2003 TOYOTA COROLLA Complaints

SINCE LEASING MY 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA IN MARCH OF 2003, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A ROTTEN EGG SMELL WHENEVER THE CAR IS USED. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER (PLAZA AUTO MALL) WHERE I LEASED IT FROM TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT ON 4/26/03. TECHNICIAN FOUND "NO PROBLEMS, EVERYTHING OPERATING NORMALLY AT THIS TIME". ON 6/2/04 I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND EXPLAINED THE FOUL ODOR SMELL. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM A GASOLINE ISSUE AND THAT NEW TOYOTAS ARE SO EFFICENIENT AT BURNING FUEL THAT THEY ALSO BURN UP CONTAMINANTS IN THE FUEL THAT WERE NORMALLY RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THEY IN TURN FORWARDED MY COMPLAINT TO CORPORATE CUSTOMER RELATIONS.(COMPLAINT #200306020751) ON 6/3/03 MY DEALERSHIP CALLED TO EXPLAIN AGAIN WHAT I HAD BEEN TOLD BY CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THIS TIME. HE SUGGESTED TRYING A DIFFERENT BRAND OF GAS WHICH I HAVE DONE SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS WITH THE FOUL ODOR SMELL.*AK

MY BRAKES SEAMED TO BE FAILING BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. TOOK TO DEALER JUNE 2003 SAID NO PROBLEM KEEP HEARING SQUEAKING NOISE IN BACK. NOW BRAKES GRINDING, HAS 22500 MILES 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA LE HAD FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED 09-30-2003 STILL HEARING SQUEAKING NOISE IN BACK . SAID NO PROBLEM WITH BACK BRAKE S,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAD CHECKED EARLY 2003, SAID NO PROBLEM. SEEMS TO HAVE PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEEL MAKING STRANGE NOISE WHEN TURNING. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE LUNGED OR ACCELERATED UPON FINAL PARKING WITH FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND ON BRAKE. THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER A COUPLE FEET. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED TO HOLD. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR SHE EXPERIENCED ENGINE SURGES AND THE VEHICLE LUNGING FORWARD UPON BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY ADMITTED THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS TOLD SHE HAD A DESIGN FLAW IN HER VEHICLE WHERE THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSE. *TC *JB

ON SEPT. 10TH, 2004 MY SON TRIED CLOSING MY TRUNK ON MY COROLLA LE AND THE PLASTIC MECHANISM BROKE AND PREVENTED THE TRUNK LID FROM LOCKING. HE REPORTS THAT HE DID NO MORE THAN TO TRY TO CLOSE THE TRUNK AFTER OPENING IT. THIS SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THOSE INCIDENTS WHERE THERE IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM AND MOST OWNERS FEEL THEY ARE THE CULPRET OF ITS' MALFUNCTION. I HAD ONE OF THOSE COROLLA'S THAT HAD A FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE TOYOTA AGENCY AFTER 1 1/2 YEARS REPLACED IT FREE AFTER SMELLING LIKE ROTTEN EGGS FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME. I WAS TOLD ORIGINALLY BY THE SERVICE DEPT., IT WAS THE GAS I PUT INTO IT, OR THAT IT WOULD TKAE LONGER THEN NORMAL FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BREAK IN. FINALLY, IT WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF SO MANY REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS BY OTHERS WHO SUFFERED FROM THE SAME SMELL. I WONDER IF THIS IS THE SAME ABOUT THE TRUNK LID MECHANISM?*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE ! TRAVELIN APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL. TAP BRAKE TO RELEASE CRUISE. BEGIN COASTING. APPROACHING 4 WAY RED FLASHER. BEGIN BRAKING. NOTICE NOT SLOWING DOWN AS USUAL. BEGIN BRAKING HARDER. REALIZE NOT SLOWING DOWN. ATTEMPT TO STEER THROUGH INTERSECTION, BUT HIT TRAILER OF CROSSING VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE STALLED. BUT THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC PLACED THE VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND THE CODES APPEARED AS FOLLOWS, P04400/P04411/ P04412. THEN, MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AND THE GAS VAPOR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED MANY TIMES. ALSO, MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD BE A DESIGN FLAW FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

I HAVE PURCHASED THE NEW COROLLA 2003 ON AUGUST 2002,ONLY SEVEN MILES AT THE DELIVERY TIME. AND I HAVE FOUND WATER INSIDE THE CAR (WET RIGHT REAR CARPET) AFTER THE HEAVY RAIN TWICE. THE FIRST TIME HAD HAPPEN ON JUNE 2003, THE FAWLER SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD REPLACED BODY SEAL AND DOOR SEAL. THE SECOND TIME ON JUNE, 28TH 2004, THE JOHN EAGLE SPORT CITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD FOUND THAT WATER WAS LEAKED INSIDE THE CAR THROUGH THE SEAL OF REAR WINDOW. IT IS NOT RIGHT BECAUSE WITH IN TWO YEARS AND AT THE 24000 MILES THE SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACE AT SEVERAL PARTS. IS IT THE DEFECTED PARTS OR CARS BECAUSE THE BODY OF THE COROLLA HAD JUST REDESIGN FOR THIS MODEL. *LA

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLED AT A HIGH RPM . THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM *JB

THE DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK