There are 10 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Toyota Yarisin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Yaris. The contact stated while the vehicle was receiving routine maintenance, the mechanic stated that the chain sprockets on both camshafts were worn. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there was no recall on the VIN. The failure mileage was 160,000.
MY ENGINE IS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED. I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD THE NOISE WAS PROBABLY MY EXHAUST SYSTEM BUT WAS LATER ON TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 138,000 MILES ON IT AND MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE ONLY AT DEALERSHIPS. THE RATTLING NOISE IS EITHER RODS THAT NEED TO BE REPACED OR A TIMING CHAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE HARNESS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,383. UPDATED 9/4/13 *CN
THE CHARCOAL CANISTER ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS PART OF THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE COST WAS $996.00. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER PUMP AND THE ENGINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
WE DRIVE A 2008 YARIS. BECAUSE WE GOT IT USED AND THE PREVIOUS DRIVER DROVE SO MUCH, ITS 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY NO LONGER APPLIED, BUT WE GOT AN EXTENDED POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THIS YEAR, THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS BROKE, AND WE FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE FAULTY HARNESSES. (THE TSB ON IT MENTIONS REPLACING IT WITH AN "IMPROVED" HARNESS.) WHILE TOYOTA DESCRIBES THIS AS NOT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE, WE FEEL OTHERWISE, AS THE SYMPTOM IS AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER AND INABILITY TO ACCELERATE, WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, SINCE THIS PART IS NOT BEING RECALLED, SINCE IN A DBW CAR, THIS IS NOT PART OF THE POWERTRAIN, AND HENCE, WE ARE NOT UNDER WARRANTY, TOYOTA REQUIRED US TO PAY $1000 TO FIX THIS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA YARIS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE BEGAN TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AS WELL AS WHILE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE MASS O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
DURING OIL CHANGE I DECIDED TO LOOK FOR ANY OIL LEAKS AND DISCOVERED OIL DOWN ON THE BACK OF THE ENGINE TO THE OIL PAN. DEALERSHIP PUT DYE IN ENGINE. CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET LEAK. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. THAT SAME DAY, I LOOKED AT OUR OTHER VEHICLE SAME MODEL DIFFERENT YEAR 2010. I NOTICED THE SAME OIL LEAK. SINCE THEN, I HAVE LOOKED AT THREE OTHER 2010 YARIS AND FOUND THE SAME OIL LEAK FROM THE #1 CYLINDER OF THE HEAD CYLINDER GASKET. *TR
A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH WATER NOT DRAINING FROM THE A/C CONDENSOR OWING TO A DESIGN FLAW WHICH CAUSES THE WATER TO DRAIN INTO THE PASSENGERS SIDE FLOOR. TAKEN TO DEALER ONCE, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS SAME. *TR
I BOUGHT THE CAR ON MARCH OF 2008 (TOYOTA YARIS SPORT 4DR SEDAN) AS BRAND NEW. NOTE - BRAND NEW. AFTER DRIVING AROUND FOR 4 MONTHS, MY AIR CONDITIONING SMELLS LIKE VINEGAR EVERYTIME I TURN IT ON. LATER ON, THE SMELL WORSEN; IT SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN VOMIT. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY SMELLED NOTHING. I WAS CONFUSED. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP, THE SMELL REMAINS THE SAME. AFTER 5 MONTHS OF DRIVING, ONE DAY WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL, I WAS WALKING TO MY CAR AND GOT IN (IT WAS A HOT DAY) I TURNED ON THE AC AND IT BARELY BLOW AIR. MENTION AIR; ITS NOT COLD. I WAS REALLY UPSET SINCE IT IS A BRAND NEW CAR AND I'M STARTING TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT. I WENT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEM TO THEM. TOOK ME 4 HOURS FOR THEM JUST TO INSTALL A LITTLE PART IN THE CAR WHICH COSTS DOLLARS AND FOR LABOR COSTING 344 DOLLARS ON THE WARRANTY. I THINK THAT'S INSANE. AFTER IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED, IT WAS TIME FOR MY OIL CHANGE. I WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGE DONE, THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY AC. HE SHOWED ME THE CABIN AIR FILTER AND IT WAS COMPLETELY BLACK. HAD TO PAID MORE FOR A NEW ONE. ALSO THE BACK TRUNK COVER WAS REPAINTED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE ( THE 3RD PARTY TOLD ME MY TRUNK WAS REPAINTED). I ALSO ADDRESSED THAT TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY CABIN AIR FILTER NEXT MONTH AND THE TRUNK WAS BRAND NEW AS IS. I WAS REALLY UPSET AND STARTED TO THINK - DID I BUY A BRAND NEW LEMON?! *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026