94 corolla overheating
94 corolla keeps overheating, or almost. the temp. gauge almost gets to the top. we changed the thermostat. it worked for a couple of days but still got hot. what could it be?
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1994 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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The 1994 Toyota received a few safety improvements, bringing it into the modern age. For the first time, passenger-side airbags were standard across the board. Also, the passenger and rear seats got retractable locking seatbelts.
The 1994 Toyota Corolla was available as a wagon and a sedan. The wagon came in the DX trim level, and the sedan came as a standard, DX, or LE. The base engine was a four-cylinder, 1.6-liter, 102-horsepower engine, and the DX and LE sedans could be upgraded to a 1.8-liter, 115-horsepower engine. Fuel economy, depending on the engine and transmission, was about 26-34 mpg.
Owners of the 1994 Toyota Corolla like it for its good fuel economy and reliability and say that with regular maintenance, it will last for hundreds of thousands of miles. Complaints include lack of interior space and amenities, and slow acceleration.
Published Aug 9, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 1994 Toyota Corolla
Write a reviewUser rating:
by Anonymous
Nov 19, 2014
I got this car after my Astro started having transmission problems; I was currently working for a screen printing company, so driving it to work was pretty nice. I didn't really care much about the car, since it had lackluster styling, but other than that, I was glad that it was a reliable car.
I ended up losing my job, but this car helped me go around town putting in applications; it wasn't until November that I got a job delivering newspapers and that was when the Corolla started to struggle. It had a hard time hauling 300 lbs of newspapers, on Sundays and I wasn't able to afford to get anything fixed, the engine ended up blowing before I could get my first paycheck. I sold it on Craigslist to help save up money for another car.Nov 19, 2014
by Dylan S
Nov 30, 2013
I have put more miles on this vehicle in the two years that I've owned it than any
other vehicle I've ever owned. Currently has 270xxx miles on it yet still runs like it's
brand new. Vehicle virtually requires no maintenance. I just put oil in it every
couple hundred miles and it keeps going. Perfect car for the money.Nov 30, 2013
by Anonymous
May 14, 2013
This was perfect for a first time car person. It was cheap on gas and hardly no maintenance work on it it did not look the best but it drove like a champ if i had the money i would buy another just like itMay 14, 2013
User rating:
by Anonymous
Nov 19, 2014
I got this car after my Astro started having transmission problems; I was currently working for a screen printing company, so driving it to work was pretty nice. I didn't really care much about the car, since it had lackluster styling, but other than that, I was glad that it was a reliable car.
I ended up losing my job, but this car helped me go around town putting in applications; it wasn't until November that I got a job delivering newspapers and that was when the Corolla started to struggle. It had a hard time hauling 300 lbs of newspapers, on Sundays and I wasn't able to afford to get anything fixed, the engine ended up blowing before I could get my first paycheck. I sold it on Craigslist to help save up money for another car.Nov 19, 2014
by Dylan S
Nov 30, 2013
I have put more miles on this vehicle in the two years that I've owned it than any
other vehicle I've ever owned. Currently has 270xxx miles on it yet still runs like it's
brand new. Vehicle virtually requires no maintenance. I just put oil in it every
couple hundred miles and it keeps going. Perfect car for the money.Nov 30, 2013
by Anonymous
May 14, 2013
This was perfect for a first time car person. It was cheap on gas and hardly no maintenance work on it it did not look the best but it drove like a champ if i had the money i would buy another just like itMay 14, 2013
by Shafi C
Oct 31, 2012
Acceleration, or may I say the engine power output is not so good due to the engine condition since it's 18 years old! Also because of the fuel we use, called CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) which decreases the engine power. Braking is good with all the stock equipments. I just changed the stock suspension to KYB Excel-G to get better comfort and handling.
Needs a lot of repairs. Specially the body paint and some engine repairs.
The exterior and interior appearance is not good yet. But I'm working on it and hope to make the best out of it.
Oct 31, 2012
by Anonymous
Oct 24, 2012
i feel safe and in control driving it, this car has fun to drive, the maintenance and repair costs is fair. this car is fun to drive, the car works fine, the apearance looks fine, it is a strong car.Oct 24, 2012
by Ed R
Apr 26, 2012
This was a decent car. It ran great, I put very little money into this car for maintenance cost. Even after we had an accident with the car it ran just as good as it did before the accident. I would highly recommend this car to any that was looking for a cheap, reliable car Apr 26, 2012
by Eliezer R
Jan 15, 2012
Quite the reliable car, and with a 5spd manual it's fun to drive. Could have used
some more power, but overall I was never disappointed with this vehicle. Excellent
daily driver, good looks, extremely reliable and easy on the pockets when
maintenance time comes. A great first car!Jan 15, 2012
by Nathaniel S
May 27, 2011
good performance with the 4age 20v silvertop and lightened flywheel.
fun to drive with the sports suspension (toms struts with adjustable damper in
rear). far from factory and a real beast off the line (once you get traction)
really impressedMay 27, 2011
by Peter-Joe H
Dec 29, 2010
Performance - Acceleraton is excellent, handling is sporty and it stops like a car with ABS.
