2007 Corolla Verso 2.2 D4-D + Blue Smoke

[DTBK]

Hey people, I really need some help.

12 weeks ago, almost to the day, we bought a 2007 Corolla Verso 2.2 D4-D T180 with circa 95,000 miles on the clock.

A few days later, whilst sat in traffic I noticed it was kicking out a small amount of slightly blue smoke... over the days that followed and although intermittent the smoke appeared more frequently. The final straw was when travelling up a slight incline in 3rd gear approaching 30mph, the cars behind were almost completely obscured by the amount of smoke.

The dealer (not a main dealer) took the car back off us. They allegedly took it to a main Toyota dealer who suggested it may have been a problem with the Turbo, but would require further diagnostics. The dealer we bought the car from disagreed that it was the turbo (there's no loss of power whatsoever - in fact the only sign that
something is wrong is the smoke). So they allegedly then took the car to a diesel engine "specialist" instead - whatever that is (seriously, who's going to know a Toyota engine better... Toyota or erm...), anyway, the "specialist" said that the fault was with the EGR valve and so replaced it.

2 weeks after we left it with them, we got the car back and within days it was doing the same thing. We dropped the car off with them again 4 weeks ago. They've since claimed that the "new" EGR valve they put in first time, was actually a refurbished one and so this time they claim to have ordered a brand new one for it.

Earlier today we picked the car up, drove about 3 miles down the road from the dealer, only to find nothing's changed and it's still kicking out smoke.

It's not constant, far from it, there's no discernible pattern to it, but I have noticed it's more prone to doing it in 2nd & 3rd gear and particularly if we're travelling up even just the slightest of hills. That being said, it's done it twice today with the car sat still and the engine idling.

All together the dealer has had the car back with them for 6 of the 12 weeks that we've owned it and we're beginning to get a little frustrated. Whilst the car otherwise drives perfectly, it's not as much fun as you might imagine, occassionally looking like we're a ground-based member of the Red Arrows!

The dealer have asked if we'd be willing to take it to our own local Toyota franchise and have them diagnose and repair it (our supplying dealer have stated they'll cover the cost) but my wife is virtually of the opinion that we should reject the car and request a refund (our supplying dealer has agreed that they will give us a refund
if we wish).

Our dealer (I feel) isn't being unreasonable in this regard, but I'm slightly loathed to have to wait any longer for the car to be repaired when it's not been repaired already despite them having had 6 weeks to go at it.

I've managed to catch the smoke on video only twice and both times it was far from as bad as it can be (sometimes there's very little).

Video 1:

Video 2:

If it helps at all, sometimes when following my wife on the motorway, I can see the smoke being expelled getting gradually heavier over a period of around say 6-10 minutes and then it's almost like it drops a mini smoke bomb, then does nothing for 10 minutes or so before starting to build up again. Yet at other times (today for example) we travelled around 35 miles on the motorway without noticing any smoke whatsoever... yet within 15 minutes or so of being back on the A-Roads the smoke is back for a short period.

As it stands right now, it may be that we're taking the car back for a refund tomorrow, but actually we really love the car and there isn't currently any alternative T180 Verso's within budget, colour and reasonable travelling distance that we can buy instead (at least not that we can find on the likes of AutoTrader etc).

Can anybody whatsoever offer ANY advice and/or suggestions as to what might be going wrong with the car and whether it should be a quick/easy fix or not.

Thank you very much in advance.

[Seggy]

Dear DTBK,

I also have a Verso D4D 06/07 model , which has just recently had a new engine fitted due to the issues of Carbon Clogging which are well documented on this forum particularly in the Verso and RAV 4 sections. Mine was a main Toyota dealer bought car with 63,000 miles ( now ) but only 17,000 when bought 3 years ago and was regularly serviced by Toyota.

The issues you describe are very similar to the ones which persist with my car despite having a new engine fitted. I have just had an analysis of the problem by Toyota ( who have been excellent in all this ) and everything seems to point to faulty injectors, which I understand is an expensive repair.

I intend to post a topic to see if anybody else has had injector replacement to try and determine a cost for this.

I have to say the symptoms you describe are similar to mine, perhaps a little worse but then your mileage is higher. Hope this is of some help.

