Home » Toyota Reportedly Goes On Weird Tire Rant Instead Of Explaining Why A GR Corolla Engine Exploded And Caught Fire

Toyota Reportedly Goes On Weird Tire Rant Instead Of Explaining Why A GR Corolla Engine Exploded And Caught Fire

Corolla Gr Fire Ts
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Sometimes, hot hatchbacks get a little bit too hot. In early June, a Toyota GR Corolla owner experienced an engine failure and fire while cruising down the interstate, and captured it all on camera. Nearly two months later, Toyota is said to have responded, and the carmaker’s reported answer is extremely weird to say the least.

On June 8, 2024, a YouTube user by the name of Wolf and Tiger posted dashcam footage of their Toyota GR Corolla blowing an engine on the highway before erupting in flames. While the video context is brief, the engine appeared to blow at a steady cruising speed. A few minutes after the first licks of flames are visible, the fire department arrives and extinguishes the smoldering sport compact, which seems to be a total loss due to extensive fire damage to the front of the vehicle.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

Obviously, this is an unusual failure that deserves an explanation, but it seems as if Toyota is more concerned with tires than providing any actual closure regarding the engine explosion and fire. See, Toyota’s alleged response appears to be absolutely insane.

Here’s the company’s full statement, as previously published by Carscoops:

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You reported that you were driving on a highway when you noticed the vehicle began to make a strange noise (like a rod knocking). You then noticed the oil temperature was high and the vehicle sounded a warning. You pulled over, exited the vehicle, opened the hood and saw fire at the rear of the engine. 911 was called and the fire department arrived approximately 5 minutes later to extinguish the flames.

You stated that approximately 30 days prior to the incident, you had taken the vehicle to a Toyota dealer for an oil change and a fuel issue that was repaired.

In response to your concerns, a vehicle inspection was conducted on June 24, 2024 at Copart by an EAA (Engineering Analysis Associates) fire inspector. The last reported odometer reading of the vehicle was 23,413 miles. Per the CARFAX report, on February 12, 2024, accident damage was reported to the front, the left front, the right front and the right rear.

At the time of the inspection, the vehicle had fire damage to the front and the engine compartment. The inboard side of the engine block had a small hole on the upper side from internal engine damage. Oil residue was found at the turbo charger, the bottom of the engine, the undercarriage and exhaust pipes.

The owner’s manual warns not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do not drive over 85 mph unless your vehicle has high-speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph may result in tire failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.

Based on our inspection findings and the facts relating to this incident, we cannot provide any assistance in this matter.

Holy crap, there’s a lot to unpack here, little of which makes Toyota look good. Let’s start with the probable cause of the fire — that hole in the engine. Unless an engine’s been money-shifted to high hell, had something that shouldn’t be inside of it placed inside of it, or had been in a collision severe enough to fracture the block, there’s absolutely zero reason for an engine with 23,413 reported miles to have a structural failure like that and not be taken seriously. None whatsoever. The statement acknowledges that mechanical failure occurred, but doesn’t go any further than that.

Gr Corolla Blown Engine 1

Instead, Toyota seems to go on a weird aside about the vehicle’s speed. What ludicrous speed could possibly lead Toyota to seemingly gloss over the fire? According to the dashcam video from June, around 85 mph. You know what can handle 85 mph? Pretty much every car sold in America since 1983. A G-body Chevrolet Monte Carlo will send the needle off the scale of its 85 mph speedometer, a Toyota Echo economy car from the early 2000s with the curb weight of a bean and an engine sized for Stuart Little will cruise at 85 mph all day, or until the driver needs a taco or to urinate or something. Germans smash through the 85 mph barrier in 1.2-liter Volkswagen Polos on de-restricted sections of autobahn on the regular. Hell, some of you likely hit 85 mph on your commute today. It’s not an absurd bar for a car to live up to, especially a performance car like a GR Corolla.

