[novice]

I have till now clocked 50000 kms with my car, half of it on Bangalore's crowded roads and rest on highways. I got my car serviced(termed as major service by my SA at Nandi Toyota) three months back at 420000 kms and added another 8000kms till now. They have replaced quite some parts during service and replaced /topped-up all sorts of oils. The car felt good for sometime, the acceleration was good.

But for about a month now, I have been facing problems with clutch and engine performance,
- Clutch has become somewhat difficult to use, even smallest error in clutch play length while engaging gears sends shudders throughout the car. But no major problems if clutch is floored fully
- Clutch feels little heavy
- Difficulty in slotting to reverse gear sometimes
- Car feels underpowered, I have to push it hard to move faster. Also the engine sounds noisier and feels as if its over working in 1st and 2nd gear. Overall it doesn't accelerate like a Corolla.
- FE is down to 7kmpl from average 8.

I need your help to sort out the issues. Is the clutch worn out?(I wouldn't be surprised due the driving conditions and my driving style). I read in TBHP that the Exhaust, Engine and Radiator need to be flushed out after 40000kms. I have not done anything of that sort but don't know if Nandi people took care of such things during service. Do they(dealers) cover such things during regular services? The only change that I have done after the service is I replaced worn out Michelin PP 205/60/R15 tyres with new PP2 tyres. Also I always use premium petrol like Speed/Power etc.,

What are all the things that I should check? What parts do I need to get cleaned/flushed?

Any help is this regard is most appreciated :-)

[GTO - Touring]

Hi Novice

All the symptoms you mentioned point toward a worn out clutch. Best to have your workshop examine it.

Butttttttttttttttttttttttttttt 50K is pretty early for a clutch to wear out on a Corolla. Do you drive with your left foot on the clutch?

[praJEEP]

Butttttttttttttttttttttttttttt 50K is pretty early for a clutch to wear out on a Corolla. Do you drive with your left foot on the clutch?

I am really dumb what difference do they make left or right ? do you drive with your right foot how can you manage let me know ?

[novice]

Thanks for the response. I had a damaged left drive-shaft before the service and I drove around for about 20000kms with it. My car used to pull towards left side due to the drive shaft damage. But now it is replaced. Is there any possibility of this causing this a premature clutch wear.?

Originally Posted by GTO - Touring

Hi Novice
Butttttttttttttttttttttttttttt 50K is pretty early for a clutch to wear out on a Corolla. Do you drive with your left foot on the clutch?

No I don't. I drive around in some of the most crowded roads in Bangalore. Also what I meant when said "my driving style" is that I drive fast and always try to extract maximum out of the Engine/Transmission.

[simply_sunny001]

GTO-Touring perhaps meant that left foot should not be resting on clutch while clutch is not used.

[Sahil]

Apart from a new clutch i think you also need a Tune-Up.

[Jaggu]

take it service, ask them to inspect clutch and let you know if it needs replacement or a service of the clutch settings.

Bangalore traffic is bad and 50k in peak traffic is quite a good amount of load on clutch, that said corollas are somewhat built to last these abuses.

Coming to engine, do a complete tune up and oil change. Also check/clean/replace air filter and fuel filter.

Does Toyota advice the use of premium petrol?

[novice]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Apart from a new clutch i think you also need a Tune-Up.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Coming to engine, do a complete tune up and oil change. Also check/clean/replace air filter and fuel filter.

Does Toyota advice the use of premium petrol?

Thanks for the advice. But could you elaborate on the Tune-up part. What are all the things that I should take care when I get my car tuned-up?

I do service my car regularly but never bothered about what service they do to the Engine. I just leave the car at service station, SA would call me and give the list of parts to be replaced and I give my approval to go ahead. Finally pay the bill, get the car back and drive around happily(or I thought so). So I don't want to do the same mistake this time around.

[Jaggu]

You can ask them to do valve settings, decarb, throttle body cleaning and plugs. Then oil/oil filter air filter and fuel filters.

Engine flush and radiator flush are also desirable jobs.

[novice]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

You can ask them to do valve settings, decarb, throttle body cleaning and plugs. Then oil/oil filter air filter and fuel filters.

Engine flush and radiator flush are also desirable jobs.

Thanks once again. Would you suggest whether I should get these things done by the dealer or by a private garage. I don't have the confidence to go with the dealer now. They get way too many cars for service everyday and they spend very little time on each car.

Would you suggest any private garages in Bangy?

[Jaggu]

i still would suggest dealer, fix an early appointment for a weekday (middle of the week) and clearly instruct SA to do a proper job. Tell him to take an additional days time if it requires

[zulfi hansi]

Originally Posted by novice

I have till now clocked 50000 kms with my car, half of it on Bangalore's crowded roads and rest on highways. I got my car serviced(termed as major service by my SA at Nandi Toyota) three months back at 420000 kms and added another 8000kms till now. They have replaced quite some parts during service and replaced /topped-up all sorts of oils. The car felt good for sometime, the acceleration was good.