[DTBK]

Seggy, thanks for your input - it's somewhat comforting to know that we're not alone and that it does at least seem to be recognised as a genuine issue - the dealer tried to explain it away as just a "normal" amount of smoke expelled when you accelerate driving a diesel... of course when he'd eventually witnessed the smoke for himself it wasn't anywhere near as bad as it sometimes was, but even with the amount of smoke he saw it definitely wasn't normal!

Alas, they did agree to give us a full refund, so we took that option gave the car back and are now seeking a replacement.

I wish you the best of luck in getting the issues with your car resolved.

[Devon Aygo]

Looking at your videos it is difficult too see but the smoke looks more white than blue. There is a TSB ( technical service bulletin ) from Toyota ref # EG-0004T-0110-EN which describes: (note the bulletin only relates too T180 2.2 diesel Rav4, Verso, Avensis & Auris with Diesel particulate filters )

"DESCRIPTION OF PHENOMENON

Some customers may explain about intermittent white smoke from the exhaust"

There is a specific set of checks which need to carried out, checking the correct operation of:

If a DTC ( will set a warning light ) is present then attend to that fault before continuing with the following checks:

5th injector ( fires fuel into the DPNR during regeneration ) looking to see if it is within specification.

Air intake system, looking for air leaks, ensuring air filter is clean/clear

MAF system ( measures air flow and air temp into engine ) looking to see if it is within specification.

EGR system, looking too see if valve is clear and closing correctly when required & check exhaust system for gas leaks.

If any of the above are faulty then they need to be repaired / replaced, once the above are OK or if they check out then the engine ECU software needs to updated to a newer version. Once this is done the car has to be road tested and a forced regeneration of the DPNR needs to be completed, if after this the smoking has stopped then that's it all fixed, if not then a new DPNR will be needed.

[gug]

exactly the same here with 08 t180, new engine 6000 miles ago but have noticed the exact same thing with mine, will smoke aroud the time the lights for cold engine goes out and if spent a fair bit poodling around as you can imgine this engine will be quite dirty running due to the high emmissions regardless of all the cats and dpf. when my engine was replaced I had a new 5th injector. the main cause of this smoke is during cold weather that 5th injector works harder than it should to keep the cats hot, im waiting for the hotter weather to see if it still happens. I just think the car goes in to regen mode quite more often than usual during cold temps.

[Seggy]

I am still unable to resolve the smoke issues i have , these are intermittent and always at start up after a run. Although injectors have been identified as a possible problem I am not convinced after speaking with a good number of diesel injection specialists. I suspect it could be a MAF issue. The problem I have had with the car all stems from the clogged EGR, and the problem I have with it all is that it was known about the time I purcheased the car. I also bought a 3 year service plan and would have thought Toyota ( as a matter of course ) would have cleaned out the EGR in this period, if they had then maybe the replacement engine would have not been necessary.

[DTBK]

Looking at your videos it is difficult too see but the smoke looks more white than blue. There is a TSB ( technical service bulletin ) from Toyota ref # EG-0004T-0110-EN which describes: (note the bulletin only relates too T180 2.2 diesel Rav4, Verso, Avensis & Auris with Diesel particulate filters )

"DESCRIPTION OF PHENOMENON

Some customers may explain about intermittent white smoke from the exhaust"

There is a specific set of checks which need to carried out, checking the correct operation of:

If a DTC ( will set a warning light ) is present then attend to that fault before continuing with the following checks:

5th injector ( fires fuel into the DPNR during regeneration ) looking to see if it is within specification.

Air intake system, looking for air leaks, ensuring air filter is clean/clear

MAF system ( measures air flow and air temp into engine ) looking to see if it is within specification.

EGR system, looking too see if valve is clear and closing correctly when required & check exhaust system for gas leaks.

If any of the above are faulty then they need to be repaired / replaced, once the above are OK or if they check out then the engine ECU software needs to updated to a newer version. Once this is done the car has to be road tested and a forced regeneration of the DPNR needs to be completed, if after this the smoking has stopped then that's it all fixed, if not then a new DPNR will be needed.

The videos don't show it up too well at all, but the smoke absolutely had a strong blue colour to it.

