First Toyota LEMON I've ever seen ...

[Rob Mac]

We just solved all the various problems with our 2009 (Japan made) Corolla LE.
This car had a bad VVTI cam gear rattle, rotting window rubber trim, totally shot paint, a drive belt system that ate belts at 3K miles, bad alternator, both half shafts, both wheel bearings, whining transmission (automatic), 3 out of 4 blown stereo speakers, intermittent air conditioning and broken AC vent louvers. To add insult to injury all this with just 125K miles!
This was solved by trading in for a 2020 Corolla LE. It took a lot of convincing to get my wife to sign off on another Toyota. I have been driving Toyota's for 50+ years so I knew this one was an exception.
I really hope no one else has one like ours.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

We just solved all the various problems with our 2009 (Japan made) Corolla LE.
This car had a bad VVTI cam gear rattle, rotting window rubber trim, totally shot paint, a drive belt system that ate belts at 3K miles, bad alternator, both half shafts, both wheel bearings, whining transmission (automatic), 3 out of 4 blown stereo speakers, intermittent air conditioning and broken AC vent louvers. To add insult to injury all this with just 125K miles!
This was solved by trading in for a 2020 Corolla LE. It took a lot of convincing to get my wife to sign off on another Toyota. I have been driving Toyota's for 50+ years so I knew this one was an exception.
I really hope no one else has one like ours.

Congrats on the new 2020 Corolla. I do love the new design. As far as your 2009 Corolla lets go through these things one at a time.

1. Well, the cam gear rattle is a known issue but doesn't really cause any damage.
2. The car is 10+ years old so rotting rubber trim will wear out. Parking outside will affect this more.
3. Belts that wear out in 3k miles are not being installed properly.
4. Bad alternator. They don't last forever and the car does have 125k miles and is 10+ years old. Could be related to #3.
5. Both half shafts. See #4.
6. Both wheel bearings. See #4.
7. Whining transmission. Did you change the fluid every 30k miles? If not that could be the cause.
8. Blown speakers. OEM speakers are not always the best. They can be blown by playing the stereo too loud.
9. Intermittent A/C. The car is 10+ years old with 125k miles. A/C issues happen.
10. Broken vent louvers. About the only way these break is if they are handled wrong or rough.

Many of these issues sound like maintenance issues or very hard miles without maintenance done at proper intervals. Not to say that Toyota makes every car perfect, they don't. Every manufacturer has lemons, you can't help it when you build as many cars as they do when other companies make many of the components. Lemon cars usually will show issues within a year or 2, not 10+. That's usually maintenance related.

Enjoy the new Corolla though. Hopefully, it gives you many years of trouble free driving. I've had no major issues with my 2009 Corolla S Turbo which now has 103k miles.

 

[Rob Mac]

Car was maintenance babied and driven almost always by my wife.
Mobil 1 oil, Toyota filter every 4-6K miles.
Transmission was flushed once at 60K miles and drain and filled every 4th oil change. Pan dropped, cleaned and filter changed, very easy on this car. Whine was more a gear whine with engine RPM and definitely not a fluid pump whine. Definitely not an engine noise.
Cam gear rattle was ridiculously loud, started at about 30K but the dealer could never hear it when under warranty or so they said.
Rubber went at about 4-5 years. I was shocked.
Original speakers were rotten when I replaced them. We are both way to old to listen to loud music or drive hard LOL.
I assume there was a pulley out of alignment on the drive belt issue. I have been working on cars since 1971 and graduated from a 1 year class at an old established automotive/diesel school in 1975. I can properly adjust a belt.
I was about to replace the condenser and expansion valve then on to the compressor but glad I didn't waste the time and money.
The paint was pure crap they used back then, it went way before 10 years. Couldn't handle Florida weather. It started with the Toyota rash on the hood.
You got your point across sir but insulted me at the same time. If it was my fault I could accept it but this car was a lemon period. If I showed you the maintenance book I kept you might understand.

 

[Rob Mac]

For the PC persons I offended with the word lemon I change that wording to "Trouble free challenged".
After all it wasn't by law a lemon. Just by my standards for a Toyota vehicle.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

Car was maintenance babied and driven almost always by my wife.
Mobil 1 oil, Toyota filter every 4-6K miles.
Transmission was flushed once at 60K miles and drain and filled every 4th oil change. Pan dropped, cleaned and filter changed, very easy on this car. Whine was more a gear whine with engine RPM and definitely not a fluid pump whine. Definitely not an engine noise.
Cam gear rattle was ridiculously loud, started at about 30K but the dealer could never hear it when under warranty or so they said.
Rubber went at about 4-5 years. I was shocked.
Original speakers were rotten when I replaced them. We are both way to old to listen to loud music or drive hard LOL.
I assume there was a pulley out of alignment on the drive belt issue. I have been working on cars since 1971 and graduated from a 1 year class at an old established automotive/diesel school in 1975. I can properly adjust a belt.
I was about to replace the condenser and expansion valve then on to the compressor but glad I didn't waste the time and money.
The paint was pure crap they used back then, it went way before 10 years. Couldn't handle Florida weather. It started with the Toyota rash on the hood.
You got your point across sir but insulted me at the same time. If it was my fault I could accept it but this car was a lemon period. If I showed you the maintenance book I kept you might understand.