But for about a month now, I have been facing problems with clutch and engine performance,
- Clutch has become somewhat difficult to use, even smallest error in clutch play length while engaging gears sends shudders throughout the car. But no major problems if clutch is floored fully
- Clutch feels little heavy
- Difficulty in slotting to reverse gear sometimes
- Car feels underpowered, I have to push it hard to move faster. Also the engine sounds noisier and feels as if its over working in 1st and 2nd gear. Overall it doesn't accelerate like a Corolla.
- FE is down to 7kmpl from average 8.

I need your help to sort out the issues. Is the clutch worn out?(I wouldn't be surprised due the driving conditions and my driving style). I read in TBHP that the Exhaust, Engine and Radiator need to be flushed out after 40000kms. I have not done anything of that sort but don't know if Nandi people took care of such things during service. Do they(dealers) cover such things during regular services? The only change that I have done after the service is I replaced worn out Michelin PP 205/60/R15 tyres with new PP2 tyres. Also I always use premium petrol like Speed/Power etc.,

What are all the things that I should check? What parts do I need to get cleaned/flushed?

Any help is this regard is most appreciated :-)

Hi Novice, I know its a very old post but I really need to know what was done on your car, an update . Because I have the exact same symptoms on my car now, its a 2003 Corolla. Thank you.

[novice]

If you had replaced your clutch assembly recently then it all boils down to the skill levels of mechanic who worked on your car. I took my car to a private garage and threw out all items and replaced them with new ones. Problem solved. An year later faced similar problem with my other car after replacing clutch and DMF assembly at an authorised service centre. Once again took it to the private garage. But this time didn't replace parts as OE parts were expensive. Just got the clutch assembly stripped and re-fixed. Problem gone.. Let me know if you want to know the details about the garage.

[novice]

Btw, I replaced full clutch assembly at a Toyota ASS but continued to face similar problems. That is when I took my car to a private mechanic.

[zulfi hansi]

Originally Posted by novice

If you had replaced your clutch assembly recently then it all boils down to the skill levels of mechanic who worked on your car. I took my car to a private garage and threw out all items and replaced them with new ones. Problem solved. An year later faced similar problem with my other car after replacing clutch and DMF assembly at an authorised service centre. Once again took it to the private garage. But this time didn't replace parts as OE parts were expensive. Just got the clutch assembly stripped and re-fixed. Problem gone.. Let me know if you want to know the details about the garage.

Originally Posted by novice

Btw, I replaced full clutch assembly at a Toyota ASS but continued to face similar problems. That is when I took my car to a private mechanic.

Thank you for the reply Novice, actually I have not replaced the clutch as yet. This car [2003 Corolla] came to us in early 2007 and it had done 90K kms already, but was from a family friend and the way the car was maintained was exemplary, my Dad has been using it since then, I have been driving it on & off when I visit my parents. Only this past May I got this car for my use [even I had a 2005 Corolla H5 which I sold and took this 2003 Corolla of my Dad and gifted him a E280, long story, BTW my car had done just 98K kms when I sold it in Jan 14, and this car never had a clutch replacement in 98K kms]. The present car - 2003 Corolla which I am using has done 1.64 Lakh kms as on date, of which it has run 74K kms in our house, and we have never changed its clutch. May be the reason why because where my Dad stays the traffic is not that bad and 80% of the mileage was on highways, within last 2.5 months after it came to Bangalore this problem started.

If the traffic is easy there is no problem, can drive all day long, but that is impossible in Bangalore as you know. IMO the Corolla gear shift has been its achilles heel, I could never come to terms with it, always notchy demanding a lot of patience and really getting on the nerves in our Bangalore peak traffic hours . In morning I don't feel much for about 6-7 kms, may be because I am fresh, but once it gets into the bumper to bumper and past 12-13 kms it starts to strain me. I don't understand, the clutch gets harder and harder, does it get harder when it heats up or something! I'am so pissed off sometimes that I avoid changing gears and try to be in 3rd gear when I can be in 4th and lug the engine in 3rd when I should be in 2nd gear ideally.

And the biggest issue is that now the mileage has dropped to 8 in the city from 12 [not in Bangalore though], my realistic assumption it should give me 10 kms/ltr at-least in our traffic.

1. Very slight vibration from the clutch pedal when pressed.
2. Engine is also vibrating a little more than normal.
3. Engine is sounding rough.
4. Mileage has dropped by at-least 3 kms/ltr than normal.
5. If I press the clutch pedal with all my strength [as though standing on it], then the gears engage a little easy, but not normally. Gear slotting is not a problem but the gears don't engage easily.

I am worried if it is more than just the clutch plates.

Already diagnosed by Viva Toyota [in my experience they are really good, been their customer since 2010]. They say its the clutch plates to be changed, but they say pressure plate need not be changed, strange, but in all probabilities once they open it they will ask me to change the entire unit [that's the typical A.S.S way of working]. But your garage seems to be really good, please share the details. How much did you spend on the clutch assembly replacement? and did you also face these symptoms as I have detailed above, please let me know.