2007 Toyota Yaris 1.3L Petrol · CK57 RUV

The 2007 Toyota Yaris presents a mixed maintenance picture that has deteriorated significantly over the last two years. The most recent test on 5 March 2024 recorded a clean pass at 93,456 miles with zero defects, but this follows a failed test just three days earlier on 2 March 2024 at 93,455 miles where the tester identified multiple serious faults. That failure reveals a pattern of neglect that the clean pass does not fully resolve. The vehicle failed on split and cracking suspension arm rear bushes on both front corners, a severely deteriorated offside front CV joint boot, a major exhaust leak at the rear joint, multiple lamp failures, an inoperative engine management light, and critically, missing road wheel fixings on all four wheels. The fact that these faults were rectified within three days suggests urgent remedial work was carried out rather than ongoing proactive care. The maintenance trend is therefore best described as reactive rather than stable, with a vehicle that was allowed to reach a dangerous state before intervention. The mileage pattern raises its own concerns. At roughly 4,919 miles per year over 19 years, this is low annual use consistent with short urban journeys or extended periods of inactivity. The gap between the February 2023 pass at 80,849 miles and the February 2024 failure at 92,614 miles shows 11,765 miles covered in a single year, a sharp increase that may indicate a change in ownership or usage pattern. Critically, the 2024 failure occurred at 92,614 miles and the subsequent retest passed at 93,456 miles, meaning 841 miles were covered between failure and retest, likely the remedial drive. The low annual average combined with the sudden spike and the severity of corrosion-related faults suggests this car has spent considerable time standing, which accelerates corrosion of brake pipes, coil springs, subframes, and exhaust components far beyond what the odometer alone would indicate. A buyer should treat the February 2024 failure as the most honest snapshot of this vehicle's condition. The tester flagged corroded brake pipes, corroded coil springs on all four corners, a corroded rear subframe, and corroded subframe mounting areas. These are structural integrity concerns that a three-day repair may not have fully addressed. The rear subframe corrosion advisory from 2023 was already present, meaning this has been a developing issue. The exhaust has leaked at multiple joints across successive tests, and the Lambda readings were outside specified limits in February 2024, pointing to deteriorating emissions control. The CV joint boots have been repeatedly flagged, with the offside front boot severely deteriorated in both 2023 and 2024, suggesting the joint itself may now be compromised from prolonged exposure to dirt ingress. Any in-person inspection should focus on the structural underside. Check the subframe, coil spring mounting points, and brake pipe condition with particular care, as these showed active corrosion rather than surface rust. Verify the exhaust system for fresh welding or recent joint replacements masking an ongoing deterioration cycle. Inspect both front CV joints for play, given the repeated boot failures. Test all exterior lamps and confirm the engine management light illuminates on ignition and extinguishes correctly, as this was flagged twice. The missing wheel fixings in March 2024 are deeply concerning and suggest the vehicle may have been driven in an unsafe state; check wheel studs and nuts for damage from loose running. This is a car that has been neglected, and the clean pass in March 2024 should not be mistaken for evidence of sound underlying condition.