2003 TOYOTA COROLLA Complaints

ONE YEAR AGO MY 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA BEGAN TO MAKE A HIGH-PITCHED WHIRRING NOISE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS ENGAGED. THE SOUND CONTINUED TO BECOME LOUDER UNTIL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET MY CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A CRUNCHING NOISE. AFTER I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO GEAR. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT IN NOV. 2010. I BEGAN HEARING THE SAME HIGH-PITCHED WHIRRING NOISE AGAIN RECENTLY (NOV. 2011). *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 60MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING STUCK UNDER THE WHEELS OF MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. IT WOULDN'T GO INTO ANY GEAR AFTER THAT, BUT LUCKILY, I WAS IN NEUTRAL SO IT COULD BE TOWED. THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2003 COROLLAS WITH THE 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. IT COST ME $3,700 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION (AND LABOR) FROM TOYOTA, WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY END UP WITH THE SAME FAILURE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND MY CAR HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE KEPT UP ON ALL THE MAINTENANCE; THERE IS NO REASON THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE MAILED A COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA CORPORATION AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

CAR IS A 5 SPEED AND HAD AN INCREASING "GROWL" IN TRANSMISSION IN 2,3,AND 5TH GEAR. AFTER RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN 5 SPEED COROLLA'S, MATRIX, AND PONTIAC VIBE WHICH ALL USE THE C59 5 SPEED TRANSMISSIONS. OVER $1000 TO REPAIR IF CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH. THIS IS/WAS MY 5TH TOYOTA, AND WILL BE MY LAST ALSO!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. UPDATED 11/29/11 *CN A POLICE REPORT WAS PROVIDED. UPDATED 12/07/11

AFTER MAKING SOME NOISE ON THE HIGHWAY I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO REALIZE THAT I HAD NO REVERSE GEAR IN MY COROLLA. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR IN FIRST GEAR ALSO. I LIMPED MY WAY TO THE MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE NEXT DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. HE SAID THAT A COMPONENT CAME LOOSE AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION FURTHER BY INTERFERING WITH OTHER PARTS. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD COST $3,800 TO FIX. THIS WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED AND DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DRIVER WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,410.

THE 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA MAKES NOISE AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MILES PER HOUR. I TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT SHOPS AND THEY CAME BACK WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE BEARINGS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT DUE TO THE TIME ALTHOUGH THE BEARINGS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THEN THE 40K MILES EVEN THEIR WARRANTY SAYS 60K MILES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE WHEEL CAN CAME OFF WHILE YOU DRIVE AND INJURE THE DRIVER AND OTHERS. PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE AND MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE IT AS I DID, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MUFFLER AND IS NOT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE POST THIS ON YOUR WEBSITE AS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE . TOYOTA SHOULD INVESTIGATE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE BEARINGS THEY USE. *KB

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE PARTS TO COME IN FOR THE "SAFETY RECALL" FOR MY SUNROOF AND HAVE ONLY RECEIVED ONE PHONE CALL STATING THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON THE PARTS. THE RECALL IS FROM WEBASTO PRODUCT NORTH AMERICA, INC. FOR HOLLANDIA 700/600, AND HOLLANDIA TVS 900 SERIES AFTERMATH SUNROOFS. THIS SUNROOF IS # 6074852 AND JUST SHATTERED LAST NIGHT.

CAR WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITH NO WARNING. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, JUST SITTING AT THE LIGHT. *KB

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE SUDDEN UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION OF A TOYOTA COROLLA AUTOMOBILE DOT/I#2011-2068. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, WHEN THE SIGN AHEAD INDICATED TO REDUCE SPEED AHEAD. THE CONSUMER REDUCED HER SPEED TO THE POSTED LIMIT BY PRESSING DOWN ON THE BRAKE. AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SPEED AND A LOUD NOISE WAS PRESENT. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CONTINUED TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND SHE COULD FEEL THE ABS ACTIVATING. THE ABS SOUNDED LIKE A HIGH PITCHED NOISE AND PULSATING VERY FAST. THE CONSUMER FINALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, BEFORE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS EMITTING A LOUD ROARING SOUND. THE CONSUMER SHIFTED THE GEAR FROM DRIVE 1 TO DRIVE 2 AND THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED. SHE TRIED TO SHIFT TO PARK, BUT AS SHE GOT TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE TRIED TO BUCK, SO SHE PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HER CRUISE CONTROL WA ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. *JB UPDATED 11/10/11 *BF UPDATED 11/16/11