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Toyota Celica (Hatchbacks / All Years)

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Comments

  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    I too have this same Oil Consumption issue with my daughter's 2000 Toyota Celica GT. I purchased (Private Sale) the vehicle in May 2006 after the mechanic indicated he did not see any major problems. The oil was changed about three weeks after the purchase and six weeks later the check engine light was on due to oil level (required 4 qts of oil). The mechanic verified the oil was burning through the exhaust and the Toyota Dealer ruled out all minor issues that could be causing this. The Dealer indicated the engine would need to be rebuilt / replaced. I find it hard to believe that there is no law to protect you from this type of issue from a private sale since you are unable to know this problem exist until after the 30 day lemon law has expired if your mileage is low for the month; I am sure the prior owner was well aware of this problem but chose not to disclose it. It does not appear that I have any recourse at this point in time due to purchasing the vehicle "As Is".
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    If oil is seeping past the pistons, there should be black smoke coming out the exhaust. I do not understand: With this problem, why is there no indication of the problem except for the missing oil? Your story indicates that 2/3 of a quart every week is burning off. That is significant, especially for an engine with such tight tolerances as a Toyota engine. Yet there is no smell nor smoke coming from the car?

    Should we all be worried? I see Teejay & Ann joined the town Hall in Oct/Nov, both with the oil burning, and now Bill is a new member with the same problem. Will we see our Celica engines start dropping like flies soon?????
  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    You can see a difference in the color of the exhaust but it is not black as you indicated - The mechanic noticed it immediately. The oil level remains full for the 1st 4 weeks and then suddenly drops off the next 2 weeks at which point it requires 4 qts.
    2000 Toyota Celica GT for sale - Excellent Condition!!

    :lemon:
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Oop - thank you. Oil = bluish exhaust. Black may result from a rich mixture or poor combustion. My bad.

    Is there any indication of sludge building up in the oil?
  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    My daughter wants a Honda Civic EX which she had (friend totaled it) prior to the purchase of this Celica.
    I wish I had noticed that bluish exhaust prior to the sale - Surprised the mechanic who checked the vehicle out did not notice it. Not sure about Sludge build up in the oil. How would you know - What would cause it - What is done to correct it?
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Some of the Toyota engines had sludge buildup. Those engines were NOT in the Celica. I just asked because you said the oil seems to be normal for a while, then goes down. I was trying to figure out what happens as time goes on after an oil change in the car.
  • 2way2way Member Posts: 2
    Oil consumption issues are known among certain '00-'01 Model Year Celica GTs (not the GT-S). The pistons rings and bore finish were updated on the late '02 MY and newer. This is also an issue for Corollas of those MY's.

    I suggest you try using Castrol 5W30 High Mileage Oil (or high mileage oil of your choice) & see if it cuts your consumption (worked like a charm on my daughter's '01 GT).

    Also, check out the fine folks at http://www.newcelica.org for other assistance and hints for your Celica.
  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    That does seem strange how the Oil Level seems to remain stable for the first 4 weeks and then drop out of sight the next 2 weeks.
  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for the suggestion - I will try the High Mileage Oil and see what happens - I have been using Valvoline 5W30.
    I checked out the newcelica.org forum and read all of the Celica Oil Consumption messages including yours. I will register at some point in the near future to further discuss this Oil Consumption issue and request feedback on what folks think of the Toyota Highlander.
  • diuneidiunei Member Posts: 23
    hi I am new here. I haven't have a chance to read through all these posts. So, i am not sure if someone has asked the same thing before.
    but anyway, I have a 2001 GT, auto. every morning when I start the car, the rpm goes up to about 2000 and drops down to about 1000/800 in 8-10 minutes (it has been like this in the last 6 yrs). :sick: Does this happen to anyone by any chance? Does this mean that there is a problem with my car.
    also, if i park the car in cold weather (below 30F) for more than 2 hrs, the starting rpm is normally high, too.
    thanks much for any help. :)
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    When the weather is cold, the rpm's on my 2000 GTS climb, descent, climb again. It only does this for a couple minutes as the engine warms up. I always thought this is weird.

    In your case, does the car do this when the temperature is reasonable (50-60°F)? If so, I would think that there is a temperature sensor not working correctly. Otherwise, you described how a normal choke mechanism would work to warm the car up in cold weather.
  • eltonroneltonron Member Posts: 33
    All I can tell you is that I feel your pain. Despite consistent maintenance, I have just shelled out another significant chunk of change for my SECOND engine replacement on my 2000 Celica GT.

