So sadly...I thought the day that my car would be towed home would never be seen by my eyes....but they did.


I don't know what's wrong with my vehicle but perhaps some of you might have a clue as to what the malfunction might be from my description.

Alright so as of late I've been noticing noises from my vehicle ...mostly very faint "clanks" in intervals of a few seconds...at first I thought nothing of it, I figured the guys at the local tire shop might have done something wrong I was going to take it in eventually this weekend. I started hearing the noises a few days ago...

Today as I was going to take my g/f to school as I started my manual car as I normally would my RPM meter shot up to 4-5k RPM very hastily and REV'ed back down to it's normal idle position. I found it to be very strange...but thought nothing of it then after since I'm normally paying attention to whatever my g/f has to say I did mention it to her.

Any who on the tip there and back...everything seemed fine, nothing but a milk run to be honest. When it was time to pick her up I did it without a hitch, but the way back is where I encountered some problems... : / mind you the school is no more then 3-4 miles away from my house.

Well on the way back we completed a good majority of the route...as the light was green to make the final right hand turn towards my house my car shook abruptly and the engine REV'ed to about 4-6k RPM once again as the car was in gear the engine then completely turned off. I witnessed the check engine indicator turn on and the car coasted nicely to a dead stop onto the shoulder of the road into the bike lane were some unhappy bicyclists were waiting.

I then called the tow truck driver, as I waited for his arrival I attempted to start up the engine once more....it did start for a brief second but moved a few feet and died but one odd thing I did take note of was the sound of the exhaust ...it sounded as if their were an opening of air underneath my seat. As if the exhaust was being released underneath the car midway and not towards the rear...yea I find it hard to explain but that's what it felt like... : /

I connected the dots and figured the recent noises (subtle clanking), random engine Revs at startup were the problem.


Well 53 dollars later ( to tow my car less than a mile, I kid you the ____ not)....my car got home...before I start making a few phone calls..I'd like to get some input from the community as to what may be the problem.







I'm not quite sure if this is the proper section for this sort of post perhaps their's a general "Mechanical help" section if so MODS feel free to move it.



I live in San Diego


Performance MODS? NO


Car Mileage? 50-70k

All regular scheduled maintenance performed? Yes, oil and brakes... :3 besides that...??

Any check engine lights? Besides the Engine light just the tire pressure











******UPDATE********

Turns out it was the throttle body that's broken.


Dealer wants: 1,175 for it...at least now I have an idea in regards to prices for the part + labor. It's sad how they inflate the prices so high...

I have a friend (_Nexus_) calling a warehouse at the moment for the part...

how easy would it be for us to install it?

What would you guys recommend? A new or used one from the junkyard?









tl;dr my car is ____ed. :nails:

CEL?

CEL?


I forgot to mention I don't know jack about cars...just that they need gas and oil.


What's a CEL?

oh boy.
CEL=Check Engine Light

if you dont know anything about cars, you should have just had it towed to a mechanic.

and where are you located?
you may be better off posting in the regional section asking for help.
most people would be willing to help you out if you just bought them lunch or something.

oh boy.
CEL=Check Engine Light

if you dont know anything about cars, you should have just had it towed to a mechanic.

I'm a man on a budget. =]




Got any clue what may be wrong?

you havent given any usefull information.
no one, including myself, even knows where to start.

Any mods?
Cars mileage?
All regular scheduled maintenance performed?
Any check engine lights?

and where are you located?
you may be better off posting in the regional section asking for help.
most people would be willing to help you out if you just bought them lunch or something.

you havent given any usefull information.
no one, including myself, even knows where to start.

Any mods?
Cars mileage?
All regular scheduled maintenance performed?
Any check engine lights?


I live in San Diego


MODS? NO


Car Mileage? 50-70k

All regular scheduled maintenance performed? Yes, oil and brakes... :3 besides that...??

Any check engine lights? Besides the Engine light just the tire pressure




I hope that was helpful ...I shall edit my first post =]

listen to yellow he knows what hes talking about if you dont know anything about cars just take it to a mechanic

listen to yellow he knows what hes talking about if you dont know anything about cars just take it to a mechanic

I'd like to have at least an "idea" of what may be wrong. =]



I'm afraid of the mechanics jibbing me :3

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/seanyiya/Scion/tC%20LED%20Converion/TC-Gauge-01.jpg

see that white light on the far right under the tach?
yours isnt on?

and how does your car have 50-70K...
thats a pretty big diff.

we'd all like to help you but if your not mechanically inclined its not really possible.
so you say you tried to start the car and it started up but then died right away?
its getting spark.
you may just need to clean, or replace the MAF sensor.
MAF sensor=Mass Air Flow Sensor.
Basically just measures the amount of air going in.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/seanyiya/Scion/tC%20LED%20Converion/TC-Gauge-01.jpg

see that white light on the far right under the tach?
yours isnt on?

and how does your car have 50-70K...
thats a pretty big diff.

