1998 Toyota Corolla VE 1.8 from North America
Summary:
Fairly reliable vehicle and very poor dealer support even during warranty
Faults:
Since day one it has been pulling to the left.
There is a vibration, felt on the floor and on the steering wheel, at driving speeds over 129 kph.
The driver seat always squeaks.
The dash rattles. It gets worse in winter.
The clutch is squeaky when depressed and released. The noise comes from the clutch assembly.
The air conditioning never performed well and until a year ago I had the condenser replaced. The dealer could not find the fault when it was still under warranty.
For a long time now, there is a whining noise that disappears when I slightly touch the clutch pedal. The noise would go away on a humid day somehow. Again, the dealer does not seem to hear it. It is coming from the clutch assembly.
General Comments:
I would be grateful to hear from owners of 98 Toyota Corolla. How, if they have experienced any problems especially the last one I mentioned, have they come around it? Thanks.
poinoosammy@aol.com
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 15th March, 2003
27th Apr 2005, 20:11
The clutch noise is where the return spring goes into pedal. About a $2.00 fix.
15th May 2005, 18:19
Or it could be a release bearing, (if it's from the clutch assembly) Which might be a big deal, but usually won't kill the car, just annoying, and might screw up the pressure plate springs.
27th Jun 2004, 19:01
The '98 was the first year of a new generation of Corollas. There was the '93 to '97 generation and then the '98 to '03 generation. As is typical, the first year of a new generation is problematical. '98 Corollas are not the best year. If you want to buy from that generation, get a subsequent year.