs

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Comments

  • loncliplonclip Member Posts: 13
    I just sold my 09 Corolla and am very glad to be rid of it. Please don`t misunderstand, it was a "good" cheap little car. I was used to driving larger at least midsize cars and bought this one for great mileage when gas was $4.00 a gallon and rising. It certainly, as I have said before, was a mileage champ. Also trouble free as far as maladies that were recognized as such. However, the steering was horrid :mad: , the brakes were horrid :P , the seat was horrid :mad: , the tilt wheel might just as well been a fixed position :sick: , and recall news was making its value fall like a rock :lemon: . It WAS quiet, fairly good riding for a small car, had a few impressive features like automatic headlights and variant volume control on the radio, but the bad outnumbered the good as far as I and my old body were concerned. Toyota fans, I was never one of your number and I will never be again. I still say all that legendary quality stuff was bought and paid for advertising. Just because automotive magazine article writers tell you to like something, well....it doesn`t wash with me. American car brands still make the best cars and I once again plan to be driving one soon.
  • mnfmnf Member Posts: 405
    edited March 2010
    Get a WARRANTY ;)
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    "American car brands still make the best cars"

    Your kidden right? Try reading Consumer Reports or any other independant car magazine. Tops of all the car classses are anything BUT american. Trucks might be another story, but cars no way ! ! !
  • loncliplonclip Member Posts: 13
    I don`t need a magazine to tell me what to think. The only other time I had a Toyota was waaaay back in 1971 when I bought my first new car after graduating from college. While Consumer Reports was telling me how great my car was, I was hitching rides to work with a coworker in his Plymouth Fury I with 140,000 miles on it. I couldn`t keep the little monster out of the garage and I swore off them then. Unfortunately, I succumbed to the idea that mileage and improvements in technology would justify my latest try. You Toyota fans can keep them.
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    Free at last I can relate to. Dont get me wrong though i love everything about my Corolla except the steering slash EPS. I f Toyota dealer called me tomorrow and said they were replacing the whole steering shaft I would be a happy lil Toyota customer. :confuse:
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    PS. Im happy you are free from your dilemma HOWEVER I think your one poor problematic car doesnt justify your statement........."American car brands still make the best cars" i would suggest checking out consumer reports again....are Toyotas losing value at the moment........yes! and its unfortunate for us Toyota lovers BUT that isnt going to last. Once Toyota decides to head these problems off and take America straight forward and head on! their value will go back up. and as far as value foreign cars last longer for the mileage, get more per the gallon, they are better at speed and the resale of a Toyota slumped but guess who is coming out on top? Honda and Mazda...and even the Elantra so again I woudl check your facts. :blush:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Corolla is the best selling nameplate in automotive history, so we might expect to feel confident in the car. But you know as they say, "your results may vary".

    Reputation is generally built on the Law of Large Numbers. You need a large enough database to make accurate predictions on probability (or reliability for that matter). I might flip a coin ten times and get ten heads. But my conclusions would be in error because I don't have a large enough sample. I need to flip it 10,000 times. :P
  • jt10314jt10314 Member Posts: 6
    I own a 2009 Corolla S … after 5,000 miles when I am stepping on the accelerator the car makes noise (similar to noise of rotten brake pads) … it lasted for few times.. then went away .. Came back another time… I just did the recall service for accelerator pedal… At the time I didn’t mention about this problem because only experienced it few times in a year… Again the noise came back on last Sunday for few steps…

    I was wondering is this problem experience by any one else? … I will be going back to the dealer to check on my accelerator… Should I request them to replace the pedal under Toyota recall problem?
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    Im curious because this happens to my car since the 1st day i got it and it only had 50 miles it yes 50. My 2010 was fresh off the lot....anyway the brakes made the same noise as when brake pads have worn out, you know right before the squealing starts, my husband said it was because the brakes were so new that it did that. Well its been 3 months and still Im hearing them.

