stevo1210

Hi Everyone, I have a quick question about tail light gaskets on my '03 Corolla. Basically it's the foamy rubber thing that goes in between the light assembly and the metal of the car to keep the water out. Is there supposed to be a glue of some sort to hold the gasket to the assembly or is it just a pressure hold where the gasket relies on the screws that hold the light to the body to keep the gasket nice and tight at the same time? Thanks.

Well... this sounds kinda stupid of me... but that brown stuff we see in the photos above isn't actually rust. I actually scraped some of it off with my fingernail at first and it was sticky and gooey, it tasted bland (no taste) when I gave it a slight lick to see what it was (yeah I know I should taste things like this :-/ ) anyway, I used some isopropyl alcohol in a can (called electronics degreaser) which I use when I do my electronics soldering to clean off solder resin when I solder motherboard and PCB parts etc. and it worked a charm, got rid of most of that brown goo and those areas look very clean and new. I then got a wet towel and went over all the areas I "degreased" to ensure that I wouldn't have any residues of isopropyl left even though it's a very weak cleaner that evaporates on contact. So it looks like I don't have any rust! YAY! :) Now it just boggles my mind to what that stuff was. Did some smartass purposely put something there as a prank or what?

I went to the Toyota dealer today and I was indeed missing grommets on those holes. Anyway, in these two pictures... http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...0/IMG_1981.jpg http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...0/IMG_1976.jpg You can see that there is rusting in there... for some reason theres rust on the bog in there too? (the bog that holds the seams together). I thought bog wasn't a metal so why have I got brown stuff on there or is it like run off from the rusted metal above? How should I treat the rust? Will rust converter type products eat into the seam bog?

Well that explains alot then. I take such good care of my car that I actually spray into gaps and even the under carriage to keep them free of salt! Didn't know I'd end up like this... was pretty disheartened to see the carnage in there especially for my always garaged & 91,000KM & 10 year old ZZE! As for the grommets, I'm going to try Toyota first before I drag myself to Clark rubber... probably have to bring the car with me too and point out what I want because I can't find the grommets in the electronic online catalogue! Also relieved to see that I'm not the only one with the leaks, just need to find some silicone and rust converter... wait, I already have some :)

Hi Everyone, I'm quite stunned today at what I found in the boot of my car whilst I was installing my reverse sensor system. The boot in my 2003 Corolla hatch has numerous leaks from where the tail lights are located. It's a one owner car which I've bought from new so I know nothing dodgy has happened in the rear end with low quality repairs etc. When I removed all the boot carpet I found rust in the rear right and rear left corners of my boot which led me to do some investigating. I got my brother to stand outside with a hose and soak the back of the car and well... definitely found where the leaks are coming from. Around the tail lights, there's like two holes of 10mm diameter which doesn't go anywhere or have anything connected to it, water comes through both these holes on each side. I'm wondering if theres supposed to be a 10mm blind (closed) rubber grommet or anything like that which Toyota has forgotten to install 10 years ago? Some water also came through the plastic clips that hold the bumper to the car from the interior? (maybe it's a design flaw?) Otherwise... I'm going to pick up my own closed grommets at Clark rubber tomorrow for $1 each and get some silicon to seal up around it. HAS anyone had a similar issue with the ZZE hatches leaking water into the boot through the same places? Anyway, some pictures for reference. I'll also find some rust converter for that rust in the boot I suppose. Thanks.

I have a question in regards to storing my oil filters in the shed. Today when I went out to the shed to find a filter for my Corolla, I discovered that all my oil filters were soggy and some had rusted. I had these oil filters on the floor in a plastic bag and I assume that the moisture from the ground heas seeped through the cement slab. Now what I want to ask is... can I still use these filters?

Hi Everyone, I've managed to stumble across a pair of power folding mirrors from a JDM Toyota Runx which will fit my pre facelift ZZE Corolla. Now the seller is asking $180 each mirror but these are mirrors only. No relay, no switch at all. Now what I want to know is will these work with the power mirrors in my car now or will I need to re-wire the whole thing to make it work? I know I'll need a switch, not sure about relay and wiring. I can't find any schematics online in regards to this either. :( I'd love to have the power folding feature because I live in a narrow street and for the last year or so, every time I get out, I gotta fold my mirrors manually! Any help would be great. Thanks!

Didnt really want to revive an old thread, but i have a question with the foglight situation. As i said earlier, i found a random wire + connector right behind the passenger side fog light... However I havent located the one on the right hand side fog light cover, any one know where it could be hiding or is it connected in series or something like that? Im really keen to start buying the parts required (and the factory OEM stalk too!)...

Hi Everyone, I've been searching everywhere for a set of second hand (or unwanted) side skirts and front lip from a ZZE122R Corolla Levin for my base model Ascent. Obviously I want a perfect one that isn't snapped or broken... scratches and light minor dents are okay as long as they don't affect the mounting or integrity. If anyone has a set they are willing to sell, please let me know. Will pay $$$ for these, but of course we can discuss this later on! :) Will pay even more if they are in Simpson red. :D Thanks!

