Catalytic Convertor - bites the dust !!! 61,160 Miles (doh!)

darrenjuggins · August 16, 2004, 12:56

Hi All,

Well my problem free MR2 - suddenly developed the pace of a asthmatic snail!!!

Took it into local dealer, it's only just had it's 60,000 service, which was trouble free.... plus I'd just driven only two weeks ago 900 miles round trip to plymouth......

Check obvious things whilst i was present, such as MAF, etc.... so left it with them on saturday - rang them today.....

Hmmm well - you need a new cat and O2 sensor, seems the senor has either been dying or died which has caused a complete failure of the cat!!!!

It's actually under a 2 year toyota extended warranty, which is good as the cost of repair will be approx £1,000... then they have to check for any other damage caused !!!!

Same as others, a couple of days before, high oil loss with water loss !!!

funny though, the engine management light never came on.

lets hope they fix it and it hasn't caused any other damage.....

Jesus - you would think that after all these failures they would do something !!!!

oh well... get my loan car tomorrow - can't wait.

Cheers

Darren J s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 13:01

is it just the main cat that has faid mate? or have the pre-cats gone aswell, those are the ones you need to watch as if they break up and get sucked back into the engine, you'll need more than just a new cat s:? :? s:?

SteveJ · August 16, 2004, 13:07

Oil loss = engine toasted.

Get it replaced!

darrenjuggins · August 16, 2004, 13:23

I'll keep you informed, they want to do the sensor and cat before seeing if anything else is damaged, so I'll just leave it with them to fix and report.

it's a bugger as the engine has been rock solid till now, so lets hope it's just the cat.

As for the oil loss - yeah a little ominous, but they are the tech's not me....

I live by the two circles - Influence and concern.....

I can only be concerned about the engine and cat, I can't influence it, so i'll take the loaner and leave it to them to worry about all the complications.

Cheers

Darren

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 13:30

you're covered under your warranty mate, so dont worry about it. leave it to MR.T...

SteveJ · August 16, 2004, 13:49

Just re-read your post - yours is NOT a typical failure - no-one else has reported water loss. This would indicate either a failed head gasket or a cracked block.

If you sit back and let them get on with it, you will end up in the loan car months as they will mess about trying to get away with fixing the cheap bits and ignoring the real cause.

You need to understand - the extended warranty is an insurance policy sold by Toyota dealers. If anything goes wrong, they have to pay for the parts, then claim them back from the insurers. It's not like the Toyota main warranty where the parts are provided free by MrT, then they charge the garage if it isnt covered under warranty.

Stay on top of them otherwise they will just take the piss.

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 14:38

Quote from: darrenjugginsyou need a new cat and O2 sensor, seems the senor has either been dying or died which has caused a complete failure of the cat!!!!

Same as others, a couple of days before, high oil loss with water loss !!!

s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Darren:

There is no way that I can think of, that a failed cat O2 sensor or both can cause oil and water loss. If there wasn't water loss, just oil, then it sounds similar to the pre-cat failures others have experienced and reported. In this case you need, at least, a replacement short engine. If water loss it sounds more like, as Steve says, a HG or block problem.

I would ask them to explain the mode of failure and the link between symptoms and thier diagnosis of the cause.

Andy

darrenjuggins · August 16, 2004, 15:14

Hi Guys,

Sure will - seeming them tomorrow, so I'll have a chat with the mechanic about it all....

It was just a quick telephone call this morning to assess my transport options more than anything.

They are a good bunch and look after my car really well, so i'm hoping they will get everything sorted right for me.

As for the water loss, think this could have been due to the high temps we have had recently, was only minor loss not mega loss and it was all still pressurised.

I will get a full tail about what wrong etc and report back.

I'm a really nice customer until things don't go right, so i'll keep on top of it no worries.

thanks for your advice/comments I will bare them in mind when I have a chat with them tomorrow.

Cheers

Darren J

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 15:46

Darren:

Hope they continue to meet your previous experiences and get ot sorted quickly and first time. Keep us posted!

Andy

Anonymous · August 16, 2004, 16:01

Quote from: "darrenjuggins"I'm a really nice customer until things don't go right......

Nice quote Darren, doesnt that make you a horrible customer then?

I will defenitely use this one in future "I am a great guy until things dont go right"....rather than people describe me as a misrable tw*t s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anyway, hope it all goes ok. cant believe how they seem to go wrong bang on 60k...weird.

