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Toyota Corolla 2006 Problems

Are you having problems with your 2006 Toyota Corolla? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 2006 Toyota Corolla issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 2006 Toyota Corolla in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

I am replacing my 2006 Toyota Corolla for a different car that has lighter steering and with a high safety rating would be important. Do you have any suggestions?

The world is your oyster here, Myra, and there are literally hundreds of makes and models that will do what you want as well offer the five-star safety rating you’re looking for. Your priorities are spot on, too; safety and the driving characteristics (in this case, steering weight) are very important in how you relate to the car and enjoy driving it.

Since you’re not too concerned with what brand you buy, the best advice is to short-list a few cars that fall within your budget and then go and test drive each one, checking that it steers the way you like it. Even small hatchbacks nowadays have the safety and performance to take you pretty much anywhere the road goes. But for longer journeys, you might appreciate features such as cruise control and a full-sized spare tyre.

Used Toyota Corolla review: 2001-2007

Graham Smith reviews the 2001-2007 Toyota Corolla as a used buy.

The 9th generation Toyota Corolla arrived late in 2001. It was an all-new model, but followed closely in the wheel tracks of its predecessors.

A conventional front-wheel drive small car, the Corolla was available as a four door sedan, a five door hatch, and a four door wagon, making it an attractive option for small car buyers, whatever their needs and wants.









The model line-up consisted of the entry-level Ascent, then climbed through the Conquest, Levin and Ultima at the top of the range.

Forget touch screens and new-fangled tech like park assist. When you bought the Ascent you got a radio cassette sound system with four speakers, and a tilt-adjustable steering column, central locking, power mirrors, pair of cupholders in the centre console and intermittent wipers, but that was about it. Air-conditioning was available, but as an option.

A CD player and remote central locking became standard in 2002.

Air-conditioning and a CD stacker were added to the list in 2004.

The Conquest was a little better equipped from the get-go, with standard air conditioning, a CD player, and power front windows.

Being larger than the outgoing model with a taller body, the new Corolla's cabin was quite roomy.

In the Levin you also got remote keyless central locking and sports front seats.

As its name suggests the Ultima had the most of all, including velour trim, woodgrain, a CD stacker and six speakers, power windows front and rear, fog lamps, and 15-inch alloy wheels. Sat nav was an optional extra.

A sporty version, the Sportivo, was added to the choices in 2003. It too was feature-laden, with 16-inch alloy wheels, CD stacker with six speakers, climate control air con, fog lamps, leather sports seats, leather steering wheel, leather gear knob, power windows and mirrors, and a sports body kit. A sunroof was optional.

No Parking sensors or reversing camera were offered, nor was Bluetooth for syncing your iPhone or Android device.



Being larger than the outgoing model with a taller body, the new Corolla's cabin was quite roomy; the occupants sat more upright for decent front and rear legroom.

It was rated to seat five, but getting three in the rear seat was a bit of a squeeze. Four was more comfortable with two adults in the rear seat.

The sedan boasted a good sized boot, the hatch offered more flexibility with its split-fold rear seat, while the wagon delivered the most of all with its boxy shape.

There were plenty of storage options with a glove box, console, and cup holders.

The Ascent, Conquest, Levin and Ultima used a 1.8-litre fuel-injected four-cylinder petrol engine that boasted 100 kW (134 horsepower) and 171 Nm of torque.

With a spread of torque across the rev range it had enough zip to make it an easy driver in all situations, and also deliver good fuel economy.

Thanks to the sporty suspension tuning the handling was quite agile and responsive.

The power and torque of the engine was reduced slightly in 2004 when it was retuned to meet new emission standards, but its performance was largely undiminished.

The Sportivo had a more highly tuned version of the engine with 141 kW (189 horsepower) and 180 Nm of torque.

The gearbox options varied depending on the model. The Ascent, Conquest and Levin had the option of a four-speed automatic transmission and a five-speed manual, the Ultima came only with the four-speed auto, the Sportivo was only available with a six-speed manual.



The performance was not exhilarating, but it was sufficiently zippy with a modest kerb weight and good response to make it a comfortable and easy driver around town and out on the highway.