As in window visors? Yeah, I already got those ones on the car! Don't want to put in too much as of now because I'm looking to upgrade to a Toyota Altezza or the like :D

Hey Everyone, I haven't been back here in a while as I've been busy with moving house and uni etc. Anyway, I remember I posted a thread about my Corolla a few years ago when I first bought it off my parents. Anyway, a few years on... I'm getting old and nearly graduating from uni, and the car has well... changed! When I got it, it was bare stock. Still had the 14" hubcaps/tyre combination, stock radio etc. Being a student, my funds are pretty limited even though I do work here and there. Over time I managed to put bits on here and there and well, I have a better looking car now! I've driven newer cars and owned a slightly newer Ford Falcon for a short amount of time, but this car still surpasses it by miles. I've had NO problems with this Corolla. I change the engine oil (10/40W) + filter every 5000KMs by myself, coolant every 2 years regardless of KMs, air filter every year regardless of KMs, Transaxle oil every 40,000KMs and recently at the 80,000KMs mark... all the spark plugs. I'm still on the original belt that came with the car but my mechanic said it's still okay for use as it isn't badly cracked or damaged. Battery lasted 8.5 years... yes, 8.5 years!... even the NRMA road service person was surprised when he had to jump start it as I left the lights on over night once. Recently I got a new battery installed even thought the old one was still okay and topped up properly with water... but who knows, I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere when I need to get somewhere important! I still have a fuel filter to change but the mechanic said that's due at 100,000KMs. :) Physically speaking, I wash this car every week or fortnight when I'm really busy. I wax/polish it quarterly and it's parked under a carport at home where the harsh weather can't get to it. The interior is vacuumed at the end of nearly every week so far as I love clean and spotless interiors. If I have the chance while doing the vacuuming, I'll spare some time to put armor-all on the dash and plastic parts to protect it from sun damage when parked at work or uni (even though I use a sunshade). BEFORE: This was when I first got it... bare and stock standard. Just a base model Ascent with 75,000KMs on it. This was in Late 2009/ Early 2010. Now in March 2012, I just got to 89,000KMs in two and a bit years (about 6500KMs a year) :) AFTER: This is... 3 weeks ago? When Sydney didn't decide to pour with rain and when we had great weather! Modifications so far are the 15" Speedy Cobalt machine finished alloy wheels, Genuine Toyota Navigation unit, Stubby antenna from a ZRE Corolla, JDM Genuine factory weather shields that I had to scrounge around everywhere for... until I realised I could only get them by importing directly from a Toyota Japan parts distributor in Hokkaido! Genuine Toyota "Follow Me" Navigation unit: JDM weathershields/visors: 15" Speedy Cobalt Alloy wheels: Last but not least, the most important modification of all: Club sticker! :D I think that's enough mods for this car for now. I'm not planning to add on anything else as it's great the way it is now. :) Thanks!

Okay, so I was bored and managed to troll eBay for some JDM tail lights to my ZZE Corolla... then I managed to find something that has been a great matter of interest around TOCAU... genuine Japanese Toyota made werather shields for the ZZE Corolla, for half the cost of what Toyota here wants for a similar set! These are the slimline model with a light tint and glued on, along with some brackets... not the big ugly one we have here as the factory option. Link: ---> HERE <--- Hope this helps! ... while I pull my drivers seat into bits to figure out what that clunking noise is. :P

The drivers seat in my 2003 Corolla Ascent is annoying the hell out of me! It's making a loud clunk and moves slightly left or right when i turn or go over humps. All four bolts are secure to the floor and not loose at all and it makes noise in ANY seating position. Now I'm not sure what's going on, but it's very annoying... to the point where I am VERY tempted to sell my car! Anyone had the same problem as me or am I a one off? I've been thinking of getting a used seat at the wreckers of the like but they seem pretty hard to come across a good one! :(

Oops being the noob I am, just figured out what the owners manual is for :S 6.5L total for the cooling system... So the 4L concentrate is proving out better :)

I'm planning to change the coolant out of my ZZE corolla with genuine coolant. So here's the go... I went to my local Toyota and they have 1L and 4L pure mixes of coolant... they are 50/50 mixes so the 1L becomes 2L and 4L becomes 8L when distilled water is added to them. What I want to know is which one do I need? 1L seems a bit too little and 4L 98L with water) becomes too much doesn't it?

Ok, say it comes with the external brake light... how do you "delete" the inside one? Or will Toyota (getting the dealer to do this :P) just disable the internal one and leave the external one on? I wonder if I'll be able to get the "sunshade spoiler" one at Toyota these days for a 9 year old car?

