Help Please! Good Independent Toyota Garages/engineers?

[Mrs F]

I bought a 1999 Avensis - 1.8SE - about 6 months ago. It's done ca. 90,000 miles. Everything seemed fine - had it serviced at a main dealer but was not v. impressed. V. attentive beforehand on the 'phone but not bothered once they'd got the car and had been paid! (Promised to follow up checking something re the service history from previous garage but didn't get back to me etc; also asked for recommendations re tyres but didn't bother to follow up either)

Had told them it had just began to not turn over when ignition switch turned on - it sounded like the Battery was completely flat, then on the second or subsequent go, it would suddenly start. They said nothing was wrong with it.

Wondered if it was to do with petrol guage - had never had a Toyota before, but noticed that if tank was only a quarter full, and car park on a slope, the needle was right down in EMPTY then eventually when the car started, the needle would gradually rise. So I now try to keep the tank at least half full.

Fault was intermittent - sometimes no problem at all, then noticed it got worse in cold weather and one night would not start at all, then started first thing next morning.

It feels like you really have to turn the key and keep it held at the front when you turn it - after you hear a click a few times, then it is more likely to start.

Booked it into (a different) Toyota Main Dealer to get it looked at before Xmas, but when I got there (and again it started first time on the way there) Receptionist wanted to charge ca. £90 for diagnosis (which hadn't been mentioned) - was not clear whether this would be deducted from bill or not. Thought this was not a good start so left, and resolved to see if I could find a trustworthy/honest/reliable independent Toyota mechanic? Living in West London, but willing to travel for someone genuinely good. Any ideas/help?

Incidentally, I also noticed car starts if I jiggle around in the seat/shake the steering wheel, so my husband says it could be the solenoid that's sticking if that makes any sense?

Also, any recommendations on tyres to buy for it?

I bought this because I wanted a reliable car and once it gets going it's fine - the engine sounds good etc.

I just feel a bit stupid sitting in car and sometimes it taking about 15 goes before it will start. It's particularly embarrassing if I've got passengers - I have to get them to wait inside the house while I go out and see if the car will start!

I'm thinking now of getting it fixed and then maybe selling it, but I'd rather keep it, if I can get it working properly.

Would be grateful for any help/advice

[Jinxed]

intermitent problems are often hard to sort out or at least expensive if it doesnt do its thing when someone looks at it :(

doesnt sound like ignition, maybe ur Battery going duff? have u checked the voltage on it? if its bad when cold at night and alright in day when warmer.... maybe thats going. ....sure someone will be about with a more knowledgeable suggestion real soon. but im thinking batteery soundin duff or your starter motor havin an issue.... beyond those which are only suggestions dunno.

gl tho....

[Stephen Kowalzcuk]

This sounds very much like a faulty ignition switch.

Go here for more info http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44971

and here http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38441

a quote from a contributor

"Just adding my comments if anybody happens to have the same problem....

Over the last few months the car used to start alright but in last few weeks, I noticed that the problem became quite intermittent though it wasn't that hot outside. Generally speaking whenver I tried starting, sometimes it would start straightaway and sometimes it wouldn't. It always started in maximum 5-6 attempts.

Went to the Toyota garage and they seemed to know the problem straightaway. Either its a common problem or they have been reading this thread They changed the ignition switch and the car is not having any trouble since then.

Cost : £118 inclusive of VAT and Labour"

As for tyres, its purely personal preference but I like Avon tyres, they seem to last a while and are good and grippy in most conditions, but you cant go wrong with Dunlop/Michelin/Continental etc..

Good luck

[sjrainsford]

The fuel guage thing is nothing to worry about.

If you car is parked on a slope, the fuel will also be sat at an angle in the tank. So more fuel will be toward one side of the tank, therefore the bit with the guage sender position will have less fuel. So it will show as less on the guage. The guage only really reads correct when the car is parked on level ground.

As for it moving slowly, this is also normal. They don't react straight away otherwise they would be jumping all over the place as the fuel is churning about when the car is in motion.

[Black Knight]

Agree completely with Stuart.

Used to park the car outside the house on a road with a steep camber. Always used to show nearly empty if parked on one side of the road or nearly full if parked on the other.

Used to own an old VW polo and it's fuel guage used to react very quickly and it was a real pain in the bum. Tank would show half full and you'd put it through a quick corner and it'd show empty. If you were giving it some on a B-road you essentially had no idea how much petrol was in the tank

[Mrs F]

Thanks very much for all your suggestions so far - I'd asked Toyota originally whether it could be the Battery but they said they didn't think so, as there was no problem once the car actually started.

I'll definitely follow up the suggestion re the ignition switch and I'll let you know if that works - it'd be better spending ca. £120 on the ignition switch, rather than £98 I think it was for possible diagnosis. It definitely seems to be that if the switch is turned as far forward as it can go and then held in that position for a few seconds, that it is more likely to start.

The only thing I'm now going to consider is whether to try a Toyota main dealer outside of London, as perhaps they'll do a better job/have a lower hourly labour charge.

Thanks for the suggestions so far re the tyres - I'll follow that up and I'll see if I can get the Battery re-checked and try changing that as part of a process of elimination.

[Mrs F]

Thanks Guys! I said I’d let you know what happened so here goes … apologies for the long post..

IGNITION SWITCH

Replaced at Dingle Toyota, Norwich (part no. T84450-02010, £46.47 + VAT, fitting £49+VAT = total bill just over £112) - good attitude, v. pleased with the work (was quoted £150 by a London dealership for same job, who weren't bothered anyway!)

Car now starts first time every time… (it’s so true that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone…never thought I would appreciate the turn of a key so much).

First time I’ve ever joined in a forum, so thanks again y'all. You saved me at least £85+ on initial diagnosis, and who knows how much more in ‘fixing’ the problem!

TYRES: 195/60 R15 H

Took out a free 3 month trial to Which? Online, and from that decided that the Michelin Energy E3A (same as the ones already fitted) were the most practical, as they’re 8% more hardwearing than similar, good in wet & dry conditions, OK for noise and ‘rolling resistance’ ie fuel economy. (the London Toyota dealership said their mechanics just used non-branded basic tyres @ ca. £65 each, so this is what I’d planned to get until I read the Which report). (Which also recommended Pirelli P6, Goodyear Hydragrip and Bridgestone Turanza ER 300). Of 4 tyrefitters, Kwikfit most expensive @ £97 ea. Although they’d do all 4 for £350. National Tyres quoted £288 for all 4, Iverson Tyres £304, and UK Tyres quoted £65 each, so I had all 4 done for £260 inc. VAT, fitting and balancing. I learnt how to read the tyres so checked that they were less than 9 months old, eg 3305 means they were made in week 33 of year 2005.

Really happy with the Toyota again … thanks again for all the help ... much appreciated! :D

[Stephen Kowalzcuk]

Glad it worked out for you in the end.