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 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.

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.

1998 Toyota Corolla VE 1.8L DOHC 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

This is a great car

Faults:

The only problem I've had is the AT shifter console light going out. It costs a bunch to fix, so I just purchased a map light and it does the trick.

An annoying aspect of my Corolla is that it loses a little control over rough or uneven roads. I find myself having to make steering corrections and fight to stay straight within my lane on uneven highway roads.

General Comments:

The Corolla is a very well made vehicle.

It has a smooth ride.

It has good acceleration.

It is insulated for sound (see for yourself, there's sound deadening material under the hood) which makes for low interior noise.

It is low maintenance, having a timing chain and also a distributor-less ignition system.

The handling is poor with the standard tires and wheels, but I remedied this by purchasing a set of 15" rims and 195/50 15 performance tires. I suppose that you could purchase performance tires in the original size (185/65 14?) to replace the stock passenger tires and it might remedy the handling problem as well. But a set of nice rims and low profile tires does give the Corolla a nice look.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th January, 2003

1998 Toyota Corolla G6 1.3 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Pint sized, pocket rocket

Faults:

The rubber surrounds from around the headlights had come loose. Quickly sorted out with some double sided tape though.

I have had a strange clattering noise from the engine for a while, I had belts changed and a Toyota dealer looked at it, but nothing was resolved, it goes as the engine warms up and doesn't appear to affect the performance.

General Comments:

This car has an excellent specification for a small family sized car, plenty toys to keep you happy in the majority of traffic jams.

I can't fault the handling or performance either, for a 1.3 engine it can certainly move when you need it to, it's made my journey to work seem much more enjoyable.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th July, 2002

1998 Toyota Corolla CE 1.8 from North America

Summary:

Cheap overrated junk

Faults:

Fuel injectors failed at 27,000 miles.

Steering system makes creaking and groaning noises when parking.

Paint is inferior.

Brake rotors constantly warp.

Power door locks intermittently do not work.

Poor fit and finish.

General Comments:

Toyota does not know how to engineer automobiles at all and should be investigated and fined. These cars do not compare in quality to Honda or even Saturn and Pontiac.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st June, 2002

12th Jul 2005, 17:44

They know how to engineer cars. They have just been getting lazy because of all the hype they have received (admittedly, much of it was deserved initially), and now think they can run on inertia. Toyota has had some serious quality problems recently, that have not been widely reported in the press. Perhaps they have corrected them, perhaps not. In any event, you could not melt down a new Toyota and pour it on me.

6th Jan 2008, 14:23

This is no way you can compare the reliability of a saturn or pontiac to a corolla, I've owned all three and the corolla was by far the most reliable. The corolla isn't a complex, flashy car, just reliable.