With improved NVH the Corolla was quieter than its predecessor with reduced road noise and general mechanical noises to bother those inside.

While firmish, the ride was still comfortable, and thanks to the sporty suspension tuning the handling was quite agile and responsive.

If safety is a priority it's important to know that the Ascent and Conquest were only equipped with a driver's airbag as standard. To get the full safety kit in those models you had to stump up more for the optional Safety Pack.

An update in 2004 saw the Conquest get a passenger airbag.

The Levin was better equipped in that regard, in that it also had a passenger airbag and side front airbags, ABS braking, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters.

It was the Ultima that had all of the safety gear standard, including front driver and passenger airbags, front side airbags, ABS braking, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters.

Like the Ultima, the Sportivo was also blessed with a comprehensive array of safety gear. Included were driver and passenger front airbags, ABS antilock braking, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters. Missing from the Sportivo were side front airbags.

ANCAP rated this model Corolla at four stars.

It was too early for electronic stability control, likewise for ISOFIX baby car seat location points (legal in Australia from 2014).

Toyota has a well-earned reputation for reliability and the Corolla was as soundly engineered, well built and reliable as any other in the brand.

That doesn't mean things don't, or won't go wrong with it, they do, particularly now that on average the earliest examples could well have done 350,000km or more and even the last of the line could have racked up as much as 250,000km.

With that in mind it's important to shop around and look for a car with low kilometres that's in tip-top shape and has been serviced by the book.

Toyota recommended servicing every 10,000 km, with major services every 40,000 km. Service costs are modest, and to ensure a long and reliable life it's important that the servicing has been done as per the recommendation. This generation Corolla pre-dates eligibility for any current capped price servicing program.

While Toyota's reputation for reliability is generally impeccable the Corolla was caught up in a number of recalls.

The Corolla engines in this model used a cam timing chain, not a belt, eliminating the need for servicing.

While Toyota's reputation for reliability is generally impeccable the Corolla was caught up in a number of recalls that somewhat tarnished the company's image.

The most concerning recall related to the airbag inflators, which could malfunction in a crash.

Another related to the headlight dimmer switch, which could overheat and stop the headlights from working.

Cars fitted with a sunroof were recalled because the sunroof could be operated with the ignition turned on, which contravened the ADR.

To ensure the relevant reworks have been done check with a Toyota dealer.

MORE: If anything crops up, you'll probably find it on our Toyota Corolla problems page.

The original new car warranty was for 3 years or 100,000km.

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Used Toyota Corolla review: 2000-2015

Toyota Corolla is now in its 50th year in Australia and has consistently been a major player for that entire period, even more so in the last few years when it has been in number one spot outright.

Corolla was built in Melbourne until 1999 and fully imported from Japan since then. Significant improvements were made by Australian engineers to suit them to our conditions. Though the cars are no longer made here Australia continues to provide engineering information to Japan and there’s little doubt Corollas worldwide are all the better for this.

The Australian-built Corollas are getting on in years so we’ll concentrate on the Japanese built ones in this used-car feature. However, there are still many good ones pre-2000 and, while their built quality isn’t quite up to that of the Japanese-made models, you may care to dabble in them as well.

Corollas had conservative styling that was sometimes criticised by trendy people, but it suited the sensible buyers who preferred a less striking shape. In any case, the all-new model of November 2012 took a neat direction midway between conservative and sleek. It has been the best selling car in Australia for most of its life so the designers have obviously got it just right.

Most Corollas are four-door sedans and five-door hatchbacks. A station wagon was sold until the model change of April 2007. While the wagon is a practical machine and has a good load area it was never particularly popular as buyers prefer the macho feel of compact SUVs to sensible station wagons.

Toyota Corolla has reasonable rear-seat room and a good-sized boot so is large enough to be considered as a family car if the children haven’t reached their mid-teen years.

Engines are all four-cylinder units with a capacity of 1.8 litres. Manual gearboxes were five-speed units until the all-new model of May 2007 when a six-speed was installed. An exception to this is the Celica-engined Sportivo which has a close-ratio six-speed unit.