My23 Gr Corolla Core 06

Toyota then goes on to question tire integrity, an absolutely bizarre claim to make. All tires have their maximum rated speeds stamped on their sidewalls in the form of a single letter. You know what letter falls just under 85 mph for a maximum safe operating speed? M, at 81 mph. For passenger car tires, the lowest widely-available speed ratings are S, which is capable of handling 112 mph, T, which features an upper threshold of 118 mph, or H, which is good up to 130 mph. As confirmed in the official Toyota press picture above, the GR Corolla Core and Circuit Edition trims come from the factory on (Y)-rated Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires that are good for more than 186 mph. As for the Morizo Edition, it comes with track-ready Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. None of these trims come with a spare tire, either, so every tire on each GR Corolla is capable of 85 mph for hours on end. Oh, and you know what a tire won’t do? Put a hole in your freaking engine.

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GR Corolla tire comment

Needless to say, people in internet comment sections are baffled as to why Toyota brought up tires at all. It’s such a strange aside that it’s drawing its own publicity, such as this commenter’s response on the Carscoops article.

Reddit GR Corolla fire comment

Oh, and Reddit also seems to be responding to this statement in the exact way you’d expect. Sure, a claimed 85 mph in a 1995 Mercury Tracer is a little eyebrow-raising, but if the tires on ’90s economy cars were fine for 85 mph driving, why wouldn’t the tires on a new passenger car be?

Gr Corolla Fire 2

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While it may or may not be Toyota’s place to step up to the plate financially here, as fire damage is typically more of an insurance thing, it’s certainly fair of the vehicles’ owner to expect a good answer from Toyota, and the brand seems to have delivered the opposite of that. There are any number of more plausible ways Toyota could’ve offered a plausible answer here, from claiming that the engine was damaged in a previous collision to pulling ECU logs and looking for signs of abuse. The bottom line? If you sell cars to enthusiasts, they’re going to know when you might be lying to them, and your alleged response might end up on the internet. Now, wouldn’t it be nice to know exactly why this GR Corolla blew up? Well, we’ve reached out to Toyota in an attempt to figure out what’s actually going on, and will update you as soon as we hear back.

(Photo credits: YouTube/Wolf and Tiger)

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Acd
Acd
1 month ago

The paragraph about tires sounds like a CYA message from the Toyota Legal Department or else something you’d expect to find in an owners manual admonishing anyone who drives over posted speed limits.

Jesus Helicoptering Christ
Jesus Helicoptering Christ
1 month ago

I’m just curious about exactly what sorts of warnings the dashboard was trying to chime and ding about while the car was actively on fire and burning to the ground.

“Warning, high coolant temperature” perhaps?

Also, kudos to whatever battery was in that thing. Completely engulfed in flames and the electrical systems just kept going!

Rob Schneider
Rob Schneider
1 month ago

Years ago, when my father lost the family farm (somewhat but not totally related the the “farm crisis” going on at the time), all of the equipment got auctioned off. All sales were final, and stuff was sold “as is”, etc. Two years later, we got sued by a guy that bought one of the tractors, claiming some sort of fraud or misrepresentation – don’t know the specifics, as I was still relatively young at the time.

Anyway, in the course of discovery, we (and his lawyer) found out the tractor had been involved in a motor vehicle accident on a highway at some point after he bought it. The case disappeared pretty quickly after that.

I mention all that because I’m guessing Toyota knows something we don’t, and it likely involves some prior vehicle damage related to tire failure. As they say on the Internet, I Am Not A Lawyer, but I’ve got a hunch that’s a warning shot to whatever lawyers the Corolla owner might retain for a lawsuit.

SmallBlogV8
SmallBlogV8
1 month ago

What avenue did the owner take to contact Toyota? Because either this is an algorithmically generated response (customer service chatbot?) or, I dunno, did someone who’s never had to understand how cars work before end up working in car insurance and just decide that 85mph is too fast? Surely nobody at Toyota who actually knows their onions was actively involved at any point in creating that response…

Joke #119!
Joke #119!
1 month ago
Reply to  SmallBlogV8

That’s my first suspicion: AI.
Also, guessing that the oil plug wasn’t tightened to specification. But what do I know? I’m just a ChatBot.

