My Yaris is super awesome and nothing has ever gone wrong with it. I’ve had the oil changed regularly and sometimes I remember to check the tires, but other than that I’ve never had any of the scheduled maintenance done. I’m starting to think this might be a bad thing. This past week the front end has gotten very loud, it sounds like the axle is having problems. I’m going to take it to a mechanic in a few days, what else should I have him look at/check on/replace/etc? Thanks!!
Just hand the mechanic or service writer the maintenance schedule, and say, “do everything listed between 0 miles and 135,000 miles.” Then, be prepared to pay for a new transmission, especially if it is an automatic.
No, it’s a manual. Do I really need to replace things that are still working?
The service schedule for the Yaris saids to do the following:
- change oil/filter every 5,000 miles
- replace coolant at 100,000 miles
that’s it. nothing else. oh, yes, the Spark plugs need to be changed at 120K.
that’s really IT!!!
i guess the serpentine belt needs changed at this point.
according to the manual, u did not neglect this car at all… well, u shoulda done the coolant change but that’s no big deal, just do it now.
also, ppl here recommend servicing the transmission but it’s not in the manual.
You are severely short in the air filter replacement/trans fluids replacement for sure, regardless of what the manufacturer may recommend. Other important items would be brake fluid flush and possibly even pad replacement as indicated. What about timing belt?
You do need to catch up on fluid and filter changes, even stuff that’s not listed in the manual. The primary focus of the maintenance schedule these days is to minimize cost to the consumer to get a better rating from consumer publications for “total cost of ownership” and to get the vehicle out of warranty without anything major happening. If you want to maximize the car’s life, it pays in the long run to not neglect it. If you intend to scrap it in a couple years, keep doing what you’re doing and it will probably last that long. As for your noise, you may have a bad wheel bearing transmission/differential issue, or simply have completely worn out your brake pads. The latter is very, very likely if you have never had your brakes worked on. If that’s the case, you got your money’s worth out of them and it’s time to cough up a couple or few hundred bucks for some new pads and rotors.
The Yaris uses a timing chain, so the timing belt is not an issue.
And the serpentine belt(s). 135,000 is a long way on a belt.
By the way, if the tires are worn down, and particularly if they’re also in need of alignment, and especially if the struts are also shot, than loud road noise would be expected.
Yeah, you need to get a good going over done on this Yaris. Bring your wallet.
before they hand you the estimate, sit down to read it, you’ll likely faint when you see the cost.
brake work will be a few hundred dollars, coolant flush will be about $100, spark plugs I dunno, air filter $20, replace transmission gear oil will probably be $100 or more.
If they try to sell you a fuel induction service, decline that.
Don’t worry its running. First you have given this motor a very long life in terms of oil.
I have a feeling the air filter was changed as the car likely would not run at this point due to clogging.
I would do spark plugs, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid and have the balance checked out.