Drive belt tensioner kaput at 34,000 miles

Car is 2003 Corolla, symptom was that the serpentine drive belt started
squeaking. I thought about replacing the belt but it's a good thing I
didn't spend the money on one. I asked the dealer parts shop how much for a
belt, and he mentioned that he had sold a few tensioners for '03 or later
Corollas and suggested that might be causing the squealing. I decided to
have the tensioner checked at the dealership. They found it to be "not
doing its job" and replaced it under warranty. (Took almost two hours!)
They said the belt is fine and left it on.

I should be happy as it didn't cost me anything except a couple hours in a
hot, uncomfortable waiting area, but I'm not. What kind of car manufacturer
builds a car with an important part that fails prematurely on a regular
enough basis that the parts guy at the dealership mentioned it? Well, no
use complaining--I guess any company can screw up. It just gets under my
skin a little when you buy

If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would not
have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?

I'll find out after about 34,000 more miles if they corrected the design or
manufacturing flaw before my replacement was made, or if I'll have to
replace it again then.

By the way, is a belt tensioner basically just a pulley on a swing-arm with
a spring? If so, how exactly can one fail prematurely--bad spring?

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:41:41 -0500, Ernie Sty wrote:
[color=blue]
> Car is 2003 Corolla, symptom was that the serpentine drive belt started
> squeaking. I thought about replacing the belt but it's a good thing I
> didn't spend the money on one. I asked the dealer parts shop how much for a
> belt, and he mentioned that he had sold a few tensioners for '03 or later
> Corollas and suggested that might be causing the squealing. I decided to
> have the tensioner checked at the dealership. They found it to be "not
> doing its job" and replaced it under warranty. (Took almost two hours!)
> They said the belt is fine and left it on.
>
> I should be happy as it didn't cost me anything except a couple hours in a
> hot, uncomfortable waiting area, but I'm not. What kind of car manufacturer
> builds a car with an important part that fails prematurely on a regular
> enough basis that the parts guy at the dealership mentioned it? Well, no
> use complaining--I guess any company can screw up. It just gets under my
> skin a little when you buy[/color]

1989-1991 Nissan 240SX: Tensioner arm on the timing chain tensioner can
break apart, causing timing chain to stretch and jump, causing engine
failure due to piston/valve interference; recall on 1989 only

1986-1989 Toyota Supra and Cressida with 2.9l in-line 6 7M-GE engine: head
gasket can wear causing water to enter pistons and failure due to
hydraulic lock. (My guess is since it takes about 120,000 miles for this
to occur, Toyota figured they were off the hook so never offered to fix
the problem under warranty. Unless they had a nut like me buying it, the
original purchaser would have probably sold the car by that time...)

Ford 3.8L V-6 found in Windstar, Taurus/Sable, Continental: head gasket on
the inner cylinder bank blows, causing engine failure. Engines with low
miles are replaced after a little squwaking; others, too bad. Engine
FINALLY redesigned last year or the year before (originally found as far
back as 1989...)

1985 Toyota Corolla GTS with 1.6L DOHC engine: Service Bulletin issued
about headgasket problems; advises replacing head gasket (no surprise
here...it is basically the same engine as in the Supras and Cressidas
mentioned above, minue 2 cylinders. If Toyota knew about it in 1987, why
didn't they correct it in the "Big Brother"? I had to shell out $400 to
replace the HG; comparatively a bargain now! The Service Advisor talked
down to me SOOO badly it wasn't until three years later I realized he had
been telling me about the head gasket!)
[color=blue]
>
> If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would not
> have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?
>
> I'll find out after about 34,000 more miles if they corrected the design or
> manufacturing flaw before my replacement was made, or if I'll have to
> replace it again then.
>
> By the way, is a belt tensioner basically just a pulley on a swing-arm with
> a spring? If so, how exactly can one fail prematurely--bad spring?[/color]

More like bad bearing; that's the squealing you geard was the bearing
torturing itself...