Grayvee280
Grayvee280
1 month ago

I had planned to buy one, local joke/Toyota dealership told me 6 month wait then strung me along for an extra 5 months. Just as my crosstrek starting knocking, I happened to fall into an opportunity to grab a new FL5 Civic Type R. I’ve since been in a Rolla 86 and man am I glad I got the R. Fit and finish are fantastic, and if anything can take 20+psi boost, its a K20!

Last edited 1 month ago by Grayvee280
Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  Grayvee280

Did you pay MSRP for it? Every Type R near me is marked up

Grayvee280
Grayvee280
1 month ago

I did not, but it wasn’t bad, and I had budgeted for one on the GR, so it was already planned for. Add to that, I had a Subaru that got hit front side and the engine was on borrowed time, I figured what the hay?

Electronika
Electronika
1 month ago
Reply to  Grayvee280

I have a GR Supra, I just spent 3 weeks trying to get the local joke of a dealer to do the first service (they only have 2 techs that are allowed to work on it) then tried for an hour to find a sales rep to talk to me about buying a Tacoma for my wife with no luck (they just ignored me). Toyota has lost their way

David Smith
David Smith
1 month ago
Reply to  Electronika

My local Toyota dealer has been a pleasant surprise with how easy they are to work with. What this means, I am not sure.

Electronika
Electronika
1 month ago
Reply to  David Smith

Ya not sure. I am in Denver, Tacoma/4Runner city so you would think that we would have good Toyota dealers but I don’t know. I sold Toyotas here in 2001 for a few months during a dark time for me and it was bad then too, but I think all car dealers were bad then too.

Lincoln Clown CaR
Lincoln Clown CaR
1 month ago
Reply to  Grayvee280

Welcome to the FL5 club!

Grayvee280
Grayvee280
1 month ago

Its the greatest car I have ever owned! I hit up an autocross last month, then took the family and a bunch of luggage on vacation the week after.

#Magical

Ben
Ben
1 month ago

I guess their working theory is that a failed tire punched a hole in the block from the inside? 😉

MP81
MP81
1 month ago

But like…the tires!

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago

I was strongly considering one of these for my next car if I decided to trade in my coupe. This is making me think twice since I have seen a few failures with the GR. I was wondering how pushing that little 3 cylinder so far would result in some issues. A 4 cylinder might have been a better fit.

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

Are the Yarises suffering the same issues? I haven’t seen it, but who knows.

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago
Reply to  Albert Ferrer

I was just wondering that and decided I should do some research later tonight. I am very curious if it is just too much for the motor. I will say the article should go into more light about the fuel issue that was supposedly fixed. As that would be my first look.

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

Could be. Although specific power output is lower than that of the M139 and that is in far fatter vehicles. And I haven’t heard of any horror stories with those either.

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago
Reply to  Albert Ferrer

I have often meant to read a build log on those to see how they are done. I have built multiple 4 cylinder turbos so I am pretty aware of failure points where OEMs skimp. If I had to guess there is much much less skimping on a mercedes motor and even less on the AMG models. I think the price target on where they wanted to sit with the corolla has possibly left it with some weak spots. Kind of like a subaru flat motor vs a porsche one.

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

True. I have seen A45 S AMGs retail for €110k.

Why would any one spend that on a “front wheel drive hatchback” is beyond me.

Madness.

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago
Reply to  Albert Ferrer

Also I am very curious on this specific failure because rod knock normally doesn’t lead to a fire. That is the part that confuses me.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

You’ll also need to modify a GR Corolla if you want to track it. The differentials only last a few laps before they overheat. I nearly bought one myself in 2022 but based on all that I’ve read I don’t really regret getting an N instead, at least at this point…and if I were to consider something else in this class in the future it would definitely be an Integra Type S or CTR.

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago

Yeah I am leaning in the direction of the CTR even though I love awd. The GR corolla is cool but it feels like it needed a little bit more.

Captain Muppet
Captain Muppet
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

Con rod big end knocks, big end fails, crank rotates in to unconstrained remains of con rod and pushes it through the block. Hot oil exits through block and then you have a combustion event.

Or poor fueling from previously documented failure causes detonation. Det damages piston, piston later fails or seizes in the bore, knocking noise, little end of con rod goes through block, boom.

I’ve seen an engine sawn in half by a conrod that bent and then failed after a few detonation events.

