Bad throttle body at 80k miles

[tobydmv]

Hello all, first post here and fresh off the phone with the dealer. Been diagnosed with a faulty throttle body. Symptoms are poor idle at stops. It will dip down to 500rpm and threaten to die. Dealer quoted me at $1200-ish. The water pump was also leaking so $1810 for everything. I declined the TB, the pump is covered by warranty somehow. But I was wondering how a throttle body can break. Is this just a vacuum leak in the gasket? I have cleaned the body twice in the past two years. It was filthy before and cleaning it helped with a sticky throttle.
So has anyone run into this before and is the only cure replacement? Its an expensive part and i'd hate to replace it if the real problem is a vacuum leak in the gasket or the connector is dirty.
Thanks for your time,
Toby

[vanib]

DId the dealer say exactly what's wrong with the TB? Is the butterfly flap not operating correctly?

BTW, you can get a used one with Lifetime Warranty for about $100 on Ebay. Don't forget to check your friendly junkyard also.
Also, you might want to check your junk yard. I don't know if you have a V6 or I4 but for the V6 there are many vehicles using the same part.Always check your part number whenever you get a new or used part.

AVALON 05-11
CAMRY 07-09 6 cyl
CAMRY 10-11 exc. Hybrid; 6 cyl
HIGHLANDER 08 exc. Hybrid; (6 cyl, 2GRFE eng)
HIGHLANDER 09-11 exc. Hybrid; 6 cyl (2GRFE eng)
HIGHLANDER 11 Hybrid, (6 cyl, 2GRFXE eng)
LEXUS ES350 07-12
LEXUS RX350 07-11
LEXUS RX450H 10-11
RAV4 06-11 6 cyl (2GRFE eng)
SIENNA 07-10 (3.5L, 2GRFE eng)
SIENNA 11 3.5L (2GRFE eng)
VENZA 09-11 6 cyl (2GRFE eng)

Let us know how it goes.

[rav4two]

Some throttle body blades have a coating that can be dissolved by some of the harsher throttle body cleaners. So, hopefully you used one that says "safe for coated throttle bodies" or something to that effect. Removing the coating can cause air leaks past the blade with the resulting poor idle quality.

As vanib says, going used or other than the dealer is a way less expensive way to go.

[JuneBug]

Before I would spend $1200-ish, I would take it to a reputable independent mechanic for a second opinion. Don't tell them anything other than it has an idle problem. You would be surprised how many times the dealership mechanics guess and guess wrong. Throttle bodies rarely ever just "go bad"!

[bigbird1]

Originally Posted by rav4two

Some throttle body blades have a coating that can be dissolved by some of the harsher throttle body cleaners.

I know most Fords use coated throttle plates, but Toyota?
There would be a warning like there is on the Fords to NOT clean the throttle plate or body if it were coated.

[tobydmv]

Originally Posted by vanib

DId the dealer say exactly what's wrong with the TB? Is the butterfly flap not operating correctly?

BTW, you can get a used one with Lifetime Warranty for about $100 on Ebay. Don't forget to check your friendly junkyard also.
Also, you might want to check your junk yard. I don't know if you have a V6 or I4 but for the V6 there are many vehicles using the same part.Always check your part number whenever you get a new or used part.


Let us know how it goes.

No they didnt. In fact the dealer print out even says "Bad throttle body". Its a I4 motor. If the butterfly wasnt opening or closing then the car wouldnt run or accelerate so they did a very poor job of explaining it to me. Its probably just a vacuum leak somewhere.

[avs]

Originally Posted by bigbird1

I know most Fords use coated throttle plates, but Toyota?
There would be a warning like there is on the Fords to NOT clean the throttle plate or body if it were coated.

I know for sure Toyota, Honda and Nissan coat the throttle body with Teflon. I think it's standard engineering practice to coat the throttle body.