Auris Sr180 Check Engine

[mrimmy]

Good Afternoon,

I purchased a 2009 Toyota Auris SR180 yesterday with 61k on the clock after freinds and family have raved about toyotas reliability it drove all the way home fine test drive was also fine been driving around all day fine.

As it's started to rain i went to move the car away from the drive it just cut out/stalled and then i got it started again to see a check engine light and also something to do with VSC got it back on to the drive but now it's totally dead not sure if it's the Battery or something else as when i turn the ignition nothing happens no lights or nothing.

Any help or input would be great not a great start to my first toyota.

[Heidfirst]

Hi Imran & welcome to the forum :D

You will need to get the car powered up so jump start or new Battery.

Did you buy the car privately or from a trade seller? If a trade seller then you have a lot more protection than a private sale.

Also, you should be aware of the head/head gasket issue that can affect a small % of these engine (however, Toyota have an extended goodwill warranty for this issue for up to 7 years/112k miles subject to the car having been maintained to Toyota schedule/standards). see http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/132178-charliefarlies-guide-to-the-toyota-2ad-diesel-engine-and-its-issues/

[mrimmy]

Many thanks car started again check engine light came on again so i checked the oil level seemed low put some oil in about 1l turned the key no message will be taking it to main dealers tomorrow morning to make sure nothing is wrong as the car was registered 6 years 8 months ago.

[mrimmy]

Another Update (sorry it's a long post)

On the 22nd i got the car fully serviced by getting oil/fuel/air and pollen filter changed and also have now used 0-30w oil as that's originally comes in the engine from the manufacturer Toyota main dealers tend to just stick with 5w-30oil mainly due to it being more common.

What the garage did not do is run a diagnostic test at this point i explained what had happened to them but as the car was running fine didn't limp or cut out on me on the way to the garage or on the way home.

The garage did say any issues bring the car back in and we can run a diagnostic on the car.

Later last night drove the car over to a friend's house quick stop for about 20 mins went out started the car back up as i pulled off it seems to go in to limp mode and give me the dreaded check engine light and the other warnings i managed to keep the car going it then gave me a low fuel warning.

Got to the Shell petrol station about half a mile from house put in some V power diesel as i attempted to start the car once again totally dead no lights on the dash board nothing at all even the light around the key in the steering column was off.

I managed to ask for a jump start the odd thing was as soon as i connected the jump leads within 60 seconds i turned the key voila no issue drove the car home.

So it got me thinking what could possibly cause this Battery or alternator car has a Halfords 680 Battery in,

So first thing this morning drove over to Halfords to get the Battery checked out car started no problems this morning.

results were as follows according to there YUASA testing kit.

Halford's informed me the battery is fine and no issues with the alternator also.

So then a trip to the garage who did the service so they can run a diagnostic on the car - no issues detected according to them either.

I have applied copper grease to battery terminals been driving around all day and started the car again from pretty much cold start no issues as of yet.

Any ideas or has anyone ever had this happen to them before just don't want to be stranded during a long journey.

[mrimmy]

Issue happened once again stopped stepped out the car after driving it for one hour came back to the car 10 mins later engine still warm would not start :(

The Halfords Battery is a 75Amp Battery according to a few online spares retails this model takes a 80amp any thoughts our ideas as everything has been done to this car in the past 3 days I've owned it Toyota readability seems to be non existent currently

[Auris 1.6 vvt-i]

So has the car been read with Techstream? What's the error code, causing the check engine light?

[mrimmy]

Hi thanks for the reply it has not been read by techstream it was done by a local garage i will be going to the dealers once they open,

As the car has full service history before i purchased it there is nothing on the invoices mentioning a software update on the ecu which i've read about.

I will also get them to check the starter motor and ignition as I've been told by my old man's friend who has been a Toyota owner since before i was born and he thinks the problems i'm having could be a loose connection or a dodgy starter motor.

So has the car been read with Techstream? What's the error code, causing the check engine light?

[Blooboy]

Hi, I have the exact same Auris as you, no problems (touching wood) so far.

If I were having the same probs as you, I would go to the Battery, the condition you explain is typical of the Battery terminals not making contact. How else would the car be dead, its the same as taking the Battery out.

I have seen this a few times over the years, with Toyotas, and is easily remedied by taking the terminals off and wire brushing the surfaces that connect.

Any probs with a car and I check the simple things first.

Hope this helps and enjoy your SR180 (they're quick you know) Dee

[mrimmy]

Hi, I have the exact same Auris as you, no problems (touching wood) so far.

If I were having the same probs as you, I would go to the battery, the condition you explain is typical of the battery terminals not making contact. How else would the car be dead, its the same as taking the battery out.

I have seen this a few times over the years, with Toyotas, and is easily remedied by taking the terminals off and wire brushing the surfaces that connect.

Any probs with a car and I check the simple things first.

