'01 Celica jerking/hesitating

[noethis]

So I bought a 2001 Celica a couple months back, and since then I've been having all sorts of problems. Initially there was a problem with the cooling pipeline so the engine was overheating, but that seems to be fixed now.

The main problem I'm getting right now is that the engine will every once in a while "hesitate" or "jerK" pretty violently while driving. At the same time that this happens the engine light will flash on temporarily and then flash off. Not knowing anything really about cars myself, I've taken the car to the dealership service center 4 times now and they haven't been able to fix the problem. Part of the issue is that they never seem to be able to reproduce the problem, so they'll give the car back and I'll be able to reproduce the problem in a few days. The problem seems to occur more when going up hills, and I'm also wondering if it might be related to the temperature. The last time it happened to me, it was jerking pretty much the entire trip and it was a hot day. Also, the engine has actually died a couple times as a result of this jerking.

Anybody have any idea what this could be? The service center (which is Mitsubishi) said I should maybe try taking it to an authorized Toyota service center.

Thanks!

[Serge]

Does it have an intake?

first. check all bolts on the air box or intake. as well as check the condition of the air filter make sure its tight and secure, as well as the MAF sensor.

second. unbolt the maf sensor(2 small bolts on opposite sides on the intake hose) and clean it. put it back in.

start the car, and drive around. then post back your results.

[noethis]

Sorry, but I wouldn't know if it has an intake even if I was looking straight at it. As I said in my original post, I'm unforunately not a car guy.

[Serge]

Thats alright

See that red pipe that would be the intake




Now this is your MAF sensor, attached to the plastic tube coming from the motor on the right side of the engine bay




This is what you need to unplug and unbolt, and clean.

"It is a small square shaped plastic peice with a wiring harness clipped to it. Remove clip and the two allan screws. Now you can remove the MAFS. Be very careful with the MAFS, it is very delicate. Use "Residue Free Brake Cleaner" and a q-tip. Spray a little brake cleaner on the q-tip and gently clean the amber (if dirty, may apear brown or black) bead towards the bottom of the MAFS. This is the IAT (intake air temperature). Once clean it should be an almost transparant amber color. Next, if you look up inside one of the formed ducts of the unit, you will notice two very fine, small wires in there. Those are actually the MAFS. Spray a little brake cleaner in there. Beware, the brake cleaner will loop through and spray back out the other side, towards you. Let dry.It is a small square shaped plastic peice with a wiring harness clipped to it. Remove clip and the two allan screws. Now you can remove the MAFS. Be very careful with the MAFS, it is very delicate. Use "Residue Free Brake Cleaner" and a q-tip. Spray a little brake cleaner on the q-tip and gently clean the amber (if dirty, may apear brown or black) bead towards the bottom of the MAFS. This is the IAT (intake air temperature). Once clean it should be an almost transparant amber color. Next, if you look up inside one of the formed ducts of the unit, you will notice two very fine, small wires in there. Those are actually the MAFS. Spray a little brake cleaner in there. Beware, the brake cleaner will loop through and spray back out the other side, towards you. Let dry."

[Caspa]

i have a air intake filter fitted on my celica st liftback but im courious because theres a blue pipe about half way down the intake filter metal hosing. im not sure if it should be connected or not ? any ideas

[RobMilkshakes]

You should probably make a new thread with pictures describing your problem as the ones here are much more specific to a different engine type. Also, this will help someone in the future with much the same problem as yours if it's in its own thread.

[Smaay]

a flashing CEL is severe misfire. check your injectors and coils

[silver04rollas]

Check MAF sensor. Like other guys said, it could be a cylinder misfiring.