Mechanical Problems In Corolla T Sport ?

[CTS03]

I am facing two rather serious mechanical problems in my Corolla TS. It would be great help if you could make the following two tests on your CTS and report the results:

(1) Start the car uphill, forward or backward, so that you need to use more gas and release a bit slower than normal (flat road) the clutch. The vents should bring air into the cabin but the a/c should be off. Do you smell clutch burning?

(2) When you drive your CTS with a friend’s car following you, reach the lift (6200rm) and ask you friend if he noticed a “grey smoke cloud” at your exhaust.

[Tol10]

i have noticed some funny smells coming from my t-sport recently, i don't know were its coming from probably the engine but it happens after either after a long journey or when i've hit the lift during my journey.

i don't notice it when i just start the car uphill though... think it might be worth mentioning it to the Toyota garage and see what they think about it

[mikaelhoglund]

i´we alsow notice that smell but i think its only the clutch smell, so i don´t think thats someting to worry about. And the cloud coming out after 6200rpm isnt so strange ether. Have you seen any turbo car race away, you even there will sa a small clud coming out.

[zornhead]

i've noticed the clutch thing too. I really thought it had caught fire the first time. even then i figured that it's under warranty and tf not my problem. I feel the same way about smoke coming out the back.

[martenj76]

No clutch can stand longer "slipping"... after a while it get's hot and it could smell some. It´s normal. I use my clutch in short periods (press down, some gas and release the clutch some and the press down the clutch, some more gas and lift upp the clutchpedal some again and so on) instead of using the clutch engaged for a long time...

Hope you understand what i mean :)

[acidman]

The smell of the clutch is a well-known problem on the CTS !!! Even toyota knows about it !

It exits a harder version of the clutch. But don't ask me the part-number :D

[mikaelhoglund]

acidman, do you know if its a warreny ting?

[acidman]

I think so ....

have you got murmurous noises when you get off the gas-pedal ? It's the same mistake ! The swinging-springs inside the clutch went weak and for that problem it is definetly a warranty thing. Then you get also this harder version.

[T128]

i told toyota dealer few months back i got a burning smell inside the car when i was revising up a high karb

they check found nothing wrong

[mikaelhoglund]

I think so ....

have you got murmurous noises when you get off the gas-pedal ? It's the same mistake ! The swinging-springs inside the clutch went weak and for that problem it is definetly a warranty thing. Then you get also this harder version.

when i get of the gas i feel that the engien is mrmrm and sort of pulling the car faster and slower for a short time. if thats what you mean.

[CTS03]

Tol10,

I also used to have some strange smells when I was parking my car, after the summer when I did not use a/c but I thought it was due to some wax melted from the bonnet onto my front grilles (during the summer). Now, I suspect that those smells might have come from the 2-3 times operation of the clutch during parking (in a closed place).

Acidman,

in Greece Toyota claims that there no reports for any clutch problem in CTS, there is no new part number and so it should not be covered by warranty. Could you please get more information on this?

I think all our reports here suggest that something is wrong with the CTS clutch.

In any case, burn smell under not unusual conditions in everyday life is not normal. It means damage of the clutch each time it smells.

Concerning the smoke cloud at the lift. White smoke means water vapour, bluish is oil. I understand that it could be due to some water vapour "trapped" inside the exhaust (no problem) but it could be also evidence for water or oild consumption. We should check the cooling water and oil periodically.

[acidman]

@ mikaelhoglund

I havn't got the problem (yet ;) ) so it's hard to describe. You'll get a grinding / rubbing noise . (not even loud)

In our german forum are 3 guys with this problem @ 20000km , 26000 and 33000km !

And the smell of the clutch has every CTS-owner , when he accelerate a "few times" uphill !

Acidman,

in Greece Toyota claims that there no reports for any clutch problem in CTS, there is no new part number and so it should not be covered by warranty. Could you please get more information on this?

I'll try to find out ... I'll contact someone who's got this problem and he has now a new clutch in it.

[spwolf]

- if you slip your clutch a lot it it will smell of course... It is perfectly normal, try not to burn your clutch - IE do not press gas pedal a lot while your clutch is still pressed, it burns your disc. There is no new clutch disc for TS (I actually checked that few days ago since I am going to get 2zzge TS clutch for my MR2, and my database was just recently updated).

Celica/Corolla/Matrix/Elise 2zzge application has no issues with premature clutch wear that is known after 4.5 yrs. In fact TTE suggested that owners that purchase their upcoming MR2 Turbo kit to use Corolla TS clutch disc, and they tested that out throughly.

