1998 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A GPS DEVICE THAT ATTACHES TO THE CAR THROUGH THE OBDII PORT. MANUFACTURERED BY AGNIK CORPORATION SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAME VYNCS. THE DEVICE, WHEN INSTALLED, HAS CAUSED INTERMITTENT STALLING OF THE VEHICLE AT LOW SPEED SUCH APPROACHING A STOP OR IDLING IN GEAR AT A STOP. THIS WAS REALIZED TO BE CAUSED BY THE DEVICE AFTER ABOUT 1 WEEK OF EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STALLING. WHEN THE DEVICE WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAR, THE STALLING ISSUE DISSAPEARED. I HAVE RETAINED THE DEVICE FOR SUBMISSION TO THE NHTSA FOR TESTING. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO THE MANUFACTURER ATTENTION THEY CEASED COMMUNICATION WITH ME, DISABLED THE GPS SERVICE, AND CLOSED MY ACCOUNT, WHEREBY I COULD NO LONGER EXTRACT ANY HISTORICAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THEM. ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THEM THROUGH TECHSUPPORT@AGNIK.COM HAVE BEEN UNANSWERED. AGNIK DOES NOT PUBLISH AN ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE MADE A NOISE. THEN, VEHICLE SLOWED, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF. CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC EXAMINE THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BOLT CONNECTING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO THE ENGINE BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE SAME DEFECT WAS FOUND. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED PROMPTING ME TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED. THE INDICATION WAS AN ERROR MESSAGE PO441: PURGE FLOW FAULT. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED A CHARCOAL CANISTER FAILURE WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT AND CONSISTENT COMPLAINTS BY TOYOTA OWNERS REGARDING EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEMS FAILURES IN THE 1998 COROLLA IN ADDITION TO A LAWSUIT IN WHICH TMC SETTLED WITH THE EPA COVERING ONLY CERTAIN MODELS. IT SEEMS THAT A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON ALL 1998 MODELS AS THIS PROBLEM IS VERY PREVALENT.*AK

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HAD IT CHECKED OUT TO FIND THAT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FAILED - SOMETHING MY MECHANIC TOLD ME HE SEES ALL THE TIME IN THESE TOYOTAS. *AK

CAR IN FOR BRAKE WORK AT LOCAL DEALER RECENTLY. (HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD 90,000 MILE SERVICE THERE IN DEC 2003, NOTHING NOTED.) AT TIME OF BRAKE WORK, TOLD THAT TOP ENGINE NOISE (TICKING/RATTLE) NEEDED TO BE CHECKED, $600 JUST TO LOOK INSIDE AND SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS. TOOK TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED CAR FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. I'M ONLY AT 98,000 MILES, AND HAVE FOLLOWED MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS/CHANGED OIL REGULARLY ON SCHEDULE. I SHOULDN'T NEED A NEW ENGINE, THIS IS CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW. DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I HADN'T CHANGED THE OIL ON TIME. ROD OR PISTON THAT WAS ABOUT TO GO IS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM. MY BROTHER IS STILL DRIVING A 1985 CAMRY! MOM HAS A 91 CAMRY STILL IN GOOD CONDITION, HIGH MILEAGE. DIDN'T EXPECT TO HAVE A TOYOTA GIVE OUT SO EARLY. WILL BE ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM TOYOTA. REPLACEMENT ENGINE TOTALED $2736.88 INCLUDING LABOR, FOR A USED ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES. NO DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING ENGINE MILEAGE EXCEPT ON BILL, SO ODOMETER STILL SAYS 98,000 MILES.