    I hate to say it but it seems like Toyotas have quirky issues, some are dangerous and some are annoying but i think we're all going to be enduring this for a while. :sick:
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    I have been having a similar noise on my 2009 manual transmission corolla. Is yours a manual or an automatic? When driving, I get a high pitched noise from the engine area, but only right as I hit the accelerator. The moment I let up off it just a little bit, the noise goes away and if I mash the accelerator down hard it does not do it. No check engine light, no idling problems, nothing else I can think of is wrong. I though I might have a leak in an air intake hose.

    I took it to the dealer and I had a tough time replicating the noise (of course) but they checked the air intake hoses and did not notice any problems there.

    Anyone else brought their corolla in for the this problem?

    Could it be the belts or something transmission related?
  • unknown5unknown5 Member Posts: 2
    The chirping or whistle issue on the 2009 Toyota Corolla is most likely caused by an update performed near the intake manifold. The symptoms include a whistle or a chirp when accelerating from 1.5K to 2K rpm’s. The noise is very annoying since much of our driving is in that rpm range.
    I advise you to open a case number through Toyota and let them know about the issue. They will eventually do something about it if enough people complain.

    Toyota Consumer Hotline is 1800-331-4331.
  • unknown5unknown5 Member Posts: 2
    Here's the update that causes the chirping sound.

    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED INTAKE AIR CONNECTOR WHICH WILL RELOCATE THE BRAKE SYSTEM VACUUM PORT. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

    Recall Summary
    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 SCION XD AND MY 2009-2010 COROLLA, AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.8L ENGINE AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WHEN DRIVING UNDER CERTAIN UNIQUE CONDITIONS IN EXTREMELY LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SUCTION PORT FOR THE BRAKE VACUUM CAN BECOME BLOCKED DUE TO THE FREEZING OF CONDENSATION RESULTING FROM POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION.


    Consequence
    THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    I did have that brake vacuum recall performed around the time I first noticed the noise so that would make sense. The noise is high pitched but not that loud so it took me a while to realize it was happening during acceleration. I will call Toyota to complain. The dealer couldn't hear it last time, but I realized it is loudest when I drive up a steep hill (which makes sense since the vacuum air intake would be working really hard at that point) so I make take it back so they can hear the noise. Though I guess if Toyota has not acknowledged the problem the probably won't have a fix for it yet. And since acknowledging customer complaints is not Toyotas strong suit, I kind of doubt they will fix it anytime soon, if ever.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Could only happen in subzero temperatures!
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    What are you trying to say? I don't think you see what the issue is.

    unknown5 is not saying the initial brake recall issue, which only happened at subzero temps, is at fault for the noise. He is saying that the fix they did for that problem is what is causing the noise. I had the recall repair he listed performed and the noise started almost immediately afterwards.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    As per SSC 90H, post #730 refers to the PCV condensation that could leak into the brake vacuum port and freeze-up only " at subzero temperatures". The poster was commenting about this service bulletin.
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    I called Toyota Corporate today and they are aware of the problem.

    They stupidly have not released a TSB for it, which is probably why so many people are having trouble getting their dealers to acknowledge that there is a problem.

    They said that a detailed fix for the noise problem is discussed in the original recall information that dealers receive for the brake vacuum intake cold weather issue. Why they would not release a seperate TSB for it is insane, because without the TSB dealers may not think to look back at the original recall notice. But nothing Toyota does surprises me anymore.

    They said that if I can replicate the noise to the dealer they should have to fix it without charge since the fix is part of the original recall and since the fix caused the noise. We'll see how this goes.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Sounds like just an isolated issue. Haven't heard of this problem.
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    It is mentioned on other Toyota boards. If you want proof, I found it. When I called Toyota Corporate and decribed the problem, the guy I spoke with found a reference to the exact problem on the recall instructions (which of course he said he could not give me, but was sending to my dealer). The note about the noise was not on the original recall instructions, but the second set of instructions they released when the recall was extended to a bunch of other cold weather states. The NHTSA recall site only has the original recall instructions so I shelled out the $15 to join the Toyota Tech site for 2 days and found a huge warning on page 17:

    "Ensure that the air intake connector is properly aligned with the throttle body by pulling upward on the air intake connector hose fitting while tightening the bolts. Failure to do this may result in a whistling noise during light throttle application."

