At Star Auto Authority, we are your vehicle service experts. Whether you drive a domestic minivan, European sportscar or Asian sedan, one of our highly skilled, experienced professionals specializes in your make and model.
And we want to share our wealth of knowledge with you. While there are scores of blogs about new cars, we're here to bring you money-saving advice, resources and information about the car you already drive.
Today, we want to talk about timing belts. Many drivers know they’re important, but they don’t know why or, more importantly, what happens if that blessed belt breaks. Best case scenario: Your vehicle stops running on the spot. Your engine shuts off; your car isn’t going anywhere without a tow truck. Worst case scenario: All of the above, plus you’re likely looking at thousands of dollars of engine damage because an untold number of internal engine parts have collided at high speeds.
Here’s why this simply named belt can cause such a tale of woe: It ensures that key engine components move into the right position at the right time. As you may know, the engine’s power is generated in the cylinders. A piston rides up and down in the cylinder. During the first down stroke, an intake valve at the top of the cylinder opens and air and fuel is drawn into the cylinder. (Click the video above for a video illustration of how this works.) Then the piston returns to the top, compressing the fuel and air mix. At the top, the spark plug fires, igniting the fuel and pushing the piston down. As the piston once again returns up in the final stroke of the cycle, an exhaust valve opens at the top of the cylinder and the exhaust is pushed out. The coordinates the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. It’s called a timing belt because the valves have to open and close at just the right time.
Not all vehicles have timing belts. Some have timing chains. Like the name implies, they use a chain rather than a belt to perform the function. It used to be that most engines used timing chains, which are extremely durable. Manufacturers started using belts rather than chains to save money in the manufacturing process.
If your car has a timing belt, replacing it will be part of your maintenance schedule, and on many cars, a new belt is recommended at 90,000 miles. (Ask us or check your owner’s manual.) If you neglect to replace it, the design of your engine will determine whether your car simply stops running or if you’ll be left with a costly repair decision. There are two broad categories of engine design: interference and non-interference. If the timing belt on a non-interference engine breaks, the engine simply stops running. That could be very dangerous depending on where you are at the time, but it causes no internal engine damage.
Interference engines, on the other hand, will get real messed up when the timing belt breaks, because the valves will moving down into the combustion chamber as the piston is moving up into it. The valves and pistons can’t withstand the force of the high-speed impact, and you won’t know the extent of the damage until the cylinder head is disassembled. It can easily cost thousands to repair the engine.
So, what are the warning signs that the belt might be about to break? Unfortunately, there really aren’t any. There aren’t telltale sounds. In some vehicles, a technician will be able to glimpse part of the belt for a visual inspection, but many have a cover that’s in the way. The reality is that if the belt slips even one notch, it might as well be broken for all the damage it will cause. There’s no middle ground.
We’ve painted a grim picture here, but we would rather lay out it for your now than watch you learn the hard way. Sometimes, you can get away with ignoring the timing belt, but you have to ask yourself: Is it worth the risk? Even if the engine isn’t damaged, do you want to deal with the stress, inconvenience and cost of unexpected breakdown?
What does it cost to replace a timing belt and avoid a tow truck? It varies with the type of car you have, but in general, it ranges from $550-$1,000. This is because it’s a time-consuming procedure and because it’s smart to replace the water pump at the same time. The timing belt is attached to your intake and exhaust valves (the top of the engine), as well as pulleys that run off the crankshaft (in the lower portion of your engine).
Your technician will have to remove a number of components and covers just to access the belt. And then once s/he’s in there, the water pump is usually right there. By the time you replace the timing belt, the water pump has 90,000 or more miles on it. It has a limited lifespan. For the cost of the pump (and sometimes a tad more labor), you can ensure you’re problem-free for the next 90,000 miles. But if you leave the old pump in there and it begins to leak in another 10,000 miles, you’re paying for the entire timing belt procedure again.
When you weigh all your options, you’ll see that this is one clear-cut case of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Although Toyota is coming under fire from all angles, we’ll leave the jabs to the late-night talk show hosts and news analysts. We just want to keep you up to speed (no pun intended) on the latest news regarding the recalls.
Posted by Jack
The good news in all this is that Toyota announced today its engineers have developed a way to reinforce the accelerator pedal assembly in the 2.3 million recalled vehicles, and repairs will begin this week. Parts to reinforce the pedals are being shipped to Toyota dealers, and dealer training is under way. Many dealers will work extended hours to complete the recall campaign as quickly as possible.
What should you do if your Toyota has been recalled? Wait for further notice. In a video news release to consumers, Toyota Motor Sales USA President Jim Lentz says owners will be notified by mail when to set up a dealer appointment. Some owners are affected by this recall and the floor mat recall, and the carmaker is hoping to coordinate a single trip to the dealer for you. They ask that you wait to contact the dealer until your receive your letter in the mail.