THE ENGINE OF A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE GERMAIN TOYOTA OF COLUMBUS EXAMINED THE CAR AND IDENTIFIED THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE AS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE DAMAGE. REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS NEEDED. TOYOTA REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THIS WEAR AN TEAR AND ALSO BECAUSE THE FAILURE HAPPENED AFTER WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS TYPE OF WEAR AN TEAR IS NOT COMMON ON A 1998 TOYOTA WITH 82000 MILES. FURTHERMORE, TOYOTA'S OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT DOES NOT MENTION ANY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT ON TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. THE ONLY REFERENCE IS IN PAGE 45, 90,000 MILES MAINTENANCE LOG UNDER "ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS FOR SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS", WHICH INDICATES 'REPLACING TIMING BELT EXCEPT FOR COROLLA'. THE MANUAL SPECIFIES MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR UP TO 120,000 MILES. A CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WEAR & TEAR OF A COMPONENT WHEN THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SPECIFY THE NEED FOR MAINTENANCE. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE IS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR A DESIGN DEFICIENCY. PAID 2375 FOR A USED REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *LA

OF THE ELEVEN (11) VEHICLES THAT I HAVE OWNED THUS FAR, AT LEAST EIGHT (8) HAS BEEN TOYOTA, ONE A FORD, AND TWO WERE NISSAN'S. ALL THE TOYOTA'S GAVE ME EXCELLENT SERVICE, EXCEPT THE LAST. THIS WAS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA CE THAT WAS REGULARLY SERVICED AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF. SO MUCH SO, THAT WE PURCHASED A SMART CHOICE WARRANTY FOR TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($1200) TO GIVE US AN ADDED PIECE OF MIND. THIS VEHICLE WAS PUIRCHASED FOR MY COLLEGE GOING DAUGHTER, BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT THIS BRAND IS BASED ON RELIABILTY, ECONOMY AND DURABILITY. THESE ARE WELL KNOWN TOYOTRA ATTRIBUTES.ON 11/28/2003 THE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AT INTERVALS. I DID MY OWN DIAGONISTICS AS A RESPONSIBLE TOYOTA OWNER AND FOUND THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I THEN LEFT WORK TO TAKE THE CAR FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD AFTER HOURS OF EXAMINATION THAT THE OIL PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS AS THE VEHICLE HAD REGULAR SERVICES. AT THIS I CONTACTED SMART CHOICE, ONLY TO LEARN THAT THEY HAD FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. THIS WAS A MAJOR SETBACK FOR ME. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS AT THIS STAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY $530.00. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION BY MY MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS ENGINE HAD LARGE DEPOSITS OF SLUDGE AND THAT IT HAD A SHORT LIFESPAN. BASED ON THIS I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT I LODGE THIS LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT AND REQUEST AN OFFICIAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO CONTACT ME AT THE SOONEST.*AK

MY CAR '98 COROLLA THAT HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AS PER MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS BLEW ITS ENGINE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS IN THE FAST LANE AND HAD TO DANGEROUSLY VEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR HAD DONE ONLY 50,000 MILES. THE ENGINE BREAKDOWN WAS CAUSED BY SLUDGING AND EXCESSIVE ENGINE WEAR AND TEAR THAT DEVELOPED IN THE CAR WHEN IT HAD DONE JUST 36,000 MILES. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SUBURBAN TOYOTA OF TROY, MI. I HAVE BEEN REGULAR WITH OIL CHANGE AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND HAVE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT AND THIS IS A CLEARY A CASE OF MANUFACTURING FAULT OF THE CAR. I FINALLY PAID $4500 FOR FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND SENT THE RECEIPTS AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO TOYOTA. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THIS AMOUNT.

CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY AND VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE FAILED. GAS CAP ALSO FAILED.*AK

MY CAR '98 COROLLA THAT HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AS PER MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS BLEW ITS ENGINE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS IN THE FAST LANE AND HAD TO DANGEROUSLY VEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE CAR HAD DONE ONLY 50,000 MILES. THE ENGINE BREAKDOWN WAS CAUSED BY SLUDGE AND EXCESSIVE ENGINE WEAR AND TEAR THAT DEVELOPED IN THE CAR WHEN IT HAD DONE JUST 36,000 MILES. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SUBURBAN TOYOTA OF TROY, MI. I HAVE BEEN REGULAR WITH OIL CHANGE AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND HAVE RECEIPTS TO PROVE THAT. I FINALLY PAID $4500 FOR FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND SENT THE RECEIPTS AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO TOYOTA. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THIS AMOUNT. *NLM

A LOOSE BOLT WITHIN THE ENGINE CAUSED AN OIL LEAK. *NLM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEMS ERROR. LIKELY CHARCOAL CANISTER PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. DEALERSHIP FOUND THE PLATE FOR THE TIMING GEAR COVER WAS LEAKING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED GASKET AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. WHILE DRIVING 71 MILES LATER, THE CAM GEAR PIN SHEARED OFF, THE VEHICLE DIED OUT AND INTERNAL DAMAGE OCCURRED. DEALERSHIP NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TT

ENGINE IS LEAKING COOLANT/ OIL. NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AS A WARNING. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AFTER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

THE ENGINE CONSUMES OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR 15 YEARS AGO. TOLD A TOYOTA SHOP FOREMAN ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT ANY FAULT. HE SAID THEY MADE THE PISTONS TOO SMALL AND THE RINGS TOO BIG. HE IS A CLOSE FRIEND WHO KNOWS I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS EXTREMELY WELL. HE SAID TO JUST KEEP NURSING THE CAR LIKE I DO. AND FOR 15 YEARS I HAVE BEEN NURSING MY CAR EVERY WEEK I CHECK THE OIL. IF IT IS A SLIGHT BIT LOW I WILL ADD OIL TO THE FULL LINE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THE CAR LAST, IF I LET IT GO AND DIDN'T CHECK THE OIL, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING LEFT IN THE CRANKCASE, THE ENGINE WOULD PROBABLY SEIZE UP BECAUSE OF LACK OF OIL. I NOTICED THIS CONDITION WITH THE ENGINE WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR 15 YEARS AGO USED. THE CAR WAS A YEAR AND HALF OLD. I CALLED TOYOTA ABOUT IT BACK THEN IN THE YEAR OF 2000 AND THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM OR RECALL LIKE THEY STILL DO TODAY. SINCE THEN, I HAVE CONFRONTED OTHER TOYOTA COROLLA OWNERS WITH THE SAME YEAR AS MINE GIVE A TAKE A YEAR OR TWO AND THEY HAVE ALL STATED THAT YES THERE OIL WAS EXTREMELY LOW ALSO. ONE STRANGER I WALKED UP TO IN THE PARKING LOT SAID TO ME "YES, I ADD OIL TO IT EVERY WEEK." SO TO SUM THINGS UP. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE EVERY WEEK FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THAT CAR. TOYOTA SHOULD BE SUED FOR NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THEIR OIL BURNING ENGINES FOR THE 1998 TO 2002 COROLLA MODEL YEAR. THERE IS NO OIL LEAKING UNDER THE CAR AT ALL AND ALL OF THE GASKETS ON THE ENGINE ARE DRY WITH NO LEAKS. THE INTERIOR OF THE TAILPIPE HAS ALOT OF BLACK SOOT INDICATING OIL CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE ENGINE.

TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER WHO CONTACTED TOYOTA...ALTHOUGH STILL UNDER WARRANTY DEALER AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPAIR. SAID THAT CAR WAS ABUSED, BUT OIL CHANGES WERE MADE AND DOCUMENTED. CAM SEIZED.

CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY FAILED. *YC

NOTICED AN ODOR/FUMES INSIDE & OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN ITS STARTED OR NOT. MOST HEAVY WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED. TOOK TO DEALER AT LEAST 7 DIFFERENT TIMES & PROBLEM HAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

VEHICLE'S INNER ROD BROKE CAUSING ENGINE MOTOR TO BLOW.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED A TICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER WHEN THE CONSUMER NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INNER ROD BROKE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN EXPLANATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. *NLM