    This is the exact problem described here and on the Toyotanation board and others. And since this note was not included on the original recall instructions, I bet loads of people are experiencing the problem. And I bet lots of dealers didn't even bother reading the second set of recall instructions, with the note about the noise, because they assumed that the repair instructions had not changed at all.

    The craziest part is that Toyota has not released a TSB to address the problem. When people go to their dealer to get it checked out, the dealers, who I am hesitant to defend, may not be aware of any issue since no TSB has been issued and the problem is buried on a revised set of recall instructions.
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    If anyone wants to see the proof of the problem, and print it out for themselves to take to their dealer and demand that they fix the problem that they caused (which toyota corporate claimed they should do free of charge). Go to:

    www.techinfo.toyota.com

    1. Sign up
    2. click on the TIS tab on the top
    3. Choose your car and hit search
    4. Scroll down to campaign bulletins
    5. click on #3:

    "SSC 90H Certain 09 - 10 Corolla, Corolla Matrix, and 08 - 09 Scion xD Vehicles Equipped with 2ZR-FE (1.8 liter) Engines Brake Systems Vacuum Port (Phase 2 - 13 Additional States)"

    -make sure to pick the phase 2 one, the original recall instructions do not include the note about the noise. The original recall instruction can be seen for free on the NHTSA recall site, but they do not have the note about the noise.

    6. on page 17 you will find this huge note in the recall repair instructions:

    "Ensure that the air intake connector is properly aligned with the throttle body by pulling upward on the air intake connector hose fitting while tightening the bolts. Failure to do this may result in a whistling noise during light throttle application."

    I first noticed the noise after I got the recall done and I am going to my dealer today to ask that they fix it (bring the printed out proof since I am sure they willhave "misplaced" the copy corporate sent them.

    Having read over the instructions, it honestly should not be that hard for them to fix it. It essentially involved take one part off, and making to hold the part a certain why when putting it back on.

    P.S. As long as you pay for the 2 day membership, you can also print out loads of repair instructions, for simple things like changing the water pump all the way up to fixing the clutch. They are very detailed and have loads of pictures.
  • chrischris Member Posts: 9
    HI! Terceltom is right. I have had brake noiseon my 2009 Corolla but once I take the car to a self-serve car wash and wash the front wheels (especiailly in and around the hubcaps), I see how much dirt comes out.,
    After that, it is fine.
  • pct2pct2 Member Posts: 1
    I had exactly the same problem, and this noise drives you nuts! I believe it was caused from the gas pedal recall when the dealer had to remove the manifold cover. Dealer has corrected now by repositioning the throttle plate. If not perfectly aligned, it lets in a small amount of air which causes the squealing. It took them several attempts to re-align, but they finally got it.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    What? Dealer does not remove manifold cover for accelerator recall. It's a simple 10 minute r/r on the pedal itself.
  • etho1416etho1416 Member Posts: 18
    The recall that caused the problem, and involved the manifold, was the earlier brake recall involving freezing brake lines, not the accelerator recall.

    I also had my dealer reposition the brake air intake unit and the noise went away. It took a few tries to get it right.
  • lihonghonglihonghong Member Posts: 1
    Erik,

    Here is my experience on vibration: when driving downhill--steep, strait and long slope, the car starts to speed up, to about 80 km/h (50 mile/hr), there is a kind of control system (if it has) starts to work trying to hold the speed (like kind of engine brake?), this function (like braking, even if your foot is away from the brake) causes the vibration.

    I tried a few times, and it happens all the time!

    It is not problems of tire, neither brake pad/rotor, or whatever, I think it is the problem of the design/control/programming! I explained to the dealer, they don't understand--how can they know? Maybe the Toyota engineer know exactly what's the issue----IT IS the design problem!

    I regret bought this car. Toyota will never be my next car!
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Yea, I feel the same thing you're describing, but I actually think that's performing as designed. I don't believe it's a problem at all.
  • zzzcarzzzcar Member Posts: 3
    i had a very similar experience with my '06 corolla S. I have driven many cars with ABS and grew up north with lots of snow and ice driving. The ABS on my '06 kicks it provides very little braking force. it also triggers on bumpy surfaces such as cobblestones or rough road. I've driven over same road surfaces with other vehicles with no such activation. THere's really two problems, the abs triggering too easitly AND when it does activate there's little or no braking force.