Hope this helps and enjoy your SR180 (they're quick you know) Dee

[mrimmy]

Thanks for the reply do you know if the stereo in these cars has a code if not I'll be disconnecting the Battery cleaning the connectors then trying again.

I tried to start the car last night with the fans on etc it struggled turned the fans off no problem starting so seems either the starter is struggling to draw power or Battery connections.

[FROSTYBALLS]

As far as I'm aware the head units don't have a code which has to be input if the Battery is disconnected/connected. Quite a few members have disconnected the Battery to 'reset' the ECU or similar without issues.

[mrimmy]

Thanks will give it a but I'm still going to pop the car to Toyota also to see if the ecu has been updated during the other main dealer services as the invoices no mention of it.

As far as I'm aware the head units don't have a code which has to be input if the battery is disconnected/connected. Quite a few members have disconnected the battery to 'reset' the ECU or similar without issues.

[JarnoSe]

see if the ecu has been updated

Enter your VIN here: http://www.toyota-tech.eu/cal/updatecertification.aspx and it will show if its updated. You need to make a user account, but it's free.

[Blooboy]

Hi, I've had mine disconnected from the Battery a few times and haven't had to code the radio yet. If your Battery terminals are erratically connecting/disconnecting that is the same as taking the leads off, so if you haven't had to recode the radio yet then probably you'll not need to.

Like I said before, I check the simple things first. If the starter drags when you have the fans on, then keep the fans off till the car starts, this would be normal behaviour if the Battery was run down a bit, if the terminals were making/breaking then the battery would not be getting the full charge and this would explain what's happening.

If you get the battery terminals cleaned and fitted you should be able to turn the ignition on without starting the engine, and do it a few times over a period of an hour or so. Do it again only start the engine as well, if it shows the lights and starts every time you might have just sorted it.

If this doesn't work then your problem could be a bit deeper like the battery itself.

HTH, Dee

[mrimmy]

see if the ecu has been updated

Enter your VIN here: http://www.toyota-tech.eu/cal/updatecertification.aspx and it will show if its updated. You need to make a user account, but it's free.

Hi just done this and it explains no updates have been done

[mrimmy]

Battery removed and all terminals cleaned and re attached will try a cold start later and see what happens.

[TomdeGuerre]

see if the ecu has been updated

Enter your VIN here: http://www.toyota-tech.eu/cal/updatecertification.aspx and it will show if its updated. You need to make a user account, but it's free.

Hi just done this and it explains no updates have been done

Are you sure it said no updates have been done, did it not say no updates are due to be done. I know I had that with mine when I went into the dealers for a service and wanted to know if a certain update had been done. He showed me a printout with no updates showing and told me that was proof that it had been done. Far as I know there were a number of ECU updates on your model.

[mrimmy]

see if the ecu has been updated

Enter your VIN here: http://www.toyota-tech.eu/cal/updatecertification.aspx and it will show if its updated. You need to make a user account, but it's free.

Hi just done this and it explains no updates have been done

Are you sure it said no updates have been done, did it not say no updates are due to be done. I know I had that with mine when I went into the dealers for a service and wanted to know if a certain update had been done. He showed me a printout with no updates showing and told me that was proof that it had been done. Far as I know there were a number of ECU updates on your model.

This is response i got using the website "Factory Standard. No updates have been applied."

[mrimmy]

After cleaning the Battery car has started fine with no issues spoke to Toyota there is apparently a call back on the window switch or something and they will also carry out a visual inspection and according to there records this model is not due any ecu updates

[Blooboy]

Good to hear it's starting fine. Did you try the ignition on it's own first, or just go straight to start.

Has it done what it was doing before again, or are you confident that the trouble is cured.

simple things first, now you can try out properly your SR180. (you'll love it).

I have mine over 3 years, and still make excuses to get for a drive in it, it must be the smoothest car I have EVER owned.

Bear in mind that the engine is NOT a performance engine, it's standard and won't like to be revved as a performance engine.

Even so it will go to 130+mph, but not on public roads.

Keep this in mind and it should be good for as long as you want.

Dee.

[mrimmy]

I tried the ignition first waited 10 seconds started right away 3rd time today no issues I don't drive like a fool I prefer a smooth drive but the car seems to have good pull tempted to go Yorkshire in it this weekend cruise control on 200 mile round trip

Good to hear it's starting fine. Did you try the ignition on it's own first, or just go straight to start.

Has it done what it was doing before again, or are you confident that the trouble is cured.

simple things first, now you can try out properly your SR180. (you'll love it).

I have mine over 3 years, and still make excuses to get for a drive in it, it must be the smoothest car I have EVER owned.

Bear in mind that the engine is NOT a performance engine, it's standard and won't like to be revved as a performance engine.

Even so it will go to 130+mph, but not on public roads.

Keep this in mind and it should be good for as long as you want.

Dee.