I said in my first post it came on and the car lost power right away.


Do you want an exact amount? let's just settle for 65,000 Miles.

we'd all like to help you but if your not mechanically inclined its not really possible.
so you say you tried to start the car and it started up but then died right away?
its getting spark.
you may just need to clean, or replace the MAF sensor.
MAF sensor=Mass Air Flow Sensor.
Basically just measures the amount of air going in.




Yes, it started after a few fail attempts and it was getting spark every time. But only moved a few feet then the car stalled and the engine shut off right away.


Well that sounds cheap I hope.... :3

so you dont know what a CEL is but you know how to check a car is getting spark?
is the CEL still on?
if so, you need to find someone with a scanner since you obviously wont be able to drive the car to autozone to have it scanned for free.

so you dont know what a CEL is but you know how to check a car is getting spark?
is the CEL still on?
if so, you need to find someone with a scanner since you obviously wont be able to drive the car to autozone to have it scanned for free.



I just don't know automotive abbreviations mate...but I do understand the basic starting process of a vehicle.

And yes it's still on.

well that light comes on when ur car loses power... and it goes off when the car starts, if thats what ur saying. see if you can rent a OBD2 scanner from an auto shop and have them see what kind of code the check engine light is for. because without knowing what code, it is worse than finding a needle in a haystack.

ok, well then your first step would be to get it scanned and see what codes come up.
let us know when you figure it out and well go from there

well that light comes on when ur car loses power... and it goes off when the car starts, if thats what ur saying. see if you can rent a OBD2 scanner from an auto shop and have them see what kind of code the check engine light is for. because without knowing what code, it is worse than finding a needle in a haystack.

ok, well then your first step would be to get it scanned and see what codes come up.
let us know when you figure it out and well go from there



I'll put this into grand consideration....Thanks for the help.


Hopefully all goes well.



I take it I should stay away from the dealership ?$$$$

yes please stay away from the dealership lol there are just as many shops out there that are competent enough to help u fix the car at half the price

like i said, might be as easy as cleaning the maf or something thatll cost you less than $10.

let us know what codes you come up with when you get it scanned.

my suggestion is look on craiglist and find a mobile mechanic that nears u, pay someone $30-50 to check.

I had problems with my MAF sensor it occured after a minor accident with the sensor (i wont go into it I dont want to get flame by other ScionLife users and bring down my self esteem down) but it occured while I was changing my Intake...

Anyway after the small accident my check engine light came on...

when the car was idle, meaning just sitting there, it seem fine it idle ok but it sounded like it was drowning in a way, the check engine light was on, if you accelerated or ref the car past 1.5 rpms it would sound like it was drowning (kinda sounded like a subaru hahaha) but far worst, and it would stall and turn off. If you tried to start it, it would start if you accelerated past 1.5 RPMs it would stall again...

If you have the same issue specially with the drowning sound (sounds like the car is under water and its blowing bobbles) its def the mass air flow sensor, a quick code reader can tell you this.

If it is i'm the sensor is about $60.00 (give or take 10.00 dollars) and I am for sure that anyone in the San Diego area can help you replace it for free in exchange for a quick bite at your local McDs...

also I know most people dont like going to dealerships but durring this accident the dealership replaced it for free because they said it was under warantee...I have the 100,000 mls warantee on my car (i didnt pay extra for it so what the heck right?), the car currently has 66785 and the issue occured around 45989 miles.

hopes this helps.

Oh and if its your MAF sensor Please replace your air filter!!!!!!!!!!!!

your post basically says that you only did oil changes and brakes i think...

proper engine maintance will help you prevent some of these issues....

I know it gets expensive but it will save you money in the long run...I use the recomended schedule by toyota, I hit up my buddies and we do it our selfs, i know about cars but not enough, networking through ScionLife or other forums will help you save money and will help you keep your car maintance up to date...

dude im gonna save you butt......

ok first start by unplugging the mass air flow sensor connector..
http://i50.tinypic.com/io3jbl.jpg
leave it disconnected and try starting the car.... if the car starts and drive decently then the problem is that sensor and it WILL need to be replaced...luckily on ebay u can get them for dirt cheap but new its an arm n a leg

buying a MAF from ebay is a BAD idea. You should always be sure you are replacing with a new MAF, not a used one, and you can run into people selling parts like hat used on ebay, especially since if you dont know what you are looking for you may not even know it is used. There are some things that should just be purchased new ;)

The check engine light being on with the engine off may not be telling you much. Is it on when the car does run for a short bit?

Getting the code pulled is a definite first step.

if the car revs out of control and then dies, you may want to check for major leaks on the intake manifold, or check to see if your throttle body is malfunctioning. i blew a hole in my intake mani before and the car would rev up and then die.

To be honest, it sounds like a serious failure. Tow it to a mechanic if you don't have an extended warranty, and if you do, then bring it to the dealership.

Thats probably your best and safest bet.