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:41:41 -0500, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>Car is 2003 Corolla, symptom was that the serpentine drive belt started
>squeaking. I thought about replacing the belt but it's a good thing I
>didn't spend the money on one. I asked the dealer parts shop how much for a
>belt, and he mentioned that he had sold a few tensioners for '03 or later
>Corollas and suggested that might be causing the squealing. I decided to
>have the tensioner checked at the dealership. They found it to be "not
>doing its job" and replaced it under warranty. (Took almost two hours!)
>They said the belt is fine and left it on.
>
>I should be happy as it didn't cost me anything except a couple hours in a
>hot, uncomfortable waiting area, but I'm not. What kind of car manufacturer
>builds a car with an important part that fails prematurely on a regular
>enough basis that the parts guy at the dealership mentioned it? Well, no
>use complaining--I guess any company can screw up. It just gets under my
>skin a little when you buy
>
>If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would not
>have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?[/color]

Ernie, the other thing that is a bit weak on Toy's are the starter
'contacts'.

Both of mine (92 and 97 Corollas) have had those contacts fail.

[color=blue]
>
>I'll find out after about 34,000 more miles if they corrected the design or
>manufacturing flaw before my replacement was made, or if I'll have to
>replace it again then.
>
>By the way, is a belt tensioner basically just a pulley on a swing-arm with
>a spring? If so, how exactly can one fail prematurely--bad spring?
>[/color]

--

Scott in Florida

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:41:41 -0500, "Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would not
>have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?[/color]


I think we've been spoiled by the Toyota's reliability.

This maybe one of them "bulletin" item.

Hey, better than Ford's tire failure, or Ford (again) incendiary
cruise switch.

bobb wrote:
[color=blue]
> I think we've been spoiled by the Toyota's reliability.[/color]

Reliability does not necessarily mean 100% problem free. But Toyotas
typically experience less problems than, say, the big 3. Thus, Toyota is a
more reliable brand than the big 3.

If it makes you feel any better Chyrsler used plastic tensioner pulleys in
94 and they did not last. The redesigned part was back to metal. You can
bet that they did all kinds of testing before they tried the plastic part.
Clearly the testing was inadequate.

"Ernie Sty" <fake_email@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:zOSdnULn7ZK4dCTfRVn-vg@giganews.com...[color=blue]
> Car is 2003 Corolla, symptom was that the serpentine drive belt started
> squeaking. I thought about replacing the belt but it's a good thing I
> didn't spend the money on one. I asked the dealer parts shop how much for
> a belt, and he mentioned that he had sold a few tensioners for '03 or
> later Corollas and suggested that might be causing the squealing. I
> decided to have the tensioner checked at the dealership. They found it to
> be "not doing its job" and replaced it under warranty. (Took almost two
> hours!) They said the belt is fine and left it on.
>
> I should be happy as it didn't cost me anything except a couple hours in a
> hot, uncomfortable waiting area, but I'm not. What kind of car
> manufacturer builds a car with an important part that fails prematurely on
> a regular enough basis that the parts guy at the dealership mentioned it?
> Well, no use complaining--I guess any company can screw up. It just gets
> under my skin a little when you buy
>
> If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would
> not have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?
>
> I'll find out after about 34,000 more miles if they corrected the design
> or manufacturing flaw before my replacement was made, or if I'll have to
> replace it again then.
>
> By the way, is a belt tensioner basically just a pulley on a swing-arm
> with a spring? If so, how exactly can one fail prematurely--bad spring?[/color]

Toyota's design and assembly process, which is passed down to their
suppliers, results in very consistent vehicles compared to some other makes.
This means that Toyotas experience very few one-of-a-kind conditions. Given
the same use and environmental conditions, the vehicles and their components
perform the same, good or bad. A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems but the upside
is that once someone has experienced a problem, it is easy to diagnose in
the future.

To answer your question about the belt tensioner pulley, it is probably the
bearing or bearing surface that is failing, causing the noise.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:

snip
[color=blue]
> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems[/color]

C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...

Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
--


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
news:p71mb15g8nmecgsu40f3nshis7cgq9bdtu@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>
> snip
>[color=green]
>> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems[/color]
>
> C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...
>
> Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
> poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
> --
>
>
> -Gord.[/color]

I guess it's not a bad problem to have, and the techs who become master
techs are that much more valuable to their shops!
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>news:p71mb15g8nmecgsu40f3nshis7cgq9bdtu@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>
>> snip
>>[color=darkred]
>>> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>>>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems[/color]
>>
>> C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...
>>
>> Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
>> poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
>> --
>>
>>
>> -Gord.[/color]
>
>I guess it's not a bad problem to have, and the techs who become master
>techs are that much more valuable to their shops![/color]

Hell yes!...if you can get to be a master tech with only this bit
of experience then you gotta be hot stuff!...(hummm? - did that
come out right?)...aaaanyway, I'm most impressed with Toyota's
reliability...I really need it, I have really bad lungs and
cannot be stranded in the middle of the wilderness...
--


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
news:0m5mb1lmdnu6k816img5cgb72q47cmsv54@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>>news:p71mb15g8nmecgsu40f3nshis7cgq9bdtu@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> snip
>>>
>>>> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>>>>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems
>>>
>>> C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...
>>>
>>> Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
>>> poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>> -Gord.[/color]
>>
>>I guess it's not a bad problem to have, and the techs who become master
>>techs are that much more valuable to their shops![/color]
>
> Hell yes!...if you can get to be a master tech with only this bit
> of experience then you gotta be hot stuff!...(hummm? - did that
> come out right?)...aaaanyway, I'm most impressed with Toyota's
> reliability...I really need it, I have really bad lungs and
> cannot be stranded in the middle of the wilderness...
> --
>
>
> -Gord.[/color]

Being stranded anywhere is bad!

--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

"Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>
>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>news:0m5mb1lmdnu6k816img5cgb72q47cmsv54@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>
>>>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>>>news:p71mb15g8nmecgsu40f3nshis7cgq9bdtu@4ax.com...
>>>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> snip
>>>>
>>>>> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>>>>>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems
>>>>
>>>> C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...
>>>>
>>>> Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
>>>> poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -Gord.
>>>
>>>I guess it's not a bad problem to have, and the techs who become master
>>>techs are that much more valuable to their shops![/color]
>>
>> Hell yes!...if you can get to be a master tech with only this bit
>> of experience then you gotta be hot stuff!...(hummm? - did that
>> come out right?)...aaaanyway, I'm most impressed with Toyota's
>> reliability...I really need it, I have really bad lungs and
>> cannot be stranded in the middle of the wilderness...
>> --
>>
>>
>> -Gord.[/color]
>
>Being stranded anywhere is bad![/color]

Yup, thank God for Toyotas...
--


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:30:29 -0500, "Ray O"
<rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>
>
>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>news:0m5mb1lmdnu6k816img5cgb72q47cmsv54@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>
>>>"Gord Beaman" <gord@islandtelecom.com> wrote in message
>>>news:p71mb15g8nmecgsu40f3nshis7cgq9bdtu@4ax.com...
>>>> "Ray O" <rokigawa@tristarassociatesDOT.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> snip
>>>>
>>>>> A downside of this phenomenon is that Toyota
>>>>>techs do not get as much practice diagnosing oddball problems
>>>>
>>>> C'mon Ray, you say that like it's a bad thing...
>>>>
>>>> Seems to me that it's good that their cars are so good that their
>>>> poor techs don't get experience!...my kinda car...
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -Gord.
>>>
>>>I guess it's not a bad problem to have, and the techs who become master
>>>techs are that much more valuable to their shops![/color]
>>
>> Hell yes!...if you can get to be a master tech with only this bit
>> of experience then you gotta be hot stuff!...(hummm? - did that
>> come out right?)...aaaanyway, I'm most impressed with Toyota's
>> reliability...I really need it, I have really bad lungs and
>> cannot be stranded in the middle of the wilderness...
>> --
>>
>>
>> -Gord.[/color]
>
>Being stranded anywhere is bad![/color]

Buy a Ford or Crapsler if you want to re learn that lesson....


--

Scott in Florida

Scott in Florida <JustAsk@Florida.com> wrote:
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> -Gord.[/color]
>>
>>Being stranded anywhere is bad![/color]
>
>Buy a Ford or Crapsler if you want to re learn that lesson....[/color]

BTDT...got the memories...growing dimmer...dim...di..
--


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

On Fri, 24 Jun 2005 02:54:59 GMT, Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>Scott in Florida <JustAsk@Florida.com> wrote:
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> -Gord.
>>>
>>>Being stranded anywhere is bad![/color]
>>
>>Buy a Ford or Crapsler if you want to re learn that lesson....[/color]
>
>BTDT...got the memories...growing dimmer...dim...di..[/color]

What were we talkin about.......


--

Scott in Florida