Engine Warning Light

[darkt]

Not sure if this helps or not but my 54 reg Avensis Tspirit is on it's 8th oxygen sensor, signs that they are on there way out has been revs surging on tick over between 600 to a 1000 revs without air con on and trying to stall.

Last year I had to have a complete short engine rebuild plus new injectors plus 4 oxygen sensors, this lasted for about 4 months then symptoms came back, another new sensor was fitted in May this year(2008) I have now got the

engine warning light back on again.

I haven't paid anything even though my warranty ran out last Sept 07, my solicitor has explained to me that faults such as these can not be ignored by Toyota simply because the car has run out of warranty.

After several discussions with the garage and Toyota GB it is now going back in for several days so it can be sorted out. As explained to me a warranty is in addition to you statuary rights and even a car has to be fit for purpose.

At first I was told that because it was out of warranty all charges incurred would have to be paid for, but under consumer laws all repairs carried out have to be a proper repair and not a bodge job.

So if you are having pproblems remind them that repairs should be a lasting solution and not a temporary fix.

[MoneyInTheUK]

Hi Guys New Member Here

I was looking through the forum when I found this thread. Anyway the warning light came on on my avensis vermont and I seen the reply from ksa (below). Anyway I disconnected the -ve lead from the Battery and waited about 30 seconds, reconnected Battery and voila problem solved. Warning light operating as it should. Should also say there was no symptoms of any fault in the car other than the light.

Anyway I am delighted.

Our Merry Christmas from Inchcape Toyota in Oxford was the £100 (!!!!!!!!!!!) they charged my wife to download the codes and switch off the light followed by a very similar sounding £1100 estimate to replace the ECU and CAT.

ksa - Did you ever get anywhere with getting Toyota to admit a design fault/share the costs?

evltwnn - thanks for this fantastic diagnostic info. I don't think we were offered this by Inchcape - however, if they're charging £100 for downloading the codes, who knows what they'd charge for all that.

Anyone got any other ideas on this apart from what is already in this thread? Anyone had any good experiences with their Toyota and garages around Oxford?I'm tempted to see whether it comes back on again before doing anything drastically expensive.... and maybe drive it a bit harder instead of trying to save petrol (great design feature that!).

Regarding Toyota after numerous letters they offered to pay £500 towards cost of replacement ECU and Cat. Could not face paying the other £600+ though out of disgust with them that they had effectively owned up to it being a design fault but not offering to rectify their own mistake in full.

When it comes to change the car i'll just have to bear that in mind.

Did you not try just disconnecting the -ive Battery supply to rmove warning light, this works on mine, well untill the next time light appears. To be fair my garage charged nothing any way to remove fault codes, maybe they just diconnected -ve also?

[Beagh1958]

To Ksa,

Cat & ECM can & do fail at this kind of milage it's not a design fault just the nature of said items. If you want Toyota to be more specific ask them for a copy of the diagnostic log created when they are looking for fault. Should show error codes.

[reasonable robinson]

I've just had the £43 at Inchcape experience warning light off and scare me with a (intake of breath through teeth) it'll be circa £1300 for a new cat and stuff mate.

Spookily at my recent (4 weeks ago) MOT Nationwide Autocentre failed the car on problem exhaust and charged me £282 for a 'front end' exhaust - it was costly 'because of the replacement cat' they said.

As you will see by now I'm no 'tekky'. I took NA on their word that the (as I understood it) the cat had been replaced.

Question:

Is the cat part of the 'front end exhaust'? as they explained

If it is and it was replaced should I have got a P0420 code yesterday at Inchcape.? (they cleared it and its just come back on!)

I feel Inchcape or NA are taking the micky out of the ignorant!!

[gavin32]

I have had a new engine fitted under warranty because of the oil fault with the VVT-i engine all was fine before the new engine but now I to am getting the engine light coming up, and yep it's the cat & ecu, I recently took out the Toyota 2 year extended warranty with unlimited mileage,

My question is does anyone know if this would be covered under that warranty.

hi steve i also have an estate avensis 1.8 vvti 2003 new model uses about three quarters of a litre of oil every 1400 miles what was yours burnin .and how bad does mine sound has 81000 miles on the clock.thanks in advanced.

