Question From Dutch Cts Owner

[eep2nw]

I've got mine booked in this coming Thursday to see what kind of explaination they could offer. The dealer I've been to have been quite good, even though it took me 3 times to have the car sent back to sort out the rattling noise at the rear.

I'm not sure if the scraping noise is clutch related but I hope it's not... ....

[mikaelhoglund]

I can say that i alsow have the sound when i´m driving in lower rews and enginebraking. But I have taken that sound for normal. I think if the sound is of someting thats wrong toyota europe needs to know about it, samw with the engine power output as the aussis and south african cts.

[CTS03]

eep2nw, what was the source of rattling at the rear?

I also have a rear rattle in winter.

[eep2nw]

CST03, the first time I sent it back to the garage, they claimed that the cable tray in the hatch was loose... but that didn't solve the rattling after they tightened up everything.... then for the 2nd time, they replaced the padding which also didn't solve the rattling..... then for the last time, they padded out everything in the hatch and that solved the whole rattling issue.

What I found out personally was that the rear panel of the bootlid was vibrating against the insternal cable trays.... something which cannot be solved unless you have thick paddings wrapped around them....

I've also go a little vibrating noise from the glove box, and I found out the source was coming from the metallic plates vibrating with each other..... I'm going to have this sorted out on Thursday with the engine noise....

I just can't understand why there haven't been any recalls in the UK, perhaps the CTS isn't selling that well here....????

[PaulT]

I just can't understand why there haven't been any recalls in the UK, perhaps the CTS isn't selling that well here....????

It's odd, but I haven't had any of the problems talked about here. I've just done about 20k miles, so I hope I'm not in for a heap of trouble any time soon.

I thought there were not many CTS cars on the road, but at the Toyota factory the other day there were loads in the car park. That'll be Toyota employees voting with their feet, I guess :D

My car was made at the very beginning of 2003, and I wouldn't say I'd given the clutch an easy time. However, I very rarely use the engine to brake. I wonder if that is a factor.

Cheers

Paul.

[xoom]

Hi Guys,

I am experiencing this exact same problem where by if you engine brake you get this scraping sensation coming from the engine and if u push ur clutch in a little bit at the same time you can actually amplify it.

Also tried the low revs in 3rd/4th on the way home and noticed it was also evident.

you guys indicated that the germans or someone had their car fixed who had this issue does anybody know what the actual fix was as ive read a few fixes already to do with a belt n 1 fix with the gear box another with the clutch

has anybody actually had this fixed ?

Cheers

[eep2nw]

I've had a read through the Australian site and they reckoned that it comes from a loose heatshield.... but that's all I know of over there. Some guys over here have had their clutches replaced but then it appears that the problem got much worse... some had bearings replaced as well as the engine mounts, belt tensioners etc.... so the root cause of the problem is still very uncertain.... I'm sending mine in on Thursday and I'll see what happens...

[mikaelhoglund]

I talked to my local dealer today and he said that i shuld come in and visit so a mechanical going to go for a drive with me. But they havent heard anything about it anywere in Sweden.

[CTS03]

I think the actual problem of CTS is not the discussed engine noise in decellaration at 2000rpm (near idle!) but the different engine/mechanical sounds that can be heard at various operating conditions. Don't you hear, at least some times, a reasonance rattling noise at 6000-6200rpm?

In my opinion, the real problem is the bad damping of engine/mechanical vibrations which propagate around within the engine bay and the cabin and result to various sounds depending on resonances of various parts. And this may depend on weather (temperature), road conditions, weight of driver, passenger, a/c, etc, etc.

In my opinion, Toyota service needs to focus onto fighting the propagation of the mechanical vibration-noises: engine mounts, noise absorbing windscreen and srut bar possibly. Why not to make a recall to change all our windscreens?

If they do not find the real problem, there will be numerous changes of bearings belts, clutches, etc. and tons od ahesive tapes without any permanent effect.

[G6-R]

Has somebody thit the same qeustion on the Celicaforum because its the same engine in the Celica T sport of somebody olso has the scrapping noise ????

[thecanadian]

I have to disagree here. I am pretty certain the noise, that i'm experiencing, is associated with the clutch/gearbox/drivetrain - Not the engine.

[eep2nw]

Hey canadian, have you got the noise sorted out???

[thecanadian]

Nope. the car is going in on the 25th of this month.

[tunix]

I have to disagree here. I am pretty certain the noise, that i'm experiencing, is associated with the clutch/gearbox/drivetrain - Not the engine.

100% agree. Today I picked my car with completely new clutch, including the clutch case/box (don't know if this is the correct word). Couldn't hear that noise at all!

Then after driving approx. 40 km (around town, not highway) and listening carefully I stepped on the gas a couple of times. The sound came back. It's very quiet, but it is there again. The jerking also appeared again.

Guys - please do me a favour. Start your car in the morning. When it's cold it idles slightly above 1000 rpm. Very very slowly release the clutch without stepping on the gas at all. Do you notice any vibrations? When I try this with my car I feel quite intensive vibrations of the steering wheel. It's not that intensive as before replacing the clutch, but it's there.