DAZ400 · August 16, 2004, 16:03

I take it the wheels are still fine though ......... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

darrenjuggins · August 16, 2004, 23:18

Hi Craig and Daz,

Thanks for confidance vote guys, the wheels are still Fine Daz, waiting for this set of tyres to run through then I'll put your on and have my current one's refurbished (cheers mate).

As for you craig - well what can I say, me an horrible customer.... no, no, no....... s:D

s:D

Well the assessor should be there tomorrow so at least the remedial work should start soon, can't believe it just went like that and as you say craig - magical 60k mark as well......

well if they get it fixed, that's at least another 60k i'll get out of it :-) :-) :-)

always look on the bright side.

anyway late and my beds calling - thanks again guys and i'll keep you informed.

Cheers

Darren s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Anonymous · August 17, 2004, 09:01

Sorry to hear your engine has gone the way of the pear... I'm on 55300 miles at the mo, and engine still seems as tight and solid as ever... touch wood!
Been thinking of trading up for a while though, so after your experience, mabye I should bring that date forward and just get on with it!
Unfortunately I can't really justify finding the additional £13k I need to get a VX220 turbo... hmm.

Tim.

darrenjuggins · August 17, 2004, 09:05

Hi Carter,

well I've had no sign of a problem until last week - Friday 13th seemed to be D-Day......

The engine seemed fine - lets just hope it's the cat !

Well they should start work today ! Nice !

Thanks for your thoughts

Cheers

Darren

SteveJ · August 17, 2004, 09:36

Quote from: "darrenjuggins"Hi Carter,

well I've had no sign of a problem until last week - Friday 13th seemed to be D-Day......

The engine seemed fine - lets just hope it's the cat !

Well they should start work today ! Nice !

Thanks for your thoughts

Cheers

Darren

How can the engine seem fine - it's just lost all of it's oil, and there is NO WAY that oil loss is caused by a failed CAT alone - the only way for the oil to escape is for there to be an internal failure of the engine.

SimonC_Here · August 17, 2004, 09:43

Well It's a race then!

Mine goes in for a complete engine removal and strip down next monday. Oil loss was at ~1ltr/480miles.
Apparently it will take a week to take apart, a week for the assessor to turn up and OK the work s:shock: :shock: s:shock: . There seems to be some doubt if it will be covered. s:(

s:( and then a week to put it back together. Provided of course that they have the parts.

And unlike you darren, I don't get a courtesy car s:(

s:(

Apparently you can claim £45 a day for 5 days for a car, only after the assessor turns up and says it's OK to do the work.

Not sure what I am going to do if they strip the engine and the assessor says no. 16hrs work at ~£60/hour Not a chance.

S

darrenjuggins · August 17, 2004, 09:46

oh hell !!! thats not very good....

why might it not be covered ?

D

SimonC_Here · August 17, 2004, 09:51

Because:

"Toyota do not recognise this as a problem with the MR2 Roadster engine"

Apparently there is some info on their internal fault system about the engine in another car but "it's not a MR2 Roadster Sir". s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Anyone got this fixed under extended warrenty and willing to name the garage for use with mine?

S

darrenjuggins · August 17, 2004, 10:02

yeah possibly mine !!!

we shall see - they are replacing cat and o2 sensor - then looking for other problems after!!!

gulp !

SimonC_Here · August 17, 2004, 10:44

Just FYI.

They replaced the Main cat and manifold (containing the pre-cats) on mine and checked for oil leaks. Didn't find any and sent me on my way.

Week and a half later no power. s:(

s:(

S

darrenjuggins · August 17, 2004, 10:49

oh bugger.... think I will be taking this thread with me.....

guess your engine dumped the oil in the cat again - causing yet another failure of the cat !!!

Sorry to hear that might, I'll try and make sure that dosen't happen to me....

It seems pretty clear that its another mechanical faliure and that they should be contract bound to cover it ! good luck mate.

D

SimonC_Here · August 17, 2004, 11:01

You too.

The lack of power was the oil missing. top it back up and it's OK again.

Simon

darrenjuggins · August 17, 2004, 13:23

simon,

which garage your car at so if need be mine can avoid the same problems.

Cheers

Darren

Anonymous · August 23, 2004, 08:54

Just been reading your post's Darren & sound like you have a very poorly car there.

Has it been sorted now then ?

Heard this problem is most common with imported MR2's like the one i have recently acquired & your's, and am worried if mine is heading the same way being on just over 50,000 miles.

:shock:

SteveJ · August 23, 2004, 09:00

Quote from: "japimportMR2"Heard this problem is most common with imported MR2's

Dont know where you heard that, but you need to change your sources s:? :? s:?