[gordi]

Have you been using Supermarket petrol ? and you can reset the sensor simply by disconnecting it ( left hand side one ) and reconnecting it again .

[gordi]

Stop using supermarket FUEL , problem solved ..

[familyfitz]

Had engine warning light come on 4 times in last few months - brother checked out(AA patrolman),come back with p0420 code and cancelled code each time. Had to take car (Avensis T4 1.8VVTi 2003) back to garage today for faulty light and engine management light on again so they looked into it (couldn't avoid it obviously).

Surprise, came back with same error code, need ECU and cat replaced at cost of just short of £2000. Under extended warranty but still need to hear if will be covered but alas, they didn't print readings off today so need to wait till light comes on again, return to garage and this time they will print off result, send to warranty people and get decision.

SO frustrated with both this garage and Toyota. Been Toyota family all driving life but this is final straw. Garage refusing to accept an oil comsumption problem (i.e. need short engine replaced), needed major job done in August (can't remember details but car in garage 3 days and altho covered by warranty presumably significant cost involved) now this HOPEFULLY covered by warranty.

Will NOT be getting Toyota again and so disappointed.

[TheBoss]

Hi did you manage to resolve this with Toyota then? I think I have the same problem as this on my yaris t sport 1.5, 2001, I've changed both cat sensors, the cat, replaced the MAF sensor. When I changed the cat the engine manangement light went off by its self but only to come back on again after 30miles.. So I thought the cat went faulty, I was made another cat free off charge, same thing, it went off and came back on again.. Im thinking I have to change the ECU now! and I think I can get a second hand one cheap, but is it straight forward to put the a ecu?? I'm thinking of getting it bypassed because im sick of it.. is there anyone out there that can help me :(

Mackers

Sounds like a totally differant fault to mine, as i don't have any dip in performance what so ever.

Fault codes given are:-

P0420 Catalysts system efficiency below threshold (Bank 1)

P0430 (Bank 2)

The dealership representative finally explained to me that from guidance Toyota have made available, is that it’s a known problem which occurs when a vehicle is run at a constant steady rate over long distances, basically if you drive the car in an environmentally friendly way over long distance, something to do with the peeks in the ECU / Cat thresholds. Its basically a design fault.

The repair required to rectify this problem is the replacement of both Exhaust Manifold (Cat) and the ECU.

ECU £395.15 +VAT

Cat £404.28 + VAT

Labour £120 + VAT

However it has no detrimental effect to the running of the car.

Currently arguing the toss with Toyota to try and get them to contribute to repairs.

[jimbob91]

Hi did you manage to resolve this with Toyota then? I think I have the same problem as this on my yaris t sport 1.5, 2001, I've changed both cat sensors, the cat, replaced the MAF sensor. When I changed the cat the engine manangement light went off by its self but only to come back on again after 30miles.. So I thought the cat went faulty, I was made another cat free off charge, same thing, it went off and came back on again.. Im thinking I have to change the ECU now! and I think I can get a second hand one cheap, but is it straight forward to put the a ecu?? I'm thinking of getting it bypassed because im sick of it.. is there anyone out there that can help me :(

Mackers

Sounds like a totally differant fault to mine, as i don't have any dip in performance what so ever.

Fault codes given are:-

P0420 Catalysts system efficiency below threshold (Bank 1)

P0430 (Bank 2)

The dealership representative finally explained to me that from guidance Toyota have made available, is that it’s a known problem which occurs when a vehicle is run at a constant steady rate over long distances, basically if you drive the car in an environmentally friendly way over long distance, something to do with the peeks in the ECU / Cat thresholds. Its basically a design fault.

The repair required to rectify this problem is the replacement of both Exhaust Manifold (Cat) and the ECU.

ECU £395.15 +VAT

Cat £404.28 + VAT

Labour £120 + VAT

However it has no detrimental effect to the running of the car.

