Lexus CT200h Making Really WEIRD Noises! Costs THOUSANDS to Fix!

I have had the experience of putting a lot of money into bulletproofing a 6.0 powerstroke engine and it worked great. Then it was totaled in an accident and as The Car Wizard said in the video, the insurance company did not pay a dime more than what they estimated the vehicle was worth.

The moral of this story is that the overwhelming cost of most repairs is labor, not parts. And finding a good mechanic like the Wizard is worth paying for.

I did it in 14 hours including two lunch breaks in my dad's garage. Worst part was cleaning every mating surface befween the camshaft assembly, block, head, timing cover and valve cover. I could probably do it a lot faster a second time. I have a 2011 CT200h I bought with the blown head gasket. It looks exactly like the one in this video. I just DIY stuff, not a pro at all.

Way back in the 1980s I had an Alfa Romeo with the 4 cylinder “Boxer” engine and it blew one of its head gaskets. I was very busy at the time so I booked it into a local garage to have it fixed. I was told that they would replace the timing belts etc and I paid for the job to be carried out. Everything was fine for about six weeks when there was suddenly a large bang and the engine lost all power and was making the most horrendous noise (I was doing about 70MPH when it happened). You guessed it, the belts had snapped and the valves had hit the pistons, some of which had actually broken off and were embedded in the pistons. Upon examination the belts had not been changed. The garage refused to accept responsibility. End result was the car was a write-off. It just goes to show that over here in the UK all those years ago we also had scammers. Great channel!!

Blown head gasket is how you know a Land Rover has been running recently. If the head gaskets are good, be very suspicious. It may not have been started for some time.

The big difference between the CT200H and Prius is the rear suspension setup. This one uses a double wishbone on the rear and the ride is way better

I could still do the work, but your 18 hours would be 40 for me.

The CT200h was my mom's last car... Funny story though, we had no idea it existed until we saw one on display at the corner of the local Automall. She wanted something with Prius-like mileage at the time, but HATED the prius. This was exactly what she wanted. We went in to check it out at Lexus, and found out the $29,995 trim level was only special order from the port. THAT NIGHT the Tsunami in Japan happened! So I told my mom, "Hey if you want this car, you need to buy it NOW because the plant that builds them won't be for awhile!" And the next day we went in and she ordered one from the port. There was like a 6 month wait list for like a a year after that because of the Tsunami!

My 2010 went out this way at 260,000. Traded in for a 2014 Its HG went out at 285,000 Taxi cab Prius mechanic put crate motor in for less than $3000 Still going strong at 355,000 Never any battery problems ever. Mever any brake jobs either. Incredible cars. CT200h is next on my list.

Long ago I had a VW Rabbit. It developed an overheating problem, in January, in Minnesota. Probably a blown head gasket. But it was too cold to do the repair in my garage. So I took a risk. I got out the long torque wrench and tightened up the head bolts to 115% of spec. The engine ran fine after that until we sold the car two years later. Probably not a universal cure but maybe worth a try if you are cheap or desperate or both.

I learned an extremely valuable lesson the hard way, after a major customization project accident: budget into the build what added insurance will be required to protect your investment. Far too many people put every dime into parts, labour and looks. Following an accident comes the gut wrenching shock, when the adjuster only gives you the basic market value. Whether it's custom or a major repair, protect yourself. After reading a Hotrod magazine, I decided to replace the blown 4 cyl in my 2 year old 73 Vega GT, with an an aluminum V8 from a 63 Olds F-85. First with the crappy automatic, then converted a Chevy 4 speed. I put months of garage time doing a complete engine overhaul. Getting custom motor mounts and machine shop work was very expensive. It turned out a great swap with the V8 weighing just 20 pounds more than the 4 cyl. Just weeks after getting the last bugs worked out, somebody made a left hand turn at a red light in front of me. The insurance company valued the car at its market value, based on the awful problems those original engines were causing everyone. My tough luck.

I’m a major fan of the CT200h. Yes, the head gasket is a known failure point as mileage piles on, but the combination of looks, comfort, fuel economy, and reliability still makes them amazing cars. Awesome video Wizard!

Head gasket job tips: (1)Start with the least abrasive scrubbing material you have to clean up the mating surface on the head(s) and the block, the engine metal may be soft or coated. (2)Measure the block and the head(s) with a straightedge(if either is warped, a new head gasket will not solve the problem). (3)If you’re not sure if your head bolts are reusable, buy new ones(some head bolts stretch when tightened and can only be used once).(4)Most important tip is have an extra car, don’t do this to the only car you have because it will take a while. You SHOULD take your time if you are doing this at home. Second guessing anything? STOP and do more research

Ct200h is a Corolla or Auris in Europe, it’s common for the Egr coolers let go that causes a dead miss water gets in the cylinder and blows the head gasket

Some shops would rather put a whole engine than go through the hassle of the head gasket. Easier for them to repair and send the customer down the road.

I bought a 2011 ct200h in 2021 for 8k with 123k miles. I drove rideshare for 2 years and put a total of 200k miles on it. At the shop I do the preventive treatment for the " issue" of the head gasket that is recommended. I will replace engine if I ever have too. I had to replace brake pump assemply. Cost of part 800.00 shop install 1200.00. Then like clockwork at 185k the hybrid battery had to be replaced. 4k lexus part shop installed. Ready to replace front break pads 2nd time and rotors first time. Various components on suspension replaced. Positives- great sound system. Good bass and power. I like the looks and drive and low center of gravity due to the battery weight. I used Perelli p- zero tires (3 sets great wet traction but fast tread wear. I still have wornout shocks and struts however. I found good pricing tires via online order from walmart shipped to walmart to install. I love this car and i instend to keep this till i croak. But i am 54. It's my car experiment. I only drive 15 miles back and forth on the old fart route in Clearwater Florida. I watch all of Wizards videos and Hoovie Garage too. On a side note I have no car common sense so to speak. Ex owner of Porsche 1988 944 turbo and 1988 911 Carrera.

Excellent video. 3 years ago i bought my 1 owner 2002 Lexus ES300 with 160,800 miles. Shortly after i bought it i had to have the struts replaced (the rear ones started leaking) and the AC compressor replaced. It started squealing but was working, i decided to change it before it fails. A few months later i had the original alternator replaced. a year later the original starter had to be replaced. Granted these are 20 year old OEM parts so for them to last nearly 20 years is a testament to the quality of Toyota/Lexus parts. All new parts are GENCO brand. One of the ignition coils went bad so i decided to have all 6 replaced with DENSO and 6 DENSO plugs. I did the front 3 but the rear 3 i had done by a shop i go to regularly. Exhaust Flex pipe started to make a low rumble so i had that replaced. Late last year the front brake calipers started to freeze up, had them replaced as well as the brake hoses. I change my own synthetic oil every 5k miles. Moral of my comments: although i put more $ into it than what i paid for the car, I'm content and happy i did. This 1MZ engine and smooth transmission will last many more years and its a keeper. i currently have 183k miles and these go for at least 300k miles if maintained properly.

I have a 2013 ct200h with the same issue. I repaired the motor. Right now it has 354235 miles and running.

You're an honest mechanic. A rare find these days. Heck even the dealership I purchased my car from seems a little sketchy to me.

One way to ask that question: is it worth it to pay $5k to fix this known Prius / CT-200h problem compared with buying a different used one for $7k that may not have had it done yet? If either of those vehicles gets in a wreck the insurance company will pay the same amount, so the insurance question only arises if you're lucky enough to have someone wreck it before the work's done. 😂