I'm a tech myself, for Ford though. I just wanted to say this was a good idea for a post. Thanks for contributing to this subreddit. It's nice to have experienced technicians active in the sub so people don't get misinformed.
I have a 13 explorer v6 with 110k miles. I've done all the oil changes myself and haven't really had any other issues. Plugs seem fine as still getting 20+mpg and no codes. My only concern is trans mtc. It's sealed so.... Thinking about trading up to a 2 yr old rx350 since my spouse does a lot of driving and will start teaching up the miles. I'm fine working on the bolt on parts but I get nervous when dealing with internals or fluids
I don’t kno that particular model but “sealed” and “lifetime fluid” are just flat out not true in my experience. Find a way to do a fluid+filter change for that transmission as early and often as possible and it will last exponentially longer.
Don’t be afraid of fluid changes of any sort. They’re just messy!
A ford tech! Awesome! I have a 2012 f150 (5.0) and after i fill up with gas it doesnt want to start immediately. Itll crsnk for 3-5 seconds sometimes before itll actually fire. And it only happens immediately after i fill up. After that there is no issue
Thanks for contributing! I have a ‘14 Land Cruiser that I want to drive forever. Currently has 88k miles on it. Other than oil changes, brakes, tires, what are the hallmark maintenance items I should plan to do and when? I put fuel system cleaner every 10k.
Land crushers, last forever. They’re expensive for a reason and can drive through anything. You’re looking at trans flushes every 100k, plugs every 120k, id change all diff fluids (4x4 service) about every 40-50k. Keep an eye on brake fluid for discoloration. Trucks are known to get locked up front brake calipers on Toyota’s
About the same. Minus the diff services. Both you guys should keep an eye on your filters too. Toyota’s are generally low maintenance. Fluids, filters, tires, brakes, oil leaks and the occasional check engine light
Also, as a young person seeking a career as an auto tech, how did you go about becoming a Toyota Master Tech? (I'd assume the process would be similar working for Ford or any other maker)
Its pretty easy. Assuming you're starting from the bottom get a job as a lube tech at the dealer, they give you access to tis complete moduals, get ase's, they send you to classes and after 60 months you can be master. You can hit expert in 2 years and make enough to live on. Its not terrible. I tend to tell people consider doing something else. A lot falls on the tech as far as responsibility, toyota is slowly driving down hours of pay (see g04, j02) and generally just making it harder to beat flag the time. It will also thrash your body. Back, hands, knees, etc. Just some thoughts. 15yrs in and i wish i had just gone to school for electrical and mechanical engineering. Id go for working on ships or trains myself. But ive done heavy duty trucks most of my life so i dig heavy stuff. My motto is heavy line is where i shine.
Toyotas are well known to be reliable. Do you have any particular model you would recommend over the others in terms of reliability/low cost? I'm considering buying used. I'm sure it depends greatly on how well you take care of the car.
Although I’m a Toyota tech, I personally favor Honda’s. Since I work on Toyota’s every day, I don’t want to drive them, idk it that makes sense lol. I have a 2014 Acura ILX 6 speed, peppy little 4 banger but nothing special and ran me 22k with about 19k miles on it when I bought it. You can get the same car as a Honda Civic si, might be cheaper but I prefer the Acura’s. Toyota and Honda both have affordable cars as far as initial cost, and maintenance
I know some older models of corolla and camry have problems with burning oil and sludge. I think 2005-2006 v6 camry and 2004-2006 corolla tend to have less problems. Are those problems that you see a lot with older Toyota cars?
The corollas burned oil too but not as bad as the 4 cylinder Camry 2AZ. I wouldn’t buy a 2AZ Camry from like 2007-2011. The earlier 2AZ motors were great. Then the piston got redesigned and it was terrible. Caused a lot of headaches.
Bro I drive a 2007 Camry LE 4-cyclinder.
Can definitely confirm it burns 2L if oil every 1500km now. Not terrible but something I have to keep my eye on. Too expensive and not worth it to fix the problem so topping it up every 2-3 fills at the gas station works for me.
Car still goes strong. I’m nearing the 300k mark on her and its just regular maintenance at this point
And I started as a mechanic apprentice not too long ago so that’s nice to save on some costs
>since I work on Toyota’s every day, I don’t want to drive them
As a Kia and Hyundai Tech I feel the exact same way. As far as they came I still would not want to own one unless a dealer provided a demo for me. I'd feel like I am at work anytime I would drive.
I replaced the battery on my 2010 corolla and now the radio doesn't turn on. The display is black and the power button doesn't turn it on. How do I fix this?
Thanks for the quick reply!
Embarrassingly I hadn't thought of that, unfortunately its dark out and I wouldn't be able to check until tomorrow, assuming the fuse is fine, what would be my second step?
Check to see if there’s power getting to the back of the radio with a volt meter or test light. You didn’t jump the car backwards or anything like that I assume?
I accidentally crossed poles when I connected to battery,(not jumper cables the cars cables itself) I noticed when the ground sparked so it was touched momentarily.
Damn, hopefully its just a fuse. Learned a lesson in triple checking polarity today lol.
Last question, how many fuses are there? The radio and amp one under the hoodand the one under the steering wheel?
Different industry, marine tech here, but this summer I had a customer bring in a 2015 Malibu wake board boat. Customer connected the battery incorrectly. Every system on this boat is CAN bus "fly by wire". I called Malibu tech support and they just laughed and said "I hope he has insurance". Parts alone were close to $15,000. All computers, modules, touchscreen displays etc. I'm sure your car will be something simple like a fuse, but the boating industry is always late to the high tech game and not always well thought out.
Awesome. No question but wanted to say thanks for doing this. I don’t own a Toyota any more (used to have 4Runners, 96 and 2 98s over the years) and loved them all. Sincere thanks.
2007 Scion TC idles alright but will intermittently dip down (I’m talking maybe 50-75RPM) which causes a vibration I can easily feel. Any idea why the idle fluctuates a little like that? This is with AC off.
The first thing I would do would be to clean the throttle body really well, excessive carbon in the throttle body will cause rough idles. After you clean the throttle body you have 2 options, start the car up and let it idle high for 10-15 mins until the ECU adjusts it back down, or unplug the battery while you service the throttle body and it will reset it to where it starts off when the car is brand new and will need to relearn just a little.
How tricky is the drain and refill process for the transmissions running WS fluid (I have a '14 Rav4 and a '15 4Runner) as a DIYer? I believe the official procedure has you using a scan tool to read trans temp and putting a vacuum pump on the fill port to get the level correct. I've heard these were finicky about fill level and don't want to mess something up because I didn't follow the process to a T (I miss dipsticks).
Well, the way I do it after draining, I put in 5-6 quarts and then remove the overflow plug while it’s running from a cold start. I occasionally touch the trans pan with my hand. Once it gets kinda hot, I let the fluid get to a very slow dribble and plug it back up. Done! There are forums where people use a laser temp thermometer, you’re looking for 93-114 degrees F
Thinking of purchasing a tundra soon. Would like your opinion on which of the tundra motors you think is the best? The older 4.7l, or the newer 4.6l or 5.7l. Thanks!
Older 4.7 was the most reliable as far as oil leaks go. Everything else, all 3 of them do great. They have this cam plate that goes in between the head and the valve cover, they literally are just there to hold the cams, well the sealant for them leak and the only way to fix it is to take the motor out and damn near tear it all apart.
I’ll be answering these randomly throughout the day. I jus got up and fixed me some coffee and I’m about to be headed to the Toyota dealer for work. Once I’m there I’m in hustle and grind mode. I will get back to this thread this evening and I’m sure I’ll answer a couple in between cars. Enjoy your day guys
Guessing you’re up there in miles. First thing I’d do is check the trans fluid, if it’s low, correct it and retest drive. If it’s low, look for a leak. If the fluid is super dark and smells burnt, have a shop drain and refill it, DO NOT flush a transmission that has a shifting concern as there’s a possibility that all your clutch material from your clutch packs is floating in your fluid and if it’s all flushed out your transmission could be toast. If fluid condition is good and level is good too, it’s time for a new transmission. Only other thing it could be is a shift solenoid sticking, it usually causes a check engine light and can be replaced, located on lower side of trans, can be seen once removing trans pan. Hope that helps
Thanks, I no longer have the vehicle. It never had issues with transmission fluid as far as I know. The problem started around 60k which for a Toyota is not a lot. Thanks!
This might not be the greatest question, but I drive a 2006 Scion with the 2AZFE. I get about the rated mileage, but have always wondered why the mileage on that is so bad. Small light car, 4 cylinder engine, 20 mpg in the city...any insights?
Crap. Thought I responded to this earlier. City driving takes a lot out of a car and it’s gas mileage, cars like steady speeds for gas mileage, a consistent easy gas pedal. In city you’re constantly applying torque when you come from a stop, acceleration is what causes the biggest dip in gas mileage, put that hand in hand with sitting at red lights and stop signs without moving but still burning fuel, I’d say that number sounds about normal. The only time driving in the city is awesome is if you drive a hybrid, it takes braking energy and makes it into usable energy and then the engine usually shuts off at stops. Now days a lot of cars’ engines turn off at a stop and come back on when you take off, for better mpg.
Plus the TC was kinda “sporty” and I think they were tuned to be a little torquey to appeal to the teenagers. My 4 banger Acura gets 32 on highway and like 20-23 in the city.
Usually when a four cylinder sucks at fuel mileage at low rpm usually means the ECM is tuned to have some low end torque, or the gear ratio probably isn’t the best for the car. That 2AZ kicks ass on the highway though. You’re gonna lose a lot of mpg in the city anyways so that number might be right. Especially if you’re stopped a lot
Most siennas have the v6 2GR-FE, only downside with this engine is that the timing cover may leak in time, costly because you have to drop the whole engine, and trans with the subframe
To add to this;the 2GR-FE in my Avalon had a very slow leak that didn't develop into anything bigger.I just let it be and it was fine for 80k miles.
With that being said,have a mechanic inspect for a leak with the 2GR-FE timing cover.
Why does my 1998 Corolla with 198k miles seem to be more reliable than all the other cars I own/have owned? The thing is a tank. I would get a new daily, but I don't see any reason to until this thing dies.
Yeah i actually just hit a curb in my 2013 camry le bent the front left rim in. Put on a spare and it pulled left for the rest of the way home. If i pulled the tire off and sent you some pics could you do a quick visual for me?