    Contrary to logic, when this happens I do have to pump brakes to reset brakes and get any braking force. None of my other cars with ABS have worked in this manner. Someone I work with has a '08 corolla and has same problem. His dealer told him, maybe he drove through a puddle and brakes were wet!

    Toyota , something is wrong here. would suggest all who have problem to report to nhtsa website to get some traction (no pun intended) on this issue. thanks!
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Have my first small problem with my "09" Corolla. A.C. smells on start-up. Odor resembles urine but I know it isn't. This odor quickly dissappears. Any ideas?
  • avelichevavelichev Member Posts: 6
    diller told me that evaporater has mold. they will contact to toyota to have permission to change evaporater
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    I "hear" on the WWW. There is an issue with hoses for the air units. Almost like the idea of condensation sitting in your home ice-maker in your fridge or water dispenser in your fridge. Sometimes it can also smell as in my car like a dead animal is in my motor. So suggest checking the lines that lead to airways.,
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The evaporator drain can clog up, but then you'd have drips into the interior as well as mold.

    I would think that removing the evaporator would be the last drastic step in curing this problem.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Just found out there is a TSB ( # T-SB-0384-09) for replacement of the evaporators on 2009/2010 Corollas for the odor problem. Certain vins are covered under the 36 month 36,000 warranty.

    Here's the link:
    http://www.empirepao.com/tsb/T-SB-0384-09.pdf
  • louie_jr2005louie_jr2005 Member Posts: 34
    I have just started to notice a smell in my ac. But I now have 39,350 miles on my car, so you telling me since they have this TSB I will still have to pay for it? If you have a TSB on a car shouldn't they tell you about it, I was in there back in march for my 35,000 mile oil change and didn't need ac back then so now i use it and i'm finding a small smell.......WHAT DO I DO???
  • cass01cass01 Member Posts: 10
    I would call your Toyota dealer and see if they would cover it since you are barely over the 36,000 mile mark. If they won't, call Toyota directly (look in your manual, they have instructions on how to to file a complaint) and raise a 'stink' about the problem. With all the difficulties Toyota is having right now, they may be very willing to cover this.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Not sure about this particular TSB, but some of them have an extended warranty time for the owner to get the problem taken care of. Check into it!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    TSBs are dealer advisories and not extended warranties (although they could be in some cases, if specified in the TSB). As an advisory, the dealer doesn't have to tell you about it, and he doesn't even have to pay attention to it if he doesn't want to.

    The TSB doesn't say anything about what's causing the odor or why the "new" evaporator fixes it. I suspect it has to do with draining.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    I don't have the TSB in front of me right now but didn't it state the new evaporator was coated with a special material that the initial one didn't have? It does state in there that if your problem is found to be at fault and you have the affected VINS that it is covered under the manufactureres warranty.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    No, that's not how I'm reading it It says:

    "This repair is covered under the Toyota Comprehensive Warranty. This warranty is in effect for 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s in-service date. Warranty application is limited to occurrence of the specified condition described in this bulletin." ©

