Problems with 2003 Toyota Corolla ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2003 toyota corolla. consumer writes in regards to airbags and belt tensioner deployed in vehicle without being involved in any collision. *smd

I was driving home from work when the transmission locked up. i pulled over turned the car off and back on. i managed to put the car in first gear and make it back home even though the transmission was making this loud grinding noise. i brought the car for repair and they tell me i need a new transmission. just 6 weeks ago i had the clutch replaced. after investigating this issue i have learned this is a very common problem. something must be done about this. *tr

I was driving the car, a toyota corolla 2003 on july 12 and while driving it turn on the check engine light, next morning while driving the car in a highway the car turn off. i didn't have an accident because it was too early in the morning, after couple attempts the car turned on, i call a toyota place, where i do all maintenance of my cars, and after i called i went there so they can run a test. the result was shift solenoid "e" malfunction. the worker told me that most likely the problem is the computer, that there was a recall but on the corolla 2006 not 2003. hopefully you can help me with this. he told me to file a complain so i don't know where. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota corolla 2003 4dr le, 80000 miles, i want to report coolant leak from engine area. i took the car to mechanics and toyota dealer, they determined that coolant leak due to bottom part of the engine is cracking, recommendations is replace the engine block, that will cost about $6000. mechanics stated that when toyota made the mode of the engine, the mode does not make good. *tr

I'm not sure if this is a defect but i just want to file a comment i have with my vehicle. i have a 2003 toyota corolla s made in 7/2002. the thing i have experiencing and still am is that my vehicle will lurch when it comes to a stop and engine idle speed changes when the vehicle was stopped. i've never experience this with other cars i have driven. i also didn't know if this is a defect or not back then until i start reading the news about the recall and other complaints from my model that is not due to the current recall. here is the link to the news i have read about: http://www.cnbc.com/id/35269950 there is a quote from someone that experience the same thing as i did but did not state the year and model. *cn

The check engine light came on, the diagnostic said it was the o2 sensor which was replaced. the light went out and came back on again the next day. a mechanic checked it and said it was the catalytic converter. i read where catalytic converters don't go bad by themselves, therefore the problem has to stem from a manufactures defect and we should not have to pay for continual repairs. *tr

I purchased a used 2003 corolla. vehicle came with all service records and it had been well maintained. i also checked all fluids. mileage was 133,065 at the time i purchased it. i thought this was good because toyotas are suppose to last forever, right? a week after i bought it i noticed a knocking in the engine. i checked the oil and it was out. i have to put 3-4 quarts of oil in my car every 7-8 days. it does not leak, it burns it. the engine needs to be replaced. the emissions light stays on and i have also lost a hubcap cover. i've noticed that every other 03 corolla i pass on road is also missing at least one. after reading the complaints on here, i am very concerned and know i will never by toyota again. *tr

2003- toyota corolla - check engine light came on about 2 years ago and was reset, just recently came on in april 2009 and not the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. currently has 119,000 miles on it and needs to have the catalytic converter replaced. *tr

I own a 2003 toyota corolla le. car started to make a ticking noise for a few days prior to a complete engine failure with less than 45,000 miles. *tr

2003 toyota corolla le, 48,000 miles, engine seized due to lack of oil circulation in the engine block. result was a complete engine replacement. the vehicle has always been well maintained and the oil changed at regular intervals. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. the contact stated that he was having problems with the catalytic converter failing and leaking oil. the catalytic converter was replaced two years ago and now it had failed again and needed to be replaced for $1200. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they reiterate that this failure needed to be replaced. there were no related recalls. the toyota manufacturer was not called. the failure mileage was 69,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.