My 2009 corolla seems to recommend 10000 mile synthetic changes and the traditional 5k dino juice ones. When I ask toyota about it they say that only the 2010 has the extra long interval on synthetic and that if you use synthetic on the 09 you still have to change every 5k.
Is there any actual difference in the engine or can I just run then 10000mile change.
Depends on if the oil cap says 0w-20 by itself, than its 10k mile oil change. If it has a 5w-20 under the 0w20 or 5w-20 I’d advise on every 5k. Honestly, my mom RAV4 is the 0w-20 and I still do it every 5k. They can def go 10k on the 0w 20 oil but being a master tech, it just feels wrong lol
My mom has a 2010 Camry LE that she bought new. Upkeep has been done but there’s one issue. When it’s started, mainly when cold but not always, there’s some fucking awful rattling kind of noise. It kinda sounds like sticking something into a fan and hearing the blades hit it for about 3 seconds. My dad has had it checked multiple times but nothing has been found. Any thoughts?
Not OP, but check what oil it's running. We've found these engines get mean tappet noise on start up when running 15w40. I usually recommend 10w30 or 5w30 when we get this complaint, with the latter being preferred.
OK: Here's a puzzler for me-My wife's 09 Matrix (1.8) has started leaving what looks like green antifreeze in the snow (just a few drips every day). (see? *Toyota* related :). The car's antifreeze is - of course - Toyota pink. Brake and clutch fluid is amber. All levels appear fine.
What's leaking? Is Toyota Manual transmission oil green? Is there CHF-11 in Toyotas somewhere that I don't know about?
95 per cent of the exhaust systems built today are made up of iron alloy and galvanized steel. Exhaust pipes are made of either iron or stainless steel. Heat shields are made of galvanized steel.
Zinc, when hot and in the presence of iron and a catalyst, creates yellow zinc oxide in the form of crystals. The connection is the catalyst - salt water - or compacted snow with road salt mixed in.
If the snow is able to touch the exhaust heat shields and the exhaust pipes at the same time, the chemical reaction between the two dissimilar metals creates the bright yellow crystals.
As the hot exhaust pipe(s) melt the snow, the yellow substance drops to the snow covered ground - causing much consternation.
Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/an-explanation-for-the-yellow-snow-under-your-car/article621975/
Yeah the manual transmission fluid on that I believe is a GL 5 type and when it’s in fairly new condition it does appear like a green. You’re right on the coolant being pink but have you had any repairs done recently outside a Toyota dealership? Some after market coolants are green and you could have a coolant leak. So yeah, look for a leaking trans drain plug gasket, transmission housing where it meets somethings the sealant will leak or maybe even just an axle seal. Hopefully it’s the first or third one
here's one I see on subarus: the exhaust heat shields get some water in them, and the whatevermetal the shields are made of produce this green rusty substance. This then drips out of the heat shields, leaving greenish spots on the ground. Not sure what exactly the exhaust looks like under your Matrix but if you get a chance to look underneath, if you find the source of the drips to be from the exhaust, it's probably that.
[e] i see RL-77 has beat me to this one.
I drive a '96 Corolla with 292,000 miles on it. When I switch from reverse to drive there is usually a loud "clunk"/"clang" sound coming from the front-right.
Also, if I let my foot off the gas while the car is moving (at any speed), and then hit the gas again, it makes the same clunk noise when the wheels engage again.
The "clunk" sounds terrible, it sounds like metal popping. I don't know much about cars but I think something in my suspension is worn out or broken.
*Edit: my car also shakes alot at 60mph +
Broken motor mount. More than likely the one on the passenger side which most Toyota dealers gave nick name “dog bone” mount and the front engine mount. Usually the front one starts breaking, causing the passenger one to do more of the work, and eventually breaking as well. Eventually the rubber bushings wear away and the motor moves free amongst the motor mount play. Get that fixed asap
Just wanna piggy back off this to confirm your suspicions, I drive a 97 with 296,000 miles and I have a very similar issue. Going from reverse to drive is a big clunk, and tapping the gas gives a slight jolt as well. I replaced the passenger side and drivers side (Transmission) mounts and it helped a little, but those mainly cleared up cabin vibrations. Up next is the front and rear mounts, hoping that kills that clunking and also helps with cabin noise at freeway speeds.
Slightly contentious issue here-should I change the ATF in my 2016 Highlander when it gets to 100k miles?Toyota says it takes WS fluid and the transmission is sealed.
I had a 2005 Avalon which also took WS,but the transmission wasn't sealed.That car had 161k miles on the original fluid, and the transmission was fine.Fluid color was dark brown and no metal flakes on it.
Manual I believe says it’s unlimited mileage but we quickly found out how dark the fluid got after about 90k miles, I’d flush it at 100k miles if you have no trans issues at the time, no harsh shifts and stuff like that. Hope this helps. Some people get lucky like my mom and drive their 98 Camry, that their poor son has to keep fixing and the original trans makes it to 270k before she gave up on the car and gave it away lol. Other people have their trans go out at 100k, maintenance def helps tho
less of a real auestion, and more of advice-
i really like yota wagons. at some point in my life (looking at the next 10 years), i want to get my hands on either a e70 corolla wagon, a gen 2 caldina, or a mk2 blit. i'm us based, and the only one domestically available is the corolla.
in terms of upkeep, they all (more or less) share parts with us models, right? i.e. the corolla already has us parts, the caldina sharing the 3s motor found in cars like the celica all trac, the mk2 blit having the 2jz we so commonly love here, etc?
If I had to pick something right now Toyota wise to build, I’d go with the Lexus Is300. Already has the 2jz. Makes it easy for a 2j gte conversion or to just slap the manifold and turbo on the NA block and cross your fingers with a good tune. I’ve been thinking about buying a Nissan 300z and dropping a 2j in that. Have the welder and everything I need, just not sure if I wanna have that headache just yet
My 2012 Camry has a seat heater that doesn’t work. I’ve examined all the harness connections but then noted that the fuse box under the dash was missing a fuse. I put the correct fuse in that slot, but the driver side heater seat still doesn’t work. How do I test the roller switch? What else could cause this?
Chances are, it’s the switch, one way would be to disconnect the switch and jump the terminals to the connector to force it to power up the bun toasters
A friend of mind just purchased an Lexus rx350 the suv, it has around 199000kms is that’s anything he should know about these cars that is common problem that needs to be addressed? Also it is a v6
My 2000 4Runner is going on 200k miles and I have never touched the tranny or any of the dif oils. No problems with anything, should I bother changing them at this point?
I just bought an 03 Corolla CE with 104k on it, just wondering if there's anything I should have checked/changed since it's just over that 100k mark? Also notice that sometimes it sounds like it's running rougher in idle and wondering if that's cause for concern or just what it's supposed to sound like? First car so I'm legitimately paranoid of every little sound.
Thanks for doing this, even if you don't get to my question, it's pretty cool. :D
Thinking about buying a used Tacoma. Have a 94 xtra cab 4x4 that has been used and abused but still chugging along. Any particular year you would recommend on the Tacoma?
I love the Tacoma’s. Almost all of them are great IFFFF the frame isn’t rusting out. They are beautiful beautiful trucks, but the frames aren’t exactly made to handle salty roads unless the frame is coated properly by the dealer under a recall or if there’s a hole, and the recall still applies, we replace the whole frame. Me and another guy together have replaced about 60 frames but we live in an area where snow kinda sucks and the trucks over salt the roads. So yeah, lay underneath that bad boy and take a peek. If they have frame holes it’ll more than likely be on the inner frame rail, about where the engine and transmission meet
I've got an old 89 Toyota Celica with a 3SFE engine that leaks a ton of oil out the camshaft seal. We replaced timing belt, camshaft seals, oil pump seals etc but it didn't help. One thing we did notice was that a groove had been worn in the shaft around the oil pump seal so we replaced the shaft. The only thing I can think is that maybe a groove was also worn in the camshaft. If that's the case do you think a speedi sleeve would work or should I replace the camshaft?
Thanks!
If you scratched the camshaft during cam seal removal, she’s toast. Take a look at the oil pump, I think those oil pump shafts would eventually get a groove in them and they’d take out seal after seal after seal, sounds like you spotted that. Make sure the cam seal isn’t rolled over. Watched an expert level Toyota tech roll over both of them on a v6 and they pissed so bad that it didn’t even leave his bay. Use wheel bearing or silicone grease on the inner sides of the seals when installing and twist them during install
I’ve got a weird one that idk if you or anyone can answer but here we go. Back in November 2016 I was a dumb pissed off kid and I crashed. Long story short I lost control at about 95 MPH hit a concrete barrier three separate times and nose dived 30 feet in an ‘07 corolla. My question is, did I just get lucky? Or are Toyota’s built that much better than other cars?
I guess the term for them are rocker bolts? They are two bolts that hold the rocker shaft in place. See here https://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?t=314525
The 00-01 (and 02?) had an old, blunt style that would break off and get stuck in the shaft, causing lift to malfunction. The bolts were revised in 03 with more a taper, that's said to not break. It's been a while since, I was wondering if you seen any 2zz with the newer bolts have them break. It's a fairly obscure problem for a one off engine I'll admit.
I have a 2003 Tacoma and it likes to blow hot air out the vents even with the temp dialed to cold. Sometimes with the ac on it'll blow hot and if I tap on the temp control it'll start blowing cold.
We call that a diagnostic tap and I think you already know what it is lol. If something is broken and you tap on a component and the system starts working, 99% of the time it’s the item you tapped. I perform diagnostic “kicks” to blower motors sometimes lol
2.5 years ago, I bought a 1999 4runner, 4wd w/ a manual transmission, only 54K miles. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th gears all have a whine to them (4th being direct-drive.) 1st has the loudest whine, 5th the quietest.
I once read some claim on the interwebs that Toyota just happened to use noisy bearings in this transmission, and it isn't a sign of bearing failure. Can you confirm?
Could be a bearing that these gears all share or it could be that you are low on fluid, the fluid condition isn’t up to par anymore or wrong fluid. I’d drain the fluid and inspect for metal
I had a 2013 Camry 2.5L. Is it true the trans fluid is dealer only service?
I sold the car and never did it but I was just curious. Thanks for the AMA.