The automatic transmission was a four-speed unit until the 2012 Corolla and an efficient CVT was introduced. Performance from the old four-speeder can be marginal so take it for a test drive to see if it’s okay for you.

The first Corolla Sportivo was introduced in March 2001 - and disappeared from import list before the end of the year. It had rather half-hearted styling-and-suspension changes, but no more engine performance.

Much better was the Sportivo from May 2003 until 2006, it used a variant of the hot Toyota Celica 1.8-litre engine. There’s plenty of power high up the scale, up to 141kW at the peak, but down-low torque is noticeably lacking so driving can be irritating unless you are a full-on sports enthusiast.

The 2001 Toyota Corolla Sport l did have a turbo engine with plenty of grunt, but it was expensive and didn’t sell well, so is relatively rare. As it’s something out of the ordinary it may become a low-level classic in years to come and perhaps even increase in value. No promises, though.

The Corolla is easy for the good amateur mechanic to work on. We recommend having a workshop manual at your side. Anything affecting safety should be left to a professional.

Spare parts and servicing are available through one of the biggest, most widely spread dealer networks in the Australia. Some outlets in the outback may not stock less common components for the Corolla but can usually have them shipped in within a few business days.

Insurance premiums are usually low on all but the turbocharged Sport and full-house Sportivo models.

Check for signs of panel damage or previous crash repairs. Easiest to spot are ripples in the body, best seen by looking at the car end on in good light; watch for paint colours that don’t match correctly; look for tiny spots of paint on areas like glass, badges and rubbing strips that should be paint free.

Look carefully at the interior and boot for signs of damage or excessive wear caused by the hurly-burly of family transporting.

The engine should start within a couple of seconds and settle into a smooth idle within seconds. Listen for a rattle from it when it does start and check the oil light goes out quickly.

Look for smoke from the exhaust pipe when the engine is accelerated hard after having been idling for a minute or so.

Make sure the brakes don't pull the car to one side when they are applied hard and that ABS, if fitted, works correctly. A pulsation through the brake pedal under hard braking will tell you all is the ABS is working.

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Toyota Corolla: Good first car?

You have a good budget, so your choices are numerous. The Corolla is a very good choice. I would steer clear of the European brands, which includes the Ford Fiesta, as they tend to be more troublesome than cars from Asia. All I would suggest is that you stick to the tried and true Japanese brands, Toyota, Mazda and Honda.

Toyota recalls 300,000 cars in Australia for faulty power window switch
This will go down in automotive history as one of the weirdest automotive recalls of all time.
Read the article
What's a safe first car for $10,000?

The Impreza is a good choice with all-wheel drive safety and a raft of airbags, so too is the Corolla, but you could also consider the Mazda3. It's best to stick with the recognized Japanese brands, European brands can be appealing, but they tend to be more troublesome and more expensive to service.

Toyota Corolla: Airbag recall

The recall continues to get bigger but Toyota spokeswoman Bec Angel says: "There have been no incidents or injuries reported in Australia as a result of this condition. We will be contacting all impacted Toyota motorists in the coming weeks to let them know when parts will be available. Mari should call the Toyota recall helpline on 1800 987 366 to check whether her vehicle is impacted, quoting the Vehicle Identification Number from her car."

Toyota Australia recalls 180,000 vehicles over airbag shrapnel fears
Toyota Australia has recalled more than 180,000 vehicles over fears that faulty airbags could spray shrapnel when deployed.
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Replacing a Corolla?

The Corolla has been overtaken by better rivals, led by the Volkswagen Golf and Mazda3 which both get The Tick. You should test drive them before committing to any Corolla, even the Levin ZR.

Used Toyota Corolla review: 2000-2012

Well known as a safe buy, Toyota Corolla has been a major player in Australia since the mid 1960s. The Corolla was built in Melbourne until 1999 and fully imported from Japan since then, probably to the regret of the Australian branch of Toyota in recent years. Having been pulled from our market to make place in the factory for the not very successful Toyota Avalon, Corolla has recently become the biggest selling vehicle in Australia. And it's made overseas... Ah, well, hindsight is wonderful!