Thanks for the details of the TSB... very interesting reading!

Gug - I'd be interested to know if the warmer weather that's now fast approaching (it's been lovely here (West Yorkshire) over the past day or two) improves things at all for you.

Seggy - I feel your pain...

As I mentioned earlier, we got our money back and have since bought a different car (Volvo XC90 - Seven seats a must!), but we're really missing the Corolla Verso, it's a much better car for us but 12 weeks of extreme inconvenience put us off buying another of the same age etc... waiting until we've got a more substantial budget for a car and then maybe we'll look at a much newer one.

[Seggy]

Dear DTKB, The Verso is a great and really practical car, thats why I bought mine above the Volvos and Mercs I considered buying at the time. I bought a Toyota because of their reputation for reliability and quality. I had a Hilux briefly before this but this was too big for the wife, but a very good vehicle.

Its now been 3 months of hassle since the MOT failure back in January due to carbon clogging and still without satisfactory resolution .

The first warranty bulletin ( that i was aware of ) was 7th December 2010, two weeks before I bought my Verso, so the problem was known when I bought my car.

I purchased a 3 year service plan with the car but at no point during services was the EGR attended to or checked. I feel that had this been done then I wouldn't be in this position now.

I am still running the car and recording ant issues, havent had any since Sunday. But have since sought the advice of 3 diesel injection specialist who cant believe that the injectors ( if this is the fault ) werent changed with the engine as the Carbon issues, in their opinion would have most certainly damaged them. They have also been reluctant to touch the new engine and feel that I should refer back to Mr T, they feel that if they sart to do any work, then any warranty on the new engine may be invalidated.

[gug]

well my fingers are crossed, since about mid last week when the temps rose to 10'c + i havnt hat a single puff, i think when the cold start is on for longer periods in cold weather and cooler exhaust temps the sensor sends it in to regen more often than usual obviously to keep it clear!

ive got used to using is as a smokescreen to the boy racers as they try to pass on entry to the dual carriageways ;)

[gug]

update, still no incident since weather warm up , woohoo

[Seggy]

At last my problems seem to be resolved, warmer weather and a dose of STP injection cleaner seem to have done the trick, plus confirmation that the injectors were fine by an independent specialist. The car is now after 3 months of messing about running fine.

Have to say I've had it with diesel engines though. Thanks to all, brilliant website.

[gug]

I had 1 little cough previous to the weekend not major but the only thing different there was SUPERMARKET FUEL im starting to wonder Is this the case, any other views on this may help, as I know Morrisons use partial bio mix which I have never put in but have heard it can cause problems with later diesels

[dever]

At last my problems seem to be resolved, warmer weather and a dose of STP injection cleaner seem to have done the trick, plus confirmation that the injectors were fine by an independent specialist. The car is now after 3 months of messing about running fine.

Have to say I've had it with diesel engines though. Thanks to all, brilliant website.

Do not be fooled by the warmer weather. I have the same problem (RAV4 d-cat 2007). The symptoms are more evident when the weather is cold. Due to the warmer weather I did not react in time and now my warranty has expired.

[gug]

mines stopped fully during the warmer weather last year when the the winter came guess what it come back, TBH id rather a bit of smoke rather than relacing that badboy of a front end exhaust needing a replacement! and recently since weather warmup it stopped again

[DTBK]

It's interesting how this is affecting some people/cars. We ended up getting our money back on the car, but I do miss it.

It'd be more than mildly irritating if it turned out to be a bit of non-issue.

[Marko Sotka]

. Have anyone found out what was the problem. Im from finland and im having the same proplem. Blue smoke comes from the exhaus but on when the engine is hot. Turbo is checked. And Dpf is taken off. 325000km.Sorry my bad english but hope you can get some idea that what im try to say. 

[Diesel1]

I always use V-Power diesel fuel unless I am travelling more than 200 miles on the motorway in which case I will fill up with supermarket fuel and make sure I let the revs stay above 3000 for 10-15 minutes late on in the journey.

Twice a year I use ARCHOIL 6200 and everything seems to be running fine since the rebuild of the replacement engine!!

Diesel1.