I recently traded in a ford explorer on a 2003 toyota corolla.. 2 weeks after i bought the car the tensioner started to squeal and got worse progressively. at first i thought the belt was worn and got a new one,went to replace it and found that the bolt that holds the tensioner had snapped off due to the poor design of it. i was just notified by toyota that i had to buy the new(correctly )designed tensioner at an additional cost to me of $180.00 plus the labor to do it which involves unbolting the motor mounts and jacking the engine up!i am a contractor and if i do something wrong or something the customer doesn't like i eat the cost. shouldn't toyota's bad design be paid for by toyota. i was going to trade in my ford truck on a new toyota truck but after this little experience i think i will stick with ford. *tr

i currently drive a 2003 corolla and the belt squeak a lot. i work at toyota myself and i know that every toyota corolla belt squeaks. it's not due to the fact on the drive belt but the belt tensioner. i was told by the service advisor that only people that are under the warranty will be replace but that's a outrage. toyota already knew that the belt tensioner was a bad design and they made a new version to replace the 1st design. i spent 140 bucks to buy the part and the squeak weak away. every 9th generation corolla should have a recall on this belt tensioner thing because my car was slipping and losing horsepower. i kept the old part in case you want me to ship it to you. i hope this problem will be resolved. *tr

I bought my 2003 toyota corolla from a toyota dealership, took it home, and it began stinking like rotten eggs. i called the service department and they told me to buy more expensive gas that contains less sulfur. four years of buying expensive gasoline, and i find out my catalytic converter has burned up and i need a new one for $1200. i found out that catalytic converters can be damaged if fuel is being mixed to richly, evident by a sulfur smell. i began researching this and found a toyota technical bulletin (http://www.autosafety.org/toyota%2003-04%20corolla%20catalyst.pdf) that states my specific model 2003 corolla had a manufacturers error all along. the ecm was set incorrectly to mix fuel too richly, and that if a customer complains of an excessive sulfur smell, the ecm and catalytic converter should have been changed under warranty! the catalytic converter failed while i was still under a 60,000miles warranty, however i was on vacation in california, and called a local toyota dealership service department, they told me my warranty did not cover the system, so i waited to get it fixed. the check engine light went off after returning to colorado, and didn't come back on for 15,000 miles. at 85,000 miles, i finally took my car to be fixed by a dealership in denver. afterward, i found out about the toyota bulletin, and an "emissions warranty" that would have covered the problem up to 8yrs or 80,000 miles. now, toyota refuses to pay for the work to fix the real ecm problem, because i found out 5000 miles after this secret warranty ran out that the toyota service department was lying to me or incompetent! if you search online, there is a plethora of other toyota consumers whom were lied to about the cause of this problem! this excessively rich mixing of fuel leads to defective catalytic converters. *tr

Purchased a used 2003 toyota corolla in 2006, which had [unknown to me] a toyota extended warranty in force. about one year later, at approximately 67,000 miles, the engine developed a "rod knock" and had to be replaced, by atkinson toyota in bryan-college station texas. cost $6000. the dealer could not file for reimbursement for us since we were unaware of the extended warranty, and so did not file for transfer. my son was driving the car at the time, and reported simply that the low oil indicator came on and the engine started knocking. the vehicle has no warning indicators regarding oil level or life [as does gm and others], so that the 'word on the street' is that if the oil indicator comes on, your engine is already ruined. my son and i changed the oil in the vehicle, and it had only been driven about 4,000 miles since the previous oil change. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. while driving 35 mph, the battery light illuminated and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed radiator fluid leaking and stated that the engine overheated. he further stated that the serpentine belt disengaged. as of october 2, 2007, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. the contact felt that the cause of failure was a failed bolt that held the engine. the current and failure mileages were 180,000.

Falure of charcoal emmision cannister in my 2003 toyota corolla. this is the second time in 4 years that this part has failed. it is my understanding that many other owners of this year vehicle have experienced similar problems. i believe a recall is in order.

My toyota corolla started making a hammering noise when pressing the accelerator i was going downhill on the expressway. i drove to the nearest town and called toyota who informed me i had to get a tow truck and get it to the dealership for service. i did so, and the next day was informed that the car's engine needed replacement as it had been damaged due to lack of oil. i was surprised since my car's last service was at the same dealership for an oil change just a month and two weeks before. at that time they did not indicate a problem with the motor and said my car was ok. my car has 49,500 miles and i am now facing a very expensive repair (change all the internal motor parts) since my car's 5 year/60,000 warranty expired just last month. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. while driving 70 mph the air-conditioning unit shut off. the dealer stated that the hose touched the freon line and caused the air-conditioner to shut off. the dealer stated that they would replace the freon line hose. the current mileage was 126,000 and the failure mileage was unavailable.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated while driving 35 mph. the mechanic stated that the catalytic converter was defective. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and would not be repaired for free. the dealer did not question that the catalytic converter failed and wrote up the repair order. the current mileage was 93,450 and failure mileage was 93,400.

