Yaris 1.33 Dual VVTI - when was oil consumption issue fix?

[Spagboll]

Hi all, 

I'm looking at a Toyota Yaris 1.33 Dual VVTI (1NR-FE) 2012 onward - I have read some posts regarding oil consumption issues in the 2009-2011-ish models. 

Was ths issue actually fixes in 2012 onward models? 

I'm looking at used, higher mileage models (90k-ish miles) but I don't want to land myself with an oil burner. The budget can't stretch to a lower mileage example at the mo. 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Cheers

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

I can’t answer your question but there is my checks that I would do if I am about to buy a used car with known oil consumption potential problems. 
Oil level dipstick check, should be at the max and be clear with no signs of darker or dirty on it. 
Exhaust pipe end , stick a finger inside and if you get black and oily residue it’s. A sign of an oil burner, usually Toyota engines burn clean and have rusty exhaust ends ., a lots of steam and clear water comes out when cold. 

[Cyker]

Supposedly it's not an issue in the Mk3 Yaris but in the Mk2 it's questionable - The only way to avoid it for sure in the Mk2 is to get a pre-2009 1.3 with the 5-speed or the 1.0.

That said, some reckon early Mk3s can still have it - If you can stretch to one of the newer 1.5s that replaced the 1.33, I've not heard of any of those having the problem, otherwise go for the youngest/latest 1.33 you can!

Don't worry so much about the mileage - Check the service history; With other marques I'd be worried about mileage, but Toyotas are much more long-lived without needing any major work done AS LONG AS they've been looked after; The key is regular quality oil changes.

For a given age, I would always take a high-mileage Toyota that's been regularly serviced over a low-mileage one that that's not been serviced properly.

[flash22]

mk2 yaris from around 2010 some of the very early Mk3 had issues 12 or 62 plate cars should be fined, watch for a puff of smoke at a cold start or under acceleration, see if the sparkplugs have been changed 80-90k is about when its due plugs - only use Denso plugs on the 1.33

 

the oil-burning fix was pistons and rings

[Spagboll]

Thanks guys, really appreciate all the support I get on these forums! 

[Cyker]

Oh, one other thing I nearly forgot - Some of those engines were repaired under an extended warranty campaign to specifically fix that issue, but only if the owner brought it to a dealer and they confirmed the oil burning was so ridiculously bad they couldn't blame it on 'normal consumption'.

Sadly, very few seem to have taken advantage of this as not many cars crossed the threshold and were thus denied the replacement (I vaguely recall one post on here ages ago where someone was extremely irate because the consumption was some minuscule amount off the warranty threshold and they refused to fix it!), but if the service history and documentation show that the engine was replaced under warranty by Toyota for that issue (Upgrading the pistons and rings as flash mentions) then it should be okay.

(If you do find such a thing please post a photo of the repair docket as you will have found a very rare unicorn indeed  )

 

You're right to to your research on this though - I had a 2009 Mk2 1.33 and at its worst it was consuming something like a litre of oil a month!   And the 0w20  it used was not cheap oil back then...!

It was supposed to be scrapped when I part-ex'd it as it was so unreliable in other areas (AC and gearbox also failed!), and was so very un-Toyotary I'm sure it had a voodoo curse or something, but some poor sap is sill driving it around according to the DVLA MOT lookup!

[Spagboll]

2 hours ago, Cyker said:

Oh, one other thing I nearly forgot - Some of those engines were repaired under an extended warranty campaign to specifically fix that issue, but only if the owner brought it to a dealer and they confirmed the oil burning was so ridiculously bad they couldn't blame it on 'normal consumption'.

Sadly, very few seem to have taken advantage of this as not many cars crossed the threshold and were thus denied the replacement (I vaguely recall one post on here ages ago where someone was extremely irate because the consumption was some minuscule amount off the warranty threshold and they refused to fix it!), but if the service history and documentation show that the engine was replaced under warranty by Toyota for that issue (Upgrading the pistons and rings as flash mentions) then it should be okay.

(If you do find such a thing please post a photo of the repair docket as you will have found a very rare unicorn indeed  )

 

You're right to to your research on this though - I had a 2009 Mk2 1.33 and at its worst it was consuming something like a litre of oil a month!   And the 0w20  it used was not cheap oil back then...!

It was supposed to be scrapped when I part-ex'd it as it was so unreliable in other areas (AC and gearbox also failed!), and was so very un-Toyotary I'm sure it had a voodoo curse or something, but some poor sap is sill driving it around according to the DVLA MOT lookup!

This is good to know, thank you!! 
 

1 litre a month is pretty bonkers. 
 