However, if that seems painfully slow, you can read all about the recall on Toyota’s web site, or you can call their hotline at 800 331 4331. You can also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 888 327 4236. Of course, we are always here for you, too. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need some guidance or information.
The January 21 recall affected eight vehicle models:
Avalon (2005-10)
Camry (2007-10)
Corolla (2009-10)
Highlander (2010)
Matrix (2009-10)
RAV4 (2009-10)
Tundra (2007-10)
Sequoia (2008-10)
The hybrid versions of the Camry and Highlander are not affected by the recall, and neither are Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highland vehicles with VINs that begin with “J.”
Toyota says it has pinpointed the issue that could cause accelerator pedals in recalled vehicles to stick in a partially open position. The issue involves a friction device in the gas pedal, which is designed to provide the proper “feel” by adding resistance and making the pedal steady. The device includes a shoe that rubs against an adjoining surface during normal pedal operation.
Posted by Angi
Much to Toyota’s dismay, though, routine wear and environmental conditions may cause these neighboring surfaces to stick and release, instead of operating fluidly. In some cases, the pedal can become slow to return to the idle position, or the pedal could stick in a partially open position. Toyota says the latter happens in rare cases, but that is the driving force behind the recall.
Toyota’s solution for vehicles owners is this: A precision-cut steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the assembly that will reduce the surface tension between the friction shoe and the adjoining surface. The carmaker says it has confirmed the effectiveness of the newly reinforced pedals through rigorous testing on pedal assemblies that had previously shown a tendency to stick.
Separately from the recall for sticking accelerator pedals, Toyota is in the process of recalling vehicles to address instances in which floor mats have trapped the accelerator pedal. The company is notifying owners about how it will fix this issue, and in cases when a vehicle is covered by both recalls, Toyota intends to remedy both at the same time.
America's best-selling car is among those being recalled.
Toyota’s supplier, CTS Corp., is cranking out new accelerator pedals in its Elkhart, IN plant in a mass effort to address the issue that caused Toyota to recall 2.3 million vehicles in the United States and countless more in Europe and China and to halt the sale of affected vehicles.
Toyota said it has worked closely with CTS Corp. on the revised gas pedal design, which eliminates the possibility of the pedal becoming worn and sticking open. The carmaker and CTS continue to test ways to repair, rather than replace, the pedals that are already on cars on the road and in dealership showrooms.
As the modified parts ship across the country, it is unclear whether they’re going to Toyota’s stalled production lines or to dealership service centers for new and recalled vehicles.
To make matters worse for the carmaker, it recalled an additional 1.1 million vehicles this week for problems with an unsecured or incompatible floor mat causing the accelerator pedal to stick open. This is related to an October recall in which 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles were recalled. The newly recalled vehicles are:
Corolla (2009-10)
Highlander (2008-10)
Matrix (2009-10)
Venza (2009-10)
In the floormat recall, Toyota will initially instruct dealers on how to reshape the accelerator pedal. As replacement parts become available, the dealer will install those at no cost to the client. (Clients who have had their pedal reshaped will have the opportunity to have it replaced once parts are available.) For information, you can call Toyota at 800 331 4331. (Of course, you can always contact us by email or phone at 847 816 0011.)
On the heals of its decision to voluntarily recall 2.3 million vehicles, Toyota is temporarily halting sales of the eight affected models, including the Toyota Camry. The carmaker announced the recall on Jan. 21 because of a problem that could cause the gas pedal to stick.
According to Toyota, there is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position. The company says a sticking accelerator pedal is unusual, and it rarely occurs suddenly. The problem will usually develop gradually and can occur when the accelerator pedal mechanisms become worn. Warning symptoms include: the pedal becoming harder to press, the pedal returning slower when released, or sticking in a partially depressed position.
Company spokespeople say Toyota has investigated isolated reports of the sticking gas pedal. The pedal recall and suspension of sales affect these models:
Avalon (2005-10)
Camry (2007-10)
Corolla (2009-10)
Highlander (2010)
Matrix (2009-10)
RAV4 (2009-10)
Tundra (2007-10)
Sequoia (2008-10)
The Camry and Highlander and hybrids are not involved, and neither are Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highland vehicles with VINs that begin with “J.”
Because of the sales suspension, Toyota is expected to stop production of new vehicles at the following facilities for the week of February 1:
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Canada (Corolla, Matrix, and RAV4)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (Sequoia and Highlander)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky – Line 1 (Camry and Avalon)
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (Camry)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (Tundra)
If you believe your vehicle is affected or if you have any questions, you can call Toyota at 800 331 4331. (Of course, you can always contact us by email or phone at 847 816 0011.) This recall is separate from the campaign announced in October in which a loose floormat could become lodged under the gas pedal and cause it to stick open.
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