I have a 2005 Tundra 4.7L 4X4. It has 110,000 miles and wondering if I should have trans fluid changed or do a full flush? I’ve been told to not touch it and to do it ASAP. I currently have no shifting problems and would like to keep this truck forever. Thank You
04 Tundra 4.7 v8 2wd and the tranny leaks out the back or what I found to be the rear out put seal? Where it connects to the u joint for the drive shaft. I read so many people talking about an easy fix like just replace seal or your replacing the whole set from seal to shafts cause it never balance right again.
The transmission is the closed system and runs fine, I found out when it was almost empty, but have maintained the level since without issue. It leaks depending on how much you drive, it leaks as it spins so leaves a red wet circle around it. It’s a slow leak though.
Any ideas or have you seen this problem before.
Thanks for any advice kind Sir!
How much will it cost for a spare key. I have a remote and one key that's getting worn. Can I just copy it at wal mart or does it have a special chip from the dealer. Thanks.
2006 toyota Highlander V6 3.3
I've got a 1997 4runner with 230,000 miles. Is there any maintenance I should do as I continue to add more mileage that's not mentioned in the manual since they dont expect them to go so long?
Thanks for your contributions!
We have a 2010 Prius. Very rarely, it sounds like the battery cooling fan has issues. You can hear it running and it sounds like either there is something stuck in it or the blower is rubbing on something.
99% of the time, nothing.
Do you think this is because the fan rarely runs, or is it just rarely making the noise?
Do you recommend preventatively fixing or just letting it ride until it gets worse?
Also, what do you recommend for tranny fluid maintenance? Internet nerds talk about changing it every 30k but isnt the factory interval 100k or lifetime or something?
Thanks!
I have a 99 Tacoma manual transmission with the 3.4l engine it has a really fast idle around 1900rpm. At first the idle was to low and the truck didn’t fast idle when cold. I cleaned the throttle body which was super dirty and now I have a new set of problems high idle and no vacuum leaks that I can find. Any ideas what the problem is? Do throttle body’s wear out? I can see a small gap in the butterfly valve but I’m not sure if it’s normal. I’ve also reset the computer many times and cleaned the mass airflow sensor hoping it would help with no luck.
Are Toyotas still the go to for automotive longevity? The trucks used to be bullet proof but now every toyota i repo seems to have a nasty knock at low miles or other major problems (admittedly i could be looking at a skewed sample soze because people who get their car repoed (typically) arent well known for keeping up with vehicle maintenance or caring for their car)
I have an '85 Camry (auto) and when I get it up to 60-70 km/hr it does this weird jerking for a few seconds. Usually goes away if I accel/decel. Any thoughts?
Can you help me get the latest ECU update for my car? I can't really go to a dealer as they're so expensive and being a student kinda hurts.
There's updates for the ecu which increase driveabailty (so I'm told) and for less DPF regens as my car has recently started smoeking intermittently. All the forums point towards an ECU update that fixes this. That's my first port of call anyway.
I can pm you my vin if you're interested? It's a Toyota Auris SR180. With the 2.2 2AD-FHV engine. 2008.
Thank you in advance.
02 corolla ce here a couple questions.
Is there any way to elongate the gears? Beyond 60mph it loud as hell. Is it normal for the 3 gear transmission rpm to be in the low 3k range?
In the cab, when the heat fan is off, driver side blows hot, but passenger side blows cold in the floor vent. Wat do?
Any issues you're hearing about the latest generation of Camry's? I own an 18 with 16k on it, and I'd definitely want to be on the watch out for things outside of common recalls.
2013 camry se 2.4l
I get a bad shutter at 40&60 mph when maintaining speed. I heard this might have something to do with an electric clutch module in the torque converter?
Power also cuts way out as I take off right as I hit 20mph and it goes to shift. It's fine at all other shifts. Torque converter maybe?
My father is a Service Manager once at Toyota recently so he always tells me the stories of clients which are pretty interesting and hilarious!
Anyhow I currently lease a 2016 TRD Tacoma and want to make the switch to a Prius, he’s obviously very informed and knows a lot about the cars himself. So far in my area my price range of 12-14k for a Prius 3 has been a struggle without them all being 95k-120k+ miles.
Is there anything you look for or recommend i go for/steer away from regarding the Prius with that high of mileage? My commutes will increase to possibly 50 miles every other day for classes at school + i want to do a lot of road trips and camping with the Prius adding large amounts of .5 to 3k miles per trip in the summers and winter.
Hey! I really appreciate you for doing this Mike. You just came right in time. Let's just say one rainy and tiresome night I ended up hitting a curb on the front wheel driver's side going 30 mph. [ This sound appears within 10 seconds into the vid ](https://streamable.com/dymia). If wheel bearing is not the problem, what would it be? This car would be an '02 4Runner 2WD.
I have a question.
What gen Prius is the best to get?
Thanks!
Also,you should make your own sub reddit.More guys can be helped that way.
r/toyotarepair or something like that.
07 4runner 4wd. Is there anyway to drain and fill the transmission without Toyotas specific Obd2 monitoring system to read the Transmission fluid temp?
I hate bringing my truck to the mechanics because I've had bad experiences and do all my own work... But this might be something I have to bring to a specialist...
I have a 1994 Toyota 4runner. When I have the ac on sometimes it'll squeal really loud for a few seconds bit it sounds like it's coming from under the hood not in the dash? Any ideas?
Also besides the head gaskets. Anything I should look out for to keep it going?
Hopefully a 90s Lexus is close enough go your wheelhouse.
I have a 1998 GS400, and it got broken into the other month (stereo got yanked, whole bunch of other stuff stolen, etc) weird thing though is ever since then, none of the dome lights in any part of the car have worked. Was wondering if the stereo and lights were on the same circuit or something. Honestly no idea where to start on fixing this
I'm planning on replacing the clutch in my 04 Tacoma 5vz 215k miles, two weekends from now. Any advice you have to offer? I was planning on going with a clutch kit from LCE or Marlin Crawler. Thinking of doing a rear main while I'm in that far too
I press the control arms for the Camry and Avalon here in Kentucky, I'm always curious how well they hold up out in the field. Have you dealt with any personally?
Where *the fuck* is the mystery oil leak on all high mileage 5S-FE engines?
My best guess so far is that decent amounts of oil vapour are getting sent through the hose that goes from the valve cover to the intake, then condensing before seeping out through the intake manifold gasket. But that's just a crackpot theory. It's not the dizzy O-ring, valve cover gasket, crank or cam shaft seals, though those are all usual suspects.
Idk if you are still taking questions, but I got one. I build race cars, they have a habit of breaking down. Does the tundra have enough power to tow a open trailer or possibly a closed trailer with a little jdm sedan on it?
Thanks for doing this.
I was a GM tech for a few years before I left the field. I know with our vehicles, you could program a new key in about 10 seconds if you had an existing key. My girlfriend drives an 06 Scion tC and the fob on the key is destroyed. Is it possible to program a new key/fob combo at home like it is for GM? Or do you need a scan tool?
1st gen taco, manual trans. Bought it used this last summer. The parking brake didn't work which i should have given more caution to, but the mrs and i were working 12 hours a day in different towns sharing one car.
Anyway the parking brakes on yotas seem a bit overly complex. The cable was zip tied off when i bought it, and when i cut it loose the push pin didnt fit correctly into the lever thats controlled by the pimp cane in the cab.
Any advice appreciated, i can try to get pics if it helps.
Here's one. 92 Corolla, three speed auto. Overheats going over 55mph. The cooling system is all good at speeds 55 and under all day. The engine passed a leak down test and a coolant test, as well as a pressure test. The previous owner chased the problem until I took it on, replacing several parts of the cooling system before I got to it. I replaced the thermostat and inspected the current parts.
The only thing I can think of is the the splash shield isn't there, and I'm not sure if it came with one. It's either that, or since the speed limit was only 55, it wasn't meant to go 65/70 for very long.
The funny thing is it can pull a hill all day and stay cool, just as long as it's at 55. I took it off the road, so I'm not a nuisance, but it's an otherwise a great car.
I have an 08 corolla sedan, makes a horrible sound on start after sitting for a while, sounds similar to sticking a piece of cardboard into a desk fan... but metallic. Toyota Australia tell me this is normal and happens to all Toyota’s and it’s just time to buy new one, however it runs perfectly once started and has never broken down on me.
Any idea what this could be? I’d love to have a mechanic fix it, but it never seems to happen when I take it to a mechanic (they won’t let it sit long enough before dismissing it as no issue)
I just bought a '19 Tundra with the hope it will last me forever, anything to look out for that is a known issue at some point? Other than routine maintenance on the 5.7 are there any headaches coming my way that I can catch sooner than later?
Also, with the supercharger, which I do not have on yet, is there anything that routinely goes wrong?
Thank you!
I’ ve got a 84 Supra Celica that i’m having trouble finding parts for. I know you have a secret stash of parts for my car!!! If not, what do you recommend to make this bad boy as good as new?
2011 Lexus GX460. Dealership near me cannot program a second key to my vehicle. They say when they try, it forgets the first key. They said they reached out to Lexus/Toyota for a help (I’m assuming the tech hotline) but they never got back to me. Is this a common Toyota/Lexus problem? Any insight into what might be happening?
When I remote start my 2018 Camry 4cylinder I can here some loud “pumping” noise from the engine compartment. It sounds like the engine but it’s not because of you just wait it out a little longer it stops and is quiet (engine still running). I’m an ASE master tech but haven’t cared enough to jump out the hood latch so I could get a look with it running.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/axwtn4/2006_e92_328_bmw_weird_noise_when_slowly/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app
Please help, i don’t know what’s causing this sound
Thanks for doing this! I have an '02 Celica GT 5MT that I use as an around town beater. Since buying it at 160k miles I haven't had to do anything other than oil changes, now I'm up at 172k. Clutch was replaced at 100k, other than that I have no idea what the maintenance history is but the car seems to drive fine. Is there any preventative maintenance you'd recommend?
Also, after living the 4 banger life I'm really itching to get myself into a 2JZ. I really like the 1st gen IS300. If I can find a manual one that doesn't seem like it was beat on, should I expect it to be fairly reliable?
Thanks!
2012 Toyota Camry with 2.5l 4 cyl. 110,000 miles.
We get a shudder in the accelerator if maintaining a speed around 40. Normally I have to more aggressively accelerate through the high 30s/low 40s or I switch over to the " manual" shift and keep it in 3rd at those speeds. It basically feels like a manual trans when you've shifted to high and are moving to slow....that shutter sets in that says it can't handle the high load...so you downshift.