You’d be amazed at how many engine component DFMEAs end in the euphemism “thermal event”.

Dalton
Dalton
1 month ago
Reply to  JTilla

Dont let a one-off freak incident sway your mind, lol

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
1 month ago

I’m confused – The car was wrecked in Feb and rebuilt?
Then just say the car’s warranty expired when it was wrecked – that makes more sense than “You drove too fast that one time for tires that were never even on that car so no”

Turbotictac
Turbotictac
1 month ago

I have it on good authority that a Smart car will do 98, so I can assure you that is not too much for a GR Corolla. Strange response from Toyota though, but then again they have an extremely bad track record on responses to vehicle failures.

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  Turbotictac

It may not be too much for the Corolla, but certainly is for the Smart! God is this car so unsuited to motorway driving.

VS 57
VS 57
1 month ago
Reply to  Albert Ferrer

??? Cannot agree. Drove mine 115,000, a few thousand of those miles towing a trailer carrying motorcycles, snowmobiles or a golf cart.

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  VS 57

My aunt has a ForFour turbo (of the french variety, not the japanese one) and that car’s dynamic are horrible.

Can it do 90+? Yes. Do you want to do it? Certainly not.

In the city it may be good, but everywhere else is hopeless.

VS 57
VS 57
1 month ago
Reply to  Turbotictac

The US smart was limited to 96… at least mine was.

Turbotictac
Turbotictac
1 month ago
Reply to  VS 57

That’s within the realm of speedometer/radar variance, I would think?

Cars? I've owned a few
Cars? I've owned a few
1 month ago

It will be interesting to read if we ever get the final determination of what the Hell happened.

The CarFax report of damage to three corners of the car is curious but lacking sufficient detail to draw any conclusions.

Toyota doesn’t appear to contest the service work done by a dealer a month before and I would hope that the dealer’s mechanics would have spotted anything suspicious/dangerous during that service.

As the video’s submitter noted, I was impressed how long the camera kept functioning, even after the fire had spread to the interior base of the windshield and beyond. I did a little research and at least some models of Nexar dashcams can stream to one’s cell phone and then on to the cloud for storage.

I’ve accidentally washed and dried an SD card mistakenly left in some pants pocket without loss of data/media files, but I’m not sure a typical SD card would have survived that.

Black Peter
Black Peter
1 month ago

Yeah that dash cam is the real hero here..

TheDrunkenWrench
TheDrunkenWrench
1 month ago

Was the response an AI response? That’s the only way I could see a tire tirade for no particular reason.

Arch Duke Maxyenko
Arch Duke Maxyenko
1 month ago

Is that Toyota Rep the BMW M4 owner who didn’t use the digital tire gauge?

Cayde-6
Cayde-6
1 month ago

I was going to make a Supra joke before I re-read the headline and realized it was the Corolla

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago

Another GR Corolla owner is suing a Toyota dealership because he found a GPS tracker they’d installed without his knowledge. Why anyone buys enthusiast cars from this company is beyond me. They actively hate us, see us as idiots, and their entire sales model is set up to allow dealerships to absolutely bend customers over.

At the end of the day this is a hot rodded Corolla. The Supra is a BMW. The GR86 is as much a Subaru as it is a Toyota, and they’ve been denying warranty claims for that engine blowing up during track use. We aren’t talking about Ferraris or GT moniker Porsches here. They’re goddamn Toyotas…

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago

Is there even a company for an average joe blow that wants a enthusiast car that won’t try and screw them over?

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

Honestly, the domestic automakers are the best on this.

I’m pretty certain all of them explicitly cover track driving (not racing or competition) under warranty, at least on their performance cars.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Hyundai covers all the N products for track work and actively encourages customers to go to the track. The truly ironic thing about Toyota is that for a while they were giving customers a free track day with their GR Corolla. So…they’d encourage you to go then not cover it if something went wrong.

And based on how things have been going with Toyota turbo engines and the boxer in the Toyobarus, that’s probably as much of a when as it is an if.