I just spoke with the dealership and I have no warranty... : / ...It's going to be all out of pocket ...this blows.


Thanks for the help guys it's very much appreciated =]...

If you get the codes pulled, let us know what they are and we can most likely get you closer to the solution.

dude quit being a damn tight wad. Its FREE to RENT tools from A LOT of PLACES.

If you really want to know whats going on, get a code reader. Find out if there is a code, post it here and do some searching.

You will NOT know whats going on without finding out yourself, especially if you don't know much about cars. I know a lot about cars as a ______ing defense for the freaking mechanics out there trying to screw you over.

Post asking for advice, and then one of the longest running sl posters give you advice and you say you'll consider it.

I wouldn't sweat it anymore guys. If he won't listen, might as well let him waste his money that he is so tight with.

dude quit being a damn tight wad. Its FREE to RENT tools from A LOT of PLACES.

If you really want to know whats going on, get a code reader. Find out if there is a code, post it here and do some searching.

You will NOT know whats going on without finding out yourself, especially if you don't know much about cars. I know a lot about cars as a ______ing defense for the freaking mechanics out there trying to screw you over.

Post asking for advice, and then one of the longest running sl posters give you advice and you say you'll consider it.

What a debbie downer, if you're not going to saying anything productive keey your opinions and thoughts to yourself no need to de-rail.

I wouldn't sweat it anymore guys. If he won't listen, might as well let him waste his money that he is so tight with.

No need to be pessimistic here.








Well my roommates friend is coming over today with a scanner. I'll post the "codes" as soon as I can.


And Thanks once again for your guys input it is really much appreciated... I just hope I can get this car fixed before I get deployed for a year.

debbie downer? lol you know nothing of the people around you my friend.

Irregardless you have acted like a ____ to those who were trying to help you. figured a different approach might get through.

Don't expect any advice from me though.

Turns out it was the throttle body that's broken.


Dealer wants: 1,175 for it...at least now I have an idea in regards to prices for the part + labor. It's sad how they inflate the prices so high...

I have a friend (_Nexus_) calling a warehouse at the moment for the part...

how easy would it be for us to install it?

What would you guys recommend? A new or used one from the junkyard?







Thanks,
-Richie

how is the throttle body broken? it is a weird part to break. is there an actual crack in the body itself? it would be easy for the experienced person at home with the proper tools. call an auto dismantler/junkyard to get the part for cheaper than the dealer if you want to go that route. i would just get one from the junkyard. if it comes from a newer model, like 09 vs 05, the better it is for you.

how is the throttle body broken? it is a weird part to break. is there an actual crack in the body itself? it would be easy for the experienced person at home with the proper tools. call an auto dismantler/junkyard to get the part for cheaper than the dealer if you want to go that route. i would just get one from the junkyard. if it comes from a newer model, like 09 vs 05, the better it is for you.


According to the dealer the "Flap" is broken and stiff to move.

sounds like the butterfly valve or small motor controlling it is broken. your car is at the dealer now?

Car Mileage? 50-70k


Am I the only one who noticed this?

Am I the only one who noticed this?
nope


how does your car have 50-70K...
thats a pretty big diff.

call junk yard's for a tc motor go there remove the throttle body then go home and swap it with your's it's not really hard to remove

hey i'm having a problem too...

car wastes gas and i don't understand why

milage: 100 - 70,000 miles.

check your alternator.

hey i'm having a problem too...

car wastes gas and i don't understand why

milage: 100 - 70,000 miles.

:question: :ponder: :rofl:

the dealership could be offering a bs excuse to get you to payup.

then when they replace it they say you can either pay to take it off or pay for it anywyas

people ussually just pay for the part and labor.

To keep this thread going, I am starting to see issues again with my car idling really low in neutral on my TC. It has died a couple of times while sitting at intersections when the idle drops below 500 rpm. The idle has been really low in general and running rough lately around 500 rpm. The CEL light came on for a moment but has since went away. I will be repalcing my air filter soon just in case, but I think it's the throttle body again.

This has happened before and my throttle body has been replaced by the dealership twice since it gets stuck and my car won't start. The other two times it was replaced under warranty, but now I am out of warranty. My car is almost at 100000 miles and is a 2005 manual. It was the only warranty repairs I needed on my car.

How often is the throttle body failing on TC's? It looks like it may happen the 3rd time on my car. I removed my Injen air intake after it failed the first time and have been stock since.

Most likely I will get a used throttle body on ebay. I wonder if it has anything to do with heat, it happens during the summer in Texas.

There its a toyota scion bulletin tsb for the scion throttle body out, I don't know if it had anything to do with these issues but on the new tb it comes minus a hose port...

The circuit board on the TB going out?

has anyone thought about cleaning the throttle body? some i've read the dealer replaced it but it was just gummed up with carbon which caused the throttle plate motor to stumble then a CEL (check engine light). If that plate couldn't move the computer wouldn't be able to start the car. just a thought...