    For all those who doubt the veracity of some of the statements made regarding the oil consumption issue, I can tell you with certainty that four weeks after a scheduled full oil change/maintenance, the engine had apparently burned through all four quarts without even a drop of leakage.

    My understanding is that the new catalytic converter (which I had to replace presumably because the oil burning issue had mucked up the first one) is so efficient that there winds up being being no visible sign of burning oil from the exhaust pipe at all.

    So far I have been unable to find anyone at Toyota who will acknowledge this issue with the 2000 GT engines, though I have heard from several mechanics over at Toyota that there was indeed a problem with the 2000 GT engine which has subsequently been resolved in later models.

    If anyone knows of a direct contact at Toyota where I can have this issue appropriately addressed I would appreciate receiving whatever information you can give me. I've been a lifelong Toyota owner, but this experience has made me question their historically high standards of quality.

    Eltonron
    Host- Automotive News & Views
    :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
  • atqatq Member Posts: 2
    Hi again,name's Atq,am trying to rebuild a 1977 Toyota Celica,the body is ruined,collisioned here and there.. I need to make it back in shape,to its original measurement.. Anyone maybe,have an info for the exect dimension,nuts/body streamed line position?
    Best regards..
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    That's incredible that the new catalytic converters can eat up all the oil residue!

    Are you the original owner? If so you should make requests of the dealership that sold you the car. Aka, give the dealership every chance to resolve the issues. If not, or if the dealership is of no help, find a 1800 number for Toyota's customer service to place an inquiry with.
  • diuneidiunei Member Posts: 23
    Thanks guitarzan.
    My rpm drops very steady from 2000-800 over the 8 minutes period without bouncing up and down.
    the rpm during a fine summer morning is about 1500 rpm and settles down to 800 in about 5 minutes.
    so now i just assume that it is not too abnormal for this car.
  • eurofire03eurofire03 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 97 Toyota Celica and have been working on it for a while now. I need a good speed shop in the Bay Area that can help me get the most performance out of my Celica. If Anyone knows of ANY good shops around please let me know A.S.A.P.

    Thanks In Advance,
    ~Bogdan
  • lg07lg07 Member Posts: 4
    My Celica has been in the shop for months. Fighting the warranty company and Toyota. The motor seized. Dealer states low compression in all cylinders, bent valve, piston damage. Warranty company states that the motor go ran so long that all cylinder walls are brown from heat. Some sludge was found in the corners of the head. I have always maintained my vehicle at regular intervals. I have all of my maintenance receipts. Dealer stated there was very little oil when he checked the dipstick. I have looked into different possibilities, spark advance, detonation, incorrect sensor inputs. The technician never even pulled the timing chain, which could have been a possible cause to the motor damage? Any suggestions as to what might have actually occurred? Thanks!
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Ig07, you really need an expert on this, which is probably a Toyota mechanic. You can always get second opinions from independent mechanics or perhaps your car insurance company could recommend someone.

    A lack of oil would explain the seizure of the engine. I have never heard of piston damage resulting from this, but I am no expert on the subject. Perhaps the piston bound to the side of the cylinder...? If so, that force will continue to bend everything connected to it.

    Other Toyota engines have had their oil turn to sludge. While Toyota covered some of the repairs, they also said that people were extending their oil changes way too long.

    This engine (same as mine) I am pretty sure did not have sludge problems.

    If there was no oil and low compressions, was there a significant leak in the heads? That would spew oil all over the engine compartment. You would know where that missing oil went.

    Of course, a compression test after a seizure might be an invalid test, as all of the pistons and/or cylinders may be obviously damaged.

    I do not know if this is an interference engine, but you do have the signs of a timing chain skipping or breaking on an interference engine.