Alexk98
Alexk98
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

You know, people have been wondering about the longevity and durability of the new 1.2 and 1.3 turbo engines, would be pretty sweet seeing how much abuse a trailblazer could handle on track until the engine blows, getting a new one swapped in under warranty, and going back out to do it again.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  Alexk98

We can schedule the Trailblazer racing series in Autopia once the Shangli series wraps up!

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Which there isn’t much left on that end with the Camaro, charger/challenger ending. So you really only have the mustang left for average joe.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago

This is Blackwing erasure and I won’t stand for it. Used CT4V BWs can be had for about the same price as a Mustang GT once it’s equipped with the track goodies.

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago

Are they actually depreciating that badly? I know the old CTS-V’s would hold their value really well.

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

Depends I suppose on what you think of a CT4 Blackwing or Corvette both starting in the $60s and available real world for less than that. Then whatever the new Charger ends up being.

Last edited 1 month ago by V10omous
Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

True I don’t really see the Corvette or Black Wing as an average joe car as those (especially the vette) strike me more as near retirement or upper middle class type cars. I think the 35-45k range is more for your average joe type enthusiasts type car. Now if you can get a C8 or BlackWing for closer to 50k then maybe. I haven’t looked at the depreciation of C8’s but I know a lot of the performance caddies hold value well.

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

Remember that a Mustang GT starts at $47K now, and performance packs add to that total quickly. A Dark Horse actually starts higher than a Blackwing.

So going strictly by your $45K limit, you can’t even get a V8 Mustang.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

I just posted the same thing, although I’ll add that no one is paying sticker for a Mustang. The S650 isn’t selling very well so most of them have money on the hoods. But I agree with your point. They also just killed the performance package for the Ecoboost so they’re really trying to funnel enthusiasts into highly spec’s GTs or the Dark Horse.

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

To be fair, no one is paying sticker for C8s or CT4 Blackwings either. But point taken.

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Shit didn’t even know that I hadn’t looked at prices I thought the GT would start at 40k. Shit is so stupid expensive nowadays.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago

The CT4V BWs are actually depreciating. They’re already in the low 50s lightly used. Granted interest rates are so bonkers right now that in some cases just buying new winds be cheaper than used if you’re financing, but still. Seeing as the average car sells for a little under $50,000 these days I would categorize the BW as being relatively affordable…it just depends on what specs you want. Highly equipped ones with the manual aren’t depreciating quite like base ones with the 10 speed.

Anyway a Mustang GT now starts at around $45,000…so once you add the performance package and magneride which I think are a must if you’re going to do any actual performance driving, the cost is kind of a wash.

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago

Yeah this news to me of a GT mustang being that much to me it seems you would just be better off saving for a black wing or a C8. Or going certified pre-owned Camaro or mustang if you can get a decent price and loan (if not paying cash).

Reasonable Pushrod
Reasonable Pushrod
1 month ago

GM will cover track driving under warranty on the Corvette and Camaro.

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago

Sucks the Camaro is done though (be it hard to see out of and all) then again I drove an FJ so I am sure the Camaro is actually easier to see out of haha.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago

I want a ZL1 so bad. I’ll never get one…that’s way more power than I should be trusted with, the 6th gen Camaro is a miserable daily, the gas and insurance costs alone are practically another car payment themselves, etc. But I frequently daydream of rolling up to an HPDRE day in one and giving all the actual exotics fits.

Turbotictac
Turbotictac
1 month ago

In my experience Ford is really good about it with Mustangs, and Chevrolet has a pretty good track record as well with the Corvette and track focused Camaros.

10001010
10001010
1 month ago

Not to pick nits, but the GR86 is far more Subaru than Toyota. The percentage of Toyota content is about the same as what’s in the Supra.

Nsane In The MembraNe
Nsane In The MembraNe
1 month ago
Reply to  10001010

Oh you’re good. My knowledge of that platform is limited.

10001010
10001010
1 month ago

My understanding is that Toyota being a major share holder basically told Subaru that they were making a sports car. They started with the Impreza platform and kept modifying it to lighten it up and lower the center of gravity and just kept lightening and lowering until they got to the finished platform. AWD and turbo and moon roofs and even the AC controls were all scrapped or redesigned to lower the center of gravity. Then at the end Toyota joined the effort and redesigned the cylinder heads for the Subaru flat-4 engine and the car is built in Subaru’s factory. There’s also slight differences in suspension and interior trims between the twins but for the most part I think of them all as Subarus.