Sulfur odor/catalytic converter; original catalytic converter replaced by toyota service department in maryland at 69308 miles covered by warranty on 4/8/05. check engine light turned on again on 5/30/07, went off by itself on 5/31/07. took vehicle to toyota service department in pennsylvania on 6/4/07 for service. catalytic converter failed again at 134939 miles. annual inspection and emissions due by october 2007, and repair quote for the third catalytic converter was over $1200.00. concerned not only about cost of the repair, but what was causing the 2003 toyota corolla to need another catalytic converter. regular maintenance was performed on vehicle, and it was used mostly for errands and commuting to and from work. *ak

2003 toyota corolla purchased in 2002 was told today i need a brand new engine. my car has 102,000 not old at all well maintained got services when needed. no one can explain why my engine has gone bad. i just wonder how many other engines have gone bad this soon?? the last time something was wrong with my car it ended up being a recall a few months later had to have a rear axle replaced. *tr

I have a 2003 toyota corolla and i took it to the dealership for its 105,000 mile service. part of the service was to replace the oil. i left the dealership after the service and the car was ok. i drove it for about 45 minutes. it sat for about 3 hours and when i left i drove it for about 30 minutes and then there was a loud clanking and banging from the engine. i had it towed to the dealership and they say i need a new engine. there has been no oil leak or black smoke from the exhaust. i had an oil leak around 96,000 miles that i took to the dealership and they fixed. although i had to take it back because they did not fix it properly the first time. i feel there has been some error on their part and they are not willing to get into the engine and see if there is something wrong and just want me to replace the engine no questions asked. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) purchased 2003, toyota, corolla, vin: [xxx] with daughter. veh was purchased from toyota of orange in ca. two days later a hit and run driver forced veh to skid across five lanes on interstate 10 in ontario, ca, and landed atop center divider. the vehicle was sent to repair shop and "repaired" after approximately 5-8 months. however, the car was never properly repaired, and i complained to both toyota , and to the insurance company, allstate, but toyota adamantly stated the veh was without problems. the car was continually in the shop for the brakes. eventually the carpet caused the accelerator to become stuck and the car went out of control. i was forced to reach down while the car moving and pull the carpet with both hands to release the accelerator. stepping on the brakes did not help. neither toyota repair nor allstate would help resolve our complaints since 2003, we were simply told that the veh was fine. additionally i believe the frame is bent, lack of interlocking brakes causing skids, brakes are soft and drop to floor, and poor steering column. this car is dangerous and is impossible to drive without involving near miss accident episodes. the car skids if going as little as 5-10 miles per hour. i offered to give the car away to anyone who was willing to investigate my complaints, all to no avail. i just recently learned that one of the problems i heard in the brand new car was a hole in the exhaust system. toyota continually denied this for 5-6 years, then by accident a very young newly employed staff at toyota of orange, informed us that our complaint about loud air sounding noise was a hole in the exhaust, which had been continually making the noise, and burning of eyes (migraines). the brakes were repaired every 2-4 months or less until i just reported less frequently. the car is now no longer under warranty. currently it needs some brakes, rotors, drums, calipers, and shocks as always. *tr

I have noticed that several others have complained about the rotten egg odor coming from the engine. i had taken the car in several times about this and was told to only buy shell gas, i had tried this and it doesn't work. i was then told that the car was built for high emission standards and since i live in texas, there is nothing that they can do about it. while i lived in california i did not experience the rotten odor. has this issue ever been resolved? i am really tired of the odor. *nm

Automatic tensioner failed. bearing makes terrible squeaking sound when cold. getting worse as months go by. also worse in cold, wet weather. brought car to dealer. they said it's not covered in basic warranty. didn't get extended warranty. is this right? seems like a defective part. seems like it should be covered under drive train warranty. have seen same problem with 2 other corrolla's from similar years. why doesn't toyota replace this part as part of regular warranty? *jb

