Just bought a used xA having a serious problem.

[iwrestledabearonce]

I drive about 100 miles a week, I have to fill up twice a week.

2 Mechanics have looked at it, and I have fought with every human being that works for the Toyota dealer where I bought it.

No one sees a single problem.

Also, when I sit at a red light, stop sign etc in drive with my foot on the break, it feels like a semi truck under me. My boyfriend drive's an xD ... smooth as silk, fello members drive xBs and TCs ... no problem. My xA feels the equivalent to driving a Mack truck, the rpms go up and down up and down... and I am going nowhere.

Does ANYONE have any idea what it might be? Put in brand new spark plugs, checked the fuel injectors, new air filter, tons and tons of fuel system cleaner, we did all this and still the car gets like 12mpg and shakes.

ARGH X_X

[bheiser]

your catalytic converter







I drive about 100 miles a week, I have to fill up twice a week.

2 Mechanics have looked at it, and I have fought with every human being that works for the Toyota dealer where I bought it.

No one sees a single problem.

Also, when I sit at a red light, stop sign etc in drive with my foot on the break, it feels like a semi truck under me. My boyfriend drive's an xD ... smooth as silk, fello members drive xBs and TCs ... no problem. My xA feels the equivalent to driving a Mack truck, the rpms go up and down up and down... and I am going nowhere.

Does ANYONE have any idea what it might be? Put in brand new spark plugs, checked the fuel injectors, new air filter, tons and tons of fuel system cleaner, we did all this and still the car gets like 12mpg and shakes.

ARGH X_X

[iwrestledabearonce]

How do I check that..? What is that and how much are they lol

[Hotrod]

How do I check that..? What is that and how much are they lol

http://www.aa1car.com/library/converter.htm
"Driveability symptoms such as a drop in fuel economy, lack of high speed power, rough idle or stalling are classic symptoms of excessive backpressure (http://www.aa1car.com/library/exhaust_backpressure.htm) due to a plugged converter. Checking exhaust backpressure and/or intake vacuum will tell you if there's a blockage (more on this subject in a minute)."

Go to a dealership, you prefer, and tell them to change it. For how much you have messed with them and they cant even figure that problem out they should give you a damn good deal in my opinion. I am not sure what a dealership will charge but online they are about $75-80.
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=catalytic%20converter%20scion%20xa&aql=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wf

[Uncle_Unix]

Either a clogged cat or the throttle enrichment circuit is running closed loop

Dealer should be able to find these in a few seconds. If your exhaust pipe is black then its too much fuel

[iwrestledabearonce]

I am kinda stupid here.... I am guessing it is part of the exhaust.. if I put another exhaust on there.... would my problem be solved?

[Uncle_Unix]

I am kinda stupid here.... I am guessing it is part of the exhaust.. if I put another exhaust on there.... would my problem be solved?

Sorry for explanation. The cat is the catalytic converter. Yes its in the exhaust but most aftermarket systems are from the cat back and do not include it.

Any local garage can tell you if the catalytic converter is bad. One of the tell tale signs is it takes a lot of power to drive at highway speeds and acceleration is really bad feeling like the car is holding back. I would get it checked out because you will save in the long run on the repair if you just start guessing.

Hope this helps

[iwrestledabearonce]

Could i get a piece of rebar and break it up ? <_<?

[SciKo_SmO*xAs]

u know my xA has kinda the same thing, but it just Reves sometimes a lil too much, and on the GAS im doing real bad!! i drive alot!!! just last week i hit my 100,000 mark on the xA( i got it in december last year at 51,000), and it kind of hesitates wen i punch it! could it be the cat? or maybe new spark plugs?

[Uncle_Unix]

u know my xA has kinda the same thing, but it just Reves sometimes a lil too much, and on the GAS im doing real bad!! i drive alot!!! just last week i hit my 100,000 mark on the xA( i got it in december last year at 51,000), and it kind of hesitates wen i punch it! could it be the cat? or maybe new spark plugs?


I would get a tuneup for that thing, plugs would be part of thatn 51 k its about due for work

[Uncle_Unix]

Could i get a piece of rebar and break it up ? <_<?


