1999 Toyota Corolla: check engine light

Filed Oct 10, 2008 · Engine, Fuel system · 109 miles · NC

My car is 9 yrs old, 109,000 miles it's on the lower end of the recommendation mileage for the year of the car. On 9/3/08 first day the check engine light ever came on. I got nervous went to advanced auto parts and they checked the light, it showed something was wrong with the air flow. Check engine light went out after 3 days. Brought it to toyota for repairs of some other items and mentioned the check engine light going on and then off. They checked it but wasn't sure if it was reading correctly. 4 days later came back on again and went out 3 days later. 2 days passed and then it came back on again and remained on ever since. I brought it back and they told me it was a charcoal canister failure and it would cost $450, I was upset because I just got $968 worth of repairs and maintenance done. I always keep up on my maintenance work/oil changes. Is this a faulty part from toyota? I've never heard of this going and if it is normal after so many years/miles then why is it so expensive and hard to find or repair? I heard only toyota has the part which was quoted to me as $232. So if I don't pay $450 my vehicle won't pass inspection/emission test. Can someone help!

Filed Jan 25, 2007 · Engine · 122,000 miles · NJ

Engine light comes on from time to time on its on due to failures of the charcoal canister/evaporative solenoids. The charcoal canister seems to be a common complaint. The car will run just fine (depending on the type of failure), but if you have emissions testing, the car will fail. Many toyota owners seem to be having this similar trouble due to some flaw in the toyota icu programming. If you search on the net for the similar problem, many links will show up. ----------------- http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/reliability.aspx?year=1999&make=toyota&model=camry&trimid=-1 ----------------- http://www.cartrackers.com/forums/live/toyota/600.html. *jb -----------------

Filed Aug 19, 2005 · OH

Took vehicle in for mandatory state e-check to renew license plate tags. Check engine light was on and therefore, would automatically fail inspection. E-check attendant ran test anyhow as a diagnostic check. Results indicated emmisions problem. Took vehicle along with e-check results to conrad's for repair. Mechanic found no emissions trouble. Mechanic did find faulty central computer in vehicle responsible for false results and suggested possibility of other warning lights, indicators, and guages could be affected. Conrad's found bulletin statement from toyota admitting 1999 corolla computer failure, however no recall. Toyota has been contacted by owner, as well as conrad's, and verified they are aware of problem. Toyota has not assumed cost for replacement, estimated at $1200.00. Vehicle can not pass e-check until computer is replaced, therefore, tags can not be renewed, even though there is no emission trouble.

Filed Jun 15, 2005 · Engine, Seat belts · 36,000 miles · MI

My 1999 toyota corolla has its check engine light on for the two years. The code is p0446/0441 and when winter comes it goes away and re appears in summer. I first noticed that around 36000 miles. The dealer says it is a canister problem, but could be something else and I see that there a lot of toyota owners who are seeing the same compliant. Also for the last 2 days I see that the seat belt not put sign start to flash even if you have the seat belt on.

Filed Sep 7, 2004 · Fuel system · MA

1. Normal driving and use of car, regularly maintained, still under certified preowned warranty (doesn't seem to cover what seems to be a design flaw?). 2. Check engine light comes on, code scan produces po-441/441 (vapor cannister and vsv needs to be replaced [evap control system errors]). 3. Nothing done yet. It seems that other corollas experience this problem (from web searches [www.google.com].

Filed Jul 28, 2004 · Engine · CA

No accidents, all maintenance done as specified in manual. Check engine light on for several months. First time toyota dealer said it was loose gas cap. Came back on. Next time they said it was charcoal canister (cost $736). Light returned. Now they say it is some valve and is going to cost another $700 -800 to fix.