ADDvanced
ADDvanced
1 month ago

Wow, that makes me lose a lot of respect for toyota

Bjorn A. Payne Diaz
Bjorn A. Payne Diaz
1 month ago

This is why you buy your hot hatches new and not used. Especially not a salvage titled one.

Sid Bridge
Sid Bridge
1 month ago

If they just made the whole car out of whatever material that interior chime was made out of, we would never have to worry about fires again.

Cerberus
Cerberus
1 month ago

Hell, my ’83 Subaru GL would do “P” in “MPH” or redline in 4th, which was 110 (top speed was lower in 5th) and it would do that for hours with low oil and no problems. I would run to Detroit from Boston in my ’84 automatic, overloaded with stuff, running near redline most of the way in 3rd. This isn’t the only one of these failing and I suspect there will be many more of these hand grenades going off. Toyota still has to work with the same physics as everyone else and these are highly stressed engines put into cars that should be expected to be able to be used as dailies.

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

I mean, they buried the lede:

Per the CARFAX report, on February 12, 2024, accident damage was reported to the front, the left front, the right front and the right rear.

If this accident was severe enough to total the car and/or result in a salvage title, it’s not surprising the warranty would no longer be valid.

The part about the tires is nonsensical of course, but they do not actually state the denial is because of the speed or the tires. My guess is the real reason is the accident history and the tire part was awkwardly left in the statement.

Dan Parker
Dan Parker
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Doesn’t say anything about it being totaled though, or anything the severity of the damage in the carfax. The fact that it had recently been into toyota for an oil change and some repair related to the fuel system is as much a red flag as the front end damage. The tire thing is probably just boilerplate, but damn does it ever sound stupid.

Black Peter
Black Peter
1 month ago
Reply to  Dan Parker

It seems like boilerplate, but honestly, I haven’t purchased a tire under an “S” rating in, I don’t know when, I mean I’m wondering if they’re even readily available.

The recent service at Toyota is more impactful to me than the “damage”, that could have been anything from Camry dents to a total. The lack of detail implies less damage, I’d think if it was totaled or close to, they would have spelled that out.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch
Carbon Fiber Sasquatch
1 month ago
Reply to  V10omous

Agreed. It isn’t the best way to word that in the statement but it definitely seems like they’re blaming the previous accident

Who Knows
Who Knows
1 month ago

Should have had the tires filled with nitrogen, since it is inert and won’t aid combustion. Must have been all the unstable, dangerous oxygen in the tires causing the fire.

IRegertNothing, Esq.
IRegertNothing, Esq.
1 month ago
Reply to  Who Knows

This is why I fill my tires with beet juice, like a tractor.

My car is full of ants.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
1 month ago

My hovercraft is full of eels.

Harvey Firebirdman
Harvey Firebirdman
1 month ago

Your honor I swear the dog started the house on fire that is not me in the video pouring gasoline all over the house and lighting the match it is the dog.

Mrbrown89
Mrbrown89
1 month ago

Toyota is on a roll recently, between the new generation Tundra engines, the emissions scandal, now this… I guess turbocharging the hell of a 3 cyl engine is no bueno

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Mrbrown89

I fall into the “no replacement for displacement” school of thought when it comes to ICE engines for many reasons. Reliability is a big one.

Going to a smaller, high-strung turbo engine vs a larger naturally-aspirated engine with more cylinders to get your horsepower is very counterproductive, when it is a lot easier to get bigger fuel economy gains from aerodynamic drag reduction through streamlining taking precedence over style/brand identity and the mass reduction that is possible by removing all of the bells and whistles, vs downsizing the engine.

Consider that the 1998 Corvette C5 can get 30 mpg at 70 mph. After 25 years of technological advancement since, compare that to the over-stressed GR Corolla EPA-rated at 28 mpg highway, which weighs about the same as the C5 Vette, but has worse aero drag.

