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7.1

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$780
Average Mileage:
96,750 miles
Total Complaints:
11 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
  2. repair coils, spark plugs, cv boot joint (3 reports)
  3. traded this piece of crap for a new car thats not a toyota! (2 reports)
  4. replace computer (1 reports)
  5. replae exhaust valve cylinder (1 reports)
2009 Toyota Corolla engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Toyota Corolla Owner Comments

problem #11

Aug 012020

Corolla LE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 145,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I should have checked here first before buying that pile of garbage Toyota calls a car. Purchased from a used car dealer for around $4k, then almost immediately started having major engine problems with it. If you still have one of these or are looking to buy one from this particular year: stay clear!

- Jason H., Amelia Court House, VA, US

problem #10

Jun 012018

Corolla LE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 109,000 miles

Check engine light came on, showing P0172&171 minimum shaking, and gas consumption. Replaced spark plugs, injector seals, mass sensor " good ones", air filter, intake gasket seal, PCV valve, the two O2 Sensors, gas cup, clean throttle body. Didn't solve it. Pep Boys not able to figure it out. Wanted $1200 without fixing the problem. Toyota wanted to change all the wires coming from ECU wanted $1500. Not solved! Yet the codes still on, the car runs but uses too much gas. Can't pass smog check.

- marvels, Los Angeles, US

problem #9

Oct 252017

Corolla S 1.8L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

Got home from work, put the car in park, shuddered and lurched a little bit. Check engine light came on and idle'd high. Next day took to my mechanic scanned check engine light, 2nd cylinder needs a new coil and sparkplugs need to be replaced. Got it taken care of the next day for $265, Not a huge problem, could still get the car to and from work when this happened. Car is basically just running on 3 cylinders.

- Alec M., Ivins, US

problem #8

Sep 212017

Corolla

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving on freeway. Engine starts riding rough, check engine light goes on so take it directly to mechanic for repair. Just got cam gear replaced. What next?

- lisa2001, Cas, US

problem #7

Feb 022017

Corolla Ascent

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,244 miles

po171 system 200 bank 1

After getting the fuel pump replaced at 80,000km (see earlier complaint), this useless car decided it didn't want to turn over one afternoon. After a few tries, the car finally started with a big burst of fuel coming out of the pipe, but still runs quite rough.

The next day, the 'check engine' light decided to come on and that's when we grabbed the computer code to see what the problem is. Apparently it's a "Fuel delivery issue".

Have not resolved the problem as I'm in the process of getting rid of this useless car. Would love to sell it back to Toyota but they only have crap cars to trade.

Never buying Toyota again!!!!

- tjenna, Sydney, Australia

problem #6

Nov 032016

Corolla XLE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

2009 car check engine light, Vsc off,and trak flashing. Go to dealership and they want $1000 to fix coil problem ,replace spark plugs. Then they want $560 more to fix leakycv joint boot. With $35,000 miles this car is in the lemon category. I will replace in the new year.

- Gwen T., Silver Spring, MD, US

problem #5

Dec 172014

Corolla LE 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 145,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is what I get for changing the oil every 3,000 miles. Engine problem.

Cylinder 4 has only 90 lbs of pressure because of bad valve.

- njjoe61, Jackson, NJ, US

problem #4

Nov 302013

Corolla LE V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,999 miles

check engine light comes on and the car drops to 20 mph

I bought the car used and was not aware of all of the documented problems with the 2009. My father had the car checked out by his mechanic. The car was deemed solid and well maintained 09/30/2013. I loved the car and was happy with the gas mileage. I did notice at a stop light when I had the brake depressed the engine seemed to surge and reve up. In November 2013 I was driving on the freeway 65 mph the engine light popped on and the car quickly dropped speed. I had to get off the freeway because my car would only go 20 mph with the accelerator pedal completely pressed down. Took the car to my dad's mechanic and they said it was the throttle body. They replaced the throttle body for over a thousand dollars. The car continued to do the same thing. They determined that the new throttle body was faulty. They put in another new throttle body. The car continued to do the same thing. They are really an upstanding business and said they had never seen anything like this problem. They were determined to fix the problem. For free they put in a new computer. The car continues to do the same thing but now does it at in town speeds. I have to pull over and turn it off and it snaps out of it. The last time I took it in was Nov. 2014 . The mechanics still said they will try to figure out the problem but remain perplexed. I got sick of taking it in and currently have given up. I'm still nursing it along and when I get enough money to buy a new car it won't be a Toyota. I took the car in to the Toyota dealership for two recent recalls. Airbag and a electric EMO I mentioned the reoccurring problem and they said they had never heard of my problem.

- Shawn T., Hewitt, TX, US

problem #3

Jan 122013

Corolla CE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 64,001 miles

The check engine light in this car will randomly come on for 2/3 days and then turn off for months at a time. Every time I think it's the time I have to take it in to get looked at and then the next time I start the car it's off. On an 8-10 year old car faulty warning lights maybe, but not on a four-year-old car that has been taken care of.

- thutchinson, Port Perry, Ontario, canada

problem #2

Jun 062013

Corolla LE 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

Vehicle runs very rough and stalls at low idle. Check engine light is on as well as the slip detection light and the VSC is flashing. Trouble codes are for multiple cylinders misfiring. Very reliable service tech could not find the source of the problem. Local dealer (obviously guessing) performed a common known TSB and re-flashed the ECM as well as added fuel cleaner. Problem never went away. Dealer recommended replacing plugs and battery. I replaced plugs and tested battery...13VDC and the lens reads green (good charge according to the battery manufacturer). Have seen this same problem elsewhere in multiple forums. Still troubleshooting this problem.

Update from Jul 31, 2013: 6 hours of trouble shooting by a Toyota dealer has found that the cylinder head gasket has blown and dealer also suspects a crack in the head. If lucky and the head gasket is the only problem. Dealer estimated repair cost to be a little below $1200.00. More if head is indeed cracked.

- safety sieve, Laurel, MD, US

problem #1

Sep 222010

Corolla S 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 43,600 miles

went to toyota for a problem left the dealer ship and drove 2 miles and the check engine light came on again, trac control, stability control, took back to dealer ship and found out that they now say the computer is bad, they are now in the process of replacing it.

- nogto68, Westminster, MD, US

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