1998 Toyota Corolla

SAFETY ISSUE!!! THE LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE HAS A STRANGE ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SEEMS UNABLE TO REPAIR! 139000.0 MILES THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY REFUSE TO START. T THE KEY UNLOCKS BUT ONLY SO FAR IT REFUSES TO ENGAGE THE STARTER OR ALLOW THE AUTO GEAR SELECTOR TO WORK! STRANDS MY WIFE IN THE BAD PARTS OF TOWN AND CAUSES DISTRESS AND DANGER BECAUSE OF THE STRANDED VEHICLE CONDITION! NO CODES GENERATED AND TWICE TOYOTA HAS HAD FOR TWO DAYS AND NO FIX! CORPORATION HAS CASE OR INCIDENT REPORT OPEN BUT NOT FIXED. SO FAR IGNITION REPLACED BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE FOLLOWING COULD BE ISSUE? 1. IGNITION KEY CYLINDER 2. IGNITION ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND OR RELAY, 3. TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SWITCH, 4. GEAR SHIFT LEVER BUTTON? GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT TO ENSURE CAR IS IN PARK PROPERLY FOR INTERLOCK SWITCH TO WORK. EACH TIME IT COSTS OVER $200.00 AND A NEW $200.00 OR MORE WORTH OF PARTS! WOULD THIS NOT BE A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE WITH GEARSHIFT NEUTRAL INTERLOCK OR SOMETHING? MY ALTERNATIVE IS TO KEEP DRIVING A GAS HOG SUV THAT IS AT LEAST SOMEWHAT RELIABLE? SO MUCH FOR SAVING FUEL OR THE ENVIRONMENT IF A CAR IS NOT RELIABLE OR ACCORDING TO TOYOTA FIXABLE WITHOUT THROWING CASH AT MECHANICS OR DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX WITHOUT JUST GUESSING AT RANDOM PARTS REPLACEMENTS? THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AFTER DRIVING AND IS IN PARK WITH KEY ENGAGED PROPERLY WITH BRAKE ENGAGED PROPERLY TO START THE IGNITION PROCESS THAT INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGES SOLUTIONS ... MAKE A NEW KEY?, REPLACE KEY AND CYLINDER OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS? NEVER A RENTAL OR LOANER SO LOJACK NOT AN ISSUE, NO BLUETOOTH, NO GPS DISABLER TO MY KNOWLEDGE IF ONE EXISTS IT IS A CRIMINAL ACT TARGETING MY WIFE OR MYSELF. *TR

STARTER DID NOT STOP CRANKING, ALTHOUGH IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND KEY WAS REMOVED. CONTINUED CRANKING UNTIL AFTER LARGE AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED FROM ENGINE. EVENTUALLY STOPPED BEFORE CATCHING FIRE. FOUND MAIN ENGINE WIRE HARNESS MELTED, CHARRED:; STARTER CHARRED: BATTERY CASE MELTED; BATTERY WIRE MELTED. UNABLE TO ROLL WINDOW BACK UP, EVEN AFTER RECONNECTING BATTERY. REQUIRED TOW HOME.

1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. ON AUGUST 20, 1999, THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RUBBING SOUND IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED EARLY IN THE MORNINGS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE DOOR PANELS WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE GLUE COMING THROUGH THE FABRIC. THE DOME LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON AT TIMES. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE MAY BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 44 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN DECREASE IN SPEED. THE CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. UPDATED 05/26/10.*JB

CONTACT STATES: STARTER STUCK, COULDN'T SHUT OFF IGNITION. THEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE O DEALER, AND REPAIRS WERE DONE @ A COST OF $1,300. CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. IN THE PAST, WHILE TURNING KEY, ENGINE WOULDN'T START. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. SERVICE RECORDS STATED STARTER SHORTED OUT AND STARTER WIRES BURNED. REPLACED STARTER. *AK *NM