Appearance - Interior is immaculate and exterior is stock standard.
Fun Factor - When the revs hit 7000 the ladies panty's drop, so what do you think?Dec 29, 2010
by David K
Sep 20, 2010
Extremely reliable and well built. It wasnt intended for performance but its relatively quick. Handling is superb handles corners with ease. Very fun to drive and has a sporty look for being a sedan. Really roomy for its size. Im over 6 foot and i am pretty comfy and not scrunched. Braking is excellent on this car. I can stop on a dime and leave some change lol. Cost of ownership is stupid low and requires only normal maintenance. Average milage is about 32mpg and i have gotten as high as 37Sep 20, 2010
by Jonathan D
Sep 09, 2010
this is a nice car to drive , good power in it looks sporty and takes are the the
carina in terms of power , the 1.9 diesel is a strong car , lovely to drive , very light
on diesel . good power steering but so off the triming was not so good specially on
dirt tracks , this car is a little bit light but over all is a lovely car Sep 09, 2010
by Jonathan D
Sep 09, 2010
well what can i say , i dont know if i can say a lot , this car was nothing compared
to the carina , when i sat in to this car i was a bit disappointed , ths car was low
down , the dorrs were thiny , and all the exteriors were falling off , the speed was
not great on this 1.9 petrol Sep 09, 2010
by Santiago M
Jul 07, 2010
Smooth, Comfortable, accelerates quickly, rarely needs repair good gas mileage
fun to drive, brakes are dead on not that expensive I believe I under paid the
appearance is nice not that bad or ugly, handles real nice no squeaks or rattlesJul 07, 2010
by Chad A
May 02, 2010
It's a smaller family car that is a good beater for me now. Great gas mileage and
runs forever!!! Oh and cost me .03 cents a mile to run this car!! Its a perfect in-
between car, not to big and not to small.May 02, 2010
by Arch A
Apr 20, 2010
nothing to say u need to drive this car to know wut does it' mean to have a car in
this low price with this high performance .... and a very fun car in the road ... with
high stabilty and controlApr 20, 2010
by Edgar G
Apr 08, 2010
It pretty cool I use it for everything. Go to school, work and all sorts of stuff man. It was pretty cheap too only about $800. this car is pretty fun to drive. I works really well and its getting the job done so its alrightApr 08, 2010
by Anonymous
Apr 06, 2010
My first car was a dark blue Corolla and I loved it. The only reason I was forced to part ways with it was that I had a VERY bad accident with a deer that majorly damaged the radiator, which, in turn, damaged the head gasket.
It was literally perfect in every way to me except that the exterior was way too weak. In my opinion, there's no reason why a car shouldn't be able to survive a 40 mph collision with a deer without heavily denting the hood, shattering the grill, and badly puncturing the radiator.Apr 06, 2010
by Paul -
Feb 19, 2010
manual, fun to drive, handles like a big go-kart, pretty good acceleration, a little outdated, pretty good gas mileage, not really a show-off car, my car has almost 300,000 miles on it, still drives great, 4 cl. 5 speed.
good solid cheaper car.Feb 19, 2010
by TAnvir I
Feb 18, 2010
my ride comes with 4E EFI engine.........But the bad thing is its Horspower is only 1331....... i need it more......But my ride is modified with both interior and exterior........ :)..:D
I love it .........coz i made it unique...............Feb 18, 2010
by Anonymous
Jan 22, 2010
Not a particularly exciting car to drive, but very reliable and great on gas (avg of 34 mpg). I Found out the hard way it's pretty darn safe in an accident too, which I wouldn't have expected given it's appearance. I was in a head on collision going 35mph and walked away with only minor injuries from the airbags. It was still running fine until its unfortunate demise in that accident.I have had to do a good number of repairs to it, though not devastatingly major ones. It had reoccurring exhaust system problems, but everything else was what you'd expect to have to replace in a 16 year old car. All in all I probably put 4,000 - 5,000 into a car that was super cheap to buy and lasted me 6 years (and probably would've lasted me at least a few more). For a first car, it was pretty great. I would recommend it to a teenager, student, or anyone who's looking to save money and have a reliable car.Jan 22, 2010
by Jesse L
Jan 20, 2010
Its a Toyota so its gonna last forever. It looked bland stock,
so I made some modifications. Cold air intake, stainless steel
headers, straight through muffler, lowered racing springs,
new struts, shortened shifter, JDM headlights, fog lights, LED
tail lights and blinkers. I get on average around 30 mpg. Jan 20, 2010
by David M
Jan 08, 2010
This trim has a 1.6 liter 4 cylinder engine, so it has
very little performance. However this car is over 15
years old, and still runs. It gets the job done for me,
but it mine needs some repairs and maintenance.Jan 08, 2010
by Kenneth L
Dec 10, 2009
I really love my car. It's reliable, easy to maintain and has enough character that I look for in a car. Everything about it is great really. Though not as powerful or as fun to drive as a rwd car, it pretty much gets the job done and delivers enough fun.Dec 10, 2009
by Anonymous
Nov 13, 2009
I bought my 1994 toyota corolla about a year ago, its my first car and im very pleased with it. I've had only minor problems with it. ie alternator. It was a cheap fix and i did it myself. The only negative about this car is that it does burn oil, Which is pretty typical for a 1994 car regardless of what kind it is.Nov 13, 2009
by Michael N
Nov 07, 2009
this car was great as well. i never had a problem with
it. just kept the oil changed regularly and that was it.