If I ran a car company, my standard budget option for a sub-$25k ICE sedan would be a V8 with RWD. And the cheapest option would be a stripper car, the base model coming with heat/AC, roll-up windows, manual locks, buttons/switches/knobs for all functions, a place to plug your phone into to use an infotainment screen(easily replaced and not integrated into every aspect of the car), normal sized wheels with thick sidewalls on the tires, no fake/nonfunctional vents/creases/trim pieces to add drag/cost, and even a manual transmission. All the bells and whistles still optional, of course, and priced accordingly but with no subscription services. And it would be an efficient car, with a sub-0.20 Cd value, to allow it to get around 40 mpg highway. And it would be a light car, coming in under 3,000 lbs, using conventional materials, allowing it to still get mid 20s mpg city driven with no concern to economy and maybe even into the mid-30s with hyper-miling techniques, using that big, beautiful, inefficient V8.

That engine would be so damned understressed, that if maintained, it would last a VERY long time. Everything critical in the car to keep it operational would be designed for easy access and repair, so that future 2nd/3rd/4th hand owners can keep it out of a landfill. Which is how things should be built.

Last edited 1 month ago by Toecutter
Parsko
Parsko
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

How in the fuck am I going to sell you another car in 7 years if I build them like that?!?!?!

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

The best tank in the A110 (with a 300bhp 1800cc turbocharged engine) was 32mpg at 70mph average speed (which means cruising speeds of 80-85mph).

Maybe there is some progress after all 😉

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Albert Ferrer

The A110, because of its smaller frontal area, has a CdA value slightly less than the C5 in spite of the higher Cd value. Couple that with its mass reduction being ~700 lbs lighter than the C5, and it makes the fuel economy results of its stressed 1.8L engine not very impressive compared to an LS V8.

Then consider that when tuning the engine in a C5 to operate in lean burn, and it will get 40 mpg at 70 mph, making the small 1.8L turbo engine even less impressive still…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNIZ25eBMco

Albert Ferrer
Albert Ferrer
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

Out of curiousity I looked at the spec sheet of the C5 Corvette v the A110.

https://www.km77.com/comparador/ve:car:chevrolet:corvette:1997:coupe:sa:corvette-coupe-sa,ve:car:alpine:a110:2018:estandar:estandar:a110-gt#measurements

The frontal area might not be that different, the Corvette is wider but lower than the Alpine.

Also interesting is that the top gear in the Corvette is 50% longer than the one on the A110 (30mph v 45mph for every 1000rpm). At speed this has far more of an impact than the weight difference (a whopping 750lb).

At a steady 70mph, the A110 might be able to achieve those 40mpg (don’t know haven’t tried it) without any modifications to the engine. Also it is quicker than the Corvette.

In any case, I am fully aware of the benefits of big understressed engines. I used to drive an M140i which got impressive mileage if you drove carefully and slowly (and very unimpressive one if you floored it… 😀 ).

But those modern cars can (and do) also deliver.

Last edited 1 month ago by Albert Ferrer
Mrbrown89
Mrbrown89
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

This sounds like the 3800 GM Engine in a lot of ways, including the type of vehicles were it was used.

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Mrbrown89

That would also be an excellent choice that could still reliably make lots of power.

It’s a shame that this engine was mostly placed in heavy, FWD cars with mediocre aero and automatic transmissions. Here’s what happens when you supercharge this engine and put it in a Fiero:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yk9J_9DMh8

I would like to imagine something like this in a 4-seater GM Impact or GM Ultralite, except using conventional materials instead of fancy composites, and RWD. Although, my preference would be for a naturally-aspirated LS-series V8, if it can be made to fit.

JTilla
JTilla
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

I think lower boost levels are fine for most smaller motors. Reliability wise I don’t think that na vs turbo is that big of a gulf until you start pushing boost levels to the limit. You can easily build a very reliable turbo 4 cylinder but it costs money and oems usually skimp on something.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
1 month ago

I interpreted that response as here’s what we know and this is response our AI put together from those keywords.

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago

Butthead: Uhh-huh-huh, huh. Cool!

Beavis: FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XchwE9zVdnw

Scott Wangler
Scott Wangler
1 month ago

The dash cam has speed indicated. I did not see him exceed 85.

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