Toyota Problems

The Brumby would have been a good choice 10 years ago, but finding one now that hasn’t been driven into the ground, beaten to death, or rusted away is nigh on impossible. Instead of buying a dodgy old your son a favour and buy him a decent car, one that doesn’t belong in a scrap yard, and will serve him well for some time into the future. I would go for a Hilux, Triton, or Bravo 2600.

Locking your keys in a car, or just flat-out losing them altogether, is a horrible experience. While the movies make it look easy to break into a car, the reality is quite different. Even a humble Toyota Corolla is difficult to break into without smashing the door glass with a hammer. If you have locked your keys in the car, the first port of call should be a locksmith, who can come unlock it for you for a fee. If it is an emergency, you can normally access the hatch or boot (otherwise known as the trunk in the USA) by punching the lock out using a large flat-headed screwdriver and a hammer. You will have to get a new lock fitted, though this is often cheaper and less hazardous than breaking a window and replacing that glass. Vehicles built in the last 30 years are next to impossible to hotwire in the conventional sense, so don't even fantasise about that - call a towtruck and get it taken to your local mechanic!

If it’s starting ok at other times then it won’t the fuel pump. It’s more likely to be a sensor that’s at fault, the computer isn’t getting the message that it’s cold and it’s not giving any cold enrichment, which the engine needs to start and run while the engine warms up. Have your mechanic check the temperature sensor.

First introduced in 1966 as a sub-compact model, Toyota’s Corolla has become the worldwide standard-bearer for compact cars, selling over 40,000,000 examples up to July 2013. Japanese-market E160-series Corollas are produced by Toyota subsidiary company Central Motors, in the Japanese Miyagi prefecture. The E170 models are built in plants around the world, including: Indaiatuba, Brazil; Ontario, Canada; Guanzhou, China; Cumana, Venezuela; Bidadi, India; Shizuoka, Japan; Karachi, Pakistan; Durban, South Africa; Zhongli, Taiwan; Chachoengsao, Thailand; Adapazari, Turkey; and Mississippi, USA.

Currently made in sedan and hatch, there are two basic versions of the Corolla: the Japanese-only E160 model, and the export market E170. Australia sources its Corolla sedans from Thailand, while the hatches come from the export-only production facility in Shizuoka, Japan.

Gather together all the information about your concern and argue your case with the people at Toyota’s customer service (1800 869 682).

It would only be replaced/repaired at Toyota’s expense if it were a problem of design or production. Until you have it assessed by a Toyota dealer who should be able to establish the cause of the problem you won’t know if it’s something Toyota will pay for or one you’ll have to spring for.

 I would expect that you would feel the brakes were spongy if a caliper was leaking significant amounts of fluid. I doubt it was leaking when you bought the car, as I’m sure the brakes would have been affected.