Where To Start

[darkt]

Hi, I'm new to this site so escuse if this has been asked before, I own a 54 reg Avensis T Spirit with 16.000 on the clock.

It goes in to the garage in a few days for a few problems, new clucth master cylinder, new head lights,interior trim thats falling off and the main problem is an engine that just will not run smoothly, this has been sugested is a faulty valve in the cooling system.

The car also has a nasty habit of not starting first time and when this happens and you switch the engine off, the hazard lights flash inside the car, when I mentioned this to the garage the resonse was one of"it's nothing to worry about". with that nice look you get from someone who thinks" another nutter".

One other fault that ocured was the undertray comeing away from the front of the car and bending back under the car and scrapping the ground while doing 80 down the motorway. This was explained was my fault because I must have caught the bumper at some time, even though 3 screws are missing and nobody can explain where they have gone.

It's had new discs at 14.000 miles and it's allready started to sound like a bus again with sqealing brakes after just 2000 miles.

This is not a get at toyota rant, I'm just so frustrated at problems that have never happened with any of the other toyota's I've had, this is my sixth one.

Any help would be welcome or advice on the subject.

Thanks

[Ged40]

Can sympathise with you darkt. I picked up my 04 Avensis last year and went on a motorway run where the tray managed to remove itself at the front catches. My fault apparently as "you have to be careful in places like supermarket car parks where they have high kerbs". It hadn't even sniffed a kerb, but I'm fairly sure the tray had to be removed when the guys did the service just before I collected it. Couldn't possibly have ben the technicians could it?

I've also had numerous issues with engine not running properly but when taken in for investigations the problem stops. Still haven't found the solution but whenever my engine starts to chug a little I drop down a gear and give it high revs. Always seems to clear it but I'm probably making the poor engine even worse.

[matty2767]

mine just went in for the slave cylinder (04 plate). not needed brakes yet though it is in for a service this month.

you need to get things sorted before your warranty runs out. it will be harder then

[tim5780]

hi people.

sorry to hear about your troubles darkt, i too have a 54 t-spirit, but at this point none of the problems you seem to be having. the only thing i have noticed is how noisey the engine is just after you turn it off, theres a lot of 'tick tick' -ing. is this just it cooling down, or do i need to investigate it further?

[Penfold]

tim5780,

tick ticking when you stop is normal. its the exhaust cooling. it is worse on modern cars as the cat requires higher temperatures in the exhaust to work efficiently.

just don't go parking it on long grass during dry spells..

[darkt]

Thanks for the replys but another problem has now appeared, the engine warning light has now decided to show itself all the time and the interior trim has decided to detach itself from the tailgate.

Has Fiat or Renault bought Toyota out?.