Consumer complaint regarding fumes entering through the air vents. *** no answer required*** *ts updated 11/7/2005 - the consumer has had this problem since the vehicle was purchased new. the manufacturer instructed the consumer to take the vehicle to the dealer. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times but they refused to fix the vehicle stating that fumes entering the vehicle was normal. *nm

dt: the contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. the consumer stated while driving the vehicle hesitated and white smoke came from the tail pipe during start up. the contact took vehicle to a local dealership. upon inspection it was determined that there was sludge in the oil. the dealership did not service the vehicle because of the high cost. there was a program to extend the warranty on the engine for toyota camry regarding sludge build up, but not for the toyota corolla. the dealership stated they needed to take the engine apart and replace needed components. *ak

I bought a 2003 toyota corolla from a certified car dealership, and was sold a car that was involved in a major accident and was not reported. the whole front of the car has none of the original parts to the car which depreciated the value of the car, but it was still sold to me as slightly used in great condition,low mileage and suppose to have never been in an any accidents, i also found out the this car did not pass inspection at the time of purchase, i had to bring the car back to the dealership numerous times starting five days after i bought it. i tried giving the car back and they said that there is nothing that they could do because the contract is already signed, and because of the extensive damages to the car they will only give $6,000 for the car when in fact they sold it to me for over $15,000. *nm

Transmission went out, according to repair shop was defect from company. less than 115 miles later the engine goes. according to service manager and master technician, engine looked great and could find no problem until discovered the cylinder head was warped and was a "common problem" . engine and transimission gone within 115 miles of each other.

I purchase my toyota pre-owned with 46,000 miles on it odometer. a short while after the purchase the engine light came on. i called the car dealership to find out why the engine light was on. the agent stated that my gas cap may not be tight enough. i tightened my gas cap and the light when off for about 20 minutes. it never caused any problems in the performance of the car. however, when i went to get it smogged for the first time, it would not pass smog. the mechanic at the toyota dealership stated that it needed a catalytic converter and that it would cost around $1,800 to replace. therefore, i had to go the referee to get a 2 year waiver on my smog. i am a single mom with 2 special needs kids, i cannot go without a car. my car will be going on the next year soon. i would like to know if there is any funding to help with repairs when the problem is due to manufacturing defects. i know that this is a factory issue because i have read many complaints from other toyota customers who have had the same exact problem with the same model year car. *tr

Rotten egg smell and many structural defects in this car. *jb

Engine replaced at 55874 mls dealership said "vehicle was not mantained". even though oil was changed every 55 to 7500 mls. 3 weeks later while driving on hwy car suddenly started accelerating on its own, when i tried to slow it down the brakes did not work. after about 5 miles & 3 near collisions i was able to get off hwy and pull into a parking lot. the brakes were still locked up and the engine was still accelerating, car would not stop! i then threw car in park and cut engine off in order to avoid injuring someone else or myself . smoke poured from under hood. had towed to dealer could not duplicate said their was nothing wrong! 2nd incident 3 days after getting car back took to dealer again and they once again said could not duplicate and that they found no problem!this car almost killed me and is very dangerous!!!!*ak

2003 toyota corolla experienced roll back.*mr while stopped at red light car suddenly rolled backward. the consumer put the brake down as hard as she could but the car kept rolling. the consumer had to use the emergency brake to stop the car. *bf *nm

While driving check engine light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. vehicle stalled. but the driver was able to restart vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic placed the vehicle on the diagnostic machine and the codes appeared as follows, p04400/p04411/ p04412. then, mechanic determined that the charcoal canister and the gas vapor sensor needed to be replaced. consumer informed the mechanic that the problem occurred many times. also, mechanic informed consumer that this problem could be a design flaw from the manufacturer. *ak

2003 toyota corolla has been using oil since 30,000 miles. toyota dealer said the engine needed replacing at 35,000 miles because sludge was in the head. oil was changed between 4,000 - 5,000 miles since new. now we must replace the engine after it was just paid off. i sincerely believe this was a default from the factory. *tr