    Did the damage happen during extreme acceleration and/or revving the engine past the redline?
  • lg07lg07 Member Posts: 4
    guitarzan. Thanks for your reply. I have had the car looked at by the mechanic at Toyota, as well as the inspector from the warranty company. I definitely think I need a second opinion. At this point, I think the warranty company is trying to get out of paying my claim for a new engine. When the car went down, I was traveling on the interstate at a steady speed. It lost power, all the dash lights came on. When I pulled over, I shut the car off. It would not re-start. The mechanic that came and towed my car said he thought it had jumped time. I've been doing some research on the timing chain. I have the interference engine and if something happened, it could have caused the damage. The mechanic has stated that my car overheated and I ran it so long until it quit. WRONG!! Oh, and did I mention that the Toyota dealership that broke down the motor has lost the head? Apparently there was damage to the head, but it's their word against mine. It's been a very frustrating experience. Something is wrong and I hope to put my finger on it. Guess they think I'm just a dumb female.... Thanks!
  • toyyodatoyyoda Member Posts: 1
    Just bought a 90 Celica GT-S and not sure how to change out the tail light bulb. No owner's manual included and probably would not have covered this anyway. Looks like it might involve some prying, but I don't want to force it to the point of breakage. Does anyone have experience doing this? Thanks
  • lg07lg07 Member Posts: 4
    I checked the manual for my '00 Celica. There is a plastic cover in the hatch area. Remove the 2 clips on the cover. This is where the bulbs are located. Hope this helps.
  • pandab34rpandab34r Member Posts: 1
    I am an owner of a 98 accord ex v6 4dr sedan and am wondering if getting a celica would be a good move since it gets better gas milage? I am looking at used 2000-2001 celica GT and they go for about the same price as my 98 accord. If I could sell my car and buy a celica would it be worth it? I really like the looks of a celica and wouldn't mind having a manual transmittion either. Would the gas milage make a big enough difference to make the move?
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Pandab34r, milage varies, especially with regards to a used car. Yes, you should save gas money going from a V6 Accord to the Celica GT 1.8 liter engine. But you very well might find a Corolla or Civic that does even better mileage-wise.

    The Celica is a beautiful, fun car. If you want to save gas money, you could end up disappointed. If you want it, buy the Celica for the fun-factor alone and forget the rest.
  • bill8557bill8557 Member Posts: 6
    The mechanic has now informed me that the engine to this Toyota Celica GT is no longer useable ("metal in lower block due to wear and tear"). Since I have to replace the engine, should I be looking for a Rebuilt or Used engine? I hear Rebuilt is cheaper but what is the downside? I found a Used 2000 Celica GT engine with 64K miles (current engine has 80K) and a 60 day warranty for $2,000 (includes shipping) and the mechanic stated I should pursue it.
  • lg07lg07 Member Posts: 4
    I am looking at rebuilding the engine for my '00 Celica GT. I have priced new ones and they're closer to $3,000. I would pursue getting the rebuilt motor. A good mechanic will be able to check it out for you and with a 60-day warranty, I think it's a good choice.
  • dglewisdglewis Member Posts: 2
    I've googled this topic and found this website.

    I have an '01 Celica with 78K on it.
    About 6 months ago, during regular servicing at toyota, they said that the car had no oil in it. They wanted to come back after 1000 miles to see if all was good which I did. They did not find any issue. Since then, I gave it for servicing 3K later with no problem keeping an eye on the oil consum
    ption. The other day, after 2 K oil was nearly empty.

    Two mechanics have confirmed there is no oil leak. A friend of mine noticed a tinge of blue smoke once. I've been regularly maintaiining this vehicle and I'm the original owner.
    I'm seeing a lot of other owners with similar oil burning issues. Anybody have any ideas what the causes are?
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    The mechanics confirmed no leak, but did they look inside the car's systems? The oil is somewhere. Is it in the coolant system? I don't know if a catalytic converter can absorb such a great deal of oil. If it did, it would be trash very quickly. Is there water or radiator fluid in the oil? What is the condition of the spark plugs? How does the car run? There are no indicator lights on? It cannot run like new and lose a major amount of oil with no other indicators!

    Did the mechanics just peek underneath the car? Have a detailed inspection done is my advice. Something will hint at the problem.
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    I ran my GTS 2001 over a tail pipe on freeway at 70MPH.

    After fixing the tires, wheels and broken plactic radiator grill, now I feel the steering wheel vibrate slightly when I cruise at 90MPH or above.

    My other GTS are rock solid at or above 90MPH.

    The tire shop says nothing is wrong with the tires or the wheels. He's suggesting a dynamic balancing where they would spin up the wheels, in the car, to about 60 MPH to see if there are any bent parts in the front axle. Will cost about $200.

    Any ideas or comment?
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Are you confident in the high-speed tire balancing that they did? Granted, to get to 90mph without shaking, the imbalance would be very small. Is the wheel new, or repaired? There are so many little things here that need to be confidently verified.

