i have a 2003 toyota corolla. the engine idles high at 2k rpms when the car is started each morning… and it is only about 58 degrees… when i start the car it will begin idling at about 1750 rpms, then the lights will come on then she will go to 2000 rpms and stay there until the car gets warmer and in about 5 minutes work her way down to 750 pms… does anyone have any idea how to solve this or what it sounds like…
hay buddy its ment to do that my r3 skyline dose it as well but in my case my dont move until its warm it ment to do it…it’ll be ok
What does “then the lights will come on” mean? Which lights are coming on?
Also, how many miles on this vehicle? Is it manual or automatic, and is all maintenance up to date? Be honest.
when the headlights come on after you start the car then it will switch to 2k rpm. the car is automatic. i just bought the car with 68k miles… im thinking if it takes about five minutes for the needle to go to below 1 rpm now . what is it gonna be like when its real cold out… other than that the car runs good. thanks for responding.
All modern cars are supposed to idle fast just after start up. Yours seems to be doing what it is suppposed to do, only with a bit more rpm. 2K seems a bit high, but the tach on your insturment cluster is not as accurate as a shop tach hooked up to the motor.
If this really bothers you have a shop check it out. Most cars really don’t have an idle speed adjustment anymore. Perhaps someone has tweeked your cars computer with a “performance” chip. Or, it maybe due for new plugs and a tune up including a fuel injector cleaning and carbon removal from the intake. Have you openned up the air filter canister and looked at the air filter?
Since you just bought the car you may not have records to show what kind of service the car has received from the previous owner. Before making any adjustments get the car serviced as per the owner’s manual. With 68K miles assume the last owner did not perform the 60K service which for a Toyota is a major service.
This is normal for your car, don’t worry about it.
thank for your imput… just curious as to why you say that… do you have a corolla. dont you think 2 k rpms is just a bit high… sounds kind of loud at start up… thanks
I have an 03 Pontiac vibe, that under the hood is more or less identical to your 03 Corolla. Sometimes the idle is higher than 2k. It has been this way since new, 150k miles ago. I encourage you not to worry, it is not an issue.
After start-up, count to ten slowly and then turn on the a/c, rear window defroster and headlights. This will bring your idle down to less than a grand. You can turn this stuff of after it warms up, which it will do quickly with these accessories turned on. Rocketman
i just wanted to add this: wouldnt it be helpful to add a thicker oil to the car . toyota calls for the 5w 30 oil for fuel economy… ive checked the fuel economy with this car 4 times and this car gets 36 or 7 miles to the gallon usually… i am serious. i have a light foot… would putting a thicker oil inthe car increase the heat index faster and warm the car sooner… and to change the subjeck how does anyone feel about adding lucas oil additive to the oil… that stuff that says that “oil alone is not enough” //???..
Putting a thicker oil would reduce the oil flow to the tightest passages in the engine. It would also increase the oil-less wear time at each engine startup. It will also void any warranty that you might have. These seem like bad things to me, but maybe you know better than the manufacturer of the engine?
Since it does eventually idle down to 750, which is most likely correct, I am betting the tachometer is not far off.
Yeah, 2000 rpm at 58 degrees does seem awfully high to me. I can’t say it’s wrong on that model. I can say I wouldn’t want one that idles that fast when it’s that warm. That high an idle will be a killer when it’s snowy out.
Absolutely do not use any oil not recommended, 5w30 in most cases. Do not I say!
it is only 2000 rpms when i start the car when it is warmed up is normal… i was worried how long it would take to go from 2000 rpm to under 1000 rpm when its really cold out and the engine takes longer to warm. now it takes about 5 minutes and its only about 58 degrees…