2011 Corolla LE driveability issue - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

rongaudier · 05-01-2011, 07:02 PM

I just picked up a new Corolla LE with the 1.8 liter engine and automatic transmission. I actually bought the thing in Atlanta and drove it home to Austin TX today. Everythings good except for one thing. I'll try to describe this the best I can: At 60 mph steady state cruise and light throttle, the tach will suddenly drop 200 rpm, then accelarate 200 rpm and so on. It feels like the fuel is being momentarily cut off and then comes back on. At higher and lower speeds it doesn't do this. At first I thought it might be shifting back and forth between 3rd and 4th, but if that were the case the rpm drop/increase would be significantly higher. I don't imagine it's a problem with the torque converter clutch as I figure that would be in lockup at long before reaching 60 mph. I'm guessing that it is a problem with the electronic throttle. I'm thinking it may be sticky in the low end of its range. Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks.

CorollaS2011 · 05-01-2011, 08:31 PM

I have had something similar in my new S version, but I think it may be me causing it.
If I just barely release the slightest pressure on the throttle ( I mean the s-l-i-g-h-t-e-s-t pressure), it will drop about 200 RPM and the engine will go into braking mode and slow down. Yes, it feels like the fuel is being cut off. If I have the cruise control on it never happens. I believe it is very very sensitive to throttle position and the slightest movement seems to tell it to slow down and close the throttle plates. This electronic throttle may be a bit touchy. I don't think there is anything wrong, but it is annoying. I'm talking with my service dept. next time I'm in there about it. It doesn't seem as bad after I got the first 1000 miles on it. Maybe we are getting used to each other???
The system is set up for max fuel economy and it just may be a bit overzealous at it! Keep us posted as I for one am interested. So far, I love the car even with this little quirk.

rongaudier · 05-01-2011, 08:39 PM

Thanks Brad, your description matches my problem exactly. And I agree with your conclusion that it is something in the electric throttle system.
However, I don't believe this is a quirk we should be forced to live with, and I plan to bring it to the dealer's attention probably with my first free service. I put over 3000 miles a month in, so it won't be long.

***SuperchargedMR2*** · 05-01-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rongaudier

Thanks Brad, your description matches my problem exactly. And I agree with your conclusion that it is something in the electric throttle system.
However, I don't believe this is a quirk we should be forced to live with, and I plan to bring it to the dealer's attention probably with my first free service. I put over 3000 miles a month in, so it won't be long.

Install a throttle controller so that you can select the amount of throttle sensitivity that you prefer.

CorollaS2011 · 05-01-2011, 10:33 PM

OOOOH sounds like a good idea! Thanks for that suggestion.
Hopefully that would smooth out both the acceleration and deceleration issues. Supercharged... does it influence both the acceleration and deceleration sensitivity?

I too will bring this up to my dealer and see if they have had any other complaints about it. I hope if anyone else on here has had this experience that they will chime in.

CorollaS2011 · 05-01-2011, 10:34 PM

Also, what throttle controller would you suggest/recommend?

doncas62 · 06-29-2011, 04:07 PM

Go to the 2001 Corolla Transmission Issue? thread. The RPM phenomena is being discussed there.

EWyatt · 06-29-2011, 05:07 PM

Rongaudier, as you can see, this issue is for real. I have the very same "problem" on my new Corolla but I'm choosing to disregard it as annoying but not problematic. If you set your MPG readout in your dashboard to the "instantaneous" MPG readout, you'll probably notice that when you have the 200 RPM bumps, the reading goes to/from 99.9. This means, as far as I know, that the fuel is being cut off/ or started back up/ to the engine depending on the terrain. It's been called "deceleration fuel cut off," DFCO, and its purpose is to get as many MPGs as possible by shutting down fuel flow when not needed. Note: my dealer told me all this, so....... And there's no "fix" for this, yet. Nevertheless, report it to your Toyota dealer. With enough complaints, Toyota may decide that a jerky ride is not so great after all.

EWyatt · 06-29-2011, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorollaS2011

Yes, it feels like the fuel is being cut off. If I have the cruise control on it never happens. I believe it is very very sensitive to throttle position and the slightest movement seems to tell it to slow down and close the throttle plates. .......

CorollaS.... I'll have to try using the cruise control in road areas where I ALWAYS experience these 200 RPM bumps. If no bumps with cruise control activated, then seemingly DFCO couldn't be the problem, could it? Strange. However, if it's a throttle sensitivity issue, then why wouldn't this RPM dance occur always, regardless of terrain slope? (rhretorical question....)

doncas62 · 07-08-2011, 03:55 PM

I took a trip over the July 4th weekend (> 500 miles) and was able to characterize the issue a little more. I was able to have the RPM's drop at speeds above 60 mph approaching 70 mph and I was able to have the issue occur with the cruise control on however, with cruise control it does not happen as often.

Also, I made a .avi file that shows the tachometer and speedometer during a period where the RPM's were fluctuating consistently. I am not an experienced toyotanation user so I am not sure if I can upload the file to this site.

Any help or suggestions with uploading would be appreciated. Perhaps I could post it on youtube and insert a link here.

cabur · 07-08-2011, 04:31 PM

You can upload it to Youtube and post the link here.
A lot of us do not have or not concious that we have this problem. Look forward to see your clip.

doncas62 · 07-08-2011, 10:17 PM

Here is the youtube link to the video clip I shot of the RPM's jumping around. I was on a slight downgrade and maintaining a constant speed as much as the traffic would allow so my foot was slightly on the accelerator for most of the time. You can see when the RPM drops the instantaneous MPG rises to 99.9 MPG.

The drag on the car when the RPM's drop is definitely something you would notice so I would suspect that if you don't notice anything on your 2011 corolla your vehicle does not have this issue. If that is true then by default there is a problem with vehicles who do have the problem.

I have a 2002 Corolla and a 2008 Corolla and neither exhibit this kind of engine RPM fluctuation.

You Tube

cabur · 07-08-2011, 11:58 PM

Thanks for the clip. My car, a '09 does not have this issue.

Disregard my earlier post. You must have added your edit at the same time I was trying to answer your question.