LOL not my car lol

If its not the cat then you just killed it

Stop by a locl shop and ask them to take a quick look is your best bet or maybe on the the area Scikos can look at it for you real quick

[microscientist]

Old thread, but that sounds like a plugged cat for sure...however, usually a plugged cat is a symptom of something else and the whole thing really needs to be looked over. If you've checked the injectors and the fuel system, I'd suspect either an ignition problem or an internal oil leakage (bad seal somewhere). If you keep driving it with the plugged cat you will probably blow a front O2 sensor and make the bill more expensive, so get that checked asap.

[bheiser]

You may need some new plugs also

[The5ickne55]

Got new plugs. Dealer says I am getting mid 30's in gas mileage.

Just got back from a 40 mile trip... used half a tank of gas. What should we do ><?

[Hotrod]

Got new plugs. Dealer says I am getting mid 30's in gas mileage.

Just got back from a 40 mile trip... used half a tank of gas. What should we do ><?

If you replaced the cat, and got new plugs, look at all your fuel lines to start. there might be a leak. Look at the tailpipe, and you can see if your running rich. go to a shop and get your car on a tune dyno.

[The5ickne55]

Haven't done anything to the cat. I only have spare tire changing jacks.. and I am too much of a puss to get underneath the car and start banging and drilling while the car balances on those death traps...

Muffler shops in my area are like 'Yo dawg yo gurls car needs flomasters my mannnnn' aka every shop in the area is trying to rip us off, sell us stuff we don't want, and they refuse to do anything to the cat.

[BATComm1]

If you really push the dealership where you bought it..Catalytic Converters are covered for the life of the vehicle, this is an EPA thing, a muffler shop wont cover that warranty because they have to buy the parts but a dealership/car maker have to cover them for life...its a government rule..I'll see if I can find it, my dad has had 2 replaced under this Act.

[The5ickne55]

A couple of muffler shops just told me it was the cat. Toyota says NO WAY. The cat is FINE. The car is FINE.

What should I do?

[aalbertson3]

Try a different dealership... :ponder:

[CXTKRS1]

Try a different dealership... :ponder:

Indeed, sounds like a clogged cat, although it is odd for one to clog up up before 100K.

[sandrarose]

I'm wondering if mine will have these problems. It's only around 50,000 right now and I'll be driving it a lot this coming fall for school. Any recomendations fo maintenance?

[Hotrod]

I'm wondering if mine will have these problems. It's only around 50,000 right now and I'll be driving it a lot this coming fall for school. Any recomendations fo maintenance?

spark plugs (if you need them)
oil changes every 3k-5k miles
pvc valve
fill it with gas.

thats all you EVER need to do lol

[sandrarose]

I would hope I wouldn't forget to get gas. lol. I figured it would be that much. I just replaced a '97 chevy cavalier that I put way too much money into fixing. The last straw was the sunroof decided to stay stuck open! So now I have my xA!

[sandrarose]

Ironically though, the check engine light came on like 32 hours after buying the car. :o Took it to the dealer and they found a loose wire in the engine and some rust around the gas cap (which threw off a sensor, I guess.) Now it's doing well!:-D

[Hotrod]

gas caps are rare replacements ;) I just did mine after 65,000 miles

[SatsumaXa]

Have had my xA since they first went on sale in Louisiana, now 115K miles later, and here is what I have found..The first year oil changes were free at dealership, then $$
Dealership oil changes fluctuated between the correct 5W-30 and the 10W-30 oil weights!! (I have all service invoices showing oil used). The heavier oil had somewhat noticable effects!! Lowered economy, loss of power, straining at passing or just running at interstate speeds. Also had effect on PCV valve and thus blow back oil due to higher RPM/manifold vaccuum and have seen oil residue at the throttle body!!
This has damaged my cat/converter but no CEL yet...:)
Have taken care of oil changes/maintainence to repair self..

[sandrarose]

The gas cap was strange. Now the Maintence Required button is on - but only because the place I got the oil changed didn't reset the switch. Really sure on that.

Plus, I have to get my oil changed again in a few hundred miles. Probably will bring it to the dealer and have them do the 50,000 check up.

I drive a lot too. I fill up maybe once every week and a half...I'm just thankful I'm not filling up a larger tank.

I was at the gas station once and there was a man in a huge ford truck beside me. He looked over my xA and asked how much it cost to fill it up...I said about $30 and he wished his truck would be full on that amount. Then said the xA was way to small...

lol.

[sandrarose]

:/ I believe my first problem has revealed itself. The muffler is getting quite loud.