2001 TOYOTA CELICA Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA CELICA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS SHE HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A REBUILT ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

I PURCHASED MY CELICA NEW IN 2001. THIS YEAR I HAD A NEW CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION PUT IN. IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS I NOTICED THAT I WAS PUTTING OIL IN ON A REGULAR BASIS, NO LEAKS AND NO SMOKE FORM THE EXHAUST. I HAVE 128 THOUSAND MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL ON SCHEDULE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA IN JACKSONVILLE AND WAS TOLD I SOMEHOW MUST HAVE ABUSED THE MOTOR OR NOT CHANGED THE OIL REGULARLY. LONG STORY SHORT, NOW I AM LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT MOTOR AND TOYOTA WANTS ALMOST $6000.00. I HAVE SHOPPED AROUND AND THE CHEAPEST WAY TO GO WOULD BE A USED MOTOR. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH THIS CAR WOULD BE IN THE JUNKYARD. AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MOTOR I WOULD BE A FOOL TO PUT IN ANOTHER MOTOR TO HAVE IT DO THE SAME THING IN 50,000 MILES. THAT BEING SAID ,TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS AND FIX THIS ISSUE FOR ALL CELICA OWNERS. *TR

Mileage: 128,614

I HAD PURCHASED A 2001 TOYOTA CELICA GT IN OCTOBER 2005 TO INITIALLY GET TO AND FROM WORK, AND IN 2007 I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING MORE OIL THEN NORMAL (1 QUART OIL = 500MILES) AFTER THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT 96,000 MILES, I ALSO STARTED NOTICING A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHILE DRIVING AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. I'VE TAKEN IT TO ROSEVILLE TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY KEPT BLAMING IT ON MY EXHAUST, EVEN WHEN I TOOK A TECHNICIAN FOR A DRIVE TO LET HIM LISTEN TO THE NOISE, BUT HE STILL SAID IT WAS MY EXHAUST. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THEM MULTIPLE TIME TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT AND ALSO HAD THEM DO A VALVE ADJUSTMENT TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. IT'S BEEN 3 YEARS NOW AND 133,000 MILES LATER I'M STILL DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES, EXCEPT NOW ITS TICKING ALL THE TIME. PLEASE HELP, I'M GETTING TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND ITS STARTING TO GET TOO EXPENSIVE, HAVING TO KEEP BUYING OIL EVERY 500 MILES. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND I COMMUTE TO AND FROM SCHOOL (68 MILES ROUND TRIP, FIVE DAYS A WEEK), AND THESE ISSUES I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING IS SO FRUSTRATING, AND THE ENGINE TICKS SOO MUCH LIKE ITS ABOUT TO BREAK DOWN, AND THE ANTICIPATION OF WHEN IT'S GOING TO BREAK DOWN IS GETTING TO BE VERY IRRITATING. I HAD INITIALLY PURCHASED THE CAR KNOWING THAT TOYOTA WAS KNOWN FOR MAKING RELIABLE AND DURABLE CARS LIKE HONDA, SO I DECIDED TO GIVE TOYOTA A TRY AND SEE IF IT HELD UP TO ITS REPUTATION, AND PLUS IT WAS AN UPGRADE FROM MY 89 HONDA CIVIC THAT I USE TO HAVE. I'VE EXPERIENCED MORE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR THEN MY CIVIC HAD AND IT WAS AN 89. I THOUGHT TOYOTA WAS SUPPOSE TO BE RELIABLE, DURABLE, AND DEPENDABLE, I GUESS NOT. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THESE CARS HAD SOO MANY ISSUES AHEAD OF TIME, I WOULD HAVE JUST STAYED WITH HONDA, AT LEAST I KNOW HONDA LASTS LONGER THEN 200,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 96,000