Best,

tx

[jjen]

Hi All,

I seem to be experiencing scraping noises too , sounds like something catching the ground when I am in low gears mainly 1st & 2nd and braking, but only when I am going down hill, bit annoying. :( SO IS THE LACK OF POWER I AM EXPERIENCING, NO LIFT!!! from being a happy TSport owner to a frustrated one in eight weeks!!!! must go shopping!!

jen

[eep2nw]

Hey jjen, from my experience, you can control the lift by controlling your throttle. What I've found out with mine was that when I control the throttle to 6200rpm, I don't feel anything, bring it up to 6500rpm, still nothing, then I apply a little more throttle and the lift comes in. It'll also come in if you're full on throttle before and after 6200rpm....

Tunix, I've always made sure my car is warmed up in the mornings, but I don't get any vibrations at all. Each time I start my car in the mornings, I always have the habit of clutching in and then slowly releasing it.... the jerking you're experiencing, can you describe it a little more??? Is it the jerking during gear changing???

[tunix]

Tunix, I've always made sure my car is warmed up in the mornings, but I don't get any vibrations at all. Each time I start my car in the mornings, I always have the habit of clutching in and then slowly releasing it.... the jerking you're experiencing, can you describe it a little more??? Is it the jerking during gear changing???

What I experience, especially in the morning (imho it's not because of the temperature, but because the engine is idling at slightly higher rpm) is that when I very slowly release the clutch the steering wheel shakes, in fact the whole car shakes. It's also noticeable as jerking during gear changing, but it's not that intense as when very slowly starting.

Today I was talking to the service guy again. He said, he's run ouf of ideas what is causing the problem. Promised to talk to some guys at Toyota central and get back to me on Friday. Let's see.

Best,

tx

[jjen]

Hi,

Hey jjen, from my experience, you can control the lift by controlling your throttle. What I've found out with mine was that when I control the throttle to 6200rpm, I don't feel anything, bring it up to 6500rpm, still nothing, then I apply a little more throttle and the lift comes in. It'll also come in if you're full on throttle before and after 6200rpm....

Thanks eep2nw i'll give that a blast 2morrow!! see if it helps.

I also warm car up a bit before heading out. I have to travel down a long farm track to get out into humanity everyday, so maybe sitting in low gears for a mile doesn't help the scraping noises. me not know but garage says nothing wrong with car so I have to take their word for it, I guess!!

[xoom]

Hi eep2nw,

Let us know how you go today with the car at the service department and if they actually tell you anything useful.

Cheers

[PaulT]

Guys - please do me a favour. Start your car in the morning. When it's cold it idles slightly above 1000 rpm. Very very slowly release the clutch without stepping on the gas at all. Do you notice any vibrations? When I try this with my car I feel quite intensive vibrations of the steering wheel. It's not that intensive as before replacing the clutch, but it's there.

Tried this yesterday, no problems. It's smooth all the way through. Never felt any vibrations ever with this car.

Cheers

Paul.

[eep2nw]

Hi guys,

just sent the car in an hour ago.... had a mechanic sit with me while I took him on a ride to let him listen to the noise....

He suspects the scraping it could be due to exhaust manifold.... which I think probably makes some sense, but then again I'll have to wait till later in the day to see what the problem was. He also mentioned that it could've been the gearbox, but then it's never been a big issue with Toyota...

So, I'll keep you guys posted later or tomorrow morning.... after picking up my car and having a few good runs...

[Aphelion]

I had the car out on a propper run yesterday here is what i found:

There is a definate scraping, alsmost like the noise from air escaping coming from the transmission also i have a slight scraping noise when depressing the clutch, the problem is definatly with engine braking low revs, like going down a steep hill using the engine to slow you down, noise is very hissy scraping noise?

Also i have this strange problem i hear you mentioning about low revs almost stalling the engine it seems to rumble, just about every time stop and pull away this loose rumbling noise happens, could this be a loose engine manifold vibrating with the noise at low revs?

As far as Engine mounts go, yeah mine has had them changed under warranty, unfortunatly i got mine second hand so it's kind of hard to say how much a hammering it had from its last owner, also had bearings changed in the gearbox its self as i have complained about this noise before.

Any help would be most apprecited, hope i am not the only one with these problems

Cheers

[xoom]

Hi Aphelion,

Nope you are not the only one with the problem. Its currently being experienced here in Australia as well and i am now awaiting toyota's feedback to see what course of action they wish to take with this.

And eep2nw please let us know what was done and what effect if any its had on the car

cheers

[eep2nw]

Hello guys,

took my car back from the garage yesterday evening.... a mixture of news actually. Got the glove box rattling sorted out, but..................... not the scraping of the engine.

However, the mechanic has been trying to identify the problem and so has looked at many areas... clutch, gearbox, manifold etc.... what he has suggested is for me to take it back again, and has to leave my car there for some time for him to work out the problem... sounds genuine to me and so I'm just waiting in the queue again to get a courtesy car..... arrrgghhhh... however, the scraping noise isn't a big problem, but if the noise level gets too loud for discomfort.... then it's bad news....

[Henwen]

Guys,

I just have my car back from the Toyota garage. They heard the sound and I told them about all the other people with the same problems. I showed them the printouts of the forum and they decide to call the Dutch Toyota importer. The sound is inherent to the Corolla TS. They were familiar with this sound. So it was no news. They also claim at Toyota that this could not give any mechanical problems. I’m still not really convinced that it’s not a problem, but I still have a year warranty and I will see for a few months how it goes.

<_<