    All of that in check, my personal, totally inexperienced opinion [that out of the way] is that I agree with the mechanics. The shaking is a balance / symmetry issue. If the wheel is balanced, then something is awry on down the line.

    On your side, one would think that Toyota, or an experienced suspension mechanic may find hints of damaged parts without this expensive spinup they want to do.
  • celica2001celica2001 Member Posts: 1
    I'm having a major problem with my Celica. Occasionaly, on a cold start, nothing electrical will work in the car. After running for 5 to 10 minutes everything will click on. Has anyone else out there experienced this problem? I have had it to three shops, including a dealership, but no one can find the problem.

    thecopyqueen
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    "Cold start" - define this - do you just mean a cold start, or is the weather "cold" also?

    How about this: A fuse for the accessories is not making contact, but the engine warms up the fuse enough for it to make contact? Are the offending accessories on the same fuse, or is the problem with ALL accessories? (Headlights, radio, unrelated stuff...)

    Does the car have any accessories that were not professionally installed? Anything in particular that was wired directly to the battery? Check their power and ground for a good connection.

    Got any more details?
  • compucompu Member Posts: 1
    I bought a used 2001 Celica 50K miles on Feb. 2007. All my friends said my car is not moving even they step so hard on gas. Actually I feel the same way. I used to have a 89' Honda Predule. good engine. It pickup so fast when I accelerated to merge into highway. Not like now, I have to step very very hard on gas, never done that on my old predule. Is it only me have this problem? Does anyone feel the same way?

    After that, I had been searching on internet regarding this problem. but no complain as mine(it maybe my car problem :cry::cry: .But I found something interesting, a lots of Toyota owners were complaining the sludge problem. They been asking $3k-$8K for a new engine replacement. Does Celica with the same problem? Scary :sick: :sick: :sick:
  • rayzerrayzer Member Posts: 2
    I am having this problem, too. It occurs when the car hasn't been run for a few hours. The outside temperature doesn't matter. It happened yesterday when it was 80 degrees outside. The car starts fine and the dash lights may come on for a few seconds, but then they go off (the car is still running). When the lights don't work, the car will not shift into gear!! Sometimes I have to wait for 20 minutes for the lights to come on and then the car will shift out of park. Any thoughts? :confuse:
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Well you definitely need a Toyota-Knowledgable person to troubleshoot this, someone with an integral understanding of how the electrical system works. I bet the detail you just gave rayzer will be enough for a mechanic to fix it. I can only guess: computer, ignition switch, some safety switch...

    OOOH! The ignition switch controls power to the accessories. Try rocking the key slightly forward or in/out. Can you get the accessories on by doing that? That's a highly used part that would be subject to wear!

    This is a very interesting problem, please keep us informed!
  • 2way2way Member Posts: 2
    The '00-'01 1ZZ-FE oil consumption problem is a documented issue.
    There is a TSB issued in the UK for it. :lemon:
    The fix is a rebuilt shortblock from Toyota. They take your core, rebuild it, and put it back into parts stock. The problem is the pistons, piston rings, and cylinder wall design. All of which were changed on the '02+ engines. So, either hound Toyota for a rebuilt shortblock (if you're under warranty) or look for an '02+ engine. Corolla, Matrix, and Vibe engines will fit w/some modifications. Those may be easier to locate than a Celica one.
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Help us out here 2way:

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm

    How can we navigate on the US TSB site to find this problem? I searched the 2000 Celica, and the 2 engine links provided, but could not find a similar report.

    Thanks!
  • rayzerrayzer Member Posts: 2
    Well, I left the car with my dad's car mechanic friend for 10 days. I described the problem, but they couldn't reproduce it, so they couldn't fix it. Prior to this, I had it to the dealer and they couldn't reproduce it either.

    It looks like my options are to find a better Toyota-knowledgeable person (any ideas for Joliet, Illinois?) or have a mechanic in the car with me at all times, because the problem never happens when they're around :). :confuse: :confuse:
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Rayzer - try to get through to the Click and Clack radio show on Saturday! (Assuming they are not currently repeating shows.)
  • ham154141ham154141 Member Posts: 1
    my car will not start i put a new battery in it and it still won't start
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    Will it crank?

    If it's totally dead, without cranking, then the ingition module is likely dead.

    Use the exact type of spark plugs recommended in the manual or this ignition module will not last long.
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    Sounds like the wires from the battery to the accessories are shorting to parts in the chassis or engine compartment.