If I do end up getting one I’m going to have the gearbox serviced right away to keep those linkages and synchro rings happy! 

[Stevie J]

Mine is booked in for oil change next Monday. It was last changed in December 2021 at 27000 miles, and topped up to the full mark on the dipstick. The car has now done just over 33000 miles, and in the last 6000 miles the oil level has not moved off the full mark on the dipstick. It has used pretty much no oil at all. I always make a point of checking the oil level once a month, but it just doesnt use any. 

[Mooly]

On 5/5/2024 at 10:46 PM, Spagboll said:

Was ths issue actually fixes in 2012 onward models? 

It wasn't fixed in the 2012 Auris with that engine because I still have one. 

If you can give it a good test drive at higher speed then try using engine braking by changing down to third and let the speed drop down to around 15mph and then accelerate hard while looking in the rear view mirror. You should not see any smoke or hear any pinking or preignition.

I have found E5 petrol and NOT using Toyotas recommend of hotter plugs is key here. 

My experience is that it is under normal engine braking that most oil burning occurs, hard fast sustained long runs burn very little.

Having said all that not all examples will have this problem. Try the engine braking test though and in terms of how much you might see... think the worst car you have seen on the road for smoking and then some and yet in 'normal' use you will see nothing. 

[1.33]

2 hours ago, Mooly said:

My experience is that it is under normal engine braking that most oil burning occurs, hard fast sustained long runs burn very little.

A good test drive along varied roads, and checking the rear view & driver's door mirror regularly for smoke should indicate any oil burning issues.

Before I started using an oil additive on my Mk2 1.33, some smoke was visible when driving down a long (approx 2 mile) downhill section of dual carriageway. After giving way at the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, smoke was visible when pulling away.

[Mooly]

12 minutes ago, 1.33 said:

Before I started using an oil additive on my Mk2 1.33, some smoke was visible when driving down a long (approx 2 mile) downhill section of dual carriageway. After giving way at the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, smoke was visible when pulling away.

That is like mine but it was much much more than just 'some smoke visible', it was a total wipeout. I've modified my driving to not do that and haven't seen smoke at all in 6 months now. Really hard acceleration right up to the limiter does not produce anything visible in my case.

Unbelievably I've gone back to 0W20 (Duckhams QXR GM) which is proving very good indeed. Yes it still burns oil but I would say I've cut the consumption by 50% or more. 

[TonyHSD]

A reason for oil burning in early age of some Toyota engines can be wrong type of oil filled up at service intervals and more precisely the 5w30 semi synthetic Toyota oil.
This oil has less high heat protection than the 0w20, less flow at start up and oil breaks too quickly leaving black deposits inside the engine which cause oil rings to get stuck, excess blow by and glaze on the cylinder walls.
As a result then we have high oil consumption and all followed issues. 
Thicker oils does not provide extra protection or help reduce oil consumption, it’s actually an opposite effect . 
My car ( 1.8 hybrid) has always been run on 0w20 and up until 130k miles had no oil consumption or very minimal with almost no top ups between oil changes. Since that the engine started to burn oil and now drinks oil 3ltr for 10k miles intervals. 

[Mooly]

4 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

A reason for oil burning in early age of some Toyota engines can be wrong type of oil filled up at service intervals and more precisely the 5w30 semi synthetic Toyota oil.

I can well believe that Tony and I remember asking on more than one occasion what oil had been used (and this was in the early years with it) and Toyota dealer actually used to say '5/30 semi synthetic'. I never got to see any paper work either because it was on a 7 yr service plan and they reconned they had to send all the documentation to the company running the scheme. So not a great experience tbh. 

[Devon Aygo]

There is no easy answer the issues were fixed at different times depending on engine factory:

• Shiga factory (engine numbers starting 0) were fixed from engine # 0650003 28/01/2014
• Kamigo factory (engine numbers starting 8 ) were fixed from engine # 8335067 07/11/2013

there where multiple fixes over time:

(1) Cover Sub-Assy, Cylinder Head

(2) Nozzle Sub-Assy,Oil

(3) Ring Set, Piston

(4) Piston Sub-assy, W/ pin

(5) ECU software

unless you can confirm an engine number greater than the above numbers then you cannot guarantee all of the fixes were applied however the issue were lessened the later the engine build date.

[Stevie J]

Just looked mine up on the V5 and its 1NR8431### . Mine was registered on 19/12/2014, so it looks like the info from Devon Aygo is right, and you'd be best looking for a 64 reg onwards model to guarantee the engine will be modified to eliminate the oil burner issues. Surprised me it was as late as 2014 before the issue was fixed, and the 1.33 was only then offered for another 3 years before being replaced by the 1.5 unit.