Dunno how much luck you'll get doing this, but this is what I did... I went on eBay and spent $230 on a second hand Toyota "follow me" navigation unit. It also works as a portable tomtom GPS and a head unit (because the tomtom unit pops out). Works great, and best of all it's OEM. I've been told the newer 2010 model of these units can also play DVD's and work as a personal navigation device outside the car. :D

I'm planning this for Christmas, but I thought I'd ask now anyway. :) Basically I want to spend around $500 at the Toyota dealer and get a factory spoiler for my ZZE ascent hatch. But I've noticed something about the high stop brake lamp... my car already has one (inside the glass) and from looking at my mate's Levin, his spoiler has a brake lamp on the spoiler instead. If I decide to get this spoiler (high chances) will it also have a brake lamp outside on the spoiler? It's gonna look pretty odd with two high stop brake lamps (one inside and outside). :S So does Toyota sell a version of this hatch spoiler without the external brake lamp for the ascents, conquests and whatever else? Thanks.

I'm in the market for a luxury Japanese classic... the 92-96 Lexus ES300. I believe this car uses the 3VZ-FE engine that the Camry uses as well? Upon doing some research, I've stumbled across many incidents of these engines blowing head gaskets by themselves without any overheating due to a manufacturing fault? Most of the articles I found are on American Toyota trucks though, with a few Camry and Lexus cars affected in some articles I've read. Why did this come to my attention? My friend has a '93 Camry Vienta V6 and he blew a head gasket just over 102,000KMs... he ended up getting a new engine with 77,000KMs on the clock for around $800 instead of fixing the head. He told me this was very common with these engines which kinda scares me, but I just want a Lexus ES300 since the damn thing is so beautifully refined even after 20 years of use they are silky smooth and reliable cars.... like these things were built to last! (Could even become a collectors item in a few years time :P) Compare that to my 2002 Ford Falcon work car which has crapped itself completely. NOTE: DO NOT BUY A FORD EVER AGAIN >.< So yeah, just a simple question... Does the 3VZ-FE have massive BHG issues that are non-overheat related?

How did you colour code the handles, that's what I want to know. I've seen people do it before but it just all flakes and falls off over time. :( I want to colour code mine without having to find a wrecked conquest in simpson red ><

I'm wondering about the installation of fog lights into my stock standard ZZE Corolla Ascent. Today whilst I was cleaning under my car (yes, I clean under my car too), I saw a random wire hanging right behind the left fog light... It's not connected to anything and has two holes. I've heard that some ZZE's are pre-wired, so I'm wondering if that means my car is pre-wired for fog lights and all I need is two fog lights, a relay, micro switch and combination switch inside the car?

44,000KMs to 200,000KMs in the space of 3.5 years? WOW, that's a lot of driving you do! Mine does 6000KMs a year. I use it two or three times a week to go to uni and back, otherwise it sits dormant under a blanket in the garage. :) When I used to work, I worked at the pub around the corner so it would be a 2 minute drive to and from the place. :D Mine has never tasted e10, just pure unleaded or more recently, BP Ultimate 98. :D

Hey guys, Just wondering how reliable your ZZE corolla's are... in terms of everything really... mechanical, electricals, suspension etc. I haven't had a single problem with my ZZE Ascent since the day it left the Showroom in December 2002 and now with 85,200KMs on the clock. Not a single problem AT ALL. Basically this is how I go with my ZZE... - Just change the oil every 5000-6000KMs and that's about it - I've had one front brake pad replacement (I still had 30% pad left but I decided to change them anyway with another set of OEM pads). - Change transmission oil every 40,000KMs - An air filter change every 20,000KMs - Spark plugs every 40,000KMs (just did them earlier again this year at 80K) I did replace a center console though because the flappy middle lid broke while I was installing the new audio... but I can't blame the car because that was my fault! :P Then earlier this year I made the worst decision ever... I bought a 2002 AU series III Ford Falcon wagon. It's been problem after problem with that car... engine, suspension and now electrical. I'm so desperate to flog it off and buy a Camry wagon or the like. I was even going to sell my ZZE at one point but luckily I kept it because of the long rego I still had on it! So how are your ZZE's going guys?

I'm looking for a complete Sportivo bodykit for my ZZE Ascent... I'm wondering how much I should be paying for a slightly damaged 2nd hand kit that comes with 2 side skirts, a front lip and a rear spoiler? Thanks.

My friend is offering to sell me his '93 Lexus ES300 (which is a Toyota Windom in Japan) for $900, and it uses the 3VZ-FE engine that's found in the Camry's of the same generation. Nice car overall, with around 220K KMs but everything's perfect except the head gasket. What happened was that the water pump leaked and well he didn't realise it was out of water and it overheated and bent the head/head gaskets and now the coolant is mixing in with the oil... How much is it to fix a head gasket issue? I know the head will have to be machined and we will need a new gasket and a fair bit of labour... some say it will cost around the $2000 mark, some say it's better to find another 3VZ-FE engine for around $1100 and get it put in. ... if economically viable, it would be a nice car for my brother to drive... who just got his license LOL. Thanks.