2005 TOYOTA COROLLA Complaints

5 VEHICLE WRECK IN FAST LANE ON 6 LANE PORTION OF STATE HIGHWAY, 50 MPH ZONE. CAR IN FRONT STOPPED UNEXPECTEDLY. COROLLA STOPPED IN TIME (PREVENTING REAR END COLLISION) BUT 3 VEHICLES (INCLUDED 2 TRUCKS) BEHIND THE COROLLA COLLIDED HEAVILY AND PUSHED THE COROLLA INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CAR "TOTALED". SEVERE FRONT END AND REAR END DAMAGE. NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON DRIVER SIDE OR OTHER SIDE. *TR

I JUST PURCHASED MY 2005 COROLLA 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT AND IT WAS A FAIRLY NEW CAR BUT IT HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WITH IN THE FIRST MONTH I HAD IT. ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE WEATHER NICE AND PLEASANT & I WAS SOBERLY DRIVING HOME FROM NURSING SCHOOL IN SAN JOSE ALONG IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A 3 LANE STREET AT THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MILES AN HOUR. ABOUT 600 FEET AHEAD THERE WAS A YELLOWING STOPLIGHT AND TWO CARS SLOWING DOWN NEARING THE STOPLIGHT. I PUT ON THE BRAKES NORMALLY AS I THOUGHT THERE WAS PLENTY OF SPACE TO COME TO A STOP HOWEVER IT FELT LIKE INSTEAD OF SLOWING THE CAR SUPRISINGLY SPED UP AND INSTANTLY I WAS SMELLING GUNPOWDER AFTER A SHARP PAINFUL JARRING SMACK. THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED AND WAS A RIPPED UP MESS FROM MY STEERING WHEEL. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND WAS SO DAZED AND SHOCKED AND MY WRIST HAD SHATTERED REQUIRING REPARATIVE SURGERY AND REHABILITATION HOWEVER IT'S STILL NOT OK. DUE TO MY CONFUSION I DENIED MEDICAL TREATMENT UNTIL A FEW DAYS LATER. THIS CONFUSION STILL AFFECTS ME BADLY NOW AS I SUFFER FROM SEVERE PTSD. THE POLICE TOOK PICTURES AND A REPORT. THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR I HIT WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE. & RECOMMENDED I BE TAKEN AS WELL BUT I REFUSED. THE CAR HAD BEEN TOTALED WITH SEVERE BODY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND A BENT FRAME THAT IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FROM THE SCENE. I WAS TERRIFIED THAT SOMEBODY EITHER TAMPERED WITH MY CAR AND BRAKES OR EITHER I WAS CLINICALLY INSANE TO MAKE IT ILLOGICALLY SPEED UP & IT WASN'T UNTIL I LEARNED OF THE RECALLS ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO THAT I REALIZED MAYBE THE ACCIDENT WASN'T ALL MY FAULT & I SHOULD REPORT IT HERE. TOYOTA CORPORATION HAS DONE NOTHING TO SEND ME NOTIFICATIONS OF ANY RECALLS OR PROBLEMS EVER. *TR

MY CAR ONLY HAS 54000 MILES AND SINCE LAST 2-3 WEEKS, ITS STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME SO STIFF. WE DID THE POWER STEERING FLUSH AT 33,000 MILES (AS RECOMMENDED IN THE OWNER MANUAL) AND IT WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL THIS MONTH. BASED UPON THE ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 COROLLAS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A HARDWARE PROBLEM AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

