Big problems with Avensis!

sniper786

Hi all,


I have a 55 plate Avensis d-4d diesel and we have been having serious problems over the past 6-8 weeks.

Basically, around 2 years ago the head gasket may have gone on it as it was guzzling water down, we would put litres in and if you were to check later in the day it would be gone completely. Also, the heating then became dodgy on it, sometimes working and then not. Anyway we were told it was very expensive to fix and we were not planning to hold onto it for much longer so opted against a repair although we did try these head gasket repair sealants but to no avail.

Anyway last autumn the heating stopped working completely and i had targeted October this year to get a new car. I have a contact in a garage who will take the car as a trade in as long it it runs. It started ok but if you were starting it for the first time in the day you would need to give the ignition 2 or 3 goes before it would start

Typical then about 6 weeks ago it just would not start, i would turn the key and it would sound as though it was almost about to go but fail at the last second and die. My friend's brother is a mechanic and he said the glo-plugs and relay needed replaced. This worked and he brought the car back to me. However, i tried it the next day and it would not start again, tried jump leads with another car but still no luck.

I then took the battery out and charged it with a portable motorbike and car battery charger and it said the battery was very low so i charged it to full and the car started OK and i drove it around that day fine.

However, next day car would not start again so i got my local garage to tow it, who said the battery was dead and replaced it but said they could only get it started with Easy spray, so they tried their diagnostic computer but it said it was not responding and said i would have to take it to somewhere that has a Toyota computer.

This is a nightmare situation and i am lost what to do, does anyone have any thoughts. I am reluctant to take it to Toyota as they will charge an arm and a leg for just looking at it and i am worried i'll end up spending over £1000 when the car is only worth around £2000 now.

EdGasket

If it is "guzzling water down", then it probably isn't worth £2000 as the head gasket will need doing or am I missing something? Do you want to stitch up your trade contact with a dodgy car?

Strider590

sniper786 wrote: »

when the car is only worth around £2000 now.

Correction.... The car is worth what it'd cost to replace.

I'm not sure what to make of your long post, are you sure the HG has gone and it's not just a hose leak?

forgotmyname

No water = poor and uneven cooling nd excessive wear = a short life.

Compression maybe down. Sell it as is and get your new car early.

Ratboy

I'm unsure what the OP is asking for :eek:

You have run a faulty vehicle for two years, with no maintainence, when it has been leaking fluids, but no mention of them being topped up? Which also relates to the heater not working;

CONFUSED; where do you get the price of £2000 for a dud taxi from? Maybe worth £50 scrap.

I used to have the same, and it suffered electrical faults. And you also state that a mechanic friend diagnoses something different?

Ranger8

Let me guess... your D4D is a 2.2 yes ?
Lots of problems with this motor as also fitted to the Rav4 and Verso, so many that Toyota increased the warranty to 7yrs and replaced the engines on many.
Spend no more money on it, by hook or by crook get it to the dealer and get shot of it.;)

bodgerx

+1 The answer to the OP's question is in paragraph 3 of their original post.