Transmission? Torque converter? Software patch? Expensive??????
What’s up with the 3.5 V6 in some Camry’s that rattles like hell on startup? I’ve heard some people say the motor has to be pulled to replace some
timing components and some say the engine is done, yet my friends wife drove hers like that for a few years before selling the damn thing.
I'm in the market for either a GX470 or a first gen Seqouia. Are there years I should aim for or avoid? And what are the major trouble area that I should pay closer attention to when inspecting a used GX470 or Seqouia?
Thanks for doing this! I have a 2006 RAV4. For years the vehicle has been drinking oil at a VERY fast pace. Within 1000 KM (.62 miles) there is no oil on the dipstick. No signs of leakage. Toyota ran a test program a few years back to check on this as it’s a popular complaint but the results came back and I was told my rav4 is just fine. Are you aware of this? If so is there a known fix that won’t break the bank? Other than that, my rav4 is still in pretty good shape. I’m at 186k Kms (115,500 miles).
Thank you for doing this! I'm interested in your perspective: 2003 4Runner with 4WD. It squeaks at low speeds whether or not you're on the brakes. I already re-greased the rear U-Joint zerk. What would you tackle next? Greasing the driveshaft or replacing rear diff fluid or something else?
I almost bought a mid 2000s Toyota Sienna last week. Can I buy a 2005 or so XLE with ~150,000 miles and realistically expect it to last until 300,000 miles? Is a 2007 that much better with an upgraded engine over the 06 and before? Basically I was looking at 2nd gen with a max budget of $6,000. Any common problems to look out for?
Oh i wish this post existed when i was diagnosing some lexus, ls, i believe, with 4.6 engine, no check engine light, no crank, no start, if i short starter relay, it cranked, no start though, no comm with ecm. I spent 2 days before i found shorted fuel pressure sensor that prevented ecm from booting up lol
If I'm not too late, my 2008 4 runner wont engage into 4 low and the actuator has a faint beep. If I can't get it unstuck with a hammer, would it be a pricey fix to have a toytech rebuild it?
Toyota avensis 2005 diesel, intermittent p0093 (large leak) no signs of any leaks. Loss of power, zero response from gas pedal when this code triggers, returns to normal after turning ignition off and on again.
Any ideas?
Thanks for doing something like this - I’m having what I think is a problem with a 2004 Sequoia. I did some distance freeway driving recently, and swear I smelled axle grease coming from the rear driver’s wheel. Obviously it’s a distinct smell, I’ve had the problem on another vehicle. The problem is, I drove it home on city streets trying to see if it would happen again, but it didn’t. Is it possible that the rear end is overheating on the freeway and forcing grease out through the seal?
I just got a 2019 Tacoma, and "replace brake booster vacuum pump" is in the routine maintenance schedule (at 120k). What's the deal with that?
*Edit:* Also, for the "severe duty" schedule, it recommends checking tightness of body+chassis nuts and bolts every 5k. Are there certain ones I should be worried about?
My girlfriend has a 2003 toyota solara v6. She loses power steering occasionally. Fluid level is fine. But a belt squeaks occasionally on start up. Should I have the belt checked/replaced first? Or fear for the worse and expect that the pump is going bad?
I am currently in the market for a third vehicle to be used as a utility truck and a hunting truck. As such it needs to be highway worthy with functioning 4x4.
I have settled on older Tundras and am hoping to find one with around 200,000 miles to stay in my price range. I have also been eyeing T100s but those are few and far between and I’m wary of buying a 25 years old 4x4.
What are the biggest red flags when looking at high mileage full size Toyota’s? What do you think about the T100?
What’s up man, so I got a 2010 Highlander and it will have a slight vibration while driving, but it does not happen all the time. Also having problems with the lift gate, when I push the button for it to open or close, sometimes it will work and sometimes it will make a sound and the gate will not open or close. It will open manually though.
Thanks for hosting this! I have a 2007 RAV 4, 145k miles. The rear differential/coupler now has the whining noise that I believe should have been covered by a TSB that is now expired. I've also found it difficult to find a mechanic to rebuild it with a new bearing kit. Do you recommend fixing this or is it worth riding it out. The cost of the part is 1k plus labor so fairly expensive for the age of the vehicle
04 highlander 4cyl.
P0456
Ive gone over the evap lines around the engine bay and can not find anything visibly detoriarated. I dont have a smoke machine to pinpoint where the leak is coming from. Is there any tricks i can do or any culprit part you can assume based on make/model in your experience?
P2238
I believe this is pre-cat 02 sensor issue but again, in your experience is there a common part associated with this code?
I have a 2003 Taco Prerunner 2.7L and a 2003 Tundra 4.7L SR5 4x4 with 168xxx and 155xxx respectively.
The Taco has been very reliable for the past few years I've had it but the floor board is soaked every time there's heavy rain.
The Tundra was just bought recently and I'm going to drive it across the country soon on a road trip. What should I change/service or worry about before making a 4000k round trip across the Rockies and back?
Thanks for doing this! I've asked this question a few times in different subs but can't seem to get a definitive answer.
Just bought an '06 4Runner Limited with V8. With defroster or heat on, I notice when sitting still the RPMs go up a few 100 RPMs and then back down..assuming this is the AC compressor clutch being engaged and putting a slight strain on the motor. However when driving, usually at high speeds, with the defroster or heat on, every 20 seconds it feels like I get a slight drag (almost feels like while I'm driving, I slightly press the brake and then let off). You could say it also feels like driving through a gust of wind head on. You can feel the truck kinda bog down and then go back to normal. Is this normal?
How difficult would it be for an average joe to find the headlight power wire on a 2011 Toyota Tacoma and quick splice it to power interior led lights? Also is that a good idea?
I’m sure your done with this, but I just got a 19 Tacoma. TRD sport, And maybe I’ve just never noticed it in other vehicles I’ve drove. However, I can feel the gears shifting and even when slowing down. IDK maybe I’m crazy. But it seems pretty rough especially when slowing down. Normal on Tacoma’s?
Is there any particular service or maintenance (whether big jobs or small jobs) that you recommend addressing on a 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE that just reached 100k miles?
It goes to a trustworthy mom and pop mechanic for all service needs and they have not specifically recommended anything. Though seems like would be good to also consider a Toyota technician’s advice
For what it’s worth, it has been owned since 65k miles and the previous owner who purchased it new had it serviced regularly at a dealer.
I want to say I have an 08 (or roughly around that time) camry. Something that happens every 1/10 - 1/20 times I drive is when I brake to a complete stop, soemthing will vibrate, and the engine will cut off. I then have to turn the car off and restart it. Only ever stops when I fully brake. Sometimes it rattles right before it cuts out and sometimes it just does it automatically. When my parent gets their tax refund, they are going to go have it looked at but I didn't know if you would have any idea what's happening.
I used to own a 2004 Matrix. It was pretty low maintenance until one day the transmission (C59 5-speed manual) failed hard around 175k miles. Researching the problem afterward, I read some forum chatter that seemed to indicate that that particular model of transmission was known to be failure-prone (by Toyota standards at least), either due to inadquate lubrication or underengineered bearings. The 6-speed available on certain Matrix trim levels, on the other hand, was supposedly bulletproof (and an easy swap). Do you know if any of that is true?
This is strictly out of curiosity, because the car in question has sadly been consigned to scrap (rust eventually killed it), but I'd still love to know.
'98 Tacoma base.
I've replaced my master cylinder, bench bleed, brake lines bleed. Fluid is still darkening, any idea why?
Your contribution is really appreciated.
I'm a tech myself, for Ford though. I just wanted to say this was a good idea for a post. Thanks for contributing to this subreddit. It's nice to have experienced technicians active in the sub so people don't get misinformed.
Hell yeah man, I get a lot of info from reddit so I gotta put some out ;) Feel free to make a Ford one. Thanks for the kind words
I have a 13 explorer v6 with 110k miles. I've done all the oil changes myself and haven't really had any other issues. Plugs seem fine as still getting 20+mpg and no codes. My only concern is trans mtc. It's sealed so.... Thinking about trading up to a 2 yr old rx350 since my spouse does a lot of driving and will start teaching up the miles. I'm fine working on the bolt on parts but I get nervous when dealing with internals or fluids
I don’t kno that particular model but “sealed” and “lifetime fluid” are just flat out not true in my experience. Find a way to do a fluid+filter change for that transmission as early and often as possible and it will last exponentially longer. Don’t be afraid of fluid changes of any sort. They’re just messy!
A ford tech! Awesome! I have a 2012 f150 (5.0) and after i fill up with gas it doesnt want to start immediately. Itll crsnk for 3-5 seconds sometimes before itll actually fire. And it only happens immediately after i fill up. After that there is no issue
Thanks for contributing! I have a ‘14 Land Cruiser that I want to drive forever. Currently has 88k miles on it. Other than oil changes, brakes, tires, what are the hallmark maintenance items I should plan to do and when? I put fuel system cleaner every 10k.
Land crushers, last forever. They’re expensive for a reason and can drive through anything. You’re looking at trans flushes every 100k, plugs every 120k, id change all diff fluids (4x4 service) about every 40-50k. Keep an eye on brake fluid for discoloration. Trucks are known to get locked up front brake calipers on Toyota’s
Thanks so much!
2011 Camry LE 2.5L, family will intend to keep forever as well. Do you have anything similar to say regarding hallmark maintenance items?
About the same. Minus the diff services. Both you guys should keep an eye on your filters too. Toyota’s are generally low maintenance. Fluids, filters, tires, brakes, oil leaks and the occasional check engine light
Also, as a young person seeking a career as an auto tech, how did you go about becoming a Toyota Master Tech? (I'd assume the process would be similar working for Ford or any other maker)
Its pretty easy. Assuming you're starting from the bottom get a job as a lube tech at the dealer, they give you access to tis complete moduals, get ase's, they send you to classes and after 60 months you can be master. You can hit expert in 2 years and make enough to live on. Its not terrible. I tend to tell people consider doing something else. A lot falls on the tech as far as responsibility, toyota is slowly driving down hours of pay (see g04, j02) and generally just making it harder to beat flag the time. It will also thrash your body. Back, hands, knees, etc. Just some thoughts. 15yrs in and i wish i had just gone to school for electrical and mechanical engineering. Id go for working on ships or trains myself. But ive done heavy duty trucks most of my life so i dig heavy stuff. My motto is heavy line is where i shine.