Filed Jul 21, 2004 · Engine · CA

I have a 99 toyota corolla ve and it was fine until a week ago when a malfunction indicator lamp lit up. I took my car to a mechanic where the car electronic system was checked. It showed that my car has a evap control system vent control circuit malfunction. According to the mechanics, it would cost me 400-500 dollars to fix it besides a good amount of money just for a diagnostic test. After the check up, the malfunction indicator was off but then come back later. I learned that many other toyota cars have the same problems and also the malfunction indicator light still on even after fixing the problem. This is a problem of a faulty circuit that would not allow the canister to vent and that causes gas to become trapped in the canister and makes it break down. Thus, resulting in the charcoal canister not working properly. I don't know how safe driving my car if the problem persists and it would cause problem with smog check, gas, fire...

Filed Jul 2, 2004 · Engine · 80,500 miles · TN

Purchased my car used on 2002. The car never had any problems until in january 2004, the charcoal canister needed to be replaced. This was at the same time the A/C system needing to be replaced. The A/C system was covered under an extended warranty, however the emission problems were not. I have had problems with the check engine light continually going on and off since this has been replaced. I have taken it back to be checked, the mechanic tells me there is nothing wrong with my car. However, the light continues to arise. The light stayed off for approximately 2-3 months and has now started its on and off again show. The research I have begun has opened my eyes to a whole new world of charcoal canisters being replaced as fast as people change underwear. This replacement cost about $467-/ with labor. As far as I can tell this is the going rate for this job. I am upset to see so many people in the same 'canister' as I and toyota, with whom I love their cars, are not making any adjustments nor standing up to the plate to assist their consumers. I work in a consumer protection agency and know personally how people and businesses take advantage of one another. I ask toyota to look into this problem thoroughly.

Filed Jun 1, 2004 · Engine · 50,200 miles · GA

Upon seeing the "check engine" light on I took my 1999 toyota corolla (50,200 miles) to a local toyota dealership for diagnostics. The report indicated that the charcoal canister needed to be replaced. The repair costs are almost $500 with labor. This part is not under warranty past 3 years and 30000 miles. Although this is not a safety issue, it is an environmental and fuel efficiency concern and I think that the company should include it in its extended warranty. I am trying to shop around for a cheaper estimate. I have performed all the recommended maintainence schedules and am concerned that this was not addressed during routine maintainence.

Filed May 20, 2003 · Engine · GA

We bought a 1999 toyota corolla with 19,509 miles on september 30, 2002 from an independent used car dealer. The check-engine light came on the same day we bought the car so we took the corolla to the nearest toyota dealership, jay toyota of columbus, georgia to have the engine inspected the day after we bought the car. On our way to the dealership, we noticed excessive smoke from the tail pipe and "jerky" acceleration. The service department told us that the engine was in poor condition due to sludge damage and even admitted that toyota co. Has been having sludge problems in toyota engines. However, the service department told us that toyota manufacturer's warranty does not honor engine failure due to sludge damage. Their estimate for repair was $2500-$5800. The service department recommended that we not drive the corolla anymore than necessary before we have the engine repaired because they said the engine may fail due to the sludge. We didn't have the engine repaired, but we did send an oil sample in for oil analysis. Although the oil we sent in only had 314 miles on it, the levels of fuel and iron in the oil were considered high. According to the analysis an oil sample from a gasoline engine should contain less than 2% fuel, our sample with only 314 miles on it already had fuel percentage of 2.8. The universal average for iron is 9 parts per million, our oil had 34 parts per million of iron. It seems to us that our corolla is having the same type of problem as the models that toyota company has agreed to include in its program in which certain engine models with sludge damage can be repaired or replaced by toyota at no cost. After visiting some car review and car survey sites and performing some searches on the web, we found that we were not the only corolla owners having problems with engine sludge. We believe corolla should not be excluded from toyota's sludge program.

Filed Oct 30, 2002 · Fuel system · PA

Consumer stated when the vehicle was started up, the engine light would come on and remain illuminated. Ts the dealer found that 1 out of 4 fuel injectors was bad and needed to be replaced.