Cat Fault Code But Emmissions Ok - Bad Mechanics?

[cottlad]

We've had the wifes 1.3 SR year 2000 Yaris back twice to a local garage :(

1st time was due to severe lag/chugging when 1st started for 5 mins. Almost as if the fuel was really dirty or the engine was flooding. After a while it runs perfectly (gradually gets better over 2-3 miles.) The garage said that they thought changing the exhaust might cure the problem and as it needed a new one anyway we did that. He also gave (sold) her a bottle of fuel additive that he said would run through the injectors. I was less than confident and sure enough, the problem persisted.

After only 50 miles after taking it from the garage the engine warning light came on.

We took it back to the garage, asked them to investigate, and asked them to put it through its MOT whilst there. Which is where the following fault occurred:

The fault code came back as the Cat and that it would cost around £900 to fit a new cat....... BUT...... they were sure it wouldn't pass it's emmissions test but took it for it's MOT anyway..... the emmissions were absolutely fine!

When i asked the garage if a new cat would cure the engine light they said they didn't know.

When i asked the garage what else the problem could be they said they didn't know and all they could do was read the fault code and advise from there...... !Removed! fitters They advised taking it to Toyota and asking them to have a look but i'm unwilling to do that just yet if they're just going charge me a lot of money and leave me in the same position.... not knowing what will cure the engine light.

So, the car has 2 faults that may or may not be linked?

1. Engine Warning Light with a cat error code...... i haven't got the actual code as the garage didn't keep records and wanted another £39,99 to plug it in..... i put the phone down on this clown just after letting him know how happily i would recommend his excellent service to my friends

2. Chugging/stalling in a morning until engine warms up a little...... then runs absolutely fine.

Car has 82k on clock.

Any help/advice anyone could offer would be a great help as I don't know where to turn now.

Cheers all

[reece]

If you are experiencing a hesitation on acceleration or a poor idle, this may be the result of a bad air mass meter/MAF sensor.

[Raeman]

Sorry to hear of your woes :(

The fault code on the cat could be the 02 sensor that is at fault, this would show up on the dash as the EML light (I had the same problem with my Accord).

Also, the problems with hesitation as you mentioned were identical with my Accord, all sorted when the 02 sensor was replaced. My car used to cut out at traffic lights or junctions but i don't know if yours does this.

Don't pay £900 for a new cat whatever you do!!, take it to a good reputable garage or even to Toyota and have it plugged in the diagnostics.

Can't help with the price, but Honda charged me £60 for the diagnostic test so Toyota may be similar.

Make sure everything else is ok, ie plugs, airfilter, MAF sensor ect. All these are a doddle to check on the 1.3.

Good luck. ;)

[Big_g]

Did it have a new cat fitted originally,when they first changed the exhaust? Seen the exact same thing happen when a cheap and nasty "new" cat is fitted. They only like genuine i think, hence the £900 bill :(. If they cat wasnt changed when you first had the problem (when you sayed they changed the exhaust originally) then i cant really help

[cottlad]

the cat is original.

So am probably best taking to Toyota? Is there any way to check the o2 sensors beforehand and/or replace? Maybe it's not even worth doing that unless i know for sure this is the problem.

Thanks for replies so far

[bert.tsport]

hi, a friend of mine has this issue with her 1.0 yaris 1999..... she drove it with the engine management light on for 6 months, then the cat fell to pieces. she had a brand new cat fitted for £240 and free diagnostic check.... the code found was for the lamba sensor/cat. The garage reset the warning light and sent her on her way, but a week later it came back on again.... so they have advised her the lamba sensor requires replacing.... £125 fitted.

hope this helps.

[cottlad]

If it was the o2 sensor wouldn't this result in bad emmissions?

Gonna nip it down to Toyota and see what they say....... dreading this lol......

[Big_g]

hi, a friend of mine has this issue with her 1.0 yaris 1999..... she drove it with the engine management light on for 6 months, then the cat fell to pieces. she had a brand new cat fitted for £240 and free diagnostic check.... the code found was for the lamba sensor/cat. The garage reset the warning light and sent her on her way, but a week later it came back on again.... so they have advised her the lamba sensor requires replacing.... £125 fitted.

hope this helps.

£240 sounds like a cheap cat. I can almost bet that a new o2 sensor wont fix it.Might be good for a few weeks but the code will come back.

[cottlad]

well i'm gobsmacked :)

Arrived at Toyota garage dreading what may happen.

Talked to service manager and explained as per OP. He came out and read the faultcodes - FOR FREE!!!!! He then told me what needed doing - FOR FREE!!!!! He then told me i should order and fit the part myself as it's a real easy job and that Toyota would charge £125+ :D :D He then switched off the engine warning light for me and even said...... if the light comes back on between now and fitting the part drop it back in and i'll turn it off for you - FOR FREE!!!!! WTF?

Such a pleasure to deal with someone that a) knows what they're doing and B ) isn't out to rip off punters :)

It looks like the problem is the airflow meter by the way. Hopefully problem solved :)

[Raeman]

Nice one then, good result! ;)

Seems you have a good Toyota dealer near you then....Wish mine was like that!

[AxelTo]

Nice one then, good result! ;)

Seems you have a good Toyota dealer near you then....Wish mine was like that!

Wish for me tooo.....

_______________________

Car Lease

[alfiejts]

Raeman - Not sure where in Lancashire you are, but I'm currently glowing from a wonderful service experience at Harry Feeney in Blackpool. Can't recommend them highly enough.

They were fine for servicing my last Yaris in 2001 & 2002, but that ran out of warranty in 2003 and I haven't been back for five years until this year....

I'd been in earlier to have my satnav upgraded and that was a fine "whilst you wait" experience.

The car was booked in last Friday for its first service.

The booking in procedure was easy & the price quoted was £15 under Vantage Toyota at Preston.

Initially I was going to wait whilst it was done - they have a wireless network for customer use - but then I found that a fix had been released for my gearbox crunch issue (see separate thread) - so I rang up and enquired about getting that done at the same time.

No issues at all. A very knowledgable and friendly service receptionist made some enquiries and then rang me back a day later. They ordered the parts without even seeing or trying my car and extended the booking to do this work at the same time. They suggested a courtesy car, as they hadn't done many of these gearbox upgrades so far and didn't want me inconvenienced if it took a little longer than planned....

So I dropped the car off at about 9:15 and they gave me a brand new courtesy car (first day on the road...).

By 2pm they rang to say the work was done and car ready to collect.

Again a very friendly collection experience. They even understood when I said that I was a bit obsessive and didn't want them to wash and valet my car (which they do normally after a service) - they attached a tag to the key to make sure this wasn't done - so they obviously have a process for this type of request...

Can't fault them and would highly recommend them to anyone else locally......

Even their sales experience was good compared ot other garages - they'd just give us the keys to whatever car we asked about and just let us go off for an hour or so on our own to get a good, unpressured feel for the car....

[Raeman]

Thanks for the tip Alfie, the dealer i was reffering to was H.W Moon's in Wigan,

They used to be based near me in Eccleston, then moved to Wigan about 2 or so years ago.

Every time i have rang to enquire about parts, prices ect, they have been rude, sarcastic and the prices are just ridiculous, can you beleive they wanted over £140 to fit a set of discs & pads to my Yaris!!.....I did it myself for free btw. :)

To be honest, the only dealer i will trust with my cars is the Honda branch in Wigan, they are the total opposite to Moon's, and it's a pleasure to have their service, like the dealer you mentioned they never clean my car as i tell them not too and their fine with that.

Next time i need the Toyota dealer i will consider Harry Feeney's.

Thanks. :)