Corollas made in Australia had improvements made by local engineers to suit them to our conditions. To this day Toyota Australia provides feedback and engineering information to Japan and there's little doubt Corollas worldwide are all the better for this.

Suspension dynamics used to lean strongly towards comfort rather than sportiness, but that equation has moved more in the direction of satisfying handling. Indeed, the latest Corolla, introduced in November 2012, should be somewhere on the short list of keen drivers.

The great majority of Corollas are four-door sedans and five-door hatchbacks. A station wagon was sold until the model change of April 2007. While the wagon is a practical machine and has a good load area it was never particularly popular as buyers preferred larger wagons or SUVs.

Toyota Corolla has reasonable rear-seat room and a good-sized boot so is large enough to be considered as a family car if the children haven't reached their mid-teen years.

Engines are all four-cylinder units with a capacity of 1.8 litres. Manual gearboxes were five-speed units until the all-new model of 2007 when a six-speed was installed. An exception to this is the Celica-engined Sportivo which has a close-ratio six-speed unit.

The automatic transmissions are lagging behind many competitors in still being four-speed units. Performance from an automatic can be marginal in a car of this size so take it for a good test drive to check that it suits your needs.

Anxious to get away from the Corolla's reputation for being a sensible but boring car, Toyota has had a stab at a couple of sporting variants. These Sportivo models didn't have a lot of success having rather half-hearted styling-and-suspension jobs without any more engine performance than the standard cars.

Spare parts and servicing for these Toyotas are available through one of the biggest, most widely spread dealer networks in the Australia

The 2001 Corolla Sport model did have a turbo engine with plenty of grunt, but it was expensive and didn't sell well. This can be an interesting car if you are looking for something out of the ordinary, but talk to your insurance company first as insurers often take a dislike to turbocharged engines.

From May 2003 until 2006, Toyota imported the Corolla Sportivo with what was virtually a hot Celica 1.8-litre engine. There's plenty of power high up the scale, up to 141 kW at the peak, but down-low torque is noticeably lacking so driving can be irritating unless you are a full-on sports enthusiast.

The Corolla has a simple layout and is easy for the good amateur mechanic to work on. But please stick to non-safety work unless you are a professional. Workshop manuals are readily available at specialist motoring bookshops as well as some general suppliers. We recommend you have one at your side before commencing work.

Spare parts and servicing for these Toyotas are available through one of the biggest, most widely spread dealer networks in the Australia. Some outlets in the outback may not stock less common components for the Corolla but can have them shipped in promptly.

Insurance premiums are usually low on all but the turbocharged and full-house Sportivo models. If looking at the latter make enquiries in advance, particularly if you are a young and/or inexperienced driver as the premiums can be budget breakers.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Check for signs of panel damage or previous crash repairs. Easiest to spot are ripples in the body, best seen by looking at the car end on in good light; watch for paint colours that don't match correctly; look for tiny spots of paint on areas like glass, badges and rubbing strips that should be paint free.

Look carefully at the interior for signs of damage or excessive wear.

Drying out and cracking of the dashboard top or rear shelf probably means the car has seldom, or never, been garaged.

The engine should start within a couple of seconds and settle into a smooth idle within seconds. Listen for a rattle from it when it does start and check the oil light goes out quickly.

Look for smoke from the exhaust pipe when the engine is accelerated hard after having been idling for a minute or so.

Make sure the brakes don't pull the car to one side when they are applied hard and that ABS, if fitted, works correctly. A pulsation through the brake pedal under hard braking will tell you all is OK.

Rust is not common in later-model Corollas, but can sometimes be found around the fuel filler cap and the hinges of the rear hatch. Check the bottom corners of the doors and mudguards, the door sill panels and in the lower edges of the bootlid or tailgate.

CAR BUYING TIP

Start shopping around for a used car several weeks before you intend to buy. This gives you a solid feel about the market before stepping into the home territory of used-car sales people.

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Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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Complete guide to Toyota Corolla 2006
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