Finally got my car!!!

[Yaris17]

Hey all! I finally found a yaris a purchased it today.
It's a 2008 liftback automatic.
So I have a few questions .

When I test drove the vehicle it drove fine; however, when I went and picked it up today I noticed while driving home that the sterring wheel slightly shakes at about 65-70 mph. The seller said she had it serviced and aligned by Toyota before I bought it . Did they mess something up? Does this sound like a wheel is out of balance. Also, when driving I hear and slightly feel a rhythmic vibration. It's like every 1-2 sec and is constant while driving?? Any thoughts? Could it be a bad cv joint or wheel bearing? Any of you had similar issues with your yari?
Also, I've never had a motor this small before but it seems that I can hear a slight ticking in the motor, is this normal? It doesn't sound excessive , but I can definitely hear it from inside the car if I listen really closely !
One more question... When I am stopping I can hear a whine sound. Its really faint is that the transmission stopping?

[Stove]

A slight shake in the steering wheel is most likely due to an out of balance wheel.

Does the rhythmic vibration happen at all speeds? Is it more noticeable at higher speeds? Does it get faster as you speed up?

I've never had any problems with my Yaris but it's been my experience that a bad CV joint will make a clicking sound when its bad. It's a very noticeable click that at first will only be heard when turning sharply under power. As the CV gets worse/looser the clicking noise will occur in normal wider turns. If your brave enough to try to find the life-limit of one, they will eventually click when you are going straight...

Engine tick could be normal. My '10 ticks very lightly, but I can only hear it if I am outside the car while its running.

[ilikerice]

+1 ^

vibration in steering wheel probably needs the wheels balanced again.. I'd just take it back and ask if they will balance the tires for me.. if you bought it at a dealer of course.

the humming noise could also be chopped tires. uneven tire wear on the outside of the tire. I would run my hand across the inside and outside of the tire. If the wear feels uneven at all like each thread is uneven to the next, its probably chopped. only fix is new tires.. It COULD be lack of rotation of tires, or improper balance, or just crappy tires in general.

I do believe the ticking is normal.. usually injector pulse.. newer toyota's are known for that.

[Yaris17]

It happens at all speeds, but more noticeable when on interstate. I do not believe that it gets louder when I speed up or anything. It really only sounds like its on the right front tire . The tires feel even. They are almost brand new.

The wheel doesn't really start shaking until I get around 65-79 mph or more.

[WeeYari]

First, as everyone has pointed out, the tires most definitely need balancing and engine ticking is normal.

Second, the "rythmic vibration" is something that mine has always had from day one. I wouldn't call it a vibration since it is more a harmonic resonance. My car has run 3 different wheel/tire setups in its lifetime and the "thrumming" stays the same regardless of setup.

[DebbyM46227]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

Second, the "rythmic vibration" is something that mine has always had from day one. I wouldn't call it a vibration since it is more a harmonic resonance. My car has run 3 different wheel/tire setups in its lifetime and the "thrumming" stays the same regardless of setup.

Mine has done that from Day 1 (brand new car) also. It's kind of like a hum that goes away/comes back every couple seconds. Only when I'm doing 65+ MPH. If I don't have the stereo up loud to help drown the sound out, it tries to lull me to fall asleep.

[sex]

Did you check/change the oil?

[Yaris17]

I haven't changed the oil. Although, the people that had the car before had always used synthetic oil in it; however , when they took it to have it servied by Toyota they put in valvoline conventional oil :/
Someone said that switching from synthetic to conventional is bad? Is this true and could this have anything to do with "ticking"?

[ilikerice]

I doubt that changing from synthetic to conventional will cause a ticking. In fact as long as the oil is changed completely, it shouldnt do any harm. your not suppose to mix them though, ex. using conventional oil and adding a quart of synthetic or vise-verse.

[Yaris17]

So Derrick do you have ticking in your yaris?

[Chuck G]

The Yaris engine does tick.

[Yaris17]

Hey all! So I took the car to check it out at another Toyota dealer that Had good reviews. They checked the alignment and said that it was off; however IT WAS JUST DONE BY ANOTHER DEALER! Anywho, they realigned it and balanced the 4 tires.

I noticed that on the freeway the car still slightly will drift to the right. I am not sure if it is the crown of the road or what? I had a 2007 toyota corolla a few years back and it did the same thing, no matter if I aligned it and I bought it new. Is this a toyota thing?

As for the engine ticking, I suppose it's normal? I am going to change back to the synthetic Amsoil this weekend, hopefully. I do not know why they would use synthetic all its life then the dealer put in conventional oil!!!?? I talked to the toyota service tech yesterday and he said change it back immediately! It will cause the seals to leak?? Anyone know if this is valid, I have read various opinions on this topic.

Thanks!

[ilikerice]

I have heard the same about causing seals to leak. but i have yet to see any actual proof that its will do that. but its better to be safe than sorry, right? Until someone actually has video or documents that can prove that, and have a control also, then I will agree. But seals deteriorate (spellcheck?) at different rates all the time.

As for the ticking, yes. I narrowed it down to the injectors on most vehicle, just about all lexus cars have abnormally loud injectors customers complain about.

BUT AGAIN, its hard to tell what you call a "ticking" noise, and what i call a "ticking" noise. get some video of it

[Yaris17]

true, yeah I will try and get a video of it as soon as I can.
This is probably a question that would be hard to answer since we are in different areas, but do you know if any oil changing places offer amsoil 5w30? Toyota does not and I am not sure where to go, other than changing it myself. If I do that, is there a retail place to buy the toyota filter?

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by Yaris17

...but do you know if any oil changing places offer amsoil 5w30?

I think you'll have to buy it from a dealer. I'm assuming you live in Kentucky, just google Amsoil Lousiville, there's several dealers you would be able to purchase it from.

[sickpuppy1]

And most cars will have a slight pull to the right on highways. 1) the road is crowned to make water flow off during rain 2) most mfg will make it go slightly to the right in case a person falls asleep at the wheel it should guide to the shoulder rather than oncoming traffic. If your vibration is gone after the second dealer aligned and balanced, good. if not. switch front tires and see if it does it on the left now. if the vibration and pull switch with the tire change, you have a bad/broken belt in the tire. Possibly from a pot hole or curb hit.