Common Corolla Problems Thread

Common Corolla Problems Thread

Hey, so I notice alot of other forums that have threads dedicated to listing common problems of their cars.

Well here are some that I've experienced:

- cracked windshield washer tank
- slow
- squeeky serpentine belt
- crappy ass door panel that breaks everytime
- oil consumption (not oil leak sorry)
- 0-60 in 10.3 second YAY!

It's not really an oil leak. It's due to piston rings gone bad.

Wow. I thought I was the only one with a cracked winshield washer reservoir. And I second CB, the door panel seals are peeling on the inside. I've never seen a Corolla without them peeling

My door panel seal vinyl was peeling on mine too, so I just peeled them off. Since I have a white car, it matches. As for the windshield washer reservoir, I removed that ages ago to make room for HID ballasts.

hahaha... i didn't even have a reservoir tank to begin with.... i used a juice bottle for one... worked pretty well for a few months, n then it started leaking... oh well.... not the worst of my problems...

Cracked washer resovoir
Burns a quart every 1,500 miles
Ticking noise from top half of the motor
Trunk fills up with water when it rains
Door weatherstripping cheaply made and ripping on all four doors
Body panels dent VERY easily
Dash lights burn out

everything said above except for trunk filling up with water

well with the whole trunk filling up with water....

my buddy (the guy that owned the car before me) was really into bmx and just threw his bike into the trunk whenever he would go ride. The weatherstripping is really messed up from that. And also when he got his sound system hooked up, he used one of the tail lights nuts to ground the amp. He overtightened it and ruined the taillight gasket and as a result i buy a car and find about 6 inches of water in the wheel well and spare tire area.

Engine mounts usually need to be replaced after a while. How soon did they go bad?

I agree on the cracking exhaust I bought NEW exhaust Manifold and it was on for only a year and it was cracked in the same place the one I replaced ..... :sad:

i hate the noise of the damn serpentine belt!

got gator grip and it still squeak.

My mounts went bad around 120k miles.

my mounts were shot before 100K.... lol...

Every toyota I've ever encountered acquires this tick after about 50k miles. The valves are just loud. Mine ticks like crazy, but my valves are totally fine.

you mean this kind of ticking noise?

2002 Corolla S - bought brand new off lot, has 153K miles currently.
2003 Matrix XRS - bought used with about 30K on the clock, has 105K miles currently

Fortunately for me, both my cars have been more of less trouble free. No oil consumption, good gas mileage, good performance, the cars basically run like they did several years ago.

Just normal maintenance, use quality replacement parts and fluids, stayed with OEM as much as possible. Synthetic motor oils, extended drain intervals on both, synthetic fluid/oil in transaxles. Almost all work is exclusively done by me, whenever time permits.


Corolla - Issues so far (not including typical maintenance and accidents)
- The lower trim on the outside of the doors (black trim at bottom of the windows) are peeling, showing the bright aluminum underneath. Just left as is, the car has been "garaged" outside most of its life.

- EVAP issues that are ongoing. Funny thing is the CEL seems to come on every other year, right around E-Check time. Replaced fuel-cut off valve and replaced vacuum hoses that were cracked.

- Original fog lamp bulb and rear tag bulbs burned out within a week of one another this past month. All other bulbs, besides the ones replaced and the headlamps are original.

- OEM headunit is starting to die, replaced it with a JVC that died within 6 months, threw OEM back in there until I get around to replacing it.

- Timing chain tensioner started leaking a few days ago, noticed a damp spot around that area a few weeks back, but after cleaning it - no visible leaks. Now it is leaking - ordered the part, hopefully be able to get to it this weekend.

- Replaced exhaust donut, original one has almost completely worn/cooked away.

Maintenance and replacement items consumed so far:
- two sets of rotors, replaced with plain, vented Brembo blanks
- three sets of front brake pads, replacements were Hawk HPS
- replaced rear shoes @100K miles, still had 50% life left
- four sets of tires (a set each of 205/45-16 Kuhmos and Yokohamas, current 195/60-14 Yokohamas now)
- three sets of Iridium plugs, replacements were NGK Iridium IX plugs
- two serpentine belts, replacement were all OEM belts (Bando?)
- set of fog bulbs, two sets of headlamps (one were Silverstars), set of tag bulbs
- K&N panel filter


Matrix - Issues so far (not including typical maintenance and accidents)
- Squeaky serpentine belt, fixed with Goodyear Gatorback Poly-V replacement. Belt has been quiet for over 60K miles - still running OEM tensioner.

