Serious Problem, Help!

[AvensiSpain04]

My Avensis 1.8VVTI T3-S '04 has developed a very bad rattle after my previous oil consumption issues which were never explained. It almost sounds like a London Taxi at times now. It's also down on power and sounds like it has a slight misfire at speeds around 50-60.

It rattles very badly primarily when:

1) I start the car

2) I am at a certain "pressure point" on the throttle (which I try to avoid by constantly changing speed!)

3) When the engine speed drops and slows the car itself i.e. when I am off the throttle.

Oil consumption is all over the place still, some weeks having to top up, others it not moving at all.

Now I know I'm going to have to get it fixed, but bare in mind and have an ounce of sympathy to the fact that the car did not have a FSH from Toyota (I bought it from Evans Halshaw Renault in Durham) and that I am not flush for money with Christmas coming up! Biting the bullet though as the car goes in tomorrow for compression checks/strip down check.

Just wondering if I am right to be panicking big time?!?! :(

[t-spiritpete]

My Avensis 1.8VVTI T3-S '04 has developed a very bad rattle after my previous oil consumption issues which were never explained. It almost sounds like a London Taxi at times now. It's also down on power and sounds like it has a slight misfire at speeds around 50-60.

It rattles very badly primarily when:

1) I start the car

2) I am at a certain "pressure point" on the throttle (which I try to avoid by constantly changing speed!)

3) When the engine speed drops and slows the car itself i.e. when I am off the throttle.

Oil consumption is all over the place still, some weeks having to top up, others it not moving at all.

Now I know I'm going to have to get it fixed, but bare in mind and have an ounce of sympathy to the fact that the car did not have a FSH from Toyota (I bought it from Evans Halshaw Renault in Durham) and that I am not flush for money with Christmas coming up! Biting the bullet though as the car goes in tomorrow for compression checks/strip down check.

Just wondering if I am right to be panicking big time?!?! :(

Hello, I have a feeling that you are not going to have a "Merry Christmas" in regards to your car trouble as it does sound serious to me.

When you say that your previous oil consumption issues were never explained, do you mean Toyota looked at it but did nothing or they actually said they had fixed it or none of these answers.

Best of luck anyway and best regards ..... Pete.

[AvensiSpain04]

My Avensis 1.8VVTI T3-S '04 has developed a very bad rattle after my previous oil consumption issues which were never explained. It almost sounds like a London Taxi at times now. It's also down on power and sounds like it has a slight misfire at speeds around 50-60.

It rattles very badly primarily when:

1) I start the car

2) I am at a certain "pressure point" on the throttle (which I try to avoid by constantly changing speed!)

3) When the engine speed drops and slows the car itself i.e. when I am off the throttle.

Oil consumption is all over the place still, some weeks having to top up, others it not moving at all.

Now I know I'm going to have to get it fixed, but bare in mind and have an ounce of sympathy to the fact that the car did not have a FSH from Toyota (I bought it from Evans Halshaw Renault in Durham) and that I am not flush for money with Christmas coming up! Biting the bullet though as the car goes in tomorrow for compression checks/strip down check.

Just wondering if I am right to be panicking big time?!?! :(

Hello, I have a feeling that you are not going to have a "Merry Christmas" in regards to your car trouble as it does sound serious to me.

When you say that your previous oil consumption issues were never explained, do you mean Toyota looked at it but did nothing or they actually said they had fixed it or none of these answers.

Best of luck anyway and best regards ..... Pete.

I had the car looked at (not by Toyota, as the nearest equipped garage is too far out here in Spain) after it burned through almost a litre of it's oil, but no leaks were found, no smoking issues, nothing from the exhaust. It was put down to an error on my part for not checking the oil regularly enough (didn't do for about 2months). Since then it's consumption has not been bad at all, but I fear that the damage by that point had been done.

Really angry and upset right now. Bought a Toyota because they're supposed to be reliable (though I totally understand used cars are always a gamble). Checked the car out when I bought it, it was in v.good condition. I drive sensibly, treat my cars well and this is the reward I've been handed only 8-9 months into ownership. :(

[t-spiritpete]

My Avensis 1.8VVTI T3-S '04 has developed a very bad rattle after my previous oil consumption issues which were never explained. It almost sounds like a London Taxi at times now. It's also down on power and sounds like it has a slight misfire at speeds around 50-60.

It rattles very badly primarily when:

1) I start the car

2) I am at a certain "pressure point" on the throttle (which I try to avoid by constantly changing speed!)

3) When the engine speed drops and slows the car itself i.e. when I am off the throttle.

Oil consumption is all over the place still, some weeks having to top up, others it not moving at all.

Now I know I'm going to have to get it fixed, but bare in mind and have an ounce of sympathy to the fact that the car did not have a FSH from Toyota (I bought it from Evans Halshaw Renault in Durham) and that I am not flush for money with Christmas coming up! Biting the bullet though as the car goes in tomorrow for compression checks/strip down check.

Just wondering if I am right to be panicking big time?!?! :(

Hello, I have a feeling that you are not going to have a "Merry Christmas" in regards to your car trouble as it does sound serious to me.

When you say that your previous oil consumption issues were never explained, do you mean Toyota looked at it but did nothing or they actually said they had fixed it or none of these answers.

Best of luck anyway and best regards ..... Pete.

I had the car looked at (not by Toyota, as the nearest equipped garage is too far out here in Spain) after it burned through almost a litre of it's oil, but no leaks were found, no smoking issues, nothing from the exhaust. It was put down to an error on my part for not checking the oil regularly enough (didn't do for about 2months). Since then it's consumption has not been bad at all, but I fear that the damage by that point had been done.

Really angry and upset right now. Bought a Toyota because they're supposed to be reliable (though I totally understand used cars are always a gamble). Checked the car out when I bought it, it was in v.good condition. I drive sensibly, treat my cars well and this is the reward I've been handed only 8-9 months into ownership. :(

Hi again,if any damage has been done I feel it wasn't by you but by the previous owner, the amount of oil used in your case almost a litre wouldn't have caused long term damage and anyway the problem lies in the engine design fault (pistons/rings) and you were not to know this!

Best of luck mate with the car and enjoy your Christmas in Spain ..... Pete.

[AvensiSpain04]

Appreciate the help Pete, thanks, have a nice christmas yourself.

I'm fairly certain that although I don't spend as much time and effort looking after my cars as some do, I am not to blame for this issue.

I have heard of this piston design issue before, but not really sure what I can do about it considering that I won't be taking it to a Toyota dealership to fix (they are hugely expensive here in Spain), rather getting my reliable and helpful local mechanic to sort it.

Still holding out a little hope that it may just be a problem with the tapits, as they haven't been checked and the car is on 60K miles now. Also there is zero smoke from the pipe, no loss of water and the engine maintains a perfect temperature always.

Thanks again though, any other input will also still be mcuh appreciated.