Tools you need for spark plugs on a 2014-2019 Toyota Corolla

This is one of the easiest jobs on the E170 Corolla. All four plugs are straight up on top of the 1.8L head, the coils come off with a single 10 mm bolt each, and there's nothing to remove except the plastic engine cover. The only slightly unusual tool is a thin-wall 16 mm spark plug socket — a fat generic 5/8 in socket may not drop into the wells cleanly.

The factory iridium plugs are rated around 120,000 miles, so most owners do this once. The thing people get wrong is starting the new plugs with a ratchet: the head is aluminum and cross-threading is easy. Thread each plug in by hand with just the socket and extension until it seats, then torque to 13 ft-lb. Also skip re-gapping — these come pre-gapped and the iridium tip breaks if you bend it.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2014-2019 generation

Every 2014-2019 E170 Corolla sold in North America uses the 1.8L 2ZR engine, either the standard 2ZR-FE or the Valvematic 2ZR-FAE in the LE Eco. Plug type, 16 mm plug hex, 10 mm coil bolts and torque specs are identical; the Valvematic engine just has the extra Valvematic actuator on the intake side of the valve cover, which does not need to come off.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Let the engine cool completely — never pull plugs from a hot aluminum head.
2. Open the hood and pull off the plastic engine cover; it pops off ball studs on most E170s, some have 10 mm nuts on the front edge.
3. Optional but good practice: disconnect the negative battery terminal (10 mm) to avoid setting a code if a connector is jostled.
4. Unplug the four ignition coil connectors — press the tab and pull; use a pick, not force, on brittle clips.
5. Remove the single 10 mm bolt from each coil, twist the coil slightly and lift it straight out. Lay them out in cylinder order.
6. Blow or vacuum dirt out of each plug well so nothing drops into the cylinder.
7. Fit the 16 mm thin-wall plug socket on a 6 in extension, break each plug loose and remove it. Work one cylinder at a time.
8. Compare the old plug to the new one for reach and hex size; check for oil, heavy carbon or a cracked insulator and note the cylinder.
9. Wipe a trace of dielectric grease inside each coil boot. Leave new plug threads bare, or use only a whisker of nickel anti-seize on the threads (never on the electrode).
10. Start each new plug by hand or with the socket and extension only — no ratchet — until it seats, so you cannot cross-thread the aluminum head.
11. Torque each plug to 13 ft-lb (18 Nm).
12. Reinstall the coils, torque the 10 mm bolts to about 7 ft-lb (10 Nm), and reconnect the connectors until they click.
13. Refit the engine cover, reconnect the battery, start the engine and confirm a smooth idle with no misfire light. Relearn the power window auto-up if the battery was disconnected.

Watch out

The 16 mm plug hex, 10 mm coil bolts and 13 ft-lb plug torque are correct for the 1.8L 2ZR-FE/2ZR-FAE across 2014-2019 E170 Corollas; confirm your exact plug part number against the old plug or the parts catalog before installing.

Other jobs on the 2014-2019 Toyota Corolla

Spark Plug Replacement on other vehicles