I HAD PURCHASED A 2001 TOYOTA CELICA GT IN OCTOBER 2005, AND IN 2006 I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING MORE OIL THEN NORMAL (1 QUART OIL = 500MILES) AFTER THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT 96,000 MILES, I ALSO STARTED NOTICING A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I'VE TAKEN IT TO ROSEVILLE ... SEE MORE TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY KEPT BLAMING IT ON MY EXHAUST, EVEN WHEN I TOOK A TECHNICIAN FOR A DRIVE TO LET HIM LISTEN TO THE NOISE, BUT HE STILL SAID IT WAS MY EXHAUST. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THEM MULTIPLE TIME TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT AND ALSO HAD THEM DO A VALVE ADJUSTMENT TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. IT'S BEEN 4 YEARS NOW AND I'M STILL DEALING WITH THE ISSUE, I AM ALSO ON A LOCAL FORUM NEWCELICA.ORG AND THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS OF THEM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THERE IS NO WAY OF FIXING THE ISSUE, BUT TO ONLY REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH ONE OF 2003-2005 YEARS, THERE WAS HAVE BEEN SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT, BY REPLACING THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS WITH ONE FROM THE 03-05 YEARS. PLEASE HELP, I'M GETTING TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND ITS STARTING TO GET TOO EXPENSIVE. I THOUGHT TOYOTA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RELIABLE, BUT I GUESS NOT, IF THEY HAVE SOO MANY ISSUES, I SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED WITH HONDA, AT LEAST I KNOW HONDA LASTS LONGER THEN 200,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 96,000

IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN THE 1998 TO 2005 1.8L 1ZZ-FE ENGINES IN TOYOTA CELICA'S BURN MASS AMOUNTS OF OIL AFTER 100,000 MILES. (1 QUART OR MORE EVERY 500 TO 1000 MILES). THE DEFECT IS IN THE PISTON. PRIOR TO 2005 THERE ARE ONLY 4 HOLES IN THE PISTON BEHIND THE OIL RINGS FOR OIL TO FLOW. AFTER 2005 THERE ARE 12 HOLES. THIS LACK OF OIL FLOW CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR ON CYLINDER WALLS. THUS, THE ENGINE STARTS TO BURN OIL. IT GETS WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILS. THE ENGINE THEN NEEDS A COMPLETE REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS (LIKE THE RESENT RECALLS) AND HAS DONE NOTHING FOR THE CONSUMER. I KNOW THAT 100,000 MILES WOULD BE OUT OF WARRANTY FOR ANY ENGINE, BUT KNOWING OF THE DEFECT AND DOING NOTHING IS NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL ALL OF THESE ENGINES AND EITHER REPLACE THEM OR PAY FOR THEM TO BE REBUILT. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

ON MARCH 2008 I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A 5 SPEED MANUAL 2001 TOYOTA CELICA GT FROM A THIRD PARTY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE WITH A CERTIFIED MECHANIC I BOUGHT IT WITH 98,000 MILES. THE NEXT DAY, AS MASSACHUSETTS LAW STATES I WENT TO GET THE INSPECTION STICKER FOR THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WENT OK. ALSO, I DECIDED TO DO A FULL CHECK ON THE CAR (BRAKES, OIL, FILTERS, ETC). HOWEVER AFTER 4 WEEKS THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I WOULD LET GO OF THE GAS AND I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE RED OIL LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD WOULD BLINK FOR A SECOND WHEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP. AFRAID THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE AN OIL LEAK I WENT TO THE SHOP RIGHT AWAY TO GET A NEW OIL CHANGE. AT THE SHOP THE MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE ENGINE AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY DRY. NOW HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN IF I HAD CHANGED THE OIL JUST 4 WEEKS PRIOR? I ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 40 MILES DAILY SO THAT'S ONLY ABOUT 1100 MILES! I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE EXPERIENCING THE SAME AND FOUND MANY OWNER'S WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I BOUGHT TOYOTA BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY WERE A RELIABLE COMPANY AND THAT YOU COULD TRUST THE VEHICLES THEY MAKE. SADLY IN THIS CASE THAT IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. AFTER REQUESTING QUOTES FROM MULTIPLE SHOPS I FOUND OUT THAT IN ORDER TO FIX THE ENGINE THE PISTON RINGS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SUCH WORK WAS QUOTED BETWEEN $2000 TO $3600. I DO NOT PLAN TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT MY FAULT BUT TOYOTA'S. I CAN PROVE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THAT I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THEREFORE THIS OIL ISSUE WAS NOT CAUSED BY MY 'LACK OF MAINTENANCE' RATHER BY TOYOTA'S POOR ENGINE DESIGN. AS A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCT ENGINEER I HAVE LEARNED THAT A DEVICE MUST COMPLY WITH A SERIES OF RELIABILITY TESTS BEFORE GOING TO MARKET; AND IN THE CASE OF MALFUNCTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MANUFACTURER, THEY (THE MANUFACTURER) MUST RESPOND ACCORDINGLY TO THE PUBLIC. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

