Warning - Broken control arm bolt!

[tmontague]

The issue is accessing the threads to get a penetrating lube in there.

If you have impact tools if try yourself, if they snap drive cautiously to the nearest mechanic. If you don't have impact tools then just go to a mechanic.

I can't remember but I believe the solution if they snapped was to have a bit welded onto the stud which can then be removed.

[NYC-SE]

This is still an issue with 3rd gen cars. Below is a pic of the passenger side LCA bolt from my 2014 SE. I changed them out a week ago because the front end was making a clunking noise and I suspected that the LCA bolts were the issue. They were. No more clunking now. You can read about my adventure here:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57576

For those who suspect this may be an issue with their car: The only symptom I had was the clunking noise. The car rode, handled, steered, braked fine. Everything that you could see of the front suspension looked fine too. That's the problem, the LCA bolts are hidden. If you are in a heavy salt area and you are clunking you need to check the LCA bolts.

I was able to R&R the bolts with the car on the ground without a problem. As others here have suggested I coated the new bolts with a high quality calcium sulfonate marine grade grease before installing them. Should help for the future, but I'll be inspecting them every year going forward.

Toyota needs to update the TSB to include ALL model years and they need to extend the warranty on this to 3rd gen cars as well.

P.S. This thread needs to be made a sticky.

[tmontague]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

I'll be inspecting them every year going forward.

FYI, I had also originally planned on pulling the bolts once per year but after coating them virtually the same as you and pulling them to inspect after 1 year, I now just check them every 2 years. Even at 2 years they're virtually untouched.

It's your call but I figured I'd give my input to save you some hassle as your roads are similarly coated in brine for 4 months of the year like ours are.

[NYC-SE]

Originally Posted by tmontague

FYI, I had also originally planned on pulling the bolts once per year but after coating them virtually the same as you and pulling them to inspect after 1 year, I now just check them every 2 years. Even at 2 years they're virtually untouched.

It's your call but I figured I'd give my input to save you some hassle as your roads are similarly coated in brine for 4 months of the year like ours are.

I think I'll pull them in a year anyway just to satisfy my curiosity. I would expect them to be in good shape. After that probably every 2 years. I figure if they can survive for 3 years with no protection they should be fine after 2 with a good coat of grease.

[Cartel]

toyota pig iron...I'll have to inspect mine after seeing this disaster

[bladesmith6]

Well i finally checked mine on my 2007 and glad i did, the driver side was looking really bad. Well coated the new ones in grease and installed with no real drama.

[NYC-SE]

My God, I think those are the worst I've seen yet!

[tmontague]

How was the broken bolt extracted?

[yaris2011-07]

Originally Posted by tmontague

How was the broken bolt extracted?

Yup, looks bad. I needed to drop the subframe and then heat up the bolt bolt with a propane torch. Once heated, I used a good pair of vise grips and was able to remove the bolt.

The most difficult part of this procedure was getting the control arm bushing to release the bolt since the bolt was rusted solid to the bushing sleeve.

[tmontague]

Originally Posted by yaris2011-07

The most difficult part of this procedure was getting the control arm bushing to release the bolt since the bolt was rusted solid to the bushing sleeve.

I had the same issues on my '05 vibe when I replaced the control arms, took an extra 6hrs and I ended up having to burn out the bushing and enlarge the subframe hole to fit the metal insert through. It was seized so bad I never got it unstuck. An impact was useless as the bushing dampened the impacts.

Now on any car I own I pull the control arm bolts and antiseize the whole thing so it never seized to the bushing sleeve. Takes some time but saves hours down the road

[yaris2011-07]

Originally Posted by tmontague

I had the same issues on my '05 vibe when I replaced the control arms, took an extra 6hrs and I ended up having to burn out the bushing and enlarge the subframe hole to fit the metal insert through. It was seized so bad I never got it unstuck. An impact was useless as the bushing dampened the impacts.

Now on any car I own I pull the control arm bolts and antiseize the whole thing so it never seized to the bushing sleeve. Takes some time but saves hours down the road

I also ended up burning part of the bushing while lowering the subframe.
I torched the bushing sleeve a number of times, so the heating and cooling process along with alot of hammering on the bushing sleeve helped to release it from the bolt.

[dogsridewith]

I think this may happen because Toyota skipped a drain hole(s) somewhere. I did an oil change in dry conditions a day after I'd washed the car or there had been a rain event. Car on a lawn sloping somewhat nose down. Drove front wheels up on low ramps to level for oil change. Some time passed in steps of the oil change. And here's water dripping from that subframe area! (pretty sure I checked to see that it wasn't coming from the rubber HVAC tube)
(Warning - Broken control arm bolt! subframe Mind of Toyota)

[yaris2011-07]

Originally Posted by dogsridewith

I think this may happen because Toyota skipped a drain hole(s) somewhere. I did an oil change in dry conditions a day after I'd washed the car or there had been a rain event. Car on a lawn sloping somewhat nose down. Drove front wheels up on low ramps to level for oil change. Some time passed in steps of the oil change. And here's water dripping from that subframe area! (pretty sure I checked to see that it wasn't coming from the rubber HVAC tube)
(Warning - Broken control arm bolt! subframe Mind of Toyota)

Agreed. Some extra drain holes or extra sealing to prevent water from entering the bushing sleeve would help to prevent this situation.

[Cartel]

I'm trying to show a local shop theses pictures and its useless linking this thread cause you dont display the images without signing up first.

thanks

[thetut]

Right click on the image.
Select "Copy"
Open Paint program
Select "New"
press Ctrl + V
Save file and copy it to your phone or tablet.
Show it to your mechanic and let him revel in the destruction.

[Billiam]

We bought a '10 LB a couple of weeks ago with 126k on it. The 1st thing I did was change the oil to some M1 High Mileage 5/30. The 2nd thing I did while it was on the ramps was to check these infamous bolts. I was very nervous putting the breaker bar on them. Thankfully they both came out with out any drama. Despite water dripping from the passenger side hole when the bolt was removed, both bolts looked great. I lathered them completely in antiseize as well as the holes and reinstalled them.

I'm way out of warranty and on my own. So checking these will be part of my regular maintenance

[Cartel]

Well I ordered the bolts.
Toyota argued with me about the part number and how they are non-returnable.
Apparently 90119-14126 was superseded by 90119-14144 and 90119-14151 wouldn't match up for him, he basically talked me into getting the 14144 bolts.

I pulled mine out, the drivers was pretty loose.

I then dipped the new bolts in marine grease from top to bottom and made sure they were really gooped up with excessive amounts of grease and put them in.

My car has under 45,000KM on it so they were not bad.

The bolts were $26 CAD for both.
I cranked the wheel to one side and layed beside the car to get them out without lifting it.

I wanted the garage to just inspect mine while getting a wheel alignment next week but decided to just replace them myself first.

The new ones only had 1 mark compared to 2 on the original.

[tmontague]

those are in decent shape, keep them as spares just in case

the marine grease has worked well for me and I now only check them every couple of years as the water seems to keep away from the marine grease really well