    Trace the wire bundles from the battery in the engine bay into the area under the dash and tape up any areas that may be chafing against metal parts. That should help. Knocking on the parts and panels to loosen any pinched wires may help also

    Had the same problem with intermittent electrical shorting which drained the battery. Turned out the car was in a minor accident, denting the door. Wires for the power window motor were pinched between the door panel and internal parts, causing intermittent shorting.
  • mctcmctc Member Posts: 4
    Ok I got my leak fixed now I can start tuning but the problem I am having is when my engine is cold it runs fine and sounds awesome, but after it warms up it goes to hell and quick it loses power and dies.... I am lost and confused.... any guesses for me to check into???
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    Buy an engine scanner in the internet for about $30.

    Hook it up to the diagnostic port under the dash at the driver's left knee. Find out what parts are not working.

    You can trouble shoot from there.

    Dealer shop would do the same thing. The designs of Toyota's engines are very simple and logical. You should be able to find and fix the root cause.
  • mctcmctc Member Posts: 4
    do you know where I can find one that will read my car it is an 83 and everyone I have found will not read that old :confuse:
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    Sorry I have no experience with older car.

    Search the internet or ask other people in this forum.

    Good luck and have fun.
  • mctcmctc Member Posts: 4
    after everything I just did I still cant make it stop knocking. I rebuilt the bottom end where my problem was do you think that now the top end just isnt keeping up with the new bottom? Would there be something else that I can do to fix this problem without spendinding more money that I dont have to rebuild the top end??
  • shalukashaluka Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 Toyota Celica GT-S and just replaced the clutch at 130K. After putting everything together, the clutch seems to work just fine but there is an issue with the temperature gauge. The temperature rises to normal (half way point) within a few minutes of driving and all of a sudden it shoots to the max and needle keeps blinking at max point (H).

    Gauge would drop back to normal after engine has been turned off and back on. It does not look like a true over heat since an overheating engine cannot cool off say in 1-2 minutes after an engine restart. I have driven about 30 miles now and engine runs fine.

    I did also notice that the coolant reservoir was almost empty after refilling it once when the clutch work was done. The problem persists after refilling the reservoir. Any suggestions?
  • peterpan99peterpan99 Member Posts: 65
    Powered door locks get worn out and need replacement sometimes.

    Problem is likely a broken rotary solenoid inside the door. Dealers sell the complete assembly with the 2 cables for about $250. Order the specific left or right door power door lock assembly.

    1. Remove the plastic door panel:

    Remove the plastic part behind the door lever: 3 snap in tabs, 1 in front 2 on top adn bottom
    Remove 2 plastic caps then 2 screws near the door hinge.
    Remove 2 screws at the bottom of the door panel.
    Remove 1 long screw in the middle of the door handle.
    Remove 2 white plastic snap ins at the rear edge of the door.
    Gently lift up and take out the plastic panel.
    Disconnect the 2 cable ends attached to the door lever before completely pulling the door panel out.

    2. Remove the door solenoid assembly:

    Roll glass window up for better access to inside door panel.
    Undo the black sealant and remove the upper left/right part of the clear plastic sheet for access inside the door.
    Unscrew 3 hex-head screws holding the lock to the door's rear edge
    Unscrew 1 10mm bolt on the middle left door corner holding the solenoid assembly. Do not remove the 10 mm free-rolling nut above it. This nut stays in place.
    Remove the ends of 2 S-shape rods inside the door from the lock assembly. These rods' ends are held in place by small plastic snap-on locks. Unsnap the locks before pulling out the rods' ends from their sockets.
    Now everything is unscrewed, slide the solenoid assembly towards the front of the door and take it out

    3. To assemble the solenoid assembly, simply reverse the process.

    Everything is logically assembled. Do not use too much force. You should not be able to break anything. You should be able to save aprroximately $500 and half day wait doing it yourself. Good luck
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    Shaluka, did you flush the coolant system when you did the clutch? An air bubble may be causing the temperature spike. Gotta get the air out.
  • toyocelicadudetoyocelicadude Member Posts: 1
    I know how to work a stick i just dont know at what RPMS is the right time to shift for each gear? like 1 -2 - 3 -4 - 5. i think at 2,500 rpm's i could shift to 2nd gear but i dont know the rest can someone who knows alot about stick help me i dont want to grind my gears and stuff ! i just wanna know wens the right time to shift for each gear thank you!!!! :confuse:
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