[AnuB]

Dear DTBK

Was the issue resolved ? what was the outcome? What resolved the issue? I am in the same situation at the moment. Exactly like yours . Please help. 

Many thanks

Anu

[FROSTYBALLS]

21 minutes ago, AnuB said:

Dear DTBK

Was the issue resolved ? what was the outcome? What resolved the issue? I am in the same situation at the moment. Exactly like yours . Please help. 

Many thanks

Anu

DTBK last visited the club in April 2014, so it seems unlikely you will receive a reply.

[Maukka]

It was the dpf. It was taken off but the fifth injector still was in action. So i took the wire off of the fifth injector and but to the wire a right size electrical resistivity. Now everything is ok

[Linkup90]

I also have a Toyota Verso 2011 diesel with the same issue. Intermittent smoke. I'm not sure, but it seems like it's blue sometimes and white others.

Bought the car used and it didn't smoke during the test drive. I have since changed the oil and it seemed to leave for a bit.

I'm thinking to try changing all the suggested parts along with an engine flush at once if it can be done for around $500. My hope is that aftermarket parts won't have the same defect in the head gasket seal, injectors, or whatever the problem part is.

If anyone has some good suggestions or this issue was fixed on their diesel or Toyota verse please let me know.

-linkup90athotmaildotcom

Edited August 27, 2019 by Linkup90
Added details

[Linkup90]

On 8/23/2019 at 8:13 PM, Maukka said:

It was the dpf. It was taken off but the fifth injector still was in action. So i took the wire off of the fifth injector and but to the wire a right size electrical resistivity. Now everything is ok

What is the DPF? I'll add it to the list of things I need to potentially change to fix this issue.

Diesel Partical Filter. Well, maybe it won't be expensive to clean/change.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Linkup90
Figured it out

[AnuB]

17 minutes ago, Linkup90 said:

I also have a Toyota Verso 2011 diesel with the same issue. Intermittent smoke. I'm not sure, but it seems like it's blue sometimes and white others.

Bought the car used and it didn't smoke during the test drive. I have since changed the oil and it seemed to leave for a bit.

I'm thinking to try changing all the suggested parts along with an engine flush at once if it can be done for around $500. My hope is that aftermarket parts won't have the same defect in the head gasket seal, injectors, or whatever the problem part is.

If anyone has some good suggestions or this issue was fixed on their diesel or Toyota verse please let me know.

-linkup90athotmaildotcom

I am in the same position as you. Toyota Corolla Verso 2004 2.2L diesel DCAT (177hp) 6 manual transmission (2WD) -  Intermittent smoke.  it's blue sometimes and white others. Few mechanics have had a look and they are all confused as to what is causing the problem. They all say its unburnt diesel but they are not sure why and that is the main problem - the not knowing what is causing the problem, some think it could be the injectors - some are saying its the turbo, the cat , the dpf - everyone has a different reason. I am so confused and I do not want to spend money and find out the problem is still there. I dont know what to do ?

[Linkup90]

12 hours ago, AnuB said:

I am in the same position as you. Toyota Corolla Verso 2004 2.2L diesel DCAT (177hp) 6 manual transmission (2WD) -  Intermittent smoke.  it's blue sometimes and white others. Few mechanics have had a look and they are all confused as to what is causing the problem. They all say its unburnt diesel but they are not sure why and that is the main problem - the not knowing what is causing the problem, some think it could be the injectors - some are saying its the turbo, the cat , the dpf - everyone has a different reason. I am so confused and I do not want to spend money and find out the problem is still there. I dont know what to do ?

Hi

Yeah it sounds similar. A few other specifics is that it only happens when I give gas, if I just let it idle it can do so without smoke. Another thing is that uphill and A/C on it almost always starts blowing smoke. Definitely anytime I take a several hour trip it will happen either on the way there, back, or both which means I've cut down on long trips.

I think my best bet is to change the head gasket seal and do an engine flush as the previous owner left solid black oil when to my understanding it should be dark brown meaning it wasn't getting proper oil service.

I'll report back if I end up doing anything. I can't really afford another car and selling it with this issue is against my values.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Linkup90
Added details

[afro]

Anyone found the reason why this is happening? And how to fix it?