OCTOBER 2013, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA IN SOUTHERN CA, WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO FILL THE CAR. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH. THE SMOKE LASTED A FEW MINUTES, AND A BURNING SMELL OF PLASTIC ALSO FILLED THE CAR. THE CAR WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TOOK A LOOK AT THE SWITCH, NONE OF THE SWITCHES AT THE MASTER CONTROL WERE WORKING AND ALL FELT COMPLETELY LOOSE. I PULLED THE SWITCH PANEL AWAY FROM THE DOOR AND COULD SEE HOW THE PLASTIC WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND HAD BURNED HOLES THROUGH THE SWITCH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THIS VIN# AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEMS ON OTHER VIN #'S IN THE SAME MODEL. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A FIRE HAZARD WITH THIS CAR AND TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT IT. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A LARGE COMPANY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF A KNOWN PROBLEM? I RECENTLY CALLED THEM AGAIN TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ISSUED A RECALL AND STILL HAVE NOT. NOW I AM EVEN MORE UPSET! *TR

SRS WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. TOYOTA DEALER FIXES BY INSTALLING NEW CLOCK ASSEMBLY. TOTAL COST $465. THIS ASSEMBLY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND IS FAILING AT A VERY HIGH RATE IN THESE CARS. I BELIEVE IT IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE PART OF A RECALL. SUPPOSEDLY IF THE LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAG IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. *JS

IN SEPTEMBER 2013 I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED BY MY MECHANIC AND IT PASSED INSPECTION. THEN IN DECEMBER 2013 I NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED I WINTERIZE IT, SO I DID. HE DID THE FOLLOWING: CHANGED OIL AND FILTER, LUBE CHASIS, FLUSH RADIATOR, ADDED NEW ANTIFREEZE, ROTATED TIRES, CHECKED BRAKES, DAX COOL; CABIN FILTER: REMOVED OLD CABIN FILTER, CLEANED OUT AIR BOX AND INSTALLED NEW FILTER; FUEL INJECTOR CLEAN: CLEANED AND FLUSHED INJECTOR SYSTEM; BELT - REMOVED AND REPLACED LISTED BELTS, ADJUSTED TENSION; BATTERY - CHECKED CHARGING AND STARING SYSTEM, INSTALLED NEW BATTERY AND CLEANED CABLE ENDS. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS DONE ABOVE BUT PERIODICALLY MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY AT A RED LIGHT IT SKIDDED A LITTLE. THEN EVENTUALLY MY CAR WOULD SPEED UP ON ITS OWN SO I WOULD HAVE TO BRAKE AND THEN DRIVE AT A REALLY LOW SPEED. THEN ON APRIL 2, 2014 I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED 4 WHEEL BRAKE AND HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED BRAKES, TOPED OFF FLUID. EVERY TIME I DID BRING MY CAR INTO THE MECHANIC THEY WOULD ROAD TEST IT AND TELL ME THE CAR IS NOW DRIVABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN I WOULD DRIVE THE CAR IT FELT AS IF I HAD TO NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2014 I TOOK IT OVER TO TOYOTA AND THEY DID A GENERAL INSPECTION, THEY TOLD ME THE BATTERY IS FINE, THEY ALSO DID AN OIL CHANGE, AFIX STICKER AND RESET MAINTENANCE REMINDER. THEY TEST DROVE AS WELL AND TOLD ME EVERYTHING IS FINE. HOWEVER, AS I DROVE THIS PAST MONTH I FELT AS IF I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. MY FOOT WAS NOT REALLY ON THE GAS PEDAL. BEFORE THE WINTERIZED I WOULD DRIVE ALL OVER TOWN AND WOULD PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AT THE LEVEL I WANTED IT TO GO. NOW I DO NOT PUT ANY REAL PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR SEEMS TO GO ON ITS OWN. *JS

I TURNED ON MY CAR AND IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ITSELF, THE INDICATOR STOPPED AND HELD ON 4,000 RPM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED IN CONJUNCTION TO HARSH SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. A TROUBLE CODE DETECTED A MALFUNCTION WITH THE CLUTCH SOLENOID. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V384000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