never had wreck or anything. great for college and
trips, but when i graduated, i wanted to buy a new car.Nov 07, 2009
by Otto L
Oct 31, 2009
Not much repairs, and cheap to use. "Angry" in first gear,
sporty 2nd gear, okay 3rd gear, weak 4th gear but still quite
good 5th gear. Fun to drive, and not very noisy. The car has
a special feel to it.Oct 31, 2009
by Syed A
Oct 16, 2009
Performance- Acceleration great, Braking is good, handling is great
Build Quality- It needed minor repairs, sometimes squeaks
Appearance- The hood color scraped off, i don't know how, Interior is great, exterior is kind od dirty
Cost of Ownership- i forgot, maintenance is about $400
Fun Factor- This car is really fun, but the suspensions aren't great you can literally feel the jumps when there are bumps.Oct 16, 2009
by Anonymous
Sep 01, 2009
a good first car. it has great handeling. The only thing this car needs is a good oil change every now and then. I love driving this car its really fun and will take you for a good ride every time.Sep 01, 2009
by Stíofán O
Aug 24, 2008
Everyone who has driven or been taken out in this will agree, she's not much to look at but she's got it where it counts... A truly responsive engine that's been 100% reliable but just wants to run and run... Bought her for ã400 and I'd be loath to part with her... Aug 24, 2008
by Ayoub S
Jun 20, 2008
just reliable car from A to BJun 20, 2008
by Anna G
Jun 13, 2008
It is'nt really MY car but I drive it. I like the fact that I have the opportunity to drive ANY car and this car is ok. It could look better and perform better but it takes me from A to B. Jun 13, 2008
by Derek H
May 19, 2008
it aint no sports car but it sips on gas. had a 3 speed transmition wich pretty much sucks all around, except for in the snow. there was no clock wtfMay 19, 2008
by Adam B
Apr 28, 2008
very nice body roll control...steering feels slighty too light.....has good ride on med roads....twin cam engine has lots of revs....with the power nicely balanced in the middel of the rev range.........heavier on fuel then i thought it would be.. the styling is very neutral inside and out..... nothing flash...but atleast it was very well thought outApr 28, 2008
by Kyle P
Mar 23, 2008
This was an average car. No options. Slow, but crazy gas mileage. Crazy reliable. Not a head-turner lol. Mar 23, 2008
by Syed A
Jan 27, 2008
the interior is really good. The handling is great. The performance is good for beginners. Overall I would say the car is great for beginners.Jan 27, 2008
by Anonymous
Jan 20, 2008
I like the car and the body style.I have 193,000 miles and still kicking.Jan 20, 2008
by Flemming A
Jan 08, 2008
Toyota always stood for dependability, but this Corolla is out of this world! with 210.000 Km on the Odo, it just ticks away, 17 km pr. L of gas1, seating for five, one airback, and a trunk with plenty of space! Its not fast, but fast enough for the Danish highway.Jan 08, 2008
by Andy C
Dec 26, 2007
Econo engine with some qualities of the 4AGE used in the AE86 and AE111 (older model tuned by TRD)Dec 26, 2007
by Anonymous
Sep 28, 2007
Needed very little in the way of repairs. Still runs strong, 120,000 miles, new exhast, timing belt, driver interior handle, brakes after 100K were replaced, great car.Sep 28, 2007
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Top Comparisons
Have you driven a 1994 Toyota Corolla?Compare this car
1994 Toyota Corolla Pricing
Original MSRP
$12,303 to $16,473Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-only
Roof
Sunroof: power glass
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-only
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Roof
Sunroof: power glass
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent