HELP! VVT-i oil consumption problem

[luke1459]

Hello there! I'm new here!

I am a 2002 Toyota Celica owner and I live in Italy. My car has 25.000 km - it's about 15.000 miles.
It use about 0.25Kg per 1.000km (it should be something like 0.2L per 610 miles, or even more), and that's impressive!
I brought this used car last year, and the Toyota's warrany on the car is expired on May 2005 (in Italy we have a 3 years warrany on Celica).

I'm reading a few posts on other forums about this problem, there are a lot of people having this engine trouble on other cars with this 1.8l ZZ VVT-i engine (Avensis, Corolla, Celica and MR-2) - made from 1999 to 2002.
I read also that Toyota in UK extended to 5 years the warranty on this engines (1.8 VVT-i), is that true?
Someone says to have even a kind of black list!!!

The point is that I don't want to spend the whole repair cost, since this is an "almost common" problem on this engine ( but only from 1999 to 2002), and Toyota Motor Italy says that they don't know anything about that!!

What do I have to do?
Do I have to write to Toyota Japan to get a special warranty extension for this problem?

Do you have any specific information about this problem?

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

[QUOTE=luke1459]Do you have any specific information about this problem?

[DopeCelicaGT]

I don't know what you can do because I have been going round and round with Toyota Corporate Office about fixing **** on my car that should have been under warranty for like a year now and it is still not fixed. However, U must mention that the problem you are talking about it def. a problem because a buddy of mines 2001 Corolla uses oil badly and I believe it is another one of these cars that just so happens to have this problem. You can try contacting Toyota Corporate Headquarters about this but I doubt they will do anything because technically there is nothing wrong with the motors other than the fact they consume oil. Toyota claims that this has no ill effect on their motors :chuckles: and as long as it runs correctly and just consumes some oil they won't touch it. In other words if it isn't completely broke, they won't fix it. Another example is my sunroof that looks like ****. I took it to Toyota a billion times along with some of other **** to get fixed and according to them, "yeah I can see your problem with it and it doesn't look all that nice but it is still a functional sunroof!" However, since we all know of the sunroof/moonroof problems it is clearly a problem of ****ty materials and workmanship here which I think should be fixed on Toyota's dime, not mine. I have about just decided to fix it myself cause I am tired of dealing with them. Whatever you try to do good luck with it and let us know how it goes.

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Yeah, this same thing happened to me on my '01 motor. I knew trying to reason with toyota would be an excercize in futility, so I just found an '03 1zz and had East Coast Speed Factory swap it (along with some other goodies) in for me.

[luke1459]

After 600 miles my oil level is half way between low and full level markers. :furious:
My 2002 Celica GT has 20.000 miles now (completely stock) and I don't know what to do. The 3-years italian warranty on Celica has expired. I tried with a product to clean the engine, but it didn't fixed this issue. (http://www.sintoflon.com)
Damn, this problem comes right from the factory, and Toyota should fix it.
Toyota also said that the cost to fix the engine is about 3.500 euros (about 4.500 dollars) because the warranty is over, but damn it, it's not my fault, I don't want to pay a single cent! It's not fair! :furious:
How many of you guys had this problem? How did you solved it?
I really don't know what to do. :(

[kcttyy]

If i were you, i would speak to consumer committee or something to see if there is any posiiblilty to take legal action against toyota instead to dealing with toyota directly if they rejected me. Make this issue public to pressure them. But either way its gonna take time. just my 2 cents.
David

[BHam00GT-S]

You guys do realize this thread is from February, right?

[luke1459]

Of course, but only recently I had more time to dedicate to my Celica and to solve this problem as you can see

[lolo@350]

Hi,

I had a Celica VVT-I from 2000 til 2003 and had exactly the same problem.
It even got worse as the engine was severly damaged due to lack of oil altough the oil warning sign never came on !!!!

After dozens of phone calls to toyota center Belgium and a lot of arguing with my reseller, I had my engine replaced under warranty altough the warranty was expired.

What I would say to you :
1. Don't thrust the oil warning light, check your level very often.
2. Be the ******* and send them tons of email, phone calls, etc...

It worked for me.

I am now the happy owner of a Celica TS 2004 (GT-S for US guys) since yesterday and I Loooooooooooove the high lift...

Good luck with your oil problem !!

Lolo
Brussels, Belgium

[2way]

In the meantime... you might want to use a high mileage type oil to try an reduce the consumption. I'm dealing w/the same problem w/my daughter's 1ZZ. Engine cleaning didn't do much (the dealer tried that)... I've gone w/normal, synthetic blend, & full synthetic..... it is now on High Mileage oil... & that, finally, seems to have improved the consumption... she's still on the 1st run of it... so I won't know for sure till her next oil change is due. How did you solved it?
I really don't know what to do. :(
Most seem to take the route S|Lv3rBu||et did & find a newer 1ZZ to replace it with... like from a junked Avensis or Corolla.... either that or they've gotten a new/rebuilt short block.

[Barabaika]

Toyota announced today that it will recall 268,750 Corolla and Vitz in Japan because of an engine defect.
This defect can cause an oil starvation and engine damage.

[Blue Bomber]

Toyota announced today that it will recall 268,750 Corolla and Vitz in Japan because of an engine defect.
This defect can cause an oil starvation and engine damage.
Those used different engines than the Celica.

[2zzTahara]

For the Corolla are you talking about the 1ZZ-FE vs the 1ZZ-FED in the Celica?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_ZZ_engine

[2swft4u]

I don't know why someone doesn't take the lead and go to a lawyer about this problem and file a class action law suit against Toyota... Obviously, this is a problem... You are not supposed to have to check your oil every day on a new car... Rediculous...

[2zzTahara]

That might work; enough people complained and fought them on the oil sludge problem with their 1MZ V-6 and the 5SFE inline 4 engines and got them to finally fix them. Though it would likely be a long and costly court battle:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news02/toyota_sludge.html

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.toyota/browse_thread/thread/50d88249087417bb/6f1ed60aa614b815%236f1ed60aa614b815

[2way]

Switch to Castrol High Mileage oil... (or High Mileage brand of your choice).....so far... my daughter has only added 1/4 of a quart... and she's almost due for a change... where she was going thru up to 2 qts between changes on her 1ZZ. Which, with a cap. of 4 qts... was ridiculous.

[NeXuS-GT]

try this. I had a noisy tranny in my celica, tryed to fix it free under the expired warranty. I called toyota canada multiple time and it never worked... Finnaly I told them that I really like the toyota brand, everyone in my familly was using toyota since so much years. I also said that I was going to buy some cars in my futur life. And it surely could be Toyota if they fix the trouble ;)

I got a brand new '03 tranny for my '02 celica for 300$CAN

I think that it's a great deal!

[NeXuS-GT]

For the Corolla are you talking about the 1ZZ-FE vs the 1ZZ-FED in the Celica?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_ZZ_engine

This link also state that the 1ZZ-FE is using a "cast aluminum intake manifold". We all now that the 1ZZ-FE intake manifold is made of plastic.

Remember : "Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit."

:crazy2:

[2zzTahara]

The first round of 1ZZ-FE engines for the Corolla used a cast aluminum intake, later production runs of the 1zz-fe as well as the 1zz-fed swithced to the reinforced plastic intake.


"Horsepower is enhanced by the use of a larger diameter throttle body. Torque is increased by the use of a new, large plenum intake manifold. The reinforced plastic manifold conducts less engine heat to the intake air, improving volumetric efficiency."

http://www.technofile.com/cars/toyota_corolla_release.html

Photo here:

http://www.corollaperformance.com/TechInfo/1ZZFE.html

"Development of Toyota 1ZZ-FE Engine

INTAKE MANIFOLD

[kylebGTS]

I have a 2zzge however my oil is just disapearing, like 2-3 quarts every 1500 miles< I have never had a car that burned that much oil and there is only 40k miles on it. I cannot find a leak so am I having the same prob as you guys?

[NeXuS-GT]

The first round of 1ZZ-FE engines for the Corolla used a cast aluminum intake, later production runs of the 1zz-fe as well as the 1zz-fed swithced to the reinforced plastic intake.

So do you think the newer corolla/matrix/vibe use the 1zz-fe or the 1zz-fed ?

[2zzTahara]

Not sure about the Vibe, but on Toyota's in the specs section of the page they list Corolla and Matrix at 126hp so I would guess they are using the 1zz-fe

http://www.toyota.com/matrix/specs.html

http://www.toyota.com/corolla/specs.html

[luke1459]

I phoned to Toyota. They say that the recent recall it's not about the celica 1zz-fe engine.
What the hell is going on? Why they didn't recalled our 2000-2002 celicas?

I'm really pissed off with Toyota, this is a well know problem!

[GringoBaz]

Is too have this problem.

http://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218472&highlight=tapping

I bought a Toyota for their reliability reputation.
It seems I have puchased a car which is less reliable, engine wise than other cars I have owned.
Build quality is good, looks like their engines suck ass :wtf:

Taking mine to Toyota tomorrow, this better be fixed under warranty without ANY complaint or I will be busting heads.