2026 Toyota Corolla Cross

Main Claim **Subject: Vehicle Malfunction Incident Report / Claim** I am writing to report a serious and unexpected issue with my vehicle that occurred on Sunday, March 29, 2026. I purchased this car in mid-December 2025, and it is still relatively new. For context, the vehicle’s brake hold function was turned on, and everything appeared to be operating normally before the incident. On the day of the incident, I was parking at a café and had my foot firmly on the brake while the vehicle was in Drive. As I was preparing to shift the gear into Park (without having actually moved the gear yet), the vehicle suddenly behaved as if it had shifted into Reverse, despite the gear still being in Drive. The rearview camera activated, and the car began rolling backward. This occurred while I was still pressing the brake, which should have prevented any movement. In response to this dangerous situation, I attempted to lift my foot off the brake and press it again, but the brakes did not respond. I also tried shifting between Reverse and Drive in an attempt to regain control and restore normal braking function, but this did not resolve the issue. As the vehicle continued to slowly roll backward, I was ultimately forced to shift the gear into Park while the car was still in motion and turn off the engine to stop the vehicle. This action successfully stopped the car. After restarting the vehicle, I was able to park safely without further issue. This was a highly dangerous malfunction that could have easily resulted in a serious accident. Additionally, there were two passengers in the vehicle at the time—one in the front passenger seat and one in the rear—both of whom are licensed drivers and can confirm that the vehicle began reversing while still in Drive and that the brakes were not functioning as expected. I am submitting this report to formally document the incident and request a thorough inspection and resolution of the issue. Please advise on the next steps for investigation,

The component that has malfunctioned is the hybrid inverter assembly, a loose internal bolt within the hybrid propulsion system. This vehicle is currently held at Fred Haas Toyota Country (Houston, TX) and is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of the public are at risk because, as stated by the recall notice given on December 16 2025, this defect involves a bolt in the hybrid powertrain that "can become loose and could lead to a loss of motive power or could lead to a fire when the vehicle is on." The safety risk was confirmed by Fred Haas Toyota on March 6, 2026 and while there is no formal "Stop Drive" order, the dealership agreed to ground the vehicle and lend me a rental. As of today, March 28, 2026 there is still no remedy despite Toyota saying they "estimate the remedy can be available in the 1st quarter of 2026." Since my vehicle is currently in possession of the dealership, I am not sure if they have inspected it. Before I gave my car to Fred Haas Toyota Country I did not see any warning lights or messages, but the risk was still there (NHTSA 25V869000). My vehicle has been out of service for 22 days with no estimate repair date or remedy announced and the manufacturer has failed to provide a comparable loaner and has been unresponsive to my calls and messages. I am reporting a failure to remedy a known safety defect in a reasonable timeframe and am requesting an investigation into this delay and assistance with an appropriate rental or vehicle repurchase.

The fuel gage does not update to reflect a full tank. The check engine light has turned on twice along with a notification of a system malfunction. When the car was taken to the dealership the fuel level sender had to be replaced. The check engine light turned on again after having the fuel sender replace. After taking the vehicle to the dealership an additional time it was identified that the fuel tank was defective.