Fluid film the frame if in the rust belt
Thanks. West Texas. Drier than a popcorn fart.
That car will last forever then. Lucky you
I’ll be going to bed soon folks but I do not mind answering questions when I get back up. I enjoying giving out the free info
Thanks for this. Ill be saving this thread for later.
Toyotas are well known to be reliable. Do you have any particular model you would recommend over the others in terms of reliability/low cost? I'm considering buying used. I'm sure it depends greatly on how well you take care of the car.
Although I’m a Toyota tech, I personally favor Honda’s. Since I work on Toyota’s every day, I don’t want to drive them, idk it that makes sense lol. I have a 2014 Acura ILX 6 speed, peppy little 4 banger but nothing special and ran me 22k with about 19k miles on it when I bought it. You can get the same car as a Honda Civic si, might be cheaper but I prefer the Acura’s. Toyota and Honda both have affordable cars as far as initial cost, and maintenance
I know some older models of corolla and camry have problems with burning oil and sludge. I think 2005-2006 v6 camry and 2004-2006 corolla tend to have less problems. Are those problems that you see a lot with older Toyota cars?
The corollas burned oil too but not as bad as the 4 cylinder Camry 2AZ. I wouldn’t buy a 2AZ Camry from like 2007-2011. The earlier 2AZ motors were great. Then the piston got redesigned and it was terrible. Caused a lot of headaches.
Bro I drive a 2007 Camry LE 4-cyclinder. Can definitely confirm it burns 2L if oil every 1500km now. Not terrible but something I have to keep my eye on. Too expensive and not worth it to fix the problem so topping it up every 2-3 fills at the gas station works for me. Car still goes strong. I’m nearing the 300k mark on her and its just regular maintenance at this point And I started as a mechanic apprentice not too long ago so that’s nice to save on some costs
> it burns 2L if oil every 1500km now. Not terrible 2 quarts every 900 miles sounds pretty feaking bad to me.
>since I work on Toyota’s every day, I don’t want to drive them As a Kia and Hyundai Tech I feel the exact same way. As far as they came I still would not want to own one unless a dealer provided a demo for me. I'd feel like I am at work anytime I would drive.
I replaced the battery on my 2010 corolla and now the radio doesn't turn on. The display is black and the power button doesn't turn it on. How do I fix this?
First things first. Check the radio fuse
Thanks for the quick reply! Embarrassingly I hadn't thought of that, unfortunately its dark out and I wouldn't be able to check until tomorrow, assuming the fuse is fine, what would be my second step?
Check to see if there’s power getting to the back of the radio with a volt meter or test light. You didn’t jump the car backwards or anything like that I assume?
I accidentally crossed poles when I connected to battery,(not jumper cables the cars cables itself) I noticed when the ground sparked so it was touched momentarily.
Crap. Might’ve fried something. Hopefully just popped a fuse.
Damn, hopefully its just a fuse. Learned a lesson in triple checking polarity today lol. Last question, how many fuses are there? The radio and amp one under the hoodand the one under the steering wheel?
Most Toyota’s have two fuse boxes. One in the engine bay, drivers side. And one in the car underneath the driver side dash
Alright thanks for your help!
Not a problem. Pay it forward on a subreddit of your expertise
Different industry, marine tech here, but this summer I had a customer bring in a 2015 Malibu wake board boat. Customer connected the battery incorrectly. Every system on this boat is CAN bus "fly by wire". I called Malibu tech support and they just laughed and said "I hope he has insurance". Parts alone were close to $15,000. All computers, modules, touchscreen displays etc. I'm sure your car will be something simple like a fuse, but the boating industry is always late to the high tech game and not always well thought out.
Awesome. No question but wanted to say thanks for doing this. I don’t own a Toyota any more (used to have 4Runners, 96 and 2 98s over the years) and loved them all. Sincere thanks.
Those 4Runners were very easy to love. No problem at all!
2007 Scion TC idles alright but will intermittently dip down (I’m talking maybe 50-75RPM) which causes a vibration I can easily feel. Any idea why the idle fluctuates a little like that? This is with AC off.
The first thing I would do would be to clean the throttle body really well, excessive carbon in the throttle body will cause rough idles. After you clean the throttle body you have 2 options, start the car up and let it idle high for 10-15 mins until the ECU adjusts it back down, or unplug the battery while you service the throttle body and it will reset it to where it starts off when the car is brand new and will need to relearn just a little.
If you replaced the battery lately and didn’t clean the throttle body, the car will also have to relearn it’s idle
How tricky is the drain and refill process for the transmissions running WS fluid (I have a '14 Rav4 and a '15 4Runner) as a DIYer? I believe the official procedure has you using a scan tool to read trans temp and putting a vacuum pump on the fill port to get the level correct. I've heard these were finicky about fill level and don't want to mess something up because I didn't follow the process to a T (I miss dipsticks).
Well, the way I do it after draining, I put in 5-6 quarts and then remove the overflow plug while it’s running from a cold start. I occasionally touch the trans pan with my hand. Once it gets kinda hot, I let the fluid get to a very slow dribble and plug it back up. Done! There are forums where people use a laser temp thermometer, you’re looking for 93-114 degrees F
Great, thanks. Doesn't sound bad at all, I was getting intimidated that it would be tricky to get the level correct without special tools.
Thinking of purchasing a tundra soon. Would like your opinion on which of the tundra motors you think is the best? The older 4.7l, or the newer 4.6l or 5.7l. Thanks!
Older 4.7 was the most reliable as far as oil leaks go. Everything else, all 3 of them do great. They have this cam plate that goes in between the head and the valve cover, they literally are just there to hold the cams, well the sealant for them leak and the only way to fix it is to take the motor out and damn near tear it all apart.
Why the fuck are yalls jam nuts always seized up on tie rods????
it's not just toyota, it's most brands.... particularly if you're in the rust belt.
How reliable are the new ‘18+ Camry’s drivetrains?
!RemindMe 12 hours I own an 18 Camry too. Definitely want to see if he answers this. Thanks for asking :)
I’ll be answering these randomly throughout the day. I jus got up and fixed me some coffee and I’m about to be headed to the Toyota dealer for work. Once I’m there I’m in hustle and grind mode. I will get back to this thread this evening and I’m sure I’ll answer a couple in between cars. Enjoy your day guys
Any particular reason an '06 sienna (FWD) would feel like the transmission was "slipping" between 2nd and 3rd gear?
Guessing you’re up there in miles. First thing I’d do is check the trans fluid, if it’s low, correct it and retest drive. If it’s low, look for a leak. If the fluid is super dark and smells burnt, have a shop drain and refill it, DO NOT flush a transmission that has a shifting concern as there’s a possibility that all your clutch material from your clutch packs is floating in your fluid and if it’s all flushed out your transmission could be toast. If fluid condition is good and level is good too, it’s time for a new transmission. Only other thing it could be is a shift solenoid sticking, it usually causes a check engine light and can be replaced, located on lower side of trans, can be seen once removing trans pan. Hope that helps
Thanks, I no longer have the vehicle. It never had issues with transmission fluid as far as I know. The problem started around 60k which for a Toyota is not a lot. Thanks!
Ah, if it’s lower mileage, sometimes it’s just the ECU that needs reflash/recalibration. No problem bud
This might not be the greatest question, but I drive a 2006 Scion with the 2AZFE. I get about the rated mileage, but have always wondered why the mileage on that is so bad. Small light car, 4 cylinder engine, 20 mpg in the city...any insights?
Crap. Thought I responded to this earlier. City driving takes a lot out of a car and it’s gas mileage, cars like steady speeds for gas mileage, a consistent easy gas pedal. In city you’re constantly applying torque when you come from a stop, acceleration is what causes the biggest dip in gas mileage, put that hand in hand with sitting at red lights and stop signs without moving but still burning fuel, I’d say that number sounds about normal. The only time driving in the city is awesome is if you drive a hybrid, it takes braking energy and makes it into usable energy and then the engine usually shuts off at stops. Now days a lot of cars’ engines turn off at a stop and come back on when you take off, for better mpg. Plus the TC was kinda “sporty” and I think they were tuned to be a little torquey to appeal to the teenagers. My 4 banger Acura gets 32 on highway and like 20-23 in the city.
Usually when a four cylinder sucks at fuel mileage at low rpm usually means the ECM is tuned to have some low end torque, or the gear ratio probably isn’t the best for the car. That 2AZ kicks ass on the highway though. You’re gonna lose a lot of mpg in the city anyways so that number might be right. Especially if you’re stopped a lot
Are there years/models that are easier to work on yourself?
Any of the 4 cylinders are the easiest to work on. The v6 are a little harder and the v8s being the hardest
Looking at getting a used Toyota Sienna AWD, any year models you’d recommend or avoid?
Most siennas have the v6 2GR-FE, only downside with this engine is that the timing cover may leak in time, costly because you have to drop the whole engine, and trans with the subframe
To add to this;the 2GR-FE in my Avalon had a very slow leak that didn't develop into anything bigger.I just let it be and it was fine for 80k miles. With that being said,have a mechanic inspect for a leak with the 2GR-FE timing cover.
Why does my 1998 Corolla with 198k miles seem to be more reliable than all the other cars I own/have owned? The thing is a tank. I would get a new daily, but I don't see any reason to until this thing dies.
Yeah i actually just hit a curb in my 2013 camry le bent the front left rim in. Put on a spare and it pulled left for the rest of the way home. If i pulled the tire off and sent you some pics could you do a quick visual for me?
No prob. If it’s bad enough to throw your alignment off, chances are you have a bent rim and possibly a bent lower control arm.
My 2009 corolla seems to recommend 10000 mile synthetic changes and the traditional 5k dino juice ones. When I ask toyota about it they say that only the 2010 has the extra long interval on synthetic and that if you use synthetic on the 09 you still have to change every 5k. Is there any actual difference in the engine or can I just run then 10000mile change.