I wasn't trying to offend you but I was trying to show how these things do and can wear out. You didn't give any maintenance details in your original post so I was just taking your points one by one. I would hope that you would have understood what I was doing.

I've seen cars much newer than mine in much worse shape. If cars are left outside the weather can destroy the rubber in no time. I've seen the difference on my 2006 Scion xB which lives outside compared to some of my other cars that live in the garage. I'm guessing that your car li=ved outside by the comments on the rubber, speakers and paint. The paint on all cars is now much worse quality since it's water based and not oli based. Is you want your paint to stay looking like new than have a Clear Bra installed and keep the car waxed several times a year.

I would say to never flush the transmission. I've been told that by many Toyota Master techs, just drain and fill and replace or clean filter if it's an AT. The cam gears can be noisy and some have replaced them. I've always used Mobil 1 or Toyota synthetic 0w-20 and haven't experienced the cam gear noise but it is a known issue.

 

[echarleswhyte]

2009 is the first year of the 10 gen (in North America) and the first year of a generation will likely have some issues, and the 2009 had some. I myself drive the last year of the 10th gen, 2013, and all I have done is regular oil changes and filter changes. I have a manual and have changed the transaxle fluid a couple times now. replaced the timing belt, did my brakes several months ago. I still have the original battery that is going strong. I have not even had to do a wheel alignment, roads are not too bad her but I do make it a point to miss pot holes and man hole covers, just a thing with me. That said, not every car Toyota makes will be perfect, and sorry to hear you had a bad experience, hope the new one is much better, I kinda wish I had a good reason to get a new car....but I have no need nor reason.. Possibly by the time I do I can pick up a gently used 2020 standard transmission.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

2009 is the first year of the 10 gen (in North America) and the first year of a generation will likely have some issues, and the 2009 had some. I myself drive the last year of the 10th gen, 2013, and all I have done is regular oil changes and filter changes. I have a manual and have changed the transaxle fluid a couple times now. replaced the timing belt, did my brakes several months ago. I still have the original battery that is going strong. I have not even had to do a wheel alignment, roads are not too bad her but I do make it a point to miss pot holes and man hole covers, just a thing with me. That said, not every car Toyota makes will be perfect, and sorry to hear you had a bad experience, hope the new one is much better, I kinda wish I had a good reason to get a new car....but I have no need nor reason.. Possibly by the time I do I can pick up a gently used 2020 standard transmission.

I've got a 2009 Corolla S that I bought in November 2008. I've owned it almost 11 years and have had no issues with it even after turbocharging it. I do keep it in the garage or under my carport so it's out of the elements. The paint looks brand new and it's a blast to drive with the power and handling improvements. I drain and fill the gear oil every 30k-35k miles. I change the oil every 12 months or 5k miles. Protecting the paint, rubber and interior are paramount to making it last. Maybe I was lucky but my 1st year of the 10th Gen has been excellent. I'm still on my OEM brakes at 103k miles.

One thing though that you couldn't have changed is the timing belt as it doesn't have one. It has a timing chain so you should be good to go for a long time.

 

[echarleswhyte]

I've got a 2009 Corolla S that I bought in November 2008. I've owned it almost 11 years and have had no issues with it even after turbocharging it. I do keep it in the garage or under my carport so it's out of the elements. The paint looks brand new and it's a blast to drive with the power and handling improvements. I drain and fill the gear oil every 30k-35k miles. I change the oil every 12 months or 5k miles. Protecting the paint, rubber and interior are paramount to making it last. Maybe I was lucky but my 1st year of the 10th Gen has been excellent. I'm still on my OEM brakes at 103k miles.

One thing though that you couldn't have changed is the timing belt as it doesn't have one. It has a timing chain so you should be good to go for a long time.

My bad, I meant serpentine belt is what I replaced.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

My bad, I meant serpentine belt is what I replaced.

I just changed mine also at 98k miles.

 

[Rob Mac]

My 06 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 is almost 14 years old and still looks like new. It’s been outside in the Florida weather since new. White paint is really shot but from a close distance looks polished like new. Still matches 040 touch up paint very closely. All the rubber trim is solid. Engine still runs like new. Drives just slightly less tight than the day I drove it off the lot in 2006. Ball joints and LCA/UCA bushings still good.
Just like my first 1996 Tacoma before I sold it.
My ‘91 22RE Toyota truck was the same.
79 Corolla was almost unstoppable.

WTF happened to the 09 Japan Corolla we bought in mid ‘08?

Flushing a transmission is the only way to do a proper fluid change. EXCEPT when it has been neglected. Then drain and fill. Lifetime fluid like Toyota recommends is a joke on the people who actually believe it.

2020 Corolla now has a drive belt tensioner and metal oil filter to name two changes I like. Rides more like a car than go cart. Hope it holds up!