I PURCHASED MY 2001 TOYOTA CELICA IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WITH ONLY 62,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND ENGINE. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS BURNING A QUART OF OIL ABOUT EVERY 800 MILES. I CONTINUED TO ADD OIL AND KEEP REGULAR OIL CHANGES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THIS WAS "NORMAL" OIL CONSUMPTION BY TOYOTA AND IT REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY WARRANTY HAS SINCE EXPIRED AND I NOW HAVE AROUND 72,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOW BURNING OIL AT AROUND 1 QUART PER 500 MILES. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF OIL BURNING FOR ANY VEHICLE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF TOYOTA'S WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR VEHICLES. I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA OF GREAT BRITAIN HAS ALREADY ISSUED A TSB REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE BLOCK DUE TO THIS ISSUE. NO SUCH TSB FROM TOYOTA EXIST IN THE U.S.A HOWEVER. APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY INADEQUATE PISTON RING AND ENGINE BLOCK DESIGN. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL SINCE SUCH A HIGH AMOUNT OF VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A TSB IN GREAT BRITAIN. THE ISSUE AFFECTS THE 2000-2001 MODELS WITH THE 1ZZFE ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 64,000

I NOTICE SOMETHING WRONG WHEN I HAD TO CHANGE THE OIL TWICE IN ONE MONTH, I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS BURNING OIL. I HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AS SHOWN. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND HAD THE ENGINE CHECKED, AND THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IT HAD "WEAK VALVES" AFTER A COMPRESSION CHECK WAS DONE. I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WITH THE SAME VEHICLE WHO CAME BACK FROM EUROPE FROM AN ASSIGNMENT AND HE TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA HAS A RECALL OVER THERE FOR THE WEAK VALVES. HE TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA IS REPLACING THE ENGINES AS A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAD TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION THEY HAD FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 121,500

BELT TENSIONER SQUEALS AND MAKES NOISE AS EVIDENCED SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF MILES AGO ( CURRENTLY 46K MILES), ESPECIALLY WHEN HUMID, AND WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DEC. 2000. WHY IS THIS A DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CONTINUALLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED??

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IHAD IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN HARRISNBURG VA . THEY TOLD ME MY ENGINE HAD BLOWN .MY WARRENTY REFUSES TO PAY THE REPAIRS.SO NOW I HAVE NO CAR.AND A BILL FOR 4100 .THAT I CANT PAY .AND NOW THEY ARE CHARGING ME 25 DOLLARS A DAY TO HOLD MY CAR .I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE A WARRENTY THATS NO USE TO ME OR MY CAR .*AK

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 04/01. WHILE DRIVING ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A "CLICKING" NOISE. DEALER DIAGNOSED OIL SLUDGE IN ENGINE. *NLM

Mileage: 25,000

THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AT APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 14132 MILES.THE DEALER SAID HE SUSPECTS ABUSE BUT THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN IN A NORMAL MANNER.*AK

THIS CLAIM IS AT MY NAME NOT THE CUSTOMER. THE CUSTOMER'S NAME IS [XXX]. WE HAVE A CLAIM OF HIS VEHICLE AND WOULD WANT TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE MORE CLAIMS OF THIS MODEL FOR ENGINES. THE CUSTOMER WON'T GIVE ME THE INTERNET ADDRESS WHERE HE FOUND INFORMATION POSTED FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS ABOUT HIS CLAIM. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRITTEN FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS MATTER OF YOUR INFORMATION. THANKS FOR THE HELP YOU CAN GIVE US. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WEAK VALVES. *AK