ToyotaSolara2001L4/toyota/solara/2001/l4/

2001 Toyota Solara — L4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Solara L4.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine L4Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Toyota Solara L4 is a passenger car pairing an L4 engine with a four-speed automatic transmission to deliver an EPA-estimated 20 city and 29 highway mpg, running on a modest 3.8 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. From a reliability standpoint, the vehicle proves exceptionally robust, recording zero recalls and only five owner complaints primarily centered on the seats. This minimal issue count places the 2001 near the very bottom of the model's 1997-2008 complaint history—far removed from the 161 complaints accumulated by the 2004 model—meaning researchers can view this specific year as a notably trouble-free entry in the lineup's lineage.

Model year200420032002200120001999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLIGHTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-60HR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1 alt 90915YZZD1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330079545 alt 2330020040
Front wiper blades8521204031 alt 8522206020
Serpentine belt900809112283 alt 9936330750
Thermostat9091603090 alt 90916A3003

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.2 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase105.1 in
Curb weight3483 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 59.8 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 29 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.8 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, ATF in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilATF
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.4 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.8 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts80 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts159 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9200-16,700 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR12
Refrigerant Capacity1.76 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Compression142-178 psi
Engine Compression145-218 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-78 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 36-71 psi @ 3000 rpm psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle34 ft-lbs / 76 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Runout Limit0.0059 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.472 in / 1.102 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miDifferential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Solara sits at a pivotal point in the model's reliability arc. From 1997 through 2001, complaints remained low (peaking at 10 in 2000) and there were zero recalls, with the 2001 model itself recording only 5 complaints and no recalls or investigations. However, beginning in 2002, complaints skyrocketed to 86, investigations tripled, and TSBs jumped to 114—a pattern that continued and worsened through 2008, with multiple recalls appearing from 2004 onward. The data does not specify the root cause of this spike, but the 2001 model clearly belongs to the earlier, more stable period before the generation's reliability deteriorated. With minimal complaints, no recalls, and a modest 9 TSBs, the 2001 Solara is a strong buy relative to later model years, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms no deferred maintenance.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
9
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Seats1
Power Train1
Air Bags1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other1
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 9 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB-0064-102010-02-04Engine And Engine CoolingTOYOTA: TECHSTREAM ECU FLASH REPROGRAMMING PROCEDURE. FLASH REPROGRAMMING ALLOWS THE ECU…
BO017022002-09-30Seat BeltsSEAT BELT EXTENDER AVAILABILITY. *TT
TC001022002-05-24Power TrainSUBJECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID REQUIREMENTS. *TT
BO023012001-09-14Seat BeltsSUBJECT REGARDING SEAT BELT EXTENDERS. *JG
PG016012001-08-31Unknown Or OtherSUBJECT REGARDING LOAD INSPECTION / MAINTENANCE TEST FOR NON-SWITCHABLE TRACTION CONTROL…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
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Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Solara L4 take?

3.8 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Solara have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the L4 get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.