[Slartybartfast]

Without checking the engine number, I can confirm that my 1st March 2014 registered 1NR FE has not used a drop of oil (0W 20), between servicing, in over 10 years.

Maybe it's pot luck with 2014 cars?

Edit to add 1NR8352XXX

[FROSTYBALLS]

9 hours ago, Stevie J said:

1.33 was only then offered for another 3 years before being replaced by the 1.5 unit.

The 1.5 was a re-worked 1.33.

[Stevie J]

I'm having Kwik Fit do the full service on mine next week, should I have them use 0W20 or 5W30, not really sure, as I've always used 5W30 in the previous Yaris Mk1 and Mk2 that I have had. As I've previously said, it doesn't burn any oil, so does it really need the super thin 0W20?

Before anyone says anything, I've used that Kwik Fit branch for the last 20 odd years and they have MOT'd every one of my Yaris's since 2011, plus fitted brakes tyres, exhausts etc too, so I do have a certain amount of trust in them, despite many people staying to steer clear of Kwik Fit - I think its all down to the branch and the managers as to whether they are trustworthy or not.

[Slartybartfast]

0W 20 is recommended. Make sure it's the correct specification. Can't remember but there are many posts with the spec. listed.

Should be in the driver's handbook too.

[Stevie J]

13 hours ago, Slartybartfast said:

0W 20 is recommended. Make sure it's the correct specification. Can't remember but there are many posts with the spec. listed.

Should be in the driver's handbook too.

Yep, I just checked in the vehicle handbook - page 99 (illust) states (in the red box) that SAE 0W-20 is filled into your Toyota vehicle at manufacturing and it is the best choice for good fuel economy and good starting in cold weather. But yet, further down the page it says you can use 5W30 - in green box. Am I in my rights to insist Kwik Fit use 0W-20 oil, and what if they refuse and say I have to have what they think it should have? The handbook seems a bit contradictory to be honest.

[Slartybartfast]

"If SAE 0W-20 oil is not available,
SAE 5W-30 oil may be used.
However, it should be replaced
with SAE 0W-20 at the next oil
change"

Is in my handbook.

 

[Cyker]

It says that because 0w20 was harder to get hold of back then, so 5w30 was an acceptable alternative when 0w20 isn't available, but ideally it's meant to use 0w20 as the tolerances would have been designed for 0w20.

TBH at this point, if the car's working fine, you may as well stick with what you were using before.

If you're changing from 5w30 to 0w20, you'll likely notice the engine runs a bit more loosely-feeling, e.g. when revving, and get slightly better mpg, but may have a more pronounced tappety clicking sound in the engine bay.

 

On 5/9/2024 at 10:53 AM, FROSTYBALLS said:

The 1.5 was a re-worked 1.33.

Yeah, it being the 2NR-FKE does give that away slightly  (The 1.33 being the 1NR-FE!)

The 1.5 is a much better engine though - I always considered the 1.33 1NR-FE to be a rush-job compliance engine, as it was their first new petrol engine to get £0 road tax and it had a lot of uncharacteristic flaws for a Toyota engine.

In typical Toyota fashion they fixed pretty much all the problems in the updated engine.

[Mooly]

18 hours ago, Stevie J said:

Am I in my rights to insist Kwik Fit use 0W-20 oil, and what if they refuse and say I have to have what they think it should have?

It is your 'right' to be able to ask for what you want when you are looking and choosing somewhere to do the service SO you should ask if they will use 0/20 grade as that is what you prefer. Ask what brand as well.

If they say they don't/can't/haven't got it then you have to decide whether to go ahead or go elsewhere. I wouldn't imagine for a minute Kwik Fit don't carry 0/20 as it has now become common place. Just ask... they won't bite.

Fwiw I ran my Auris on 10w40 for 3 years or so to see if it helped with oil consumption. I asked for that to be used (independent garage) and on the paper work he wrote '10w40 Castrol Ultraclean used at customer request' because it was not the recommended grade. I've now gone back to 0w20 (Duckhams QXR GM) which is a recommended oil and spec for the 1.33L

 

 

[Cyker]

Did it help with consumption?? I must know!!!  

[Mooly]

On balance I'm not so sure it did. The oil burning on this engine is weird and I've learnt to drive in a way to minimise it. High speed motorway and acceleration seem to consume very very little surprisingly, where it seems to burn it is using engine braking and even with around town driving that can be significant.

Since making this connection I've not seen any smoke at all. I was down to adding around 1L per 600 miles or so at times with the 10w40, now I've added around 3 litres in nearly 5k while being back on 0w20.