Currently arguing the toss with Toyota to try and get them to contribute to repairs.

Hi Guys - I have just had the same fault diagnosed by my local main dealer - however his quote for the ECU is £1035.75 and the Cat as £459.82. No way am I paying that sort of money. I've now had the ECU reset twice and have not seen any drop in performance. However, I spoke to a mate of mine and have gone to a garage recommended by him so it is going in next week for another look. I'm going to print all of this off and show it to him. Incidentally, I think the 2003 T3-X model I have is not as sound mechanically as I would expect Toyota's to be. This is just the latest in a long line of problems (discs replaced twice, steering rack tightened) and all this with just 79K on the clock. I find my local Toyota agent is a rip off merchant with their 'safety checks' every time the car went in for anything costing me each time. Now I have the moan off my chest - I have to say it is one of the most comfortable cars I have owned (other than my old Carina) and I don't want to part with it.

[jimbob91]

Hi Guys - me again. I've been using Supermarket fuel ever since I've had the car and actually have always used the cheapest fuels I can find for all the cars I've ver owned - and that is a lot. I've had this car for coming up to 4 years and the problem has only just occurred, so unless the quality of fuel or the additives they are using has changed, thne the problem is in the engine. This forum has been very useful and I have a lot of pointers to pass on to the garage on Friday. Will let you all know how I get on with an independant garage. A good friend of mine pointed me in the garages direction as one of those that will not make changes just for the sake of making changes so could be interesting.

[Alfie's Dad]

I have a 51 plate 1.8 Avensis estate, 86k miles. Always been thirsty on the oil, which I regularly forget to check until the engine is making a funny noise (not good, I know). The engine light came on about 18 months ago and because I had not seen any degradation in performance (and having read this and other related threads) I have not bothered getting it looked into.

However, in the last week the engine developed a misfire causing the engine (and car) to shudder at low speeds and lack power (obvious as I was only running on two or three cylinders); at this point the engine light started flashing and my wallet and I knew that we'd have to have it looked at.

Misfire was caused by coked-up plugs, however we were then getting an error on the oxygen sensor, had this changed and the light has gone off. However it was still failing its MOT emissions test due to high levels of hydrocarbons, had the exhaust off and both cats were badly soiled, so have had those both replaced (maniverter and main cat). Now through MOT.

Now have my fingers crossed that this 'investment' will give me a few more years motoring!

[Alfie's Dad]

200 miles in the car is now using 1 litre of oil every 20 miles!

Formal complaint now lodged with Toyota

[Nad999]

I had a very strange problem with my Previa CDX. It cranked and refused to start but once you remove the negative terminal from the Battery and reconnect it, it kick starts and runs like normal. After a few starts it starts to crank again and gradually the cranking goes longer every time. It will start from 2 seconds crank and then starts up, the next time its 4 seconds of cranking and then it starts up, it goes on until its only cranking without a start. BUT if you reconnect the Battery, it kick starts again. I have changed the main car Battery, fuel filter, crank sensor, cam sensor, air filter, oil filter, spark plugs. I have shown this to about 5 mechanics and they have given up on it. I think it is an electric issue and it will reset whatever the problem is as soon as the battery is disconnected and reconnected. I was not sure what was causing the issue but there was a yellow engine light.

I took the car to a toyota dealer and they said the error codes were P0171 abd P0174 that relate to either sensors or something to do with the air flow system.

They narrowed it down to a Air Flow Meter and replaced it for £126.00+VAT+ Labour(£120).

The car is now running well with no cranking at all.

I have got the engine light turn up after 10 miles of driving and took it back to the dealer, they checked the code and now the code is P0420 and P0430 that relates to the Catalyct Converter. The technician cleared the code for me saying that it might be due to them opening the part and that might have triggered the code after dust particles got into the system. He said if the light come back again, they will look into changing the CAT converter. I read some forums that it might be due to air leaks from the exhaust pipe (Y pipe) or manifold. I will wait for the light to come up again and see.I didnt know this was a common problem with the Previa's. Has anyone got any good feedback from TOYOTA with regards to the problem.