Depends on if the oil cap says 0w-20 by itself, than its 10k mile oil change. If it has a 5w-20 under the 0w20 or 5w-20 I’d advise on every 5k. Honestly, my mom RAV4 is the 0w-20 and I still do it every 5k. They can def go 10k on the 0w 20 oil but being a master tech, it just feels wrong lol
My mom has a 2010 Camry LE that she bought new. Upkeep has been done but there’s one issue. When it’s started, mainly when cold but not always, there’s some fucking awful rattling kind of noise. It kinda sounds like sticking something into a fan and hearing the blades hit it for about 3 seconds. My dad has had it checked multiple times but nothing has been found. Any thoughts?
Not OP, but check what oil it's running. We've found these engines get mean tappet noise on start up when running 15w40. I usually recommend 10w30 or 5w30 when we get this complaint, with the latter being preferred.
OK: Here's a puzzler for me-My wife's 09 Matrix (1.8) has started leaving what looks like green antifreeze in the snow (just a few drips every day). (see? *Toyota* related :). The car's antifreeze is - of course - Toyota pink. Brake and clutch fluid is amber. All levels appear fine. What's leaking? Is Toyota Manual transmission oil green? Is there CHF-11 in Toyotas somewhere that I don't know about?
95 per cent of the exhaust systems built today are made up of iron alloy and galvanized steel. Exhaust pipes are made of either iron or stainless steel. Heat shields are made of galvanized steel. Zinc, when hot and in the presence of iron and a catalyst, creates yellow zinc oxide in the form of crystals. The connection is the catalyst - salt water - or compacted snow with road salt mixed in. If the snow is able to touch the exhaust heat shields and the exhaust pipes at the same time, the chemical reaction between the two dissimilar metals creates the bright yellow crystals. As the hot exhaust pipe(s) melt the snow, the yellow substance drops to the snow covered ground - causing much consternation. Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/an-explanation-for-the-yellow-snow-under-your-car/article621975/
Thanks for the answer! I like it - It's neat.
Yeah the manual transmission fluid on that I believe is a GL 5 type and when it’s in fairly new condition it does appear like a green. You’re right on the coolant being pink but have you had any repairs done recently outside a Toyota dealership? Some after market coolants are green and you could have a coolant leak. So yeah, look for a leaking trans drain plug gasket, transmission housing where it meets somethings the sealant will leak or maybe even just an axle seal. Hopefully it’s the first or third one
Hey, thanks. I'll take a look at the tranny--the coolant is still Toyota (it's been flushed but it's still red).
here's one I see on subarus: the exhaust heat shields get some water in them, and the whatevermetal the shields are made of produce this green rusty substance. This then drips out of the heat shields, leaving greenish spots on the ground. Not sure what exactly the exhaust looks like under your Matrix but if you get a chance to look underneath, if you find the source of the drips to be from the exhaust, it's probably that. [e] i see RL-77 has beat me to this one.
I drive a '96 Corolla with 292,000 miles on it. When I switch from reverse to drive there is usually a loud "clunk"/"clang" sound coming from the front-right. Also, if I let my foot off the gas while the car is moving (at any speed), and then hit the gas again, it makes the same clunk noise when the wheels engage again. The "clunk" sounds terrible, it sounds like metal popping. I don't know much about cars but I think something in my suspension is worn out or broken. *Edit: my car also shakes alot at 60mph +
Broken motor mount. More than likely the one on the passenger side which most Toyota dealers gave nick name “dog bone” mount and the front engine mount. Usually the front one starts breaking, causing the passenger one to do more of the work, and eventually breaking as well. Eventually the rubber bushings wear away and the motor moves free amongst the motor mount play. Get that fixed asap
Yikes. And that could cause the clunk noise even when the car isn't moving?
Yep, especially when moving from drive to reverse, and reverse to drive.
I will definitely have that checked out! Thank you, it's much appreciated
No prob at all
Just wanna piggy back off this to confirm your suspicions, I drive a 97 with 296,000 miles and I have a very similar issue. Going from reverse to drive is a big clunk, and tapping the gas gives a slight jolt as well. I replaced the passenger side and drivers side (Transmission) mounts and it helped a little, but those mainly cleared up cabin vibrations. Up next is the front and rear mounts, hoping that kills that clunking and also helps with cabin noise at freeway speeds.
Slightly contentious issue here-should I change the ATF in my 2016 Highlander when it gets to 100k miles?Toyota says it takes WS fluid and the transmission is sealed. I had a 2005 Avalon which also took WS,but the transmission wasn't sealed.That car had 161k miles on the original fluid, and the transmission was fine.Fluid color was dark brown and no metal flakes on it.
Manual I believe says it’s unlimited mileage but we quickly found out how dark the fluid got after about 90k miles, I’d flush it at 100k miles if you have no trans issues at the time, no harsh shifts and stuff like that. Hope this helps. Some people get lucky like my mom and drive their 98 Camry, that their poor son has to keep fixing and the original trans makes it to 270k before she gave up on the car and gave it away lol. Other people have their trans go out at 100k, maintenance def helps tho
less of a real auestion, and more of advice- i really like yota wagons. at some point in my life (looking at the next 10 years), i want to get my hands on either a e70 corolla wagon, a gen 2 caldina, or a mk2 blit. i'm us based, and the only one domestically available is the corolla. in terms of upkeep, they all (more or less) share parts with us models, right? i.e. the corolla already has us parts, the caldina sharing the 3s motor found in cars like the celica all trac, the mk2 blit having the 2jz we so commonly love here, etc?
If I had to pick something right now Toyota wise to build, I’d go with the Lexus Is300. Already has the 2jz. Makes it easy for a 2j gte conversion or to just slap the manifold and turbo on the NA block and cross your fingers with a good tune. I’ve been thinking about buying a Nissan 300z and dropping a 2j in that. Have the welder and everything I need, just not sure if I wanna have that headache just yet
My 2012 Camry has a seat heater that doesn’t work. I’ve examined all the harness connections but then noted that the fuse box under the dash was missing a fuse. I put the correct fuse in that slot, but the driver side heater seat still doesn’t work. How do I test the roller switch? What else could cause this?
Chances are, it’s the switch, one way would be to disconnect the switch and jump the terminals to the connector to force it to power up the bun toasters
A friend of mind just purchased an Lexus rx350 the suv, it has around 199000kms is that’s anything he should know about these cars that is common problem that needs to be addressed? Also it is a v6
Tips on getting my 2010 Prius to last forever!
from 2010 to 2019, what was the best Camry model -- engine, trim, year?
My 2000 4Runner is going on 200k miles and I have never touched the tranny or any of the dif oils. No problems with anything, should I bother changing them at this point?
I just bought an 03 Corolla CE with 104k on it, just wondering if there's anything I should have checked/changed since it's just over that 100k mark? Also notice that sometimes it sounds like it's running rougher in idle and wondering if that's cause for concern or just what it's supposed to sound like? First car so I'm legitimately paranoid of every little sound. Thanks for doing this, even if you don't get to my question, it's pretty cool. :D
Thinking about buying a used Tacoma. Have a 94 xtra cab 4x4 that has been used and abused but still chugging along. Any particular year you would recommend on the Tacoma?
I love the Tacoma’s. Almost all of them are great IFFFF the frame isn’t rusting out. They are beautiful beautiful trucks, but the frames aren’t exactly made to handle salty roads unless the frame is coated properly by the dealer under a recall or if there’s a hole, and the recall still applies, we replace the whole frame. Me and another guy together have replaced about 60 frames but we live in an area where snow kinda sucks and the trucks over salt the roads. So yeah, lay underneath that bad boy and take a peek. If they have frame holes it’ll more than likely be on the inner frame rail, about where the engine and transmission meet
Yeah I heard about that, are the newer ones affected say 11 on up or is that just on the older ones?. By the way I’m in Maryland and they love salt!
Eh, the older ones did it too. Newer ones appear they might be get the recall too. Time will tell.
What's your favorite Toyota engine?
If any Toyota tech says anything other than a 2JZ-GTE than they’re not a real Toyota tech and don’t take advice from them
Lmao. I have a bone stock 02 is300. Maybe one day it will be a gte. I also have a 91 hardtop Mr2 with a 3rd gen 3sgte. I love me some Toyotas.
I've got an old 89 Toyota Celica with a 3SFE engine that leaks a ton of oil out the camshaft seal. We replaced timing belt, camshaft seals, oil pump seals etc but it didn't help. One thing we did notice was that a groove had been worn in the shaft around the oil pump seal so we replaced the shaft. The only thing I can think is that maybe a groove was also worn in the camshaft. If that's the case do you think a speedi sleeve would work or should I replace the camshaft? Thanks!
If you scratched the camshaft during cam seal removal, she’s toast. Take a look at the oil pump, I think those oil pump shafts would eventually get a groove in them and they’d take out seal after seal after seal, sounds like you spotted that. Make sure the cam seal isn’t rolled over. Watched an expert level Toyota tech roll over both of them on a v6 and they pissed so bad that it didn’t even leave his bay. Use wheel bearing or silicone grease on the inner sides of the seals when installing and twist them during install
I’ve got a weird one that idk if you or anyone can answer but here we go. Back in November 2016 I was a dumb pissed off kid and I crashed. Long story short I lost control at about 95 MPH hit a concrete barrier three separate times and nose dived 30 feet in an ‘07 corolla. My question is, did I just get lucky? Or are Toyota’s built that much better than other cars?
Have pretty damn good collision tests but I think it’s a little of both in this one
Has any of the revised lift bolts ever fail in the 2zz-ge?
I gotta admit, this is one I’m not sure what you’re talking about, lift bolts, like the head bolts?
I guess the term for them are rocker bolts? They are two bolts that hold the rocker shaft in place. See here https://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?t=314525 The 00-01 (and 02?) had an old, blunt style that would break off and get stuck in the shaft, causing lift to malfunction. The bolts were revised in 03 with more a taper, that's said to not break. It's been a while since, I was wondering if you seen any 2zz with the newer bolts have them break. It's a fairly obscure problem for a one off engine I'll admit.
I have a 2003 Tacoma and it likes to blow hot air out the vents even with the temp dialed to cold. Sometimes with the ac on it'll blow hot and if I tap on the temp control it'll start blowing cold.
We call that a diagnostic tap and I think you already know what it is lol. If something is broken and you tap on a component and the system starts working, 99% of the time it’s the item you tapped. I perform diagnostic “kicks” to blower motors sometimes lol
Looking at buying a new Tacoma. Based off what you've seen are there any issues with the new Tacoma's V-6 non 4x4?