- Broken clip on driver's side window control panel, probably broke from the window regulator bolt recall fix at the dealership - they are not admitting fault. Panel just sits crooked on the armrest, annoying, but still works.

- Up stream O2 sensor was replaced, faulty heater element in the sensor.

- Clear coat is starting to peel on the flexible areas of the car (bumpers and OEM bodykit).

Maintenance and replacement items consumed so far:
- one set of rotors, replaced with plain, vented Brembo blanks
- two sets of front brake pads, replacements were Hawk HPS
- three sets of tires (OEM Goodyear RS-A lasted a long time @90K miles, Kuhmo @15K (flat tire), so I replaced all of them with General Tire Exclaim UHP tires - all OEM size)
- two sets of Iridium plugs, replacements were NGK Iridium IX plugs
- one serpentine belts, replacement was with Goodyear Gatorback belt
- K&N panel filter
- 5 replacement cabin filters (once a year since we got the car)

Next car will probably not be a Toyota. Probably be Subaru or Audi - haven't decided yet. Depends on what the new models look like, Toyota lately hasn't really peaked my interest with their current offerings - look, quality, refinement wise. The current ones I'll keep, will make a great first car for my son in about 10 years when he starts driving.

High pitched squeal/whistle

My 98 rolla has a very high pitched whistle coming from the front of the motor. The noise sound like it is coming from above the intake mainfold, or somewhere around the valve cover. Could the valve cove gasket be the problem. Everyone I have spoke to said "air leak". I have had the vac. lines checked, replaced the intake manifold gasket, and replace the injector rings too. Any ideas??

Much appreciated.

-The serpentine belt!!
-And my starter died with only 60k (km! not mile!)

My 2002 Corolla LE has 100K miles now. Bought it brand new. No real problems with it, although the mentioned serpentine belt whine and bulbs within the car seems to be the most common problem I experience.

All the work I did myself.

-Replaced warped OEM rotors (very common) with Brembo blanks.
-Replaced front pads twice. 1st time with Bendix Import pads - don't ever get them, very noisy and dusty. 2nd one with Perfromance Friction Carbon metallic pads - very quite and very little brake dust...I believe TRD originally rebadge these as its Corolla brakes.
-Repaced noisy OEM serpentine belt with Goodyear Gatorback. No more whine noise.
-Replaced the Iridium spak plugs.
-Cleaned the MAF sensor as the K&N replacement filter oil does a good job of "gunking" that thing up.
-Bleed brake fluid and replaced with Toyota DOT3 fluid twice.
-Flushed radiator fluid 3 times with Toyota antifreeze.
-Replaced battery with Sears Die Hard - OEM battery was running great till someone I let drive it forgot to turn off the headlight all night.
-Changed motor oil every 5K miles (like the owner manual states) with Castrol GTX 5w-30. Never had oil sludge or burning off issue.
-Repaced original Goodyear Integrity (tires suck big time) with the TRD wheel/Toyo Proxy. Toyo Proxy was a little above average in dry road and below average in rain/snow. Recently bought Michellin X-Radial from Costco and going back to OEM wheel - thus selling the TRD wheels.

Bulbs - replaced both front blubs and rear stop light ones several times. Climate control light blew out - freaking bulbs for this area cost $7 each from Toyota since Sylvania or other places don't make these types of bulbs. Replaced several instrument cluster bulbs. My guess is that since I have KYB GR-2/Eibach combo and TRD wheels, the car bounced and hammered over bumbs, causing a lot of jarring to the bulbs, thus they tend to blow out.

Will probably be selling my beloved and really trouble free Corolla in the upcoming year. Good reliable and gas efficent car.

hehe I also have proxes... and yea they like to skid a bit in wet conditions I make drifts in the mall parking lot at night if wet.... if not I'm fucked lol. it does have a funny "rururuuu" noise when it breaks the traction

has to be cause of those tall ass ridges in them

overall good tyres... definetively not bad tyres...
but they ARE much better in dry weather.... that is true