    I think the latter sentence refers to the VIN range that is applicable.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Talked to a buddy of mine who works at my local Toyota dealership. I asked him about the TSB for the evaporator replacement. He said while the TSB states the the replacement job takes 4.5 hours to complete he said it's more like a 6 hour job as the whole dash has to be removed first just to get to the evaporator. So I guess I'm going to live with this odor for about 30 seconds when I first turn on my A.C. rather than have my whole car torn apart for the replacement. He did give me the Petro A/C Chemical cleaner that most Toyota dealers use and sell to try on my car. They'll do it for you for about $60.00 but really, it only takes about 30 minutes of your time to do it yourself. The only drawback is you have to crawl halfway under the car to get to the A/C drain hose. This is a two can foam system; you shoot half the can up the rubber A.C. drain hose into the evaporator. After it turns to a liquid and drains out you repeat with the second half of the can. After that, you use the smaller 6 oz. can to totally disinfect the air intake and ductwork. I did this last night, I'll post about my success with this or not.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Yesterday I received my recall notice for my floor mat recall. Not quite sure what they are going to do though. I suspect they're going to give me new floor mats. The recall notice states that "Toyota will modify the floor surface in the driver's foot well as well as the pedal itself". I already had the wedge put into the pedal at a separate recall. It also states if the optional "all weather floor mats" are of the older style they will replace them on the passenger side and the drivers side free of charge. The only part that concerns me is the "modification of the pedal and the foot well".
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    LOL yeah I guess it was a mass letter as I got mine on Friday. But it cracks me up they want to repair a floor mat and not my EPS which is what will be the death of me. Oh and the telephone number goes to the general reception and not the experience center. and don' ;) t let the rep tell you there closed on Saturdays because they're open.
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    Thank You for the info and when I take my car in for the new floor mats they can fix this too I guess! :):)
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Yeah, you know I was going to let them replace the evaporator but when they told me that it's a 6 hour job and they have to rip out the whole dash, I figured I would just live with the 30 second urine smell when I turn it on. I don't need any more problems. I tried the two can A/C cleaner disinfectant that they themselves use, but it didn't do a d*m thing. Let me know what they do with the mat recall though. I really don't want them cutting my gas pedal and shorter or whatever.
  • hawkman2010hawkman2010 Member Posts: 5
    I had a loud rattling in my 2010 brand new Corolla and I thought it was a loose front left speaker. But the service guys found no problem and the sound was gone the next morning when I went to pick up my new car. I found a clear plastic clip in the door cargo space so maybe that was it, or just sitting in this 96° Alabama weather did the trick ;-)
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Wow what a difference! A few days after using the Petro A/C cleaner the odor is all gone. This is the two can system most dealers use and can be purchased from them for around $15.00. Note: you will have to get under the passenger side of the car to attach the provided hose to the A/C drain. Well worth the money.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    For the 2009/2010 floor mat recall, new front mats are replaced only if you already have the optional all weather mats now. They will trim the front of the gas pedal, trim tibia pad under carpet, and add 2 by 5 inch tape over tibia pad. They will then reshape the carpet were pad was trimmed. This work is scheduled for 1.2 hrs.
  • pekelvrpekelvr Member Posts: 61
    Toyota finally has a fix on the EPS and hopefully it will work.

    What happened was I received a letter regarding the floor mats and accelerator and I got angry about it because I don't have this particular problem. My floor mats are hooked and safe on the floor board.

    So I called the telephone on the letter they sent me. Toyota's Experience line....it was provided on the letter telling me to take the car for the recall repair. So I call it and they tell me this is just the customer service line and would have to transfer me but that since it was Saturday no one would be there. So I got more angry and I told the guy on the phone "look, Toyota sends me a letter that says this is the telephone number to call for "customer experience" and the letter says they are open on Saturdays till 4 pm and now your telling me that basically the letter got that wrong too? So they guy says I will call down there and see if someone is there. Well guess what someone was there! He apologized and transferred me. I finally reach someone and they tell me that someone has to call me back from their casework dept. So I hung up after I gave all the info.

    Well I go to work on Monday and they called...imagine that. After I explained how this vehicle is going kill me the caseworker then tells me that there is a fix for my Corolla. It is called "a computer for the power steering." She then called my local Toyota dealer where I bought my car and gave them my complaint number and briefed them on the problem my car had meandering all over. Then she called me back and told me that I needed to make an appointment with the repair service and after they duplicated the problem they should order my computer for the steering to fix the problem. So YEAH!!! :D I made the appointment for Saturday the 9th and then I will have to go back again to install it. So on the 9th Toyota will repair the floor mat and accelerator and check the valves and order the new computer. Finally they are attempting to provide consumer service to their loyal customer. :)
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    You've been very patient, I hope all works out well for you. Keep us informed.
  • terceltomterceltom Member Posts: 1,024
    Why the links in your post?
  • lovemycar8lovemycar8 Member Posts: 2
    My 2009 Corolla S has 58000 kms on it and two weeks ago I needed to get a rear-passenger wheel bearing replaced.....yesterday I needed to get a rear-drivers wheel bearing replaced! Is this typical?
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