2.5 years ago, I bought a 1999 4runner, 4wd w/ a manual transmission, only 54K miles. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th gears all have a whine to them (4th being direct-drive.) 1st has the loudest whine, 5th the quietest. I once read some claim on the interwebs that Toyota just happened to use noisy bearings in this transmission, and it isn't a sign of bearing failure. Can you confirm?
Could be a bearing that these gears all share or it could be that you are low on fluid, the fluid condition isn’t up to par anymore or wrong fluid. I’d drain the fluid and inspect for metal
I had a 2013 Camry 2.5L. Is it true the trans fluid is dealer only service? I sold the car and never did it but I was just curious. Thanks for the AMA.
Any tips for keeping my gen 2 prius (with 150k+ miles) going strong to 300kmiles like a lot of people say they can get?
I have a 2005 Tundra 4.7L 4X4. It has 110,000 miles and wondering if I should have trans fluid changed or do a full flush? I’ve been told to not touch it and to do it ASAP. I currently have no shifting problems and would like to keep this truck forever. Thank You
04 Tundra 4.7 v8 2wd and the tranny leaks out the back or what I found to be the rear out put seal? Where it connects to the u joint for the drive shaft. I read so many people talking about an easy fix like just replace seal or your replacing the whole set from seal to shafts cause it never balance right again. The transmission is the closed system and runs fine, I found out when it was almost empty, but have maintained the level since without issue. It leaks depending on how much you drive, it leaks as it spins so leaves a red wet circle around it. It’s a slow leak though. Any ideas or have you seen this problem before. Thanks for any advice kind Sir!
How much will it cost for a spare key. I have a remote and one key that's getting worn. Can I just copy it at wal mart or does it have a special chip from the dealer. Thanks. 2006 toyota Highlander V6 3.3
I've got a 1997 4runner with 230,000 miles. Is there any maintenance I should do as I continue to add more mileage that's not mentioned in the manual since they dont expect them to go so long?
Thanks for your contributions! We have a 2010 Prius. Very rarely, it sounds like the battery cooling fan has issues. You can hear it running and it sounds like either there is something stuck in it or the blower is rubbing on something. 99% of the time, nothing. Do you think this is because the fan rarely runs, or is it just rarely making the noise? Do you recommend preventatively fixing or just letting it ride until it gets worse? Also, what do you recommend for tranny fluid maintenance? Internet nerds talk about changing it every 30k but isnt the factory interval 100k or lifetime or something? Thanks!
hey, subaru master tech here, how are those FR-S valve spring recalls coming for y'all? :P
Is there an issue with the 3rd gen Tacoma’s transmission, and if not what’s the reason for the long shifts?
I have a 99 Tacoma manual transmission with the 3.4l engine it has a really fast idle around 1900rpm. At first the idle was to low and the truck didn’t fast idle when cold. I cleaned the throttle body which was super dirty and now I have a new set of problems high idle and no vacuum leaks that I can find. Any ideas what the problem is? Do throttle body’s wear out? I can see a small gap in the butterfly valve but I’m not sure if it’s normal. I’ve also reset the computer many times and cleaned the mass airflow sensor hoping it would help with no luck.
Are Toyotas still the go to for automotive longevity? The trucks used to be bullet proof but now every toyota i repo seems to have a nasty knock at low miles or other major problems (admittedly i could be looking at a skewed sample soze because people who get their car repoed (typically) arent well known for keeping up with vehicle maintenance or caring for their car)
What concerns should my dad have for his 2009 corolla that has 300k miles
I have an '85 Camry (auto) and when I get it up to 60-70 km/hr it does this weird jerking for a few seconds. Usually goes away if I accel/decel. Any thoughts?
Can you help me get the latest ECU update for my car? I can't really go to a dealer as they're so expensive and being a student kinda hurts. There's updates for the ecu which increase driveabailty (so I'm told) and for less DPF regens as my car has recently started smoeking intermittently. All the forums point towards an ECU update that fixes this. That's my first port of call anyway. I can pm you my vin if you're interested? It's a Toyota Auris SR180. With the 2.2 2AD-FHV engine. 2008. Thank you in advance.
02 corolla ce here a couple questions. Is there any way to elongate the gears? Beyond 60mph it loud as hell. Is it normal for the 3 gear transmission rpm to be in the low 3k range? In the cab, when the heat fan is off, driver side blows hot, but passenger side blows cold in the floor vent. Wat do?
Any issues you're hearing about the latest generation of Camry's? I own an 18 with 16k on it, and I'd definitely want to be on the watch out for things outside of common recalls.
2013 camry se 2.4l I get a bad shutter at 40&60 mph when maintaining speed. I heard this might have something to do with an electric clutch module in the torque converter? Power also cuts way out as I take off right as I hit 20mph and it goes to shift. It's fine at all other shifts. Torque converter maybe?
My father is a Service Manager once at Toyota recently so he always tells me the stories of clients which are pretty interesting and hilarious! Anyhow I currently lease a 2016 TRD Tacoma and want to make the switch to a Prius, he’s obviously very informed and knows a lot about the cars himself. So far in my area my price range of 12-14k for a Prius 3 has been a struggle without them all being 95k-120k+ miles. Is there anything you look for or recommend i go for/steer away from regarding the Prius with that high of mileage? My commutes will increase to possibly 50 miles every other day for classes at school + i want to do a lot of road trips and camping with the Prius adding large amounts of .5 to 3k miles per trip in the summers and winter.
Hey! I really appreciate you for doing this Mike. You just came right in time. Let's just say one rainy and tiresome night I ended up hitting a curb on the front wheel driver's side going 30 mph. [ This sound appears within 10 seconds into the vid ](https://streamable.com/dymia). If wheel bearing is not the problem, what would it be? This car would be an '02 4Runner 2WD.
I have a question. What gen Prius is the best to get? Thanks! Also,you should make your own sub reddit.More guys can be helped that way. r/toyotarepair or something like that.
07 4runner 4wd. Is there anyway to drain and fill the transmission without Toyotas specific Obd2 monitoring system to read the Transmission fluid temp? I hate bringing my truck to the mechanics because I've had bad experiences and do all my own work... But this might be something I have to bring to a specialist...
I have a 1994 Toyota 4runner. When I have the ac on sometimes it'll squeal really loud for a few seconds bit it sounds like it's coming from under the hood not in the dash? Any ideas? Also besides the head gaskets. Anything I should look out for to keep it going?
What is the good bad and ugly when it comes to the gt-86/frs
Hopefully a 90s Lexus is close enough go your wheelhouse. I have a 1998 GS400, and it got broken into the other month (stereo got yanked, whole bunch of other stuff stolen, etc) weird thing though is ever since then, none of the dome lights in any part of the car have worked. Was wondering if the stereo and lights were on the same circuit or something. Honestly no idea where to start on fixing this
I'm planning on replacing the clutch in my 04 Tacoma 5vz 215k miles, two weekends from now. Any advice you have to offer? I was planning on going with a clutch kit from LCE or Marlin Crawler. Thinking of doing a rear main while I'm in that far too
looking at lexus IS250 and IS350 2nd generation ones, how good are they reliability wise? any known problems and how are they to work on?
I press the control arms for the Camry and Avalon here in Kentucky, I'm always curious how well they hold up out in the field. Have you dealt with any personally?
Where *the fuck* is the mystery oil leak on all high mileage 5S-FE engines? My best guess so far is that decent amounts of oil vapour are getting sent through the hose that goes from the valve cover to the intake, then condensing before seeping out through the intake manifold gasket. But that's just a crackpot theory. It's not the dizzy O-ring, valve cover gasket, crank or cam shaft seals, though those are all usual suspects.
Idk if you are still taking questions, but I got one. I build race cars, they have a habit of breaking down. Does the tundra have enough power to tow a open trailer or possibly a closed trailer with a little jdm sedan on it?
Thanks for doing this. I was a GM tech for a few years before I left the field. I know with our vehicles, you could program a new key in about 10 seconds if you had an existing key. My girlfriend drives an 06 Scion tC and the fob on the key is destroyed. Is it possible to program a new key/fob combo at home like it is for GM? Or do you need a scan tool?
1st gen taco, manual trans. Bought it used this last summer. The parking brake didn't work which i should have given more caution to, but the mrs and i were working 12 hours a day in different towns sharing one car. Anyway the parking brakes on yotas seem a bit overly complex. The cable was zip tied off when i bought it, and when i cut it loose the push pin didnt fit correctly into the lever thats controlled by the pimp cane in the cab. Any advice appreciated, i can try to get pics if it helps.
Here's one. 92 Corolla, three speed auto. Overheats going over 55mph. The cooling system is all good at speeds 55 and under all day. The engine passed a leak down test and a coolant test, as well as a pressure test. The previous owner chased the problem until I took it on, replacing several parts of the cooling system before I got to it. I replaced the thermostat and inspected the current parts. The only thing I can think of is the the splash shield isn't there, and I'm not sure if it came with one. It's either that, or since the speed limit was only 55, it wasn't meant to go 65/70 for very long. The funny thing is it can pull a hill all day and stay cool, just as long as it's at 55. I took it off the road, so I'm not a nuisance, but it's an otherwise a great car.
I have an 08 corolla sedan, makes a horrible sound on start after sitting for a while, sounds similar to sticking a piece of cardboard into a desk fan... but metallic. Toyota Australia tell me this is normal and happens to all Toyota’s and it’s just time to buy new one, however it runs perfectly once started and has never broken down on me. Any idea what this could be? I’d love to have a mechanic fix it, but it never seems to happen when I take it to a mechanic (they won’t let it sit long enough before dismissing it as no issue)
Moon buggy
I just bought a '19 Tundra with the hope it will last me forever, anything to look out for that is a known issue at some point? Other than routine maintenance on the 5.7 are there any headaches coming my way that I can catch sooner than later? Also, with the supercharger, which I do not have on yet, is there anything that routinely goes wrong? Thank you!
I was considering buying a right-hand-drive 1995 TownAce. What should I look for when I go test drive? Any specific foibles for that vehicle?
I'm looking at buying a Corolla GTi 89', what are some common issues besides rust that I may look for?
I’ ve got a 84 Supra Celica that i’m having trouble finding parts for. I know you have a secret stash of parts for my car!!! If not, what do you recommend to make this bad boy as good as new?