HAD JUST PICKED UP CAR FROM LYNCH TOYOTA AND $1,000 WORTH OF REPAIRS INCLUDING 02 SENSOR B/C CHECK ENGINE & TPMS LIGHTS WERE ON. WHILE DRIVING 65 M.P.H. ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS' OWN UP TO 80 M.P.H. I DEPRESSED BRAKE AND SLOWED SPEED BUT UPON REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING TO 80 M.P.H. A SECOND TIME, SO I MADE SURE MY FOOT WAS NOT ON GAS PEDAL AND DEPRESSED BRAKE AGAIN WHICH SLOWED SPEED BUT CAR ACCELERATED A THIRD TIME TO 80 M.P.H. AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON GAS PEDAL BUT WHEN I TRIED TO DEPRESS BRAKE IT RESISTED AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESSED, SO I JAMMED DOWN ON GAS PEDAL A FEW TIMES AND IT "REVVED" AS IF IN PARK- DOING THIS SEEMED TO KICK THE CAR OUT OF PHANTOM DRIVING MODE AND ALLOWED ME TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND DRIVE STRAIGHT BACK TO LYNCH TOYOTA. TOYOTA HAD MY CAR FOR OVER A DAY AND SAID THEY SENT THE TEST RESULTS TO CA BUT "COULD NOT CONFIRM CONDITION" AND IT WAS "OPERATING ACCORDING TO DESIGN"- THAT POSSIBLE CAUSE WAS AFTERMARKET FLOOR MAT OR "PEDAL MIS-APPLICATION" BUT THE FLOOR MAT DOESN'T REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THIS OCCURRED THREE (3) TIMES OVER A SHORT TIME SPAN AND I DELIBERATELY LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL SO IT COULDN'T BE MIS-APPLICATION. THERE ARE MANY REPORTED ISSUES WITH THE 2005 MATRIX AND OTHER YEARS, TOO AS WELL AS OTHER TOYOTA MODELS BUT EACH INCIDENT ENDS WITH TOYOTA FAILING TO CONFIRM ANY ISSUES BUT CLEARLY, THERE ARE ACCELERATION, PEDAL OR ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS. *TR

IN JANUARY OF 2013 AND AGAIN IN DECEMBER OF 2013, MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN SAN LUIS OBISPO AND THEY SAID THAT THE O2 SENSOR WAS MALFUNCTIONING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN TOO LEAN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED (JANUARY, 2013) THE SERVICE WRITER GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE "PLENUM GASKET AND O2 SENSOR" BUT SAID THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT IF I ELECTED NOT TO HAVE THIS REPAIR DONE. WHEN THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN IN DECEMBER, 2013, I BECAME ALARMED AND TOOK MY 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA TO AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP (NOT THE SAN LUIS OBISPO DEALERSHIP) AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THE VALVES WOULD BURN OUT IF I DID NOT REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR (BANK ONE, SENSOR ONE) AND PLENUM GASKET. I FELT THIS WAS URGENT AND TOOK IT TO THE SAN LUIS OBISPO TOYOTA DEALER FOR THE REPAIR, COSTING ME OVER $400. NOTE THAT I FOUND A TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ("M.I.L "ON" DTC PO171 OR P2195", MODELS '05-'06 COROLLA AND MATRIX) DATED NOVEMBER 16, 2005 (WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH OR APRIL, 2005) WHICH STATED "UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, SOME 2005 AND 2006 MODEL YEAR COROLLA AND MATRIX VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MIL "ON" CONDITION WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DTC'S: PO171 (SYSTEM TOO LEAN, BANK 1"). FURTHER, IT STATED "THE AIR FUEL (A/F) SENSOR MANUFACTURING PROCESS HAS BEEN IMPROVED TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION". NOTE THAT I NEVER RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE OR A NOTICE FROM TOYOTA ABOUT THIS CONDITION. ON 1-2-14 I EMAILED TOYOTA (REF: 140102-000196) TO ASK ABOUT THIS AND TO ASK THEIR CONSIDERATION TO COVER SOME OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR, AND I RECEIVED AN EMAIL BACK FROM A "RENEE T.", TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STATING "A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) IS NOT A RECALL OR A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN" AND THAT TOYOTA AND BASICALLY BRUSHED MY CONCERN ASIDE. *TR