- as to a bit smoke out of exaust, make sure you are getting good gas into that lil Corolla of yours, it might be good to reflush your gas tank and then to make sure you use clean gas... It cant be misfiring since it wouldnt throw an cel (engine check light).

[Treuno]

People people the grey smoke that comes out of your exhaust when you hit the VVT-Li is fuel smoke, as you get in any vehicle but more noticable in vehicles with vvt-i/Vtech etc cus of that sudden power urge it injects more fuel and air!

As for the clutch smell i have replaced many clutchs due to this smell(due to i am a Toyota Technician!) but it makes no different with a new one! We just replace them under warrenty to try and keep the customer happy!

[CTS03]

Treuno and spwolf, thank you for the info.

It seems that there is no new clutch disk and the existing one is not going too far.

In any case, I would like Toyota Hellas also to change mine under warranty instead of paying myself (!) to change a clutch which certainly smelled at ~5K km!

The real solution though would be a harder clutch disk from Toyota. Is it too difficult technically? I guess it could not be much more expensive from the used part?

Treuno, could you please say your country?

Conerning the smoke cloud:

I use the best gas, BP ultimate 100 from the best (and most expensive) gas station in my city!

I consider more likely the explanation of Treuno, if other CTSs operate similarly. I would not worry if the catalyte system is simply not able to "catch" all the dirt at the moment of the lift activation.... except if the catalyte's life becomes too short!

Now, I have also checked that the smoke comes out only under load (e.g. accelerating with second). No cloud if I just run the engine above 6200rpm with no gear.

[spwolf]

the fact that your clutch smells when you burn it doesnt mean its done with or that it needs replacement, it just means that you have burnt it... Pressing clutch and anything but small amount of gas in a car like CTS will make your clutch burn... you could get some really hard aftermarket clutch disc but it will be much harder to use (it allows much less clutch slip, so it will engage faster and be much less smooth) and it would still smell when you burn it...

CTS clutch disc can take 192 crank hp without issues so there is no real need for aftermarket...

[CTS03]

The clutch is not dead but it is slipping according to the test (6th gear, handbrake on, …). I continue using the car but I would not dare to go up on mountain before changing it !

And I was very gentle with it !

CTS is certainly a fast car, but I would expect the same life expectancy for its major mechanical parts like in simpler cars. I guess this is the reason we paid a higher price.

[Treuno]

Im from england! Whys that mate?

[CTS03]

Thanks Treuno

It is good to know where they respect the warranty.

[thecanadian]

I have also noticed that the transmission in my CTS 03 makes noise in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. Especially noticeable when decelerating at low'ish speeds.

Also, has anyone noticed the reverse grinds when you try to activate it on a cold engine when idle speed is high?

Should I get this checked? Or, is it normal?

[XLarge]

I have also noticed that the transmission in my CTS 03 makes noise in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. Especially noticeable when decelerating at low'ish speeds.

You mean rattling noises at low speed and low rpm ? Sounds like You have the old problem with the weak belt tensioner. I had ist too and get a new tensioner last week. No more noises to the time. Acidman had the same problem, but his CTS got the 3rd tensioner to the moment. :D

Regards, Eric

[thecanadian]

not really rattling...more like a low level whining noise. You know, the sound that a tranny makes in a large truck when in first and using the engine to slow down???

can't really emulate it using text...

[CTS03]

I always had the reverse grinds at high idle or when the car was not absolutely stopped. There was also some noise at decellaration at low rpm (and car's jerking) but I considered it reasonable since the engine's rpm drops within the fast droping torque region.

The clutch burning is certainly due to slipping induced by our delay to get off the clutch but it occurs so easily in everyday life that cannot be normal.

[Aphelion]

I too had this problem with air conditioning, thought it smelt like a oily smell much like the smell you get of a wax jacket (Barbour) the guys at Edinburgh Toyota said that it could have been a fungus in the air vent, they sprayed some stuff down them, but iam sure they are there,

as far as the clutch goes, i am sure this car suffers from some transmission problems, i too find the grinding noises when engine breaking there is a post above relating to this, i think i will start up a new post asking people to describe the problems, so each of us can take the copy to our dealers.

As far as the puff of smoke goes, i am sure most cars do this, if you ever follow someone and they boot it you bound to notice this.

Cheers

[CTS03]

My clutch disk was replaced 1 month ago. No burning smell until now and this means that the damage of the first clutch had really passed the threshold of a damaged clutch.

Being very careful with the clutch behavior, I notice some difficulty in gear shifting. Not important if it is only a matter of comfort and not a mechanical issue.

I have noticed once the reverse grid at normal idle (800 rpm) for completely stopped car! However, the new clutch seems more tolerable at high idle when starting the car.

Overall, I think there are some issues with the CTS' clutch. Take care.