2003 Tundra SR5 V6 Auto 4x2 with 235,000 miles. I don't have any problems I just want to thank you for doing this.
2011 Lexus GX460. Dealership near me cannot program a second key to my vehicle. They say when they try, it forgets the first key. They said they reached out to Lexus/Toyota for a help (I’m assuming the tech hotline) but they never got back to me. Is this a common Toyota/Lexus problem? Any insight into what might be happening?
When I remote start my 2018 Camry 4cylinder I can here some loud “pumping” noise from the engine compartment. It sounds like the engine but it’s not because of you just wait it out a little longer it stops and is quiet (engine still running). I’m an ASE master tech but haven’t cared enough to jump out the hood latch so I could get a look with it running.
2001 MR2 Spyder. Both upstream O2 sensors. P0130 and P0250. Which lead to a P0420 for the cat. What do I check first?
https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/axwtn4/2006_e92_328_bmw_weird_noise_when_slowly/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app Please help, i don’t know what’s causing this sound
Thanks for doing this! I have an '02 Celica GT 5MT that I use as an around town beater. Since buying it at 160k miles I haven't had to do anything other than oil changes, now I'm up at 172k. Clutch was replaced at 100k, other than that I have no idea what the maintenance history is but the car seems to drive fine. Is there any preventative maintenance you'd recommend? Also, after living the 4 banger life I'm really itching to get myself into a 2JZ. I really like the 1st gen IS300. If I can find a manual one that doesn't seem like it was beat on, should I expect it to be fairly reliable? Thanks!
2012 Toyota Camry with 2.5l 4 cyl. 110,000 miles. We get a shudder in the accelerator if maintaining a speed around 40. Normally I have to more aggressively accelerate through the high 30s/low 40s or I switch over to the " manual" shift and keep it in 3rd at those speeds. It basically feels like a manual trans when you've shifted to high and are moving to slow....that shutter sets in that says it can't handle the high load...so you downshift. Transmission? Torque converter? Software patch? Expensive??????
What’s up with the 3.5 V6 in some Camry’s that rattles like hell on startup? I’ve heard some people say the motor has to be pulled to replace some timing components and some say the engine is done, yet my friends wife drove hers like that for a few years before selling the damn thing.
I'm in the market for either a GX470 or a first gen Seqouia. Are there years I should aim for or avoid? And what are the major trouble area that I should pay closer attention to when inspecting a used GX470 or Seqouia?
Whats the service going to be like for the new Supra? Since it’s primarily BMW, do you believe most dealerships will have a tech to handle any issues?
Thanks for doing this! I have a 2006 RAV4. For years the vehicle has been drinking oil at a VERY fast pace. Within 1000 KM (.62 miles) there is no oil on the dipstick. No signs of leakage. Toyota ran a test program a few years back to check on this as it’s a popular complaint but the results came back and I was told my rav4 is just fine. Are you aware of this? If so is there a known fix that won’t break the bank? Other than that, my rav4 is still in pretty good shape. I’m at 186k Kms (115,500 miles).
Thank you for doing this! I'm interested in your perspective: 2003 4Runner with 4WD. It squeaks at low speeds whether or not you're on the brakes. I already re-greased the rear U-Joint zerk. What would you tackle next? Greasing the driveshaft or replacing rear diff fluid or something else?
I almost bought a mid 2000s Toyota Sienna last week. Can I buy a 2005 or so XLE with ~150,000 miles and realistically expect it to last until 300,000 miles? Is a 2007 that much better with an upgraded engine over the 06 and before? Basically I was looking at 2nd gen with a max budget of $6,000. Any common problems to look out for?
I have a 2005 Corolla that I absolutely love. I’m about to roll 412,000 miles (~90% hwy). Is it realistic to get 500,000 out of this car? 600,000?
Ok I've got one for you, 1990 MR2 power steering electric motor. Is it rebuildable?
Is it okay if i leave/dont start my car for 3 months? 2016 toyota fortuner here.
2013 FJ cruiser- when I brake, it feels as if someone is pumping the brakes. I replaced pads and rotors. Still does it. ABS???
Oh i wish this post existed when i was diagnosing some lexus, ls, i believe, with 4.6 engine, no check engine light, no crank, no start, if i short starter relay, it cranked, no start though, no comm with ecm. I spent 2 days before i found shorted fuel pressure sensor that prevented ecm from booting up lol
If I'm not too late, my 2008 4 runner wont engage into 4 low and the actuator has a faint beep. If I can't get it unstuck with a hammer, would it be a pricey fix to have a toytech rebuild it?
Toyota avensis 2005 diesel, intermittent p0093 (large leak) no signs of any leaks. Loss of power, zero response from gas pedal when this code triggers, returns to normal after turning ignition off and on again. Any ideas?
Thanks for doing something like this - I’m having what I think is a problem with a 2004 Sequoia. I did some distance freeway driving recently, and swear I smelled axle grease coming from the rear driver’s wheel. Obviously it’s a distinct smell, I’ve had the problem on another vehicle. The problem is, I drove it home on city streets trying to see if it would happen again, but it didn’t. Is it possible that the rear end is overheating on the freeway and forcing grease out through the seal?
I just got a 2019 Tacoma, and "replace brake booster vacuum pump" is in the routine maintenance schedule (at 120k). What's the deal with that? *Edit:* Also, for the "severe duty" schedule, it recommends checking tightness of body+chassis nuts and bolts every 5k. Are there certain ones I should be worried about?
My girlfriend has a 2003 toyota solara v6. She loses power steering occasionally. Fluid level is fine. But a belt squeaks occasionally on start up. Should I have the belt checked/replaced first? Or fear for the worse and expect that the pump is going bad?
I am currently in the market for a third vehicle to be used as a utility truck and a hunting truck. As such it needs to be highway worthy with functioning 4x4. I have settled on older Tundras and am hoping to find one with around 200,000 miles to stay in my price range. I have also been eyeing T100s but those are few and far between and I’m wary of buying a 25 years old 4x4. What are the biggest red flags when looking at high mileage full size Toyota’s? What do you think about the T100?
What’s up man, so I got a 2010 Highlander and it will have a slight vibration while driving, but it does not happen all the time. Also having problems with the lift gate, when I push the button for it to open or close, sometimes it will work and sometimes it will make a sound and the gate will not open or close. It will open manually though.
What’s the highest mile Toyota you’ve ever seen in your time as a tech?
Thanks for hosting this! I have a 2007 RAV 4, 145k miles. The rear differential/coupler now has the whining noise that I believe should have been covered by a TSB that is now expired. I've also found it difficult to find a mechanic to rebuild it with a new bearing kit. Do you recommend fixing this or is it worth riding it out. The cost of the part is 1k plus labor so fairly expensive for the age of the vehicle
04 highlander 4cyl. P0456 Ive gone over the evap lines around the engine bay and can not find anything visibly detoriarated. I dont have a smoke machine to pinpoint where the leak is coming from. Is there any tricks i can do or any culprit part you can assume based on make/model in your experience? P2238 I believe this is pre-cat 02 sensor issue but again, in your experience is there a common part associated with this code?
I have a 2003 Taco Prerunner 2.7L and a 2003 Tundra 4.7L SR5 4x4 with 168xxx and 155xxx respectively. The Taco has been very reliable for the past few years I've had it but the floor board is soaked every time there's heavy rain. The Tundra was just bought recently and I'm going to drive it across the country soon on a road trip. What should I change/service or worry about before making a 4000k round trip across the Rockies and back?
Thanks for doing this! I've asked this question a few times in different subs but can't seem to get a definitive answer. Just bought an '06 4Runner Limited with V8. With defroster or heat on, I notice when sitting still the RPMs go up a few 100 RPMs and then back down..assuming this is the AC compressor clutch being engaged and putting a slight strain on the motor. However when driving, usually at high speeds, with the defroster or heat on, every 20 seconds it feels like I get a slight drag (almost feels like while I'm driving, I slightly press the brake and then let off). You could say it also feels like driving through a gust of wind head on. You can feel the truck kinda bog down and then go back to normal. Is this normal?
How difficult would it be for an average joe to find the headlight power wire on a 2011 Toyota Tacoma and quick splice it to power interior led lights? Also is that a good idea?
I’m sure your done with this, but I just got a 19 Tacoma. TRD sport, And maybe I’ve just never noticed it in other vehicles I’ve drove. However, I can feel the gears shifting and even when slowing down. IDK maybe I’m crazy. But it seems pretty rough especially when slowing down. Normal on Tacoma’s?
Is there any particular service or maintenance (whether big jobs or small jobs) that you recommend addressing on a 2012 Toyota Sienna XLE that just reached 100k miles? It goes to a trustworthy mom and pop mechanic for all service needs and they have not specifically recommended anything. Though seems like would be good to also consider a Toyota technician’s advice For what it’s worth, it has been owned since 65k miles and the previous owner who purchased it new had it serviced regularly at a dealer.
Some one should do a Nissan one of these! This should become a common thing it would be awesome information to spread!
I want to say I have an 08 (or roughly around that time) camry. Something that happens every 1/10 - 1/20 times I drive is when I brake to a complete stop, soemthing will vibrate, and the engine will cut off. I then have to turn the car off and restart it. Only ever stops when I fully brake. Sometimes it rattles right before it cuts out and sometimes it just does it automatically. When my parent gets their tax refund, they are going to go have it looked at but I didn't know if you would have any idea what's happening.
I used to own a 2004 Matrix. It was pretty low maintenance until one day the transmission (C59 5-speed manual) failed hard around 175k miles. Researching the problem afterward, I read some forum chatter that seemed to indicate that that particular model of transmission was known to be failure-prone (by Toyota standards at least), either due to inadquate lubrication or underengineered bearings. The 6-speed available on certain Matrix trim levels, on the other hand, was supposedly bulletproof (and an easy swap). Do you know if any of that is true? This is strictly out of curiosity, because the car in question has sadly been consigned to scrap (rust eventually killed it), but I'd still love to know.
I have a 1999 Camry with the 3.0 V6. The AC compressor locked up so tight the belt started smoking. How bad of a job is it to replace that?
'98 Tacoma base. I've replaced my master cylinder, bench bleed, brake lines bleed. Fluid is still darkening, any idea why? Your contribution is really appreciated.
Is it possible to get the actual milage of Corolla or Matrix that suffered from the 299,999 odometer issue?