Check engine light came on, caused by poorly fitting gas cap. concerned about burned oil debris in new oil changed. *bf the consumer stated that one inch of the engine oil had been lost over 1800 miles enough that the engine could be completely out of oil over a 4000 mile period. *tc

When the brakes were applied, the vehicle would idled at a high rpm . the dealership and manufacture has been contacted. technician was unable to determine the cause. please provide any additional information. *nm *jb

Vehicle is letting out fumes from the engine and through the vents into the vehicle. driver tends to get drowsy, and her asthma tends to get worse because of the fumes.*ak

I have a 2003 toyota corolla. in cold weather as the engine is warming up, there is a very strong rotten egg smell when vehicle is stopped. this occurs when the windows are all closed. i would like to know if there is a safety concern. *jb

Consumer stated while driving at any speed smelled strong chemical fumes. dealer inspected vehicle and could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak

My 2003 toyota corolla emits an overpowering sulphur smell when i come to a stop. the smell enters the passenger cabin and lingers for 10 to 15 minutes. this is an on going problem. my car has only 13,000 miles on it.*ak

Have noticed a strong sulfur/rotten egg smell from the exhaust that enters the inside of the car. i took it to the dealer and was told to change my brand of gas. no changes have been noticed.

Car emits a rotten egg smell while at idle when heater is on. *ak

Car making knocking noise in engine. took car to dealership and was advised that there was sludge in the engine. i was told it was from not receiving oil changes on time. the car only has 22,456 miles, and i have had 3 oil changes. they tell me i will need a new engine. i just bought this car in march 2002. the car also has a rotten egg smell.*ak

My new '03 toyota corolla ce (17715 miles as of 01/19/04) has some serious defect that makes it stall. at least 5 times, from october 20, 2003 to january 22, 2004, we had to bring it to the dealership for the same problem. it already had to be towed twice, as it would sometimes stop in traffic, putting the lives of my family in danger. so far, none of the toyota dealership's technicians have ben able to find the problem. i was told that diagnostic tests performed on this car have shown unusual codes unfamiliar to toyota technicians. one such code, that they are unable to interpret, is "p1780_x001d_. they thought the problem was the ecu switch. they replaced it in november 2003, and since then the car has stopped twice. on january 24, 2004, less than a week after it was delivered to us following repair for the same problems, it stopped again, became inoperable, and had to be towed to the dealership. at each occurrence, the engine indicator light, and in some cases the "low engine" pressure light would stay on permanently, the steering wheel would become very hard to maneuver, and then the car would come to a sudden halt. to restart it, it would take turning the ignition key on several times. my biggest fear is that it may someday stop suddenly (as it usually does) in a busy intersection or on a highway, thereby putting at risk the lives of my whole family. this problem needs some urgent attention. *la

This complaint regards the terrible smell emitted by my 2003 toyota corolla. the very strong smell fills the entire car, and often lasts several minutes. i do not know if the smell is harmful or not, but there should be something that toyota can do to fix the problem.*ak

I have had numerous unresolved problems with my 2003 toyota corolla. the air conditioning/heater fan quits at random. it does start back but obviously has a short. it comes and goes. the dealer has stated each time they are unable to duplicate the problem. it also has suspension problems. since new the car has made unpleasant claning and rattling noises in the front end. i have had it looked at many times with no resolution. it feels unstable in windy conditions and un even surfaces. i've actually thought i had a flat tire because of the car swaying so badly in the wind and on uneven surfaces. i've owned many small cars before and even an older corolla so i'm aware of what is normal. it has definite supsension problems. i honestly feel it's dangerous for myself and others due to the suspension. i need help. there are other problems with this car as well. it's a true lemon.

We are continuously experiencing problems with our toyota corolla (2003) creating a "rotten egg" smell. we have complained multiple times to toyota, including filing a complaint with their national headquarters. we have been told 1)the smell is normal, 2) we're using the wrong type of gas (we have tried all kinds) and 3) we need to run the car with the air recirculating at all times. we also do not get the gas mileage as expected. we are generally getting 29 mpg with mostly interstate driving. the two may be related. this started last fall shortly after purchase. the purchase date is listed below. *ak

I own a 2003 toyota corolla le that emits a rotten egg smell when the engine is on and the car is idling. *ak