The average price for most engine replacements comes in between $2,500 and $4,000. Regarding the specific Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost, the price is typically around $5,000 for all trim levels and model years. Replacing the engine is an extensive, extremely-involved, and labor-intensive process that is required to keep your car running safely on the road!
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What is The Toyota Corolla?
The Toyota Corolla is a subcompact and compact car that Toyota has manufactured since the 1966 model years. The best-selling car worldwide by the mid-1970s has remained one of the most popular vehicles across various markets throughout the decades. Just a little over 20 years ago, Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world and surpassed 44 million units produced in 2016.
Produced over twelve generations, the car first started as a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, while later models are now front-wheel drive for ample performance benefits. In addition, owners can purchase four-wheel drive cars for specific conditions and driving scenarios.
Worst Model years of the Toyota Corolla
Regarding the high Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost, certain model years have extensive issues and a higher incidence report of user concerns. The 2009 Toyota Corolla has the most overall complaints. Still, the 2002 Corolla is often considered the worst due to the onset of issues, the early timing of concerns, and the severity of engine problems.
The top three concerns across all model years of the Corolla involve using excessive oil in the 2002 Corolla, the transmission failure in the 2003 Corolla, and the excessive oil consumption in the 2009 Corolla.
2002 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems
The worst engine issues in the 2002 Corolla that lead to an expensive Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost involves the engine using excessive oil, engine failure, tapping noises from the engine, and a buzzing noise on acceleration.
Fix: Engine Replacement
The main fix for the engine using excessive oil in the 2002 Corolla involves replacing the engine at around 99,000 miles. Most owners state the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost for this model year comes to around $2,600 to replace the engine and replace the piston rings.
2003 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems
The main engine concerns in the 2003 Toyota Corolla involve the leaky head gasket, oil sludge buildup, engine seizing, engine knocking, excessive oil consumption, and unintended acceleration while braking.
Fix: Replace the Head Gasket
The main fix for the engine concerns in the 2003 Corolla involves replacing the head gasket at around 150,000 miles. The total price for this Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost comes to $1,20 to replace the head gasket. Owners state the car leaks a considerable amount of oil while driving, leading to unsafe conditions.
2005 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems
Regarding the 2005 Corolla, the top engine concerns focus on the engine stalling, oil sludge buildup, unintended acceleration, engine surge without touching the gas pedal, and a leaking intake gasket.
Fix: Replace Intake Manifold Gasket
The total price of the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost in the 2005 Corolla involves replacing the intake manifold gasket between $190 and $540. The cost of the labor for this procedure is between $170 and $420 for the total price, with the billed hours typically between 2 and 5 hours. The gasket itself will usually cost between $20 and $120 for the price of the parts.
2009 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems
The top concerns regarding the 2009 Toyota Corolla involve excessive oil consumption, loud noises from the engine, check engine light on the dashboard, engine not starting, car surging, faulty timing chain tensioner, sudden power loss, and the inability to start.
Fix: Replace the Piston Rings and Valve Seals
The main causes of the car leaking excessive oil are due to faulty piston rings and broken valve seals. The total price of the piston rings replacement cost is usually between $40 and $200 for the parts of the piston rings, with the labor adding a hefty $1000-$3000 to the price. That brings the total Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost for the 2009 Corolla to between $1000 and $4000.
Fix: Replacing Timing Chain Tensioner
The second method of fixing the 2009 Corolla engine concerns replacing the timing chain tensioner. The total replacement cost for this part comes to between $906 and $1,108, with the labor estimated between $764 and $964. The billed hours for this procedure is usually between 10 and 12 hours. Lastly, the price of the parts is between $141 and $444, increasing the total Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost for the 2009 model.
2010 Toyota Corolla Engine Problems
The main engine concerns in the 2010 Corolla involve a noisy engine, slow acceleration, broken air filter container assembly, and engine failure.
Fix: Replace Air Filter
The total replacement price of buying a new air filter for the 2010 Corolla is around $15 to $25, coming in at one of the lowest fixes for the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost.
2010 Toyota Corolla Engine Recall
In 2010, Toyota issued a recall regarding the engine and the engine cooling system in certain car models. Toyota recalls certain 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla and Toyota Matrix vehicles. In these cars, the engine control module contained the 1ZZ-FE engine and might have a two-wheel drive system that could be affected.
If the two-wheel-drive mechanism is improperly manufactured, it could lead to the potential for a crack to develop at certain points in the circuit board. Other problems that could arise in the Corolla that could cause a higher Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost to involve the following:
- Engine dashboard warning light
- Hard shifting
- Engine inability to start
- Engine could shut off while driving
2020 Toyota Corolla Engine Recall
Toyota issued a recall in early 2020 regarding the fuel system, gasoline, fuel pump, the fuel delivery system, and engine reliability concerns. The vehicles involved in the recall include the following:
- 2018-2019 4Runner
- 2018-2020 Toyota Camry
- 2019 Corolla Hatchback
- 2017-2019 Toyota Highlander
- 2018-2020 Toyota Camry
- 2018-2019 Land Cruiser
- 2017-2020 Toyota Tacoma
- 2019-2020 RAV4
- 2017-2020 Sienna
- 2019-2020 Lexus LS500
The vehicles involved in this recall all contain issues with the low-pressure fuel pump and the possibility of failure. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, leading to an increased risk of a crash and a higher Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost.
Other Costs Associated With Engine Replacement
Along with having to pay for the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost, some owners will also have to pay for the Toyota Corolla engine mount replacement. The average price for the engine mount replacement is between $462 and $498, with the labor price between $137 and $173. Do this procedure, the total billed hours is between 1 and 2 hours, with the cost of hte parts around $325.
2021 Toyota Corolla Reliability
The 2021 Corolla has many pros, such as a gentle and smooth ride, great gas mileage, straightforward and easy-to-use infotainment controls, and a terrific reliability rating. The negatives of hte 2021 Corolla involve a small trunk space, lackluster nase engine, lack of agility and handling, and a hefty Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost.
The ranking of the Toyota Corolla comes to #5 in the Compact Cars category, #5 in the Hatchbacks category, and #6 in the Small Cars category. The 2021 Corolla also earned the Finalist spot in the 2021 Best Compact Car for the Money category.
Regarding the Cars US News Scorecard, the Corolla earned an 8.1 out of 10 overall. The Corolla earned an 8 for critics’ rating, 7.0 for performance, 6.9 for interior, and 4.5 out of 5 for the JD Power REliability score. As you can see, despite the high Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost, the safety ratings and the performance outweighs the potentially high repair costs.
How Much Does The Toyota Corolla Cost?
The Toyota Corolla comes in at a starting rate of just below 20k, coming in at $19,825 total. However, the Corolla hatchback has a base price of around $20,465, coming in a little higher than the Corolla base model. Both of these prices are slightly above average for the compact car category. If you want to pay extra for the higher trim models, you can expect to pay around $25,000 for the Corolla sedan.
Keep in mind, the higher trim models are not only more expensive to purchase, but the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost is also higher for any repairs and replacements needed.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, paying around $5,000 for the Toyota Corolla engine replacement cost can be worth the price in later model years. Even though we recommend avoiding certain models, like the 2002 and 2009 years, paying the hefty repair price for the 2021